Cedar and Wampum

Created by Steve Wheeler, Board Member of Abenaki Health and Heritage, Missisquoi Abenaki


Wampum jewelry and beads are made from the quahog or North Atlantic hard-shell clam. In indigenous cultures, strings of wampum beads were often used for storytelling, ceremonial gifts, and recording important treaties and events. Today wampum belts are still a part of our cultural and spiritual ceremonies and gatherings.

I like to incorporate cedar when making jewelry from the quahog shell. Cedar is a sacred plant to the Abenaki people and other Eastern Woodland Tribes. To me, this makes each piece special to those that wear them in ceremony or in every day life.

I carve all of my beads and wampum pendants that get used to create each finished piece. Each cedar bead is first cut out using a drill press, then shaped on a bead polisher. The last step is to hand sand them and treat with bear grease or mineral oil. I enjoy watching as each bead takes on it’s own shape and color. Good energy and thoughts are maintained as the beads are strung and the piece gets completed.