Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Little Bighorn, an earring

TALISMAN:


"Something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects....
an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and
bring good fortune."

I don't expect this long single earring to do all that,  
but I am hoping that when I wear it I remember and recapture
the sense of history, spiritualism, and yes..sadness...
I felt when we visited
The little Big Horn Battlefield,(National park)




You obviously and with good reason are not allowed to remove anything from the park.
But I was able to find a person (Jason Pitsch) whose family owns and lives 
on private land that was the site of Major marcus A. Reno's fight in the valley against the Lakota and Cheyenne Tribes. (June 25th-27th, 1876)

The blue Russian trade bead and the brass trade ring
were from Custer's Last Stand, on the Reno Battlefield
around Sitting Bulls Camp (Hunkpapa camp) 
( found in 1998) These are legal and authentic artifacts.

I cleaned them very little, they are pretty much as they were when I bought them.
Dirt on and in the bead, and the brass ring is green and (c)rusty.
At first I wasn't going to use the little Black Hills gold cross, I didn't think it "looked right"'
but then I started thinking about all the Indian Wars that came after 
Little Big horn, and how some if not all of them were related (in my opinion) to 
the gold found in The Black Hills.  So on it went.
The sterling feather came from frostcreek Etsy Shop,
everything else from here and there. 

Visiting The Little Big Horn Battlefield is an amazing  experience,
if you haven't and are able you should go, you wouldn't regret it.
It was on my "bucket list", so glad I got to cross it off!!

Do you have talisman jewelry, something made from special things?
Something that you wear when you need courage, comfort ,
or to remember? 


5 comments:

  1. We visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield only one time, but I can still the feel the sad tug of history and the spiritual power of place.

    Your earring is indeed special.

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  2. Already said it in my e-mail... GREAT PIECE! :)
    Have a good weekend!

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  3. I like wearing two different earrings, with the same elements only rearranged differently and I love the idea of the talisman...girl you are making my wheels turn...I must make myself one, since I rarely go anywhere these days, I don't wear any earrings, but I may have to make an exception...me likey!!! I really like your thought process, too bad you live wayyyyy over there, we could be trouble!

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  4. Gayle, I just got my marvelous package. Did i say Marvelous? I mean FABtabulous!!! Thank you so much for the beautiful bag. It is PERFECT! I have never gotten such a beautiful package from anyone. My birthday was Friday. So it's the best present i got. The colors are me. The earrings and the cards are SO Cool. You are a gal with many talents. You must always be at the table making something beautiful. The little treasures inside are the perfect addition to my little but, ever growing stash. The bags are even more beautiful, when i have it in my hands and so well made. I was so excited when i opened it that i tried to call you, since i had your phone #.You weren't home. I can't thank you enough Gayle

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  5. It was my pleasure Cathie, hope you had
    a great birthday!!

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