Traditional Porcupine Quill earrings, handmade by 5th generation Afro-Indigenous artist Siobhan Kekoa.

Segments of North American porcupine quills and beads woven together and crafted in the unique tradition of her Wabanaki Elders and Ancestors. The dual-level style of quill earrings have become a rare tradition and art form, preserved and carried forward by the Artist’s family. Other styles designed and created by the Artist in the Pacific Northwest are inspired and guided by the exquisite work and expertise of her Elders and Peoples.

Each photo is linked to their respective Etsy shop listing, which provides additional images, information, and purchase options.

Photo of large, lightweight “Kísohsskαn ~ Sunflower”, traditional Ancestral Wabanaki Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin in front of tan leather backdrop & a white table, framed behind a monstera leaf. Medium length earring cont
Photo of large, lightweight traditional Ancestral Wabanaki Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of tan leather backdrop, Guatemalan peacock cup with feathers, crystals and a small green plant. Medium length earri
Photo of small, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a small green plant. Short earring is a loop comprised of two small white & black porcupine quills, tiny round turquoise beads & garnet gemstone
Photo of small, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a weathered light brown wooden fence, amethyst and other crystals, a small green plant, and a large tree. Earrings contain four looped segments
Photo of large, lightweight traditional Ancestral Wabanaki Porcupine Quill earring displayed on light-to-dark brown fur with flowers and crystals. Earrings contain four looped segments in two tiers of 16 white black-tipped porcupine quills, & blue,
Photo of small, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a small green plant. Short earring is a loop comprised of two small white & black porcupine quills, tiny round turquoise beads & garnet gemstone
Photo of small, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a small green plant. Short earring is a loop comprised of two small white & black porcupine quills, tiny round turquoise beads & garnet gemstone
Photo of small, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather display, amethyst, feathers, and small purple flowers. Earrings contain four looped segments in one tier of 8 white black-tipped
Photo of medium length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, with a small green plant in the background. Earrings contain four long looped segments in one tier of 8 white brown-tipped porcupine quills, & blue
Photo of large, lightweight traditional Ancestral Wabanaki Porcupine Quill earring displayed on light-to-dark brown fur with feathers, large carved obsidian arrowhead knife, and lapis lazuli. Earrings contain four looped segments in two tiers of 16
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop, small green plant, pottery, and crystals. Medium-long earring is a single loop comprised of two extra-long white
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop, small green plant, pottery, and crystals. Earring contains four looped segments in two tiers of 16 white brown-t
Photo of medium length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, with a small green plant in the background. Earrings contain four long looped segments in one tier of 8 white black-tipped porcupine quills, & blue
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop, white flowers, leaves, feathers, and crystals. Earring contains four looped segments in two tiers of 16 white br
Photo of small-medium length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop, small green plant, pottery, and crystals. Medium-long earring is a single loop comprised of two long white
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop, small green plant, pottery, and crystals. Earring contains four looped segments in two tiers of 16 white brown-t
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a weathered light brown wooden fence, amethyst and other crystals, a small green plant, and a large tree. Earring contains four looped s
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earrings displayed on dark black fur and tan leather. Earrings contain four looped segments in two tiers of 16 porcupine quills with white upper and dark brown lower coloration, & red, orange, yello
Close-up detail photo of top half and finish of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earrings displayed on dark black fur. Earrings contain four looped segments in two tiers of 16 porcupine quills with white upper and dark brown lower coloratio
Close-up detail photo of bottom half of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earrings displayed on dark black fur. Earrings contain four looped segments in two tiers of 16 porcupine quills with white upper and dark brown lower coloration, & red
Photo of medium-length, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop, small green plant, pottery, and crystals. Earring contains four looped segments in two tiers of 16 white brown-t
Photo of small, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring held in the Artist's hand with dark jewelry mannequin display & plant in the background. Earrings contain four looped segments and one tier of 8 white black-tipped porcupine quills, & shimmery teal
Photo of extra-long, lightweight Porcupine Quill earring hung on a dark jewelry mannequin display, in front of a tan leather backdrop and black fur. Earring is two-tiered and structured as a ladder. It is comprised of six long white brown-tipped porc

Process

Ceremony is always the first part of my creative process, and I feel deeply, gratefully connected to my Indigenous ancestors when I work with my quills and beads. Significant amounts of time, energy, and patience go into creating these pieces of art, including:


🌿 Exploring and selecting beautiful antique beads inherited from my Elder Aunt and Grandmother, combined with others selected from small business shops.


To select beads to create new designs and match my vision for these earrings, I often hold together vibrant strands of rich colors and draw from memory of storms or sunny days; flowers, rivers, and the rainforest; animal cousins; Native and global Indigenous textiles, patterns, and art.

🌿 Sourcing, cleansing, sorting, sizing, trimming, and drying batches of porcupine quills, a process can take several days.

My quills are freshly harvested and typically arrive quite dirty in bags mixed with fur, dried grass, sediment; I always deeply cleanse and sanitize each batch several times with hot water and soap.


🌿 Examining and matching individual quills for thickness and coloration, strung with their beads in the way taught by my Elders.


To string the quills without fraying the ends or tearing the porous internal core takes great skill, special tiny needles, and unique thread. Although porcupine quills are described as hollow, there is a foam-like substance within and if torn, parts of the quill can become transparent.



🌿 Patiently lining up bead patterns and quills once everything is strung and nearly ready to finish in my personally developed signature style.

This process alone can require more time and energy than all that went before it. It is greatly challenging to ensure the finish for both earrings are the same size, shape, and texture, and the finish requires significant materials.


Thank you for reading about my process! I'm so glad you're here and excited to create something beautiful for you.