Zuni Indian Fetishes

We are proud to offer a beautiful selection of Zuni Indian Fetishes. The Zuni have the reputation for being the most skillful at carving fetishes. Over 9,000 Zuni (who call themselves the Ashiwi) live on their reservation in western New Mexico. A Pueblo people, they speak a language unrelated to any other in the greater Southwest. The animal carvings we call fetishes are one element of a complex, interconnected religion. Fetishes are made from a variety of materials but their purpose remains the same: to assist man, that most vulnerable of all living creatures, in meeting the problems that face him during his life. Each fetish contains a living power, which, if treated properly and with veneration, will give its help to its owner. A fetish may be owned by an individual, clan, or religious society, or it may be regarded as the property of the entire tribe and its care entrusted to a responsible member of the group. Because the power of a fetish is regarded as a living thing it must be carefully tendered and ceremonially fed, usually with cornmeal.

The Zuni Universe is divided into six directions-North, East, South, West, Sky & Underground & each direction is represented by a specific animal- The Mountain Lion guards the north, the Bear guards the west, the Badger guards the south, the Eagle guards the sky, the Wolf guards the east & the Mole guards the inner Earth.
The Fetishes from the Zuni Indian fetish carvers are fun and exciting to collect. These Hand Carved Indian Fetishes are one of a kind Native American Southwestern Art Masterpieces.