Shell Carving

Season 4 • Episode 9

Chickasaw Culture Keepers

The art of shell carving is a Southeastern tribal tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. Like his ancestors, Chickasaw visual artist Dustin Mater carries on this ancient tradition. "Shell carvings are a bridge to the past and to the future," says Dustin. For thousands of years, the art of shell carving was used for a variety of items during antiquity. It was only in the late period during the time of removal that shell work began to take a minimalistic approach, but prior to that, it was very ornate. "Some would describe it as baroque, or even Rococo and that it would almost tell a story," he explains. "They were almost like hieroglyphs. These were capturing moments in time." As Dustin displays precontact examples of shell carvings, he says, "You have the dress, you have the tattoos, you have a story and a narrative that we hold the words to. But to see it, it's like a love note in a bottle from those who've come before us." Dustin creates his own stories within his original and unique shell carvings and hopes to teach others to pass the tradition on to future generations. "This is the song of my spirit. I'm only a vessel for this, it's not mine. It is something that's shared and I want to teach as many people this as possible."

EPISODES

3m 30s

Shell Carving

EPISODES

Pottery

Stickball Sticks

Beading

Regalia

Metalsmithing

Shell Carving

Weaving

Horticulture

Baskets

Traditional Foods

Quilting

Flutes

Beaded Collars

Drum Making

Storytelling

Bow Making

Brent Greenwood Art

Beaded Jewelry

Flint Knapping

Stomp Dancing

Beadwork

Turkey Calls

Traditional Stories: How Day and Night Were Divided

Woodturning

Bead Artisan

Textile Art

Quilt Making

Jewelry

The Legacy of Bow Making

Bead Artistry

Painting

Woven Mats

Metalworking

Photography

Pashofa

Deer Toe Shakers

Stickball Sticks

Shell Carving

Medicine Bags

Natural Dyes

Twinning

Bladesmithing

Fish Nets

Porcupine Quillwork

Pottery Burnishing

Shell Carving

Duck Decoys

Traditional Arrows

Fine Gourd Art

Traditional Flutes

Turtle Pottery

Turtle Shell Shakers

Pucker Toe Moccasins

Chunkey

Tattoos and War Paint

Leggings and Breechcloths

Hide Brain Tanning

River Cane Harvesting, Splitting and Peeling

Stories of Kullihoma

History of Beads