Arts of Native America

Surrounded by Beauty: The Arts of Native America From ArtsConnectEd - developed with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. This fine site discusses the aesthetics of Native American art and the concept of beauty. Provides opportunity for art criticism, history and aesthetic inquiry

Click on a region to begin. At link above:)



Beauty before me, I walk with.
Beauty behind me, I walk with.
Beauty above me, I walk with.
Beauty below me, I walk with.
Beauty all around me, I walk with.
            Navajo Night Chant


The Art of Daily Life
There is no equivalent in the many Native American languages for the word art. Yet the objects here suggest that Native Americans are a highly spiritual people who create objects of extraordinary beauty. In Native American thought there is also no distinction between what is beautiful or functional, and what is sacred or secular. Design goes far beyond concerns of function, and beauty is much more than simple appearances. For many native peoples, beauty arises from living in harmony with the order of the universe.The concerns and aspirations of a vital contemporary American Indian population changes as the world changes. Today some Native American artists continue traditions of their ancestors, while others transform those traditions in new and innovative ways.More Native American History and Culture