For years, I’ve been extremely curious what tribe my great grandma belonged to. I was never able to figure it out, because she was “adopted”, her name changed, and then the orphanage that had all of her original paperwork burned to the ground. When my grandma was young, she was sent to a Catholic boarding school and so she didn’t really spend much time with my great grandma. When she was older and they were around each other more, it never came up much. I don’t know if it was because my great grandma didn’t like talking about her past much or what, but my grandma was never sure which tribe she belonged to.

Anyway, my mom had some bead jewelry that my great grandma made. So I’m wondering whether or not tribes used certain colors, or certain patterns that might be able to help me discern which tribe it was? I have to go by memory, because something happened to the beadwork, but it’s one of the only ways left to me to figure out that part of my ancestry. Does anyone know if tribes used specific patterns or colors?

I know for sure it would be a tribe of the Pacific Northwest, but that’s it.