This week’s featured items of the week are hand-made turtle shakers, or turtle rattles, commonly used in ceremonies and powwows to accompany drummers and dancing competitions. In some tribes, the shakers themselves represent three important facets of the world. The first is that of the animal, which is represented by the turtle shell or the decorative feathers.
The earth is represented by the shakers, or rocks, inside the shell, while the significance of the trees is represented by the wooden handle.
If you would like to purchase these or other items, FireLake Gift Shop has many items like these that can be seen in our store located inside the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center or online at https://giftshop.potawatomi.org. Be sure to follow our weekly items of the week at https://www.facebook.com/firelakegifts.