•13/0 Charlotte cut line work, 11/0 vintage Charlotte cut beads, sterling silver accent beads, sterling silver chain , beaded and backed on fragrant smoked moose hide•
This is named Mahikanis - “little wolf”.
I’ve been thinking about wolves a lot lately. Wolves get an unfair reputation a lot of the time; wolves are often seen as something to be feared - an animal of prey for farmers to protect their flock from. We also commonly hear the term “wolf in sheep’s clothing” to demonstrate a fear of others.
But Mahikanis is my daughters Nehiyaw middle name, given to her by my da. Traditionally, a wolf symbolizes loyalty, strong family kinships, and, as a female, a leader of the pack. My da gave me a book about wolves after my daughter was born and in it, the wolves were described as highly intelligent, loving, capable of having broken hearts, and often guided, again, by strong female leadership. Wolves are multi-dimensional and worthy of respect and awe.
This pair was very emotional for me to make. It made me think of my strong daughter, but it also made me think about how unfair we are to each other in this world. We have so much fear that we let turn into hatred. But if we look deeper, often our fears are keeping us from being led to true bonds, kinship, and love.
🐺