We’re camping this summer while our house is being built. That puts us very much in touch with nature AND we are sleeping in new surroundings. I’ve been wearing my ghost beads and hanging them over our bed. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh……….
Are they Juniper or Cedar Berries?
Juniper berries have long been a Navajo medicine for treating such things as diabetes. Juniper berries (seeds) are also used to make ghost bead necklaces. Juniper is a broad category of trees, some of which have common names that include “cedar”, such as “red cedar” that is widely used to make boxes and line drawers. This can be confusing because a true cedar tree comes from a different family of trees. So you will see ghost beads referred to being made from cedar seeds, juniper seeds or juniper/cedar seeds. If you want to be technically correct, they should be called juniper seeds or berries.
Paula
Native American Jewelry Tips 