Delbert Charging Crow Bear Carving

Dimensions: 1-5/8" tall by 13/16" wide by 3-3/16"

In many Native American traditions, the bear symbolizes protection, courage, wisdom, power and healing. This Bear fetish is carved by Delbert Charging Crow, a Lakota of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Delbert includes a package of spiritual stones, herbs, feathers, and a small leather pouch on each of his fetishes. This bear, standing at 1-5/8", also features a clear crystal quartz with the pouch and feathers. He believes that these all add spiritual power and strength to each carving.

Delbert was featured by PBS on a program called "The Spirit Within the Stone." In Delbert's words: "I get my motivations and experiences from the spirits of my Big Grandma and my Grandpa Jim, who was a stone carver. Some of my Grandpa Jim's pipestone pipes are in the Smithsonian Institute. Through his knowledge and appreciation of the stone that I carve, I'm able to feel the spiritual powers behind carving stone.” Delbert washes himself with sweet grass and says a prayer before beginning to carve, believing that carving is a deeply spiritual act.