Seagrass Dreamcatcher

This is beautiful new Dreamcatcher with its crocheted doily, amassed with Cowrie Shells and its luxury lengths of sea grasses (white leather).

A real must for anyone who loves the wildness of the Sea.

     More varities of the Seagrass Dreamcatcher coming soon.

     $75.00 plus postage and handling..

Click here to visit our Big Cartel Online Store..

Shikoba's Latest New Pieces

Wolf

The Navajo word for wolf, "mai-coh," also means witch, and a person could transform if he or she donned a wolf skin. So the Europeans were not the only ones with werewolf legends. However, the American tribes have an overwhelming tendency to look upon the wolf in a much more favorable light. The Navajo themselves have healing ceremonies which call upon Powers to restore peace and harmony to the ill, and the wolf is one such Power.

"The caribou feeds the wolf, but it is the wolf who keeps the caribou strong."

-Keewatin Eskimo saying

Native American tribes recognized the wolf for its extreme devotion to its family, and many drew parallels between wolf pack members and the members of the tribe. Also, the wolf's superior and cooperative hunting skills made it the envy of many tribes. Finally, the wolf was known to defend its home against outsiders, a task with which each tribe had to contend as well.

Some examples of the wolf appearing throughout Native American religion and mythology include the following. The Eskimos told of an old woman, Qisaruatsiaq, who was abandoned and forced to live by herself, and who eventually turned into a wolf. The Sioux called the wolf "shunk manitu tanka," or "animal that looks like a dog but is a powerful spirit." Cheyenne medicine men rubbed warrior arrows against wolf fur to bring better success in hunting. The Nootka celebrated spiritual ties to the wolf, in a ceremony whereby they pretended to bring back to life the chief's dead son, by wearing wolf clothing. The Cherokee would not kill a wolf, believing the dead wolf's siblings would enact revenge. They also imitated the wolf's walk to help ward off frostbite to their feet. The Crow dressed in wolf skins to hunt. The Mandan displayed on their moccasins wolf tails, signs of success in battle. Women of the Hidatsa tribe rubbed their bellies with wolf skin to alleviate difficult childbirth. The Cree believed divine wolves visited earth when the northern lights would shine during winter. The Ahtena would prop dead wolves up, sometimes feeding them ceremonial meals. Chippewa myths tell of wolves supplying humans with food and hides. The Delaware tribe thought a change in weather might be announced through a wolf's howl. The Hopis include Wolf as one of the Katchinas, the costumed dancers who represent the powers of the universe.

Indian creation mythology sometimes involves wolves, as in this example from the heritage of the Arikara tribe:

"In the beginning, they say, was water and sky. Here on high you could find Nesaru the sky spirit, and Wolf and Lucky-man. Below lay a watery vastness, empty, it seemed, with only two small ducks swimming about, making eternal, small ripples. Envisioning another kind of earth, with space and variety for myriad creatures, Wolf and Lucky-man asked the ducks to dive down for mud. Using his endless energy, Wolf took half of the mud to build a great prairie for hunting beasts like himself. Lucky-man, his partner in creation, built hills and valleys where the Indians could hunt and live. Last they pushed up the remaining mud into banks of a river, which you can still see, to divide their territories.

Earth was ready. Wolf and Lucky-man understood that large creatures must emerge from the reproduction of smaller, humble ones. They enter deep into the earth to find two Spiders who are meant to begin propagating the world. Imagine their disgust when they find the Spiders to be not only ignorant of the business of reproduction, but so dirty and ugly that they aren't interested in each other. Wolf and Lucky-man scrub down their charges and explain the pleasures and responsibilities of fertilization. Clean and enlightened, the Spiders give birth to earth's many creatures - the eight-legged like themselves, the six, the four, and finally the two-legged ones."

- Cottie Burland

Perhaps the tribe with the closest of all associations with the wolf is the Pawnee, in the lands now known as Nebraska and Kansas. The Pawnee felt such a close kinship that their hand-signal for wolf is the same as the hand-signal for Pawnee. They were known as the Wolf People even by neighboring tribes. The cyclical appearance and disappearance of Sirius, the Wolf Star, indicated the wolf coming and going from the spirit world, running down the trail of the Wolf Road, otherwise known as the Milky Way. The Blackfoot tribe also called our galaxy the Wolf Trail, or the Route to Heaven. The Pawnee, like the Hidatsa and Oto tribes, used wolf bundles, pouches of skins from wolves in which to keep and protect treasured implements used for ceremonies and magic.

Wakinyan Thunderbird Skull

Firstly a little about the thunderbird which is recognized the world over as a symbol..

