Fetishes

 

Related to last week’s disquisition are the Zuni Indians who share some of the civil characteristics of our Neanderthal cousins within their agriculture and sheep herding society. The Zuni have been around for a long time [prior to the 12^th and 13^th century] and currently reside in the southwest in New Mexico. In the 16^th century, the civilized Spaniards explored the City of Cibola. They believed that it was the “Lost City of Gold.” .They were going to trade religion to the Savage Native Americans for gold. But the treasure did not exist and therefore they destroyed the city. Some fortunate Zuni’s then fled to the mountains. The civilized were? These native Indians have been studied by anthropologists Ruth Benedict, Margaret Mead, Irving Goldman, Ruth Bunzel, and others.  Consult Hal Bennett’s book “Zuni Fetishes” Harper San Francisco for further information.  This disquisition focuses on the significance  of fetishes .

Our noted anthropologists have described the Zuni Indians as having the following positive civil features or themes that are in some ways similar to the Neanderthals: 1. They live in the state of abundance and have little appreciation for material goods 2. There is little competition, work cooperation and rivalry except for the practice of herding. Sheep herding is a male occupation 3. There is quarreling and sexual jealousy but not in relation to economic activities. Even though there is quarreling and jealousy, it’s not related to aggression and destructive behavior 4. Hoarding is unknown even though there are richer and poorer Zuni’s. Men willingly share their jewelry with others 5. Murder hardly exists and suicide is outlawed 6. There is no sin especially regarding sex and sexual chastity is regarded with disfavor 7. Nonaggressiveness, nonviolence, cooperation and enjoyment of life and living itself are main values and not possessions 8. Men are afraid of women 9. Definition of a good man is a pleasing address, yielding disposition and generous .Religious activities are important which lead to a more thorough discussion on fetishes.

Fetishes are symbols that can be held in the hand, expressing values and beliefs that guide a Zunis decisions in pursuit of physical, mental and spiritual being. Originally fetishes were found in the earth but now they are manufactured. Various figures like the bear, mountain lion, badger, eagle, and mole are common Zuni fetishes. The metaphysical and spiritual meaning of the mountain lion follows:  “the mountain lion has a long, narrow body, feet tucked in, catlike, blunt face and nose, and long tail stretched out either up along the back or alongside the body. This fetish fortifies courage, particularly when striking out on a challenging path, helps in clarifying your personal stand in your relationship and career. Personality type-if a mountain lion person, you are a trailblazer, clear on defining boundaries, demanding high standards, faithful and committed.”

The Zuni explores the intuitive wisdom from previous centuries, at times, emphasize and utilize the right hemispheres of their brain. They are one with nature and the appreciate everything on the planet and believe that it is their duty to love and protect. They do not overkill. Answers to the invisible or unseen world of human life can be gained through spirituality, imagination and dreams by exploring one’s inner world.

Their emotionally centered beliefs regarding fetishes are powerful in that they not only “magically” protect but also provide assistance in dealing with the problems of everyday life. The power of beliefs, prayer, superstition, symbols and conspiracy ideas are simply products of our own mind. They motivate us in many cases blindly when there is no objective or rational basis in the idea. It was believed that the earth was flat. However, clearly there is a relationship to mind and body. Prayer, meditation, deep breathing, psycho cybernetics etc. direct one’s attention away from the external stresses of life and in so doing lowers pulse rate and temporarily reduces stress in the process. Relaxation feels better, as in well-being, than experiencing stress and anxiety.

Zuni’s believe that these fetishes derive their power from various sources depending upon the cosmology or religious beliefs of the people who made and possessed them. Some are believed to be God like, others are believed to possess powers to protect the owners against certain dangers, while others are believed to represent ancestral lineages offering power and guidance by reminding people of their loyalties to past generations. By focusing on the fetish, the hunter could see in his mind’s eye, the living presence of the animal, how it moved, and the sounds it made.

An example of the “power” of the mountain lion fetish and prayer was captured by a description of the hunter Wema Ashiwani. “He placed the arrow against the string of his bow and crept forward until he was only a short distance from the buck. The deer looked up and saw the hunter standing before him. The string of the bow drawn and ready. In that instant, the hunter let the arrow fly. The well-aimed shaft pierced the chest of the deer for a clean kill.  The animal fell to its knees almost instantly. Before the breath of life was gone from it, the hunter ran forward, grabbed the deer’s front feet, placed them at the animal’s head and pressed its nose to his own lips. He breezed his own into the buck, then exhaled as it died. With the spirit gone from the body, the hunter lowered the animal gently to the ground. “Then “ah, thanks, my father, my mother, grant us our daily bread and the gift of water. Pray that I shall always have the light of your favor as I have had today.”

