Hitching a Ride with Mom

This young badger is hitching a ride on its mom.  We wonder where they are going?  They were carved by Ed Lementino from Mexican onyx and have a lovely offering bundle of heishi and red coral.  Their eyes are inlaid turquoise.  More about badgers below.

Size: 1.25" H x 3" L x 1.875" W

In the Zuni tradition badgers are the guardians of the south which is associated with new beginnings.  Badgers are diligent and fierce; you would not want to mess with one!  They are creatures of both the world underground where their dens are, and the world on Mother Earth’s belly where they live during the day to hunt.  And, if you have seen the video on social media, apparently they can also befriend coyotes in the wild!

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.