Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A turtle sculpture signed "©RSD" (I think the second letter is "S") on its tail. Peggy gave this to us.

1 comments:

P-Doobie said...

The turtle is a navel amulet, which the Plains Indians used.

"According to Cheyenne custom, the umbilical cord of a newborn child is preserved and sewed into small round or diamond-shaped pouches stuffed with sweet grass. The child wears this navel amulet on his or her belt or keeps it in a safe place. It is said that children who do not have navel cords prepared in the Cheyenne traditional way will always be searching for their souls.

"Girls' navel amulets are beaded with turtle designs. The turtle is known as the one who carried the dirt from the bottom of the ocean. From this dirt, the earth was created. Turtle brought the Cheyenne patience and mystery, and reminded the Cheyenne to take their time when traveling to faraway places. 'I may be very slow,' said the turtle, 'but I always get to wherever I'm going.'"