Leonard and Amalia Fourhawks will be among the 30 plus vendors and presenters at the third Annual Pocumtuck Homelands Festival at Unity Park on Turners Falls on Saturday, August 6, from 10 am– 7 pm They will be bringing their sterling and turquoise family- made jewelry and their signature prayer feathers.
Native Americans traditionally use the feathers of eagles and hawks in ceremony. Legally, only Native Americans and wildlife rehabilitators are permitted to possess them. The Firehawks created the prayer feathers to assist others in feeling that same connection to the spiritual. They are lifelike pottery feathers about ten inches long. One half represents an eagle or hawk feather, the other half is embellished with designs from cave drawings, or ancient pottery patterns, or totem animals. They are intended to remind people to pray and to be thankful for what they have.
Both learned their traditional crafts from their families. Leonard, who is Mohawk and Cheyenne, specializes in jewelry. Amalia, who is Apache and European, creates traditional Native American hand made coil built pottery.