Wampum Fish Earrings by Ockway Bay Wampum

Native artist Hartman Deetz of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is the designer behind the brand Ockway Bay Wampum. He has spent decades honing his skills in traditional Wampanoag arts, wood carving, stone carving, copper work, feather work, antler, bone and Wampum.

Specializing in contemporary handcrafted Wampum jewelry, Deetz's work reflects his strong historical and cultural background. This is apparent in the style of his designs and choice of materials with some selective contemporary additions.

This style features Wampum shell which has been cut into fish shapes, drilled, smoothed, and polished by the artists hands.

• Sterling Silver hooks
  
• Stainless Steel jump rings
• Wampum Shell
  
• One-of-a-kind

About the Artist:

Ockway Bay is a special place to me, in my tribal homeland of Mashpee, Massachusetts.

When I was about 8 or 9 years old it is where my Grandfather Russell “Fast Turtle” Peters first took me out to dig clams, taught me how to dig into the soft sand and drag my foot through until I felt a hard lump, when I found it it was time to get my hands into the shallow water and dig through the sand. We turned up Quahogs, Steamer clams and some mussels, took them back home and ate like kings. This was a part of my summers, a part of my cultural heritage, gathering clams along the same banks as my ancestors had for thousands of years. Now decades later another part of my cultural heritage has come from the hard shell Quahog clam, the art of Wampum.

--- Hartman Deetz

Native artist Hartman Deetz of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is the designer behind the brand Ockway Bay Wampum. He has spent decades honing his skills in traditional Wampanoag arts, wood carving, stone carving, copper work, feather work, antler, bone and Wampum. He specializes in contemporary handcrafted Wampum jewelry. Wampum are beads and jewelry cut from the Quahog Clam shell. This shell is distinct for its purple and white bands, which can be smoothed to a high polished shine.

Historically Wampum beads were woven into “Belts”, creating patterns by alternating between purple and white beads. These “Wampum Belts” were often created as treaties between Tribal Nations and held a value beyond the material, these beads also symbolized ongoing commitments to reciprocity.

Hartman creates Wampum using traditional methods and locally sourced materials from the coastal waters between the Gulf of Maine and the Long Island Sound (the Quahog Clams native habitat). His Wampum is hand crafted into jewelry or woven into belts using the magnificent purple and white shell beads to illustrate the bonds forged between people. The shells signify wealth and leadership in the tradition of the Wampanoag.

Deetzs' work reflects this strong historical and cultural background. This is apparent in the style of his designs and choice of material with some selective contemporary additions, like the whimsical iridescence of Abalone shell.

Where to find Hartman Deetz:

Website: https://ockwaybaywampum.com/

Instagram: @ockwaybaywampum

Facebook: @ockway