Beading – Grandmother’s Lessons

Those of you reading my memoir blog will know this week I am fascinated with beading.

I’m doing research into beading around the world to deepen poems and short stories I have in progress.

How I long to travel to meet beaders the world over, but without the finances at least I can visit them on youtube.

These were two of my favourite videos in my online journey today.

I thank the makers of these videos for sharing these stories.  It makes me miss the Elders of Murray Upper I can tell you. They taught me how to make a small basket, a different handicraft, with its own intricacies.

One thing that intrigues me is that grandmothers rather than mothers pass culture on – and there may be many reasons for this, some practical and some cultural.  Another thread of thought develops from the cyberjourney.

I have never found handicraft to come easily, but immensely respect those that are good at it – my mother is one of them.

Two of the things I am intrigued by at the moment are techniques and materials.

The beading journey is sure to continue for a while on my blog.

Perhaps  I’ll write it better than I can do it.  Or  who knows I  may find myself learning it.  Perhaps I have the patience now.

(Note I am not Indigenous to the Americas, but am keen to learn from many cultures who do beading and would be very proud to be if I was.  My mother is Papua New Guinean Indigenous and I have enjoyed the friendships of people from many backgrounds in Australia.)