The native people of the United States of America are in many groups, known as tribes, but the largest federally recognized tribe is that of the Navajo. These people have suffered greatly at the hands of European settlers colonizing the lands. However, they are a strong race of people and they keep their traditions alive in as many ways that they can, one of them being their art. The best-known Navajo art form is that of making jewellery (bracelets, earrings, necklaces etc) out of silver and turquoise. This art form is actually not as old as many people would think. Atsidi Sani (1830-1918) is believed to have been the first silversmith of the Navajo people having learned from a Mexican man called Nakai Tsosi. Since then, many others have tried to make a living or a name for themselves as contemporary American-Indian silversmiths. Many of these people are still alive today, and most, if not all, should have some true American-Indian (preferably Navajo) blood from their ancestors.

One example was Kenneth Begay Navajo the father of modern navajo jewelry who lived from 1913 to 1977 and produced his finest work between 1948 and 1962. In fact, some of his work was so different and radical that he was prohibited from entering the 1949 exhibition of Native American Art.

In contrast a man alive today is Cody Sanderson (born 1964) who uses Navajo techniques and materials, but uses his self-taught skills to create mechanical and moving objects. Some may even refer to them as jeweled inventions.

Perry Shorty- Navajo jewellery silversmith - is one of the most respected contemporary American-Indian silversmiths alive today. He creates relatively simple pieces, yet uses far from simple techniques. One of which is the process of carefully melting down silver coins to make what is known as coin silver jewellery. Most of Perry Shorty's work reflects the pieces created at the end of the nineteenth century and the first couple of decades of the twentieth century.

Finally, a Native-American artist who was not of Navajo ancestry, but Hopi instead, lived for seventy one years from 1921 to 1991. Charles Loloma served in the Second World War, attended university in New York and opened his own pottery shop in Arizona. However, his true love was making Native-American jewellery from materials other than the traditional silver and turquoise. Due to his choice of materials, Charles Loloma's work has been criticized by traditionalists but still reflects the lives and art forms of his ancestors.