Mitchell Zephier - Lakota
Four Directions - Animal Spirit Bracelet
HK Item #NBS528 - size 7

Mitchell Charles Zephier
Cétan Ho Wasté (Pretty Voice Hawk)

Mitchell Zephier of Rapid City, South Dakota grew up on the Cheyenne River and Rosebud Indian reservations. In 1981 he founded Lakota Visions, traditional Lakota made Native American arts, crafts and jewelry from the plains states. He has mentored over 34 apprentices in metal-smithing and marketing. Family members and friends that work on Lakota Visions jewelry include his son Wakinyan Luta Zephier , Belle Starboy, Webster Two Hawk Jr., and Roger Dale Herron.

Mitch has won numerous awards including first place at Red Earth Show, several awards at the internationally prestigious Sante Fe Indian Market as well as presented his work at far off Native American venues like Schimutzun Celebration in Connecticut. He has also earned the South Dakota Governor's award.

Mitch has other forms of artistic expression. His album Cherish the Children won a National Native Music Award for Best Children's Album. Mitchell Zephier's latest venture is to team up with fellow artists to explore, on film this time, the issues that affect the lives of Native Young People in Cloud Horse Production's Lakota 4 Life, a Zephier inspired look at the issues, decisions, responsibilities and opportunities facing Native Youth today.

TURTLE - The turtle (KEYA) in Lakota culture is the guardian of life, patron of healing and controlled accidents. The turtle is wise and hears many things and does not tell anything. Its skin is like a shield so that arrows cannot wound it. The turtle is fierce in its attack on others. In legend KEYA allies himself with the thunderbeings in order to destroy the bad spirits that lurk in the water.

THE FOUR SACRED COLORS / MEDICINE WHEEL - Many Native Americans view the world as having four directions. Each direction has a special meaning and color associated with it. The Lakota use the colors black, red, yellow and white to represent the four directions. For some, the colors represent the four seasons and the changes we make on our journey through life. Every tribe and every person has their own beliefs and you should use what best represents what you believe.

The Medicine Wheel is an integral part of American Indian Spirituality. It is based on the four cardinal directions and the four sacred colors. The circle represents life and the four colors symbolize the four directions, the four races, the four seasons and the four Lakota virtues of generosity, bravery, fortitude, and wisdom. At the center of the circle is the eternal fire from which everything originates and everything returns.. Read more about Four Colors Medicine Wheel.

What is Nickel Silver?

Nickel silver, also called German silver, contains copper, zinc and nickel, but no silver. Navajos occasionally used it in place of coin silver and sterling silver, usually in earlier work. German silver was sold in flat sheets and the Navajo originally obtained this metal from their neighbors, the Utes, who worked it in the plains style of metalwork. Most tribes of the plains, prairies, and Great Lakes areas worked in German silver.

German silver is very hard and generally must be machined. Many people are allergic to nickel and get what is called "nickel itch" when contacting nickel silver.