These Red Ear Turtle Rattles are made with Deer Rawhide and mounted on stick I find on the Sandy River near Portland, Oregon. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. As well as being a great sounding, fully functional rattle, this is an individual work of art. Your rattle will be similar to the one pictured.
Turtles are found worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. In most places, they are considered to carry sacred water energy. Water cleanses, nurtures and heals. In Hindu, Chinese and some Native American mythology, they carry the world on their back. In this way, our sacred Mother, the land, is represented by the turtle. When we work with the Mother energy of the turtle, we bring the sacred Feminine into our circle, to honor her & protect her, to give her strength and accept her blessings.
Although fragmentary, archaeological evidence shows that turtle shells have been used to make musical instruments, most likely used for ritual purposes, since at least the Neolithic era in China, as well as in such varied locations as Africa (including but not limited to Egypt), Greece, Central America, the Amazon, and of course in North America. Here in America we associate the turtle rattle with Native American cultures, particularly the Algonquin and Cherokee people, though many different groups make their own version.
The turtle shells we will use come from Red Earred Slider turtles, who are both naturally plentiful in the Southern US but also have become invasive in certain areas because of people releasing their pets into the wild. The shells are gathered by the edges of waterways as they are prey for a variety of wild life. In some areas, they are harvested by local people for whom they are a traditional food source.
The sticks we use are willow, which also carries feminine water energy and which has been harvested by me in a sustainable way from trees with whom I have a many year relationship.
The fancy version has a deer suede handle and rabbit fur decorations.
These Red Ear Turtle Rattles are made with Deer Rawhide and mounted on stick I find on the Sandy River near Portland, Oregon. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. As well as being a great sounding, fully functional rattle, this is an individual work of art. Your rattle will be similar to the one pictured.
Turtles are found worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. In most places, they are considered to carry sacred water energy. Water cleanses, nurtures and heals. In Hindu, Chinese and some Native American mythology, they carry the world on their back. In this way, our sacred Mother, the land, is represented by the turtle. When we work with the Mother energy of the turtle, we bring the sacred Feminine into our circle, to honor her & protect her, to give her strength and accept her blessings.
Although fragmentary, archaeological evidence shows that turtle shells have been used to make musical instruments, most likely used for ritual purposes, since at least the Neolithic era in China, as well as in such varied locations as Africa (including but not limited to Egypt), Greece, Central America, the Amazon, and of course in North America. Here in America we associate the turtle rattle with Native American cultures, particularly the Algonquin and Cherokee people, though many different groups make their own version.
The turtle shells we will use come from Red Earred Slider turtles, who are both naturally plentiful in the Southern US but also have become invasive in certain areas because of people releasing their pets into the wild. The shells are gathered by the edges of waterways as they are prey for a variety of wild life. In some areas, they are harvested by local people for whom they are a traditional food source.
The sticks we use are willow, which also carries feminine water energy and which has been harvested by me in a sustainable way from trees with whom I have a many year relationship.
The fancy version has a deer suede handle and rabbit fur decorations.
