I See You Bushytail

This bushytail by Delvin Leekya definitely has something to say as it looks up with its sweet face!  This sweetie is made of travertine with inlaid turquoise eyes and an offering bundle with a pink mussel shell arrowhead with a smaller abalone arrowhead on top.  We love the slightly open mouth, perked ears, and straight tail.  More about bushytails below.

Size: 1.25" H x 3.5" L x .75" W

Wolves, coyotes and foxes all look the same in the distance.  In Zuni there is a word that translates into "bushytail" in English.  You get to determine what this carving looks like to you!

WOLF  Wolves are intelligent, resourceful creatures that live in their own communities called packs.  They have excellent communication skills and are protective of one another.  The leaders of their community are called “alpha” and are usually males and females, although there are known to be alphas that are only females (yay to the matriarchy!).  The alphas are the only wolves in the pack who breed, and they also eat first.  They are the strongest and most intelligent wolves of the group.

FOX   Foxes are playful, clever, quick, and protective of their young.  They also mate for life, and are indigenous to every continent except Antarctica.

COYOTES Coyotes figure prominently in Native American history.  In some tribes, they are powerful creation beings who teach us by doing things that turn out wrong, or even disastrous.  Oftentimes, they have a humorous quality.  In their natural environment they live in packs, hunt together, and protect one another.  Once one hears them yipping at night it is never forgotten.

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.