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A stylized bison adorned with horns and remnant holes originally stuffed with bison hair | Donald Ellis Gallery

Bison Fetish

Pueblo
New Mexico

early 20th century

clay, hide, bison fur

width: 8 ¼"

Inventory # CS3063

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Provenance

Acquired in 1976 from Sun Hawk (Joe Sandoval [grandson of Geronimo]), Taos War Chief
Leslie Crespin, Taos, NM
Ronald J. Slowinski, Kansas City, MO, No. (16)

Published

Donald Ellis Gallery catalogue, 2003, pg. 41

RELATED EXAMPLE

Maurer, Evan M. Native American Heritage. Chicago:  Art Institute of Chicago, 1977, pl. 351 (an elk effigy of similar naturalistic style)

Fetishes of this type were generally used in boy’s initiation rites. The young man was taken from his mother into a kiva for as long as 6 months and there learned the ways of life and religion. This fetish would have been individually owned by the boy and then left in a bundle later in life. 

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