Indian beads, also known as WAMPUM, wampumpeag, and sewan, are traditional shell beads used by Native American tribes for trade, jewelry, and ceremonial purposes. WAMPUM is a term derived from the Algonquian language, meaning 'white shell beads'. Wampumpeag is an Algonquian word meaning 'string of white shells'. Sewan is a term derived from the Narragansett language, meaning 'white beads made from clam shells'.