Hand Made Native American Apache Indian Ceremonial Rattle

From Apache Artist Cynthia Whitehawk

RATTLES - Native American rattles have been and are used for many purposes including healing and other medicine uses, dancing for ceremony and celebration, commemorating birth and more. To First Nations people, shakers or rattles represent rain (for prayers of abundance and prosperity) and tears, especially those of emotional release. Tears of joy signifying when the mind, body, soul and spirit connect. Ceremonially, rattles are used in cleansing and purifying, spiritual guidance work, celebration and in thanks and respect to Ancestral Spirits.

Rattles can be made of many materials including deer and elk hooves, rawhide, turtle shells, gourds, wood, buffalo parts (horn, hump bone, scrotum) bones, horns and antlers of all kinds, leather (cowhide, buckskin, elkskin).

The rattling items are either inside or outside. Rattles such as gourds might have small items inside such as beans, corn, small stones, or even the seeds native to the gourd itself. Rattles with external sound makers are adorned with pieces of metal, tinkle cones, bells, beads and more.

Generally, medicine rattles are made entirely of natural materials and the sound is more muted. Dance rattles are made of almost any materials, natural and otherwise. In fact, unusual items such as pieces of scrap metal, coins and other resonating materials are used to create a loud, crisp sound. Dance rattles are often made like a coup stick, using bone or wood with a handle on the end.

CROW/RAVEN - Raven and Crow are very similar in their strengths: both carry great responsibility to Spirit and are the messengers of magic and healing from the universe where all knowledge waits for us. They also symbolize changes in consciousness, of levels of awareness and perception. Shamans, Spiritualists & Healers with Raven/Crow Medicine are able to use their gifts with deeper clarity, understanding & insight, developing greater power & skill in their abilities.

MORNING STAR - Infinite possibilities, Hope, Renewal, sign for Venus, also the Goddess. Honored as a sign of courage and purity of Spirit. The Ghost Dance Religion saw it as a symbol of the coming renewal of tradition, re-birth of the ancient ways of living with Mother Earth.

MEDICINE WHEEL - The Medicine Wheel represents American Indian Spirituality - the journey each individual must take to find his or her path. The Medicine Wheel is based on the four cardinal directions and the four sacred colors. A circle represents life; at the center of the circle is the eternal fire.