Power of Place — Strength of Being - The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin

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shells, each bead symbolized time spent on earth. By giving wampum,
acknowledgement was bestowed on the receiver as if to say “I am
giving to you a part of myself, I am also receiving a part of you”.
The placement and arrangement of the small shell cylinders were
made to record history, serve as legal documents and in times of grief
used as conduits to eradicate sorrow and clear messed-up minds.
Through the passage of time, we have held onto the pleasure this time
consuming activity has given to our communities. Ancestral wisdom
has been passed down through the ages and has made us aware of
the technique needed to create objects that symbolize our collective
ideas, our histories and our aesthetics.
Thomas is a teacher. He shares his wealth of knowledge with any
group or individual who wishes to know the technique and application
of the materials. He is, however, an exacting and serious professor of
beads. He knows what they can offer and what narrative they can tell.
Thomas’ commitment takes on this endeavor as one where he continues
to perfect the application while allowing invention. He participates
in the contemporary world and seeks to understand it through the
exploration of creativity.
Sam Thomas has figuratively traveled the universe and gathered
theological motivation transformed into items fabricated on the spot.
These articles have been brought back to the community as works of
art inspired by those travels. He is giving us a glimpse into his soul.
Sam’s generosity allows us to share with him in his discovery about
this planet’s “Power of Place – Strength of Being”. With the Magic of
Beads, we become momentary citizens of the world through these
three dimensional creations of Sam’s travels.