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Alvin Pipe On Head
Lakota Crafts
Alvin Pipe On Head, an Oglala Lakota from the Pine Ridge
Reservation, began doing beadwork about 15 years ago, learning from his mother
and sisters. With a degree in Lakota Studies from Oglala Lakota College in Kyle,
he now works at the Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, cataloging and
caring for their extensive collection of Native American art and artifacts. Alvin makes dance sticks, dolls, buffalo horn spoons and
all kinds of beaded items. The first time he participated in the Northern Plains
Tribal Arts show in Sioux Falls in 2002, he received an honorable mention in the
mixed media-tribal arts category for a piece that incorporated beadwork, antlers
and a horn spoon. His apprentice, Calvin Renteria, was a student at Red Cloud
with a budding interest in traditional crafts. They worked on loom weaving,
peyote stitch, lazy stitch and appliquι beadwork, and Calvin made several
pieces. One was a beaded buffalo horn spoon that won a ribbon at a Native high
school art competition. Another was a beaded eagle feather that Calvin wore to
his high school graduation. Now attending college in Nebraska, Calvin has little time for beadwork, but he feels it is a skill he can carry with him for the rest of his life, and come back to at any time. |
