Healer Bear with Leather Pouch

This little Healer Bear was carved from dyed magnesite by Zuni carver, Ed Lementino. It comes in a white leather bag with a beaded border made by Anishnaabe/Ojibway elder Marcie McIntire from Grand Portage in Minnesota.  As with all Zuni carvings we ship, this one will have a pinch of a cornmeal as an offering to the spirit of the bear in the box to tide it over on its journey. Let us know if you would also like a pinch of cornmeal inside the leather pouch. More about bears below.

Bear size: .675" H x 1.25" L x .375" W - Pouch size: 2" x 2"

Bears are the guardians of the western gate in Zuni Pueblo.  They are associated with healing at all levels, protection, and a reminder to restore oneself during the winter months.  In some traditions a part of the bear is rubbed all over infants to imbue them with power, strength, and good health. Many Indigenous folks believe that we learned a lot about healing ourselves from watching what bears do and eat when they are sick.