Wiingashk - Sweetgrass
These earrings hang 5 1/4" long on sterling silver ear hooks. Hand braided and stitched with miyuki delica glass seed beads.
My family always had a braid of sweetgrass around to burn. It's sweet earthy scent is one of my favorite smells. Wiingashk is my go to for burning. Personally I turn to Mashkodewashk (Sage) when I pray to ancestors and Wiingashk more casually, it's grounding and peaceful.
This piece has been living in my mind for a while, it's been a beautiful thing to watch it come to fruition. I spent many hours designing the top part just right, especially with the braid in mind but really had no clear idea how I was going to do that braid until the moment I started it. And then it just sort of flowed ~ Those are my favorite beading moments. Wiingashk is said to be the sacred hair of Mother Earth and the three strands of a braid represent harmony of the mind, body, and spirit. It was very special to bring that aspect into a beaded form 🌿 It brought new connection to beadwork for me.