The Lone Ranger in Indian Country

I’ve been waiting to hear the buzz about the “Lone Ranger” movie from folks out in Indian Country. Magazines like Cowboys and Indians and Native Peoples have been politely neutral. I suspect the decision has been to appreciate that American Indians at least get some pop culture notice, and that Johnny Depp has been fairly respectful of Tonto, even going so far as to intimate he himself has some Native blood.

One tweet I saw recently said that Depp is talking with the Oglala Sioux about buying Wounded Knee, since that sacred site of heartbreak is up for sale in this oh-so business-like world we inhabit.

I wasn’t sure what to make of the movie when I saw it, but I decided I liked it, especially the ending scene which occurs after the closing credits start. (By then most of the handful of people in the theater had walked out, so they missed it.) If I said the movie was uneven, that would be a good judgment. The critics panned the movie and it hasn’t brought in the money Disney had hoped for, but I still wonder what Native America thinks about it…

Looking north from Monument Valley, toward Rainbow Bridge.

Monument Valley, where lots of “The Lone Ranger” was filmed.

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With a fascinating variety of American Indian rings from the southwestern United States shown in more than 350 color photos, this book provides a design history of these rings, beginning with pre-contact artifacts and continuing through to contemporary artistic innovations. The text surveys key developments in Native American ring design; materials and methods of construction; definitions for historical and vintage rings; master innovators; and the transition to wearable art since 1980. Shortly after the Civil War, Native American artisans began making silver rings set with turquoise, coral, jet, mother-of-pearl, and colored shell, adding lapis, malachite, onyx, and petrified wood over the decades. More recently, artisans began utilizing gold and such non-traditional settings as opals and diamonds. Works by Navajo (also known as Diné) and Pueblo artists are featured, although Apache, Northern Cheyenne, and Sonoran Desert Native jewelers are also included. A guide to valuation issues and resources is offered for collectors.

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This new guide is the first to explore all facets of Native American jewelry—its history, variety, and quality—in one convenient resource. With coverage beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, this resource includes artists, techniques, materials, motifs, and more. The encyclopedia opens with helpful introductory essay to acquaint the reader with the subject. More than 350 entries and over 80 photos make this new encyclopedia and exceptional value.

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This design history of Southwestern Indian bracelets examines their start in 1868 up through 1970, and the post-1980 legacy that honors those first 100 years. More than 360 color photos illustrate the history. The book begins by examining sources for designs and how styles came into being, followed by a look at historic, vintage, curio, and post-1980 bracelets that reflect the new Native Style. Learn how Native Americans have always made essential contributions to design by tracking ongoing craft innovation and social change, and how popular culture impacts the individual artists who create this jewelry form. Whether featured on eBay, sold on QVC’s home shopping channel, or seen in the pages of O, The Oprah Magazine, old and new Southwestern Indian cuff bracelets are an integral part of today’s finest jewelry-making.