Nearly every Native American culture uses rattles in ceremonial rituals. They are constructed of natural materials including leather, turtle shell, rawhide, gourds, beads and feathers. The gourd and turtle shell rattles are the most sought after.
The rattles are said to represent the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms. In the case of a gourd rattle, the gourd itself or the handle represents the plant kingdom, while the rocks inside represent the mineral kingdom and the rawhide and feathers represent the animal kingdom.
The patterns and motifs present on the rattles are representative of which tribe the rattle comes from. This gallery shows a recent Rattle Ceremony held in Fallbrook, CA.
The Smudge Ceremony is a purification ritual. It's intent is to cleanse an area of undesirable spirits or influences. This gallery shows a recent Smudge Ceremony held immediately after the Rattle Ceremony.
