Mountain Lion Stone Carving in Carnelian

Description

Mountain Lion Stone Carving in Carnelian with turquoise eyes, stone arrowhead and turquoise and coral beads, hand carved by Alex Tsethlikai of the Navajo. Genuine Zuni fetish, or totem, spirit or power animal. Comes with certificate of Authenticity. Mountain Lion for Courage and Personal Power. Measures approximately 56 x 10 x 15mm without adornments, weighs 7g.

American Indians have used fetishes throughout recorded history. A fetish is an object believed to have magic powers. These, made by artists amongst the Zuni Indians of New Mexico and the Navajo people, all relate to animals and are carved in semi-precious stones or bones. The Zuni Indians believe in 6 cardinal guardian fetishes – the mountain lion, the badger, the wolf and the bear, the mole and the eagle. The better treatment a fetish receives, the better performance it is likely to provide. The power and strength of a fetish relates to the capabilities of the animal portrayed and is obtained by taking deep breaths from the fetish’s nostrils.

The Zuni People (the A:Shiwi) believe in six sacred directions. This was established by Po’shai an k’ia, the God of the Medicine societies. He made an appearance in human form and taught the ancestors of Zuni, Taos, Oriabi (Hopi) and Coconino (Havasupai) about agriculture, introduced their systems of worship and organized their medicine societies. And when he disappeared it is said he departed to the “Place of the Sun” – his homeland. At the time when all human beings were of one family the father, Po’shai a ki’a, lived with his family in the middle place at the centre of the Medicine societies of the world. Being guarded on six sides by his warriors or bow priests. On the north, the Mountain Lion. Toward the west, the Bear. In the south, the Badger. Toward the east, the Wolf and above by the Eagle. The underworld was guarded by the Mole.

The Mountain Lion is the guardian and master of the North in Zuni culture. He is thought to be the most powerful hunter and appears in both hunting and healing directional sets of fetishes. In Zuni culture a fetish represents the animal spirit thought to reside in the stone. The Mountain Lion is endowed with peculiar powers of sight and smell. He is the older brother of the bear and represents leadership, resourcefulness, cunning and clarity, independence, spiritual intensity, intuition, fierce protectiveness and loyalty. It is carried by travellers to protect them on their journey and also carried by hunters to help ensure a successful hunt.

Our supplier – Brave Designs – operates a fair trade policy and all prices are set by either the manufacturer or individual designer. The Navajo Nation has been decimated by recent events and ongoing poverty, and now has the highest per capita rate of infection than New York. 40% already live below the poverty line. Delays in getting medical supplies, limited access to food stores, hospitals and even access to running water in overcrowded homes and the indifference of the government have all exacerbated the problem. Brave Designs is pledging 15% of all purchases in support of the Navajo people.

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