Though often misunderstood as mere decoration, Wampum is a vessel of knowledge—holding history, affirming identity, and continuing to be created today. Created from quahog, a thick-shelled clam found from Long Island Sound to Narragansett Bay, its shell’s deep purple and white are unique to the coastal waters of the Northeast. The white symbolizes the sun, renewal, peace, and purity; the deep purple represents the unknown, the night, and the dark side of the moon. Together, these shades embody a principle of duality—light and dark, order and mystery, individual and community—central to Wampanoag cosmology. "Wampum is memory made tangible—a record written not in ink but in shell and story. Its continued presence reminds us that we are still here, still creating, still honoring what has always mattered." - Danielle Alonso-Wynne and Malissa Costa Please note: Because wampum is crafted from natural shell, variations in color, pattern, and tone are inherent and part of its authenticity. Each piece of jewelry is unique; the color of the item you receive may differ slightly from the listing image.
