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 For the Plains Indians, following the buffalo was a way of life. When the herds migrated, they moved, carrying all their worldly possessions on their backs or in travois hauled by horses and dogs. This lifestyle meant that every item the Indians carried served a purpose, but serving a purpose did not mean that the items were unattractive. The Northern Plains Indians took pride in decorating their few possessions with elaborate beadwork or painted designs. Their hides were tanned by hand to a velvety softness or hardened into waterproof parfleche containers. Everything was done with care for both the piece's function and its beauty. Ancient Traditions RemainToday, these ancient traditions remain in spite of the fact that the tribes no longer travel with the buffalo herds. Beading and tanning are crafts that have been handed down for generations through families like that of Cathy Keene, a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe who traces her lineage back to John Enos, first cousin of Chief Washakie. Cathy and her husband, Gary, own Ancient Ways, a craft store and tannery on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming that specializes in authentic Indian artwork. Ancient Ways' ShowroomWalking into the Ancient Ways' showroom is like stepping into a museum. The walls are hung with hand drums made on the premises from locally harvested and tanned deer or elk. There are beaded bags and moccasins lining the shelves, and Native American music plays softly on the stereo. In the back room, workers prepare hides using the traditional Indian method of natural tanning. The results-silky white pieces of buckskin or dusky gold ones that have been smoked for color and water resistance-lie in neat stacks ready to be transformed into bags, shoes, furniture and clothing. Knowledge about the artistsAncient Ways is a family business. As Cathy says, she's probably related to half the people on the reservation. Her mother, aunt and nephew all work in the store, and they know or are related to many of the artists whose work is on display. Ninety-five percent of Ancient Ways' retail products are handcrafted by Native Americans, most of them local. In fact, the Keenes purchase artwork from approximately 100 reservation families. These items include moccasins, drums, beaded bags, amulets, and jewelry. Because so much of this work is produced nearby, the Keenes can tell visitors stories about each of the artists whose work they carry. They can also provide details about the function of various bags and containers and explain the symbolism of the beadwork designs. This intimate knowledge gives buyers a unique perspective of the artwork on display. Traditional Indian Tanned HidesAncient Way LLC had its beginnings in 1993 as a small taxidermy business. Later, the business expanded and a tannery specializing in "Indian-tanned" hides was added. Very few people still use this traditional brain-tanning method in spite of the fact that the quality of the hides produced is vastly superior to those made with chemicals. The Keenes were determined to revive the dying tradition. They apprenticed at a tannery in Montana and then began to experiment on their own until they had a product they liked. Today they cannot keep up with the demand for their buckskin, rawhide and hair-on hides. The tannery stimulated a renaissance among reservation artists. Many craftspeople purchased hides at Ancient Ways and then returned with finished goods to sell. In response, the Keenes began to sell local artwork on consignment. Later they opened their showroom and began specializing in sale of high-quality authentic Indian crafts. They added beads and other art supplies to their product line in 1996. This allowed local artists to come to the store to purchase all their supplies and then return with completed items to sell. In 1997, they expanded their inventory to include Native American books and music, and began buying and selling antlers and horns. On the route to YellowstoneAncient Ways is one of the few privately owned businesses on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Home to both the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapahoe tribes, the reservation encompasses more than 2.1 million sparsely populated acres in western Wyoming. Ancient Ways' showroom lies on Highway 287, a major travel route to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. Visitors may take tours of Ancient Ways' tannery or just wander around the showroom and examine the museum-quality work on display. Always available to answer questions or tell stories, the Keenes and their extended family are committed to preserving their heritage and carrying on their people's ancient ways. When you buy a product at Ancient Ways, the Keene family guarantee its authenticity.  P.O. Box 156 © 2001-2002 Ancient Ways, LLC - Fort Washakie, Wyoming. |
