Finding My Way Back Through Beadwork

Growing up in a small town, culture wasn’t something I had to search for—it was simply there. It lived in the people around me, in the language I heard spoken, in the stories shared, and in the quiet, everyday moments that carried meaning without needing explanation. Elders, fluent language speakers, and community members were accessible. Culture felt close, familiar, and woven into daily life.

At the time, I didn’t realize how special that was. When you grow up surrounded by it, you don’t always understand what it means to have access. You just know who you are, where you come from, and that there are people around you who hold that knowledge and are willing to share it.

Moving to a big city changed that.

In the city, everything is faster and louder, but culture can feel quieter—harder to find. Suddenly, I wasn’t surrounded by language speakers or cultural teachers in the same way. There were fewer chances to sit and listen, fewer moments where teachings came naturally. I began to feel a distance from my culture that I had never experienced before. Not because it was gone, but because the space around me had changed.

For a long time, I didn’t know how to bridge that gap.

That’s when beadwork found me again—or maybe when I finally found beadwork.

Beading became a way for me to slow down in a city that never stops. Each bead placed with intention felt like a small act of remembering. It reminded me of where I come from, of the hands before mine that have created, taught, and carried these traditions forward. Even when I didn’t have constant access to language speakers or community gatherings, beadwork gave me a way to stay connected.

Through beadwork, I began learning in a different way. I learned through patience, repetition, and care. I learned through making mistakes and starting again. I learned that culture isn’t only passed down through words—it’s also passed down through doing.

Every piece I create feels like a conversation with my ancestors and with my younger self—the one who grew up surrounded by culture without realizing how deeply it would shape me. Beading has become a form of healing, grounding, and reclaiming. It’s a reminder that even when we move away, our culture moves with us.

Sharing my beadwork has become just as important as creating it.

When I share my work, I’m sharing more than earrings or designs—I’m sharing a piece of my journey back to myself. I’m sharing proof that culture is living, evolving, and still thriving, even in big cities and modern spaces. Each piece carries intention, story, and respect for where it comes from.

Beadwork helps me feel close to home, even when I’m far away. It helps me reconnect, relearn, and continue growing into who I am meant to be. Through my hands, I am finding my way back—one bead at a time.

And in that process, I’m reminded that culture isn’t something we lose when we leave. It’s something we carry, create, and pass on—wherever we are.