Here’s one of the bear fetishes completed.

If you see recent post on playing with clay you can see the before pictures. This little guy was inspired by the Freedom to Roam Campaign through Patagonia. This fetish and others will be available through Zen Tree Acre, and a portion of the purchase will go to Freedom To Roam. This bear fetish was inspired by the Zuni indians of the southwest. If you’re not familiar with animal fetishes for meditation, here’s a breif summary;

Not to be confused with sexual fetishes, Zuni fetishes are small (several inches long at most) carvings from various stones, made by the Zuni Indians. These carvings serve a ceremonial purpose for their creators, or they can be sold, with non-religious intentions, to collectors worldwide. Typically they depict animals such as the wolf, badger, bear, mountain lion, eagle, mole, frog, and others.

In tradition, each animal is believed to have inherent powers or qualities that may aid the owner. The wolf for example, provides guidance through life’s journeys, while the raven and the horse are thought to have the power to provide healing. A fetish in the shape of a horse might also be carried during travel in hopes of a safe, swift journey.

Besides being made from various stones and other materials, (each material has unique properties) the fetish can be embellished with an offering, or prayer bundle of small beads of bright red coral, shell, or turquoise, for example. They may carry a miniature arrowhead typically made from shiny abalone shell or mother of pearl, but carvers have been known to use a wide variety of other materials as well. These small items, although colorful to the eye, are intended to protect and feed the fetish itself.

On the subject of feeding, it is believed that the fetishes require a meal of cornmeal and ground turquoise periodically. Fetishes may be kept in a clay pot as it is the tradition, although collectors usually like to keep theirs somewhere where they can be admired. Any but the very delicate fetishes could be carried by the owner in a pocket, pouch or bag.