Authentic Santo Domingo (Kewa) Jewelry - Heishi Beadwork

Santo Domingo Pueblo - known in its own language as Kewa - sits along the Rio Grande in north-central New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Kewa artisans are the continental masters of heishi: precision-cut, hand-ground shell and stone beads strung into smooth, flowing necklaces and bracelets. Every Kewa piece at LomaSiiva is by a tribally enrolled citizen of Santo Domingo (Kewa) Pueblo.

What heishi is

The word comes from the Keresan language word for "shell." Traditional heishi is olivella or abalone shell cut into small discs, strung rough, then ground and polished as a whole strand until every bead is uniform and the strand feels silky smooth. A finished heishi strand feels like one continuous cord even though it is made of hundreds of individual beads.

Heishi is probably the oldest continuously practiced Native American craft tradition in North America. Archaeological sites in the Rio Grande valley contain heishi dating back more than 1,000 years. The contemporary Kewa heishi tradition is a direct living descendant of that ancient practice.

Traditional Kewa materials

• Olivella shell - the classical white to cream heishi material, fine-grained and takes an exceptional polish.
• Spiny oyster shell - red and orange heishi, see Spiny Oyster Shell.
• Turquoise - cut into heishi discs, often as accent beads between shell or alternating with shell beads.
• Jet - black heishi for strong contrast, often alternated with white shell.
• Mother of pearl - iridescent white accent.
• Abalone - iridescent pink and green, rarer in heishi work than turquoise and shell.

Mosaic inlay - the Kewa signature

Alongside heishi, Santo Domingo artists create mosaic inlay pieces. Small pieces of shell and stone are cut and set tightly against each other on a shell, gourd, or silver substrate. The chunky shell-bead necklace with a mosaic pendant suspended from the center is a signature Kewa visual. Mosaic inlay differs from Zuni channel inlay in that there are no silver walls between the stones - they are placed directly against each other on the substrate.

How a heishi strand is made

1. Raw shell or stone is broken into rough squares, typically 4-8mm across.
2. Each square is drilled by hand with a pump drill or modern small drill.
3. Beads are strung rough on wire or thread.
4. The whole strand is rolled and ground against a sandstone or modern grinding wheel until all beads are uniform diameter.
5. The strand is polished with progressively finer grit until it reaches the signature silky finish.

A single quality heishi strand represents days of hand labor per foot of finished strand. A necklace with complex mosaic inlay can be weeks of work.

Shop Santo Domingo heishi and mosaic at LomaSiiva

• Kewa heishi necklaces and pendants (pure heishi strands, joclas with corn-blossom silver, mosaic medallions)
• Bracelets (heishi strands with silver or shell clasps)
• Earrings (heishi dangles, mosaic inlay posts)

Famous Santo Domingo families

Collector-recognized Kewa family names include Lovato, Calabaza, Coriz, Bailon, and Tenorio, among others. Indian Market award winners from Santo Domingo include masters of both heishi and silver-accented mosaic work.

FAQ

Is Santo Domingo the same as Kewa?

Yes. Santo Domingo is the Spanish colonial name given by 17th-century missionaries. Kewa is the Pueblo self-designation, and since 2009 it is the official name of the Pueblo. Both names are in common use in the jewelry marketplace.

Why is authentic heishi so much more expensive than mass-produced shell jewelry?

A single quality heishi strand represents days of hand labor per foot. Mass-produced shell jewelry uses machine-drilled, machine-shaped beads. The difference shows in the texture: hand-made heishi feels silky and uniform; machine-made shell jewelry feels bumpy and often has visible tool marks.

What is a jocla?

A jocla is a traditional Pueblo necklace featuring strands of heishi with small silver corn-blossom or crescent ornaments suspended at intervals. The jocla is a signature ceremonial style in Pueblo jewelry, now widely collected as fine Southwest jewelry.