Native American Art: Bridging the Language Barrier

Mayan Petroglyph

      Written language as we have today did not exist in the Native American cultures of pre-Columbian America. Though today many tribes have adapted the Roman alphabet and have developed a written language, the only known native written languages in the Americas belonged to the Maya and Aztecs. The quipu, as they are called, is considered a written language. But what of the rest of America? How did the other tribes and nations communicate?
written language of these two groups were pictographic, based in symbols or hieroglyphs, similar to those found in Egypt. Also, the Incas of Peru developed system of colored ropes and knots, primarily used for counting inventories of trade. These

      All of the Native American Indian tribes and nations had their own unique tongue. They also each had their own rituals and practices. With so many differences in language and custom, how did the tribes of North America communicate effectively? It is known that many of the Native Americans used a form of sign language to communicate. Smoke signals were also used to communicate messages. The only issues with these lines of communication is that they could only communicate simple or predetermined messages, such as, "danger ahead" or "seek shelter." With these difficult language barriers baring effective communication, the tribes turned to art.

      Art for the sake of art was not part of the Native American tradition, all art had a purpose. Most of the

Sand Painting "Home of the Bears"

art created by Native Americans was dedicated to worshiping the gods, and their love and respect for nature. All of their art held this strong belief in the divinity of nature, their sand painting, beadwork, weaving, leather, and pottery.
      The style of work that the Native Americans employed took on the form of many geometric shapes and patterns. With repetition, these shapes became representational of more than just patterns, they became a language in and of themselves that would transcend the language barriers baring communication among the many tribes. The harmony expressed by these works of art helped the Native Tribes to communicate grand ideas in a way that they could not have done before. This art opened up new forms of communication and helped to unite the scattered tribes under one clear image.

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