Yakima Herald-Republic:
When Rose Sampson moved back to her home state of Washington from Memphis about 23 years ago, she began beading earrings to pass time during the drive.
“I had 400, 500 beaded earrings that I made, and I gave them all away,” the Yakama tribal member said. “But I wanted to keep beading.”
So she did.
She began making traditional dance regalia using buckskin, brightly colored material, eagle feathers and, of course, beads.
After her son, J.D. Shellenberger, now 32, wanted to dance, she began selling her work at the powwows where he performed.
“So I thought, wouldn’t it be fun to do powwows and open a store?” the 60-year-old said. “I found out that I got a lot of satisfaction in my native culture and sharing it with people in my business.”