| Last
Updated: Aug 12th, 2006 - 18:39:12
| Native Americans & The Missions |
|
Native American Crafts - Sandpainting
By The Escondido School District
Aug 11, 2006, 15:05 PST
|
|
Sand Painting
A Native American Craft for Kids
Sandpaintings are pictures made of bits of crushed rock, plants, and other dry materials. The sandpaintings told stories about the people and spirits of the Native Californians. Sandpaintings were used in mythical, medical, and religious ceremonies.
It would not be proper to try and duplicate the religious symbols the Native Californian used for their sandpaintings, so please design your own masterpiece.
Materials:
- fine sand
- dry powder poster paint
- cardboard or heavy tag board
- white glue
- zippered plastic bags
Directions:
- Mix dry poster paint with sand in the zippered plastic bag and set out in shallow dish to dry
- Draw design on cardboard
- Outline with glue and sprinkle with colored sand, let dry.
- Highlight the insides with different colors
- When dry, shake off the extra sand
As students are creating their sandpaintings they should be
thinking about a story or song that would be told/song at the
ceremony.
Once the sandpainting ceremony is over the painting is traditionally destroyed.
Native American Design Reference Sites
The Dancing Ground
The making of a Native American sand painting.
Source: American Studies
Native American Designs
This site has a great collection of designs with very good background on each of the patterns.
Source: Buck-A-Gram
Native American Designs and Colors - Natural Dyes
Learn the sumbolism behind various colors in Native American art.
Source: Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs
What Does this Indian Symbol Mean?
"Over the years, both Native American designs (merely decorative forms) and symbols (a sign representing an idea, a quality or an association) have been subject to "interpretation" by non-Indian dealers and traders. Often, these interpretations are explained in terms of Anglo-European concepts that were nonexistent to the Native American. The result frequently bears little or no relationship to the true meaning of the symbols."
Source: Wingspread Guides of New Mexico
Suggested Reading
© Copyright 2006
by classbrain.com
Top of Page
 |
| Search |
|
|
|
Email this article
Printer friendly page