5 places you can buy Native American made goods in Alabama

Native American man drumming at Moundville
A scene from a Native American Festival at Moundville, back before COVID. Photo via Moundville Archaelogical Park and Museum’s Facebook page

Did you know that Black Friday is also Native American Heritage Day? We scoured the Internet to find out where in Alabama you can find Native American-made goods. Keep reading to see what we learned.

1. Knotted Bird Gifts at Moundville Archaeological Park and Museum in Moundville

Native American hands weaving a basket
Take a minute to think about the skill involved in making a basket like this. Photo via Moundville Archaeological Park and Museum’s Facebook page

If you’re looking for Native American made goods and art, Knotted Bird Gifts at Moundville Archaeological Park and Museum is the closest place to Birmingham to begin your search.

If you’re not familiar with Moundville, it’s one of the nation’s premier heritage sites, and it’s a short drive from Tuscaloosa. Plus, it’s just a beautiful place to visit.

The park at Moundville is open seven days a week from dawn to dusk, and the gift shop is open from 9AM-5PM daily. Patrons must wear mask at all times and there’s a limit of 10 people per party.

Inside, you can find a wide variety of gift options, including handmade shell jewelry and handcrafted, flinted arrowheads.

The Rattlesnake Disk is Alabama's State Artifact
Did you know the Rattlesnake Disk is Alabama’s State Artifact? Photo via Moundville Archaeological Park and Museum’s Facebook page

2. Poarch Creek Cultural Center in Atmore

Native American made goods and art
Moccasins and art from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Photo via Poarch Creek Indians Museum & Gift Shop’s Facebook page

One day in the future, when you’re headed down I-65 to the beach, stop by Atmore to visit the Poarch Creek Indians Museum and Gift Shop. There you can see an exhibit showing how the tribes ancestors—the Muskogee Creek Indians—lived,  and you can find authentic Native American items. 

Right now, they’re closed to walk-in visitors, so check out their online offerings.

Brandy Chunn is our Museum Coordinator. Her email is bchunn@pci-nsn.gov and her number is 251-368-9136. She will be able to tell what items we have and how to order.

Location: 5484 Jack Springs Road, Atmore, AL 36502
Contact: website | Facebook  | (251) 368-9136 | Email

3. Sacred Way Sanctuary in Florence

crowsunrise 5 places you can buy Native American made goods in Alabama
Crow Sunrise is a descendant of the Horses who accompanied the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw peoples on the Trail of Tears. Photo and caption via Sacred Way Sanctuary’s Facebook page

If you love horses, you need to know about Sacred Way Sanctuary in Florence, Alabama. Home to between 80-90 Indigenous Native American horses, they are a research, education and preservation facility. How cool is that? 

They advocate for the preservation of the rare indigenous horse of the Americas and have a Governing Council comprised of Traditional Native Elders and Scholars from the US and Canada. They work together to ensure that the information they share and the way they care for horses are accurate and in line with traditional protocols—culturally, historically and spiritually. 

To support this work, they have an online gift shop. You’ll find handcrafted, Native-made items along with stories and information about the original cultural purpose behind their creation.

To purchase items that go directly to the care and feeding of the horses, hop over here.

Location: 4409 County Road 200, Florence, AL 35633
Hours: Saturday 9AM-6PM and by appointment

Contact: website | Etsy shop

4. Check with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board when you travel

Native American man and Indian Arts and Crafts Board logo
“A-HO,” Painting, Mirac Creepingbear, Kiowa/Pawnee. Photo via Indian Arts and Crafts Board’s Facebook page

If you’re traveling out of state and want to make sure you are supporting actual Native American artists, you’ll want to check out the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for listings

This listing doesn’t come close to including everybody. Do your homework, find the artists and see what they’re working on. You may find some cool things and meet some awesome people along the way.

5. If you’d like to find other artists, here’s a useful directory from the National Congress of American Indians

National Congress of American Indians
NCAI has a useful directory that can help you find artists. Photo via National Congress of American Indians

Wondering how to go about finding other Native American artists? Here’s a super-useful directory. First select Southeast. Then look for the tribes listed under Alabama. You can reach out directly to each group and ask about their local artists. 

Now tell us, Birmingham, do you have plans for Native American Heritage Day? Tag us on social @bhamnow and let us know.

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Sharron Swain
Sharron Swain

Writer, Interviewer + Adventurer | Telling stories to make a difference

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