Pattern of
by seeing
A few times a month,
12-year-old Allen
Slickpoo III dresses up in
something more special than his
usual jeans and T-shirt. Allen is a
member of an American Indian
tribe called the Nez Perce (say
nehz PURS), For special events,
such as tribal celebrations and
prayer services, he wears his
ceremonial outfit and learns
about his people. "I'm proud to
be an American Indian." Allen
said. "I like to learn about the
Celebrate!
triangles that are on
different parts of his
outfit. Allen's father (also
named Allen) told us,
"That design comes from
my wife's grandmother.
It's a family design."
The ceremonial outfits
worn by the Nez Perce and
other tribes today were what
most American Indians
used to wear all the
time. Artists still create
the outfits today. They
create new beadwork
patterns or pass down
family ones.
Artist Ramona Kitto
culture and the
language of my
tribe."
Allen's
Stately is a member of
the Santee Sioux (say
SAHN-tee SOO) Nation.
She told us, "The beauty
of beadwork is that you
ceremonial can see a pattern that
outfit is part of inspires you, and then
that culture. you change it a little to
Every piece of make it your own. I think
his outfit was handmade by this Is how we keep traditional
members of Allen's family, from art forms alive."
the feather headdress to the Become part of the tradition
armbands to the moccasins (a by using lines of symmetry to
type of shoe). So was the complete designs based on
beadwork of different-colored American Indian patterns!
Tradition
Mative American Heritage Month
jyinmetry in beadwork designs!
What to Do
an o
that are mirror images of
each other.
Some objects, such as
Allen's beadwork, have
one line of symmetry.
q^A armband to the left.)
5ome objects have more
than one tine of symmetry:
Complete this colorful pattern across
the red vertical (up-and-down) line
of symmetry.
Other objects have none:
The patterns to the right are
i IIi! i
based on American Indian
beadwork. We've drawn lines
of symmetry on them. Use
colored pencils or crayons to
fill in the boxes on the grid so
that the unfinished side is a
mirror image of the other side.
We started one for you!
1
1
This beadwork design is based on
one from the Wisconsin Woodland
1
Indians. Finish the pattern over II
the red horizontal (left-to-right)
line of symmetry.
1
1
__
mz
The pattern shown to
the right is from the
mz
Plains Cree Indians,
who live mainly in
Canada and Montana.
:
I
:
--
3 -
This pattern is based on
a Sioux design. Today,
the Sioux live mainly in
Minnesota, Nebraska.
North Dakota, and South
Dakota. Use both the red vertical and
horizontal lines of symmetry shown
to complete the beadwork pattern.
By Tara V\/M:hter and Matt Friedman
D o n t S t o p N o W : check out Scholastic s coverage o* the
opening ceremonies ot the new National Museum of the American
Indian in Washington, D.C.! Visit www.scholastic.com/museum.
November/December 2004 7