Continuing on the topic of Zuni Fetishes…
Each animal is believed to have inherent powers or qualities that may aid the holder. The Navajo, for example, treasured and bartered for figures of horses, sheep, cattle or goats to protect their herd from disease and to insure fertility. The Zuni hunter was required to have his fetishes with a “Keeper” and practice a ceremony of worship when procuring a favorite or proper fetish to aid in a successful hunt.
Today many people find themselves drawn to certain fetishes for one reason or another. Often, for no specific reason, a fetish will be created (or purchased) simply because it seems to have ‘called’ to us. This very spirit within each fetish is what makes their popularity today as strong as it has been for more than a century. I have run across many of my most cherished fetishes while shopping for turquoise jewelry. I hadn’t planned on purchasing a fetish, but there it was, and I knew it was mine!