About the Artist:
Tamara Stands and Looks Back-Spotted Tail is from Sicangu Lakota Oyate known as the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, one of the seven bands of the Great Sioux Nation. Tamara is the great granddaughter of Chief Stands and Looks Back and Mary Spotted Horse.
Her inspiration for jewelry making comes from years of studying Lakota history and its cultural values. Tamara defines her art as therapy and creates one of a kind pieces with good thoughts and prayer, so that whoever wears her creations may walk their path in life with good health and beauty because that is (wolakota) the Lakota way of life.

Native American History:
The production of Native American jewelry began thousands of years ago with stones, bones, coral, and shells. Natives turned these materials into wearable jewelry and traded them for other goods between tribes.
Jewelry was also a marker of status within Native American communities. Individuals of the ruling or elite class typically wore more elaborate pieces to indicate their significant place in society.
Native Americans even carved tiny beads out of shells and bones to wear as necklaces or bracelets, similar to the ones we wear today.
They wore pendants on leather strings, rings, and earrings from materials in their surrounding environment.
Much of the jewelry that is on the market today has been influenced by these early jewelry makers.