Fetishes: Where They Came From, What They Do by Nancy J. Reid

People have many ways of worshipping, praying, asking for guidance and help and showing appreciation for the resources Mother Earth has provided us. Almost every culture has fetishes, amulets, talismans, charms or good luck pieces. The St. Christopher medal for safe travels, the horseshoe over your entrance way to your home for a happy home life and the rabbits foot worn around your neck or on a keychain for general good luck, are just some of the more well-known contemporary charms.

Although beliefs change or are sometimes forgotten over time, there has been a resurgence of interest in the fetishes and charms, particularly in that of the Native North American Indians.

Fetishes are often thought of as objects that contain a specific spirit responsible for a specific aspect of life. They are usually associated with a direction (north, south, east or west), a color, a season or an element, (earth, wind, fire or water.) The object itself contains no power. It is the process of concentrating on the spirit the object represents by following chants, rituals and giving offerings to the symbolic object. Most of the fetishes have a story or legend behind them that provides interesting insights into other cultures.

Many people collect fetishes because of their beauty and artistic value. They can be made from bone, rocks, shells, wood, clay and coral. The artist creating the fetish usually select the material for color and associated properties. Fetishes are modeled after animals, insects, birds, reptiles, livestock and human figures, with each one carrying its own meaning depending of the tribe or culture from whence it came.