Native American Wedding Rings
Native American wedding rings are growing in popularity as symbols of love, faith, and honor for some traditional and non-traditional wedding ceremonies. Historically, native Americans did not typically use wedding rings in their marriage ceremonies unless perhaps there were silversmiths within the tribe or they were gifts from outsiders. Depending upon the tribe, Native Americans would either have a very small informal ceremony with their families, or they would throw large feasts with merriment. Ceremonial vases were more traditionally used than Native American wedding rings because of the symbol of the water within to purify and cleanse so the bride and groom would wash their hands to clean away past evils and memories of past loves.
Native American wedding rings made today and sold by specialty shops and custom jewelry makers are usually made with silver in a variety of designs and many times will be marked with engravings of sacred animals to the tribes the jewelry represents. Some of the animals that may be depicted in popularity are elk, moose, and buffalo, the three main staple foods of many Native Americans. They may also be engraved with a picture of a famous spirit perhaps in its human or earth form, trees, the sun, and other natural fruits of the land.
These Native American wedding rings are also bejeweled with traditional stones thought to hold powers. For example, turquoise is a very popular stone that is the color of a Robin’s egg. Legend has it that as the Native Americans danced when the rains came, their tears of joy mixed with the raindrops and soaked into the Earth to become SkyStone or Turquoise. Another popular stone for Native American wedding rings is onyx. Onyx is said to stabilize and heal root chakra, and to increase grounding and productiveness. Onyx was also used to ward off witches and evil spells placed upon a person or an entire tribe.