Future
The attempted removal of Indigenous societies by Western civilization caused obstruction to the passage of Indigenous culture and traditional knowledge. When certain practices were no longer practical or simply impossible to continue due to the settlers destruction of essential land and resources, they were not passed to the next generation of learners. This occurrence has caused a gap in traditions for various groups across the continent. Iroquois raised beadwork; however, had a notably different outcome than many other traditional crafts, for it it is still practiced today.
Currently, the tradition of beading is still prevalent in many Iroquois communities. It acts as a link that connects members who grew up on a reservation and those who have not been raised in an area with a wealth of cultural knowledge (Moss, 2016). This form of artwork bonds members with the culture of the Iroquois and acts as a gateway to more in depth learning of cosmology, history, and belonging in the Haudenosaunee people. Click here to learn from Haudenosaunee artist Karen Ann Hoffman, who describes herself as a “link in [the] chain” of passing on the beadwork art form (Keller, 2017).