“With the animal dead, the hunter opened its belly with his knife, Pierced the diaphragm, made an incision in the heart, then took out his prey fetish, breezed on it and said now you shall drink and with the blood of this animal expand your own heart. The hunter pressed the fetish into the heart incision and allowed the fetish to drink the first blood of the kill, just as a real mountain lion would have done. When this reward to the fetish towards assistance was accomplished, the hunter made an offering in the spirit of the dead buck. This consisted of blood from the deer’s own heart, a piece of its ear, some corn pollen, turquoise heads, black paint, and other items like those he had given just before embarking on the hunt. He pressed all together, making a bowl of them, which he buried on the spot where the animal had fallen. Then he gave the following prayer to you dear buck, I wish good fortune to make a sacrifice to you, of this sacred corn pollen and other things with this prayer in those offerings. I pray you good fortune on becoming a new being. May you hear my prayers as you go forth and grant me and my family a good journey over the trial of life?”

This brief description provides some insight into the magical beliefs of the Zuni hunter. Notice the reverence and acknowledgment to parents, the land, the trail and the fetish before the hunt. It’s very spiritual and acknowledges its importance. With the kill, we see the spiritual honoring the buck, its importance for its own new life and then the food that it provided for his family.

The appreciation of life’s meaning is very significant for these Indians. There was no beating of one’s chest or interest about trophy. This attitude of appreciation, sharing and acknowledging life is highly significant and representative of these people. There’s an absence of dominance, power, prestige, control in their character. It’s about appreciating life as a life form and not at all about destruction.

Today’s society is driven by technology, military-industrial complex, neoliberalism and political power while the Zuni Indians have a more humanistic and/ or socialistic attitude. A fetish is psychologically a conscious or unconscious magical belief used in an attempt to compensate by reducing conscious or unconscious anxiety, fear, insecurity, weakness and protect the individual and, as a result, provide the necessary narcissistic supplies for goal accomplishment.  We have many fetishes. Our “fetishes” include, but not limited to the continued accumulation of “money. “ It’s about power, greed as if there is never enough? An “assault rifle” is supposed to protect with power; procuring the “right job” is supposed to be a safety guarantee  and prestige; using hoka or Nike running shoes for Mercury like  performance; performing “CrossFit” training for more strength and less weakness; ingesting “whey protein” for more protein and extra energy; wearing a cross or holding a rabbit’s foot etc. In our culture, in part, because of clever advertising or brainwashing, we are led to believe that having or procuring that special object or idea will facilitate in meeting one’s goal or goals. Which of our fetishes result in spiritual, physical or mental well-being? Do our fetishes result in having more courage, godlike power, dominance, and protection? Unfortunately, irrational and self-defeating beliefs influence behavioral choices.

Today’s hunter,  generally in our country but not in European cultures, per Paul Klentos might be dressed in expensive gear; with a 30 caliber Remington; with leupold scope; guide; pack animal and a check book full of money. The dwindling prey have absolutely no chance. Alcohol use also interferes with spirituality while exterminating the hunted. Having that head or trophy on the wall does not symbolize reverence. Going to the supermarket and putting or throwing products in the cart also doesn’t seem very spiritual. Get it done quickly and maybe you might have a limited irrelevant meeting with another. Black Fridays are characterized by pushing, shoving and hollering toward another.

Steph Curry has fetishes. Fortunately for him, he has good genes. His father was an excellent NBA shooter and Steph was reared with a basketball, basketball courts and associations with professional NBA players. Steph also married the daughter of NBA player Doc Rivers, an NBA coach. Steph has extraordinary basketball shooting practices. This past week, he shot over 100 consecutively made three-point shots in five minutes. It takes more than fetishes to be successful.

The Zuni life style is based on creative spirit, intuitive knowledge, wisdom and beliefs. In other words, they walk the walk and talk the talk. They practice what they preach. They are not at all about contradictions, inconsistencies and hypotheticals. Their beliefs, are at times irrational, but are in harmony with plants, animals and their world. For example a quote by Awahakeeah “To find the center and live in balance, you got to jump out of your skin. Look at the world through the clear eyes of the soaring Eagle and a blind eye of the burrowing mole.” That idea is very different from the drive for power, prestige, possessions that is characteristic for many in our destructive society.

This quote from Albert Einstein fits “Human being is a part of the whole, called by us “universe,” inner feelings of separation from the whole are “a kind of optical delusion of consciousness.”

Dr. Bennett provides a relaxation, centering and problem solving self-help strategy using the right hemisphere and unconscious in the use of imagination, dream, and insight for solving problems of today. Scientific research does not support the idea or belief that a fetish is the most important or main variable for goal attainment.  Scientific research has not evaluated whether or not the Zuni fetish is superior to any of our fetishes as far as goal attainment. However, the Zuni fetish seems simpler and healthier than ours.

PS

 On a similar note, a recent movie “The Midnight Sky” might be a foreshadowing into our future in 2049, George Clooney directs and plays the main character in this prediction of our end. He’s a dying scientist, at a weather station in the Artic. He is able to contact a crew of astronauts. Two of the astronauts made a decision for an Earth return, searching for their family, in the global catastrophe currently affecting our uninhabitable earth. The two remaining astronauts, “Adam” is black and his pregnant white “Eve” companion hope to reach another planet.  Finis.