Shawn Zephier

My name is Shawn Zephier. I am a Lakota and Haudenosaunee artist from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Onondaga Nation. I founded Sweetermoccs to keep our traditions alive by creating handmade, fully beaded moccasins crafted from smoked buckskin. My work blends Lakota geometric design with Haudenosaunee storytelling, honoring both sides of my heritage. As a powwow dancer and cultural educator, I use my art to teach the meaning and intention behind our beadwork. I lead community workshops that preserve these traditions and inspire others—especially Native youth—to take pride in their identity and creativity. Each pair of moccasins I make is more than wearable art; it’s a reflection of who we are as Indigenous people and the ancestors we honor through our hands.