Wampum

• While the Odawas were not the only tribe to create wampum, it played an important role in their society. Wampum is a material made of a mixture of purple and white beads or shells; the word itself comes from a native term meaning "white shell beads." In the time before the European settlement of North America, wampum was rare to come by, as the texture and makeup of the shells made it difficult to shape or drill. The shells would often be either too hard to mold or change or so brittle that they would crack in the process of the craft work. However, the arrival of the European settlers---who came with metal tools such as hand drills---made wampum easier to work with and therefore a more common find. Among the Odawa Indians, wampum was used as currency in trade for food, clothing and other necessities.
  
  

Wampum Belts

• Belts were the most common use of wampum in Odawa craft work. Weaving of wampum belts was done either by hand or on a simple loom, which consisted of a piece of wood that resembles an archer's bow. The belts would be woven from the fibers of milkweed, dogbane, flax or leaves, all trimmed and twisted into fine threads. Though the Odawas could weave wampum with their looms, most of the early wampum belts were more like necklaces or chokers; European tools and technology allowed for the construction of longer wampum belts.
  
  

Beading

• One of the crafts in which the Odawa Indians specialized was beadwork. Beads were a common form of currency among Indian tribes, and so the varying types, designs and colors of beads passed easily from one tribe to the next. Odawa beadwork most commonly uses wampum; the shells and beads of wampum can be found in belts and jewelry. Traditional Native American beadwork is still popular today as a craft and as a product sold as jewelry, clothing and small trinkets. The Web site www.native-languages.org/beadwork.htm includes links to various artists and craftsmen who work with Native American styles and materials, including wampum.
  
  

Basketry

• Like many other Native American tribes, the Odawas were also well known for their basket work. Odawa baskets were most commonly made of splintered wood from an ash tree or woven sweetgrass; other tribes could use materials such as pine needles or cedar bark, depending on what was available in the area they inhabited.