Partners for Life

(Written on 03/03/2009)

Hi, my name is Rose, Native American name Dancing Feather. I am a Member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe from Northern Maine. I am currently living in Maryland, with my Husband of 5 years and our dog Java. I am originally from Portland, Maine.  I was born in Bangor, Maine.

When I was 15 months old I was adopted by the family that brought me up.  They were not Native Americans and did not understand my ways of doing things. This caused some turmoil in my younger years. In turn, this caused me to spend a lot of time alone. I found that making craft items was my outlet. I started when I was very young and would spend summers at my grandparent’s house in Millinocket, Maine.  They enjoyed golfing. I tried but was never successful. So I would spend time alone in there house. I found some instruction books of Crocheting and Knitting and taught myself to do both. Later on I work on embroidery and liquid paint embroidery.  I tried my hand at oil painting, but didn’t do very well at that. I went on to plastic canvas needlepoint, rug hooking and woodworking. I have woven baskets, made dream catchers and Christmas ornament from Styrofoam balls. I found all of these enjoyable but never kept my interest for any length of time.

I don’t remember how it happened but I began to do bead work. I started out with a small loom and made some necklaces and bracelets but that seem boring. There isn’t a lot you can do with a flat piece of bead work. Then I found a book on earrings. (I still have the book; it’s in really bad condition with lots of notes and change in colors and patterns, actually coming apart and the seams), and I started making them. This was very interesting to me. I could choose colors I enjoyed; change the patterns around to my liking. I finally found my craft. It was bead working. Once again it was self taught, but something I really enjoyed and kept my interest. I have been making jewelry for some time now and I have widened my craft to Necklaces, chokers, and bracelets.

I was not raised by my Native family, so the crafts I do are all my own, with out being taught by my elders.
I have been doing crafts for as long as I can remember. I have a talent of just knowing how to do things with little help. The Creator, in His infinite wisdom has given me the talent without having a Native Elder to teach me. Some day soon I hope to have my own Craft shop so I can share the talents that I have with others. Maybe have a craft studio attached so I can have workshops to show other how to do what I do, so it will live on in others who don’t have a teacher or Elder to show them.