His Wampum Creations Help Keep a Centuries-Old Craft Alive

His Wampum Creations Help Keep a Centuries-Old Craft Alive

The license plate on the Jeep Cherokee reads WAMPUM. And the man who owns it — Ken Maracle, who also goes by his Cayuga name, Haohyoh — is widely acknowledged to be one of the premiere practitioners of the centuries-old craft of creating wampum, strips with geometric patterns woven in purple and white beads. While there is a common misconception that wampum was Indian money, it primarily was used in the negotiation and confirmation of agreements…