Rings Are a Tribal tradition
A ring is simply a flat, thin band, typically of precious metal, worn primarily as decorative jewelry. The word “ring” itself denotes jewelry worn on the fingers; when worn in other, non-digital locations, the word is also specified by the location, e.g., rings worn on the right hand or fingers of the left hand. The popularity of rings has waxed and waned over time, with improvements in design, materials and size. The traditional ring is still an important and popular item of personal jewelry; however, there are several additional types of rings available:
This type of ring system can be seen on many articles of clothing. These clothing articles are typically small and tight-fitting to conceal the jewelry; they most commonly use a ring system that consists of a necklace, bracelet or leg chain. They have been used for thousands of years and are very versatile, being appropriate for any occasion.
The main article of clothing is a planetary ring. Planetary rings are designed to cover a main article of clothing such as a skirt or dress. They are often used as accessories or to establish an overall style. The history of the planetary ring dates back to Victorian times, when they were worn to denote class. A “belt” was typically worn around the main article of clothing to aid in controlling or “holding” it in place.
The rings described above were designed to use as accents or alone as accessories. They can, however, be used as stand alone rings and are quite versatile. Planetary rings can be composed of thousands of tiny little Greek or Roman letters which spell out a message. The actual size of the planets themselves will vary based on the letters they are made from, but they are normally large enough to cover a full grown woman. The actual size of each planet individually will also vary, but it is safe to say that most planets will not be able to fit into a human’s finger.
The hammer ring system is probably the most common form of ring used by indigenous tribes in North America. Haumea (pronounced “hume-yoo”) is an Indigenous people’s language that is spoken by the Hopi, Dakota, Lakota, Zuni, Cheyenne and other tribes. The hammer ring system is composed of the four elements: fire (?, water (? ), air (? ), and ground (?) The elements are combined to create the image of a circle. On the outside of the circle, each element is linked to the corresponding element on the inside of the circle.
Because of their design, the hammer ring system can actually be worn as everyday jewelry. The Hopi would wrap the ring system around their wrist and wear it like a necklace. They also believe that the elements of nature will protect them if they should become lost. Many of today’s modern-day Native American rings are made from haumea wood. Some rings are made from faux leather, though, because leather is considered too fashionable by many Native American tribes.