Fetish Meanings

Zuni Fetishes and Meanings

Fetishes have been used by Indians since pre-Columbian times. In archaeological excavations, stones have been found that resemble certain animals and many had added adornments such as shells and stones wrapped by fiber or sinew. Fetishes dating back to 650 A.D. from ancestors of the Zuni Indians have been found in kivas and storage pits protecting food.

Native Americans have long carried interesting or unusual “charm stones” believing they bring luck, power or protection. The A-shi-wi, Zuni Pueblo Indians, like most Native American Indians, feel that animals and plants have spiritual nature. A fetish is an object, natural or shaped by man, in which an animal spirit is thought to reside. Stones that naturally resemble animals are “concretion” fetishes. Concretions and stones that require very little carving to bring out an image are considered more powerful than fetishes that require a great deal of carving. In short, the reason goes back to when the Zuni believe that the world was once covered by floodwaters that left it swampy. The Sun Father, revered by the Zuni as the giver of life and light, created twin sons giving them a magic shield, a bow {the rainbow} and arrows {lightning}.

The Twins realized the world was too wet for mankind to survive so they placed their shield, the rainbow, crossed lightning arrows on top of the rainbow and shot an arrow into the point where they crossed and lightning flew out creating a tremendous fire.

This dried the earth but made it too easy for predators to catch and eat people. To save humanity, the Twins struck these animals with their lightning, shriveling them into stone. But deep within, the animal’s hearts were kept alive, with instructions to help mankind with the magic captured within them. When a Zuni finds a stone that naturally resembles an animal, this is one of these ancient stone animals.

Today, Zuni Indians revere, care for and feed their fetishes. The animal spirit must be nurtured for the owner to receive the fetish’s assistance. Some fetishes are created with special features: an inlaid or carved “heartline” which is the breath path leading to the power in the fetish’s heart, a bundle with various stones, shells or arrowheads is sometimes wrapped to a fetish and serves as an offering which empowers the fetish to better aid its owner.

The Zuni universe is divided into six regions with each associated with a different color and guarded by a certain animal. These animals are known as the “directional” or guardian fetishes.

Directional Fetishes

Mountain lion Yellow Guardian of the North
Bear Blue Guardian of the West
Badger Red Guardian of the South
Wolf White Guardian of the East
Eagle Multi-color Guardian of the Upper Region
Mole Black Guardian of the Lower Region, Inner Earth or Nadir

The most important fetishes have been the animals of the hunt – the predator fetishes. They were used to assist Zuni hunters. The predator fetishes are admired for their strong hearts, which many believe the strong hearts makes them dominant and, therefore, survivors; hunter rather than hunted.

Fetish Meanings

Armadillo: Gentle, quiet reserve, ability to live in a niche of its own, solitude

Badger: Aggressiveness, control, passion, persistence

Bear: Guardian fetish of the West, healing fetish, strength in the face of adversity

Beaver: industrious, diligent, skillful

Buffalo: Prophesy and fulfillment of prayers

Butterfly: Beauty, transformation, rebirth

Coyote: Trickster, the ability to laugh at one’s own mistakes

Deer: Grace, gratitude, ability to sacrifice for the higher good

Eagle: Vision, higher truths, Guardian fetish of the Upper Region

Falcon: Power, harmony, intuitive, ability to see the “big picture”

Fox: Cleverness, ability to blend in, observant, loyalty to loved ones

Frog: Rain and fertility fetish

Horse: Power, expanding one’s abilities, prosperous and safe journey

Hummingbird: Energy, joy

Lizard: Patience, wisdom

Mole: Guardian fetish of the Lower Region, ability to look inward, awareness, grounding

Mountain Lion: Guardian fetish of the North, leadership, personal power, agility

Owl: Protector of the home, wisdom and the ability to see what others cannot, link between the spiritual and physical world

Rabbit: Gentleness, charm, playful trickster, awareness of others, depends on it’s wit

Raven: Adept, clever, magic, transformation

Snake: Lightning, the ability to transmute, important in Zuni ceremonialism

Squirrel: Foresight, the ability to plan ahead, industrious

Turtle: Symbol of Mother Earth, self-reliance, tenacity, centered, longevity

Wolf: Teaches us truths, inner guidance, clarity, loyalty, sociability

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