Thunderbird - a Native American Symbol

The meaning of the Thunderbird as a Native American symbol varies according to the tribe (geographic location). This page discusses the Thunderbird symbol as viewed by the sacred eye of the beholder: The prime people of North America who held a vision of glory and power concerning this Spirit Bird.
Almost universally, the Thunderbird as a Native American symbol conveys concepts such as:

• Power
• Provision
• Expansiveness
• Transformation
• Divine Dominion
• Indomitable Spirit
• Unquestioned Authority
• Messages from the Otherworlds

There are several variations in Native traditions about the Thunderbird.

Some tribes view the Thunderbird as an omen of war. When quaking peals of thunder rattle the heavens, it's a sign the spirits are warring in the skies. This was also a foretelling of victory for tribal wars fought on the ground - particularly when ritual ceremonies and dances were reverently adhered to.

When the cry of the Thunderbird was heard (in the form of thunder in the skies) war huts were constructed to begin ceremonial processions. These huts were always made with the wood of the cedar tree, sacred to the Thunderbird. War dances by the Iroquois and Shawnee must be performed to exact precision in order to appease the rousted Thunderbird and insure victory in battle.

Tobacco (also sacred to the Thunderbird) would be smoked in intricate ceremonial order. The effects of the smoke would lift Native souls to the heavens where braves would encounter the Thunderbird in spirit-journeying; further bolstering the warrior's heart and insuring triumph against foe.

Other, more peace-keeping tribes viewed the Thunderbird as supreme Nature Spirit and a solar animal. It's eyes were said to be made from the sun, and upon waking in the morning, the Thunderbird issued the dawning day. Alternatively when Thunderbird retired at night, its sleepily closing eyes marked the solar dusk.

Another Native tale indicates lightning jetting out of the eyes of the Thunderbird when angered (during storms), and deafening cracks of thunder were produced when it flapped its mighty wings.

As a Native American symbol of creation, the Thunderbird marks the separation between the heavens and the earth. Moreover, in Northwestern tribes the Thunderbird is known as the Skyamsen, and is the dominating force of all natural activity.

In this perspective, the Thunderbird is the Creator, Destroyer and Controller of Nature and must be honored and appeased at all cost. This is where we see a connection to rain as the Thunderbird is the bringer of life-giving waters (so agriculture may thrive and provide to the tribe). Countless ceremonies are conducted in honor of the great rain-bringer as a way to insure continued food supply.

The Eagle is often a Native American symbol that represents the Thunderbird. I've heard stories of various Native clans of the Great Lakes regions using Eagle feathers in headdresses and ritual dances as a personification of the great Thunderbird. In this way shapeshifting/animism/shamanic journeying is facilitated.

My same source told me stories of the Thunderbird (in the form of the Eagle) wages constant battle with a massive water Serpent. This horned Serpent is said to be quite nefarious and bodes ill-will against humankind.

The Thunderbird dives into the waters, seeking out the serpent to vanquish it from the Great Lakes in order to protect humans. The battles between the Eagle (Thunderbird) and the Serpent results in raging waters and brewing storms.

Perhaps the most breath-taking specimen of the Thunderbird symbol is atop traditional Totem Poles of the Pacific Northwest Coast (Alaska, Oregon & Washington in the USA and the NW coast of Canada known as the British Columbian province). The more familiar native Nations of this region include: Tlingit and Haida.

In the sacred circles of wisdom among these NW coastal tribes, the Thunderbird perches regally atom Totem Poles to denote ultimate status - an ascended emblem of power and supreme chief among the Native pantheon of natural spirit energies.

Interestingly, Totem Poles are traditionally made from the cedar tree, and the cedar is sacred to the Thunderbird.

Legend states the Thunderbird dwells in regal solitude in mystic cedar forests, where no man may enter. There, the Thunderbird rules the activity of the skies. It's also said the Thunderbird smokes tobacco from cedar pipes - and this is where we get the link between the Thunderbird and tobacco.

The Haida created elaborate masks in the image of the Thunderbird. During ritual, these masks are worn and the beaks would open to reveal the human face of the wearer. This is a symbolic statement that underscores the of the Haida belief in the human soul taking on the Thunderbird form.

Some Haida stories tell that great hunters and honored elders of the tribe would be visited by the Thunderbird upon his deathbed, and the great bird would fly his soul to the great mystic cedar forests where he would be stay as a guest of honor (and get to smoke good tobacco for the rest of his days in the spirit world). 

Info from :- http://www.whats-your-sign.com/thunderbird-native-american-symbol.html

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Which leads me to our amazing new Thunderbird Skull..

Peace Skull with Turquoise, Clear Quartz and Black Onyx Gemstones

This beautiful Peace Skull Mosiac with Turquoise, Clear Quartz and Black Onyx is online and instore now..

Byron Bay Hand Poured Candles and Peace For All..

Our opening the store would not have been complete without our stocking the amazing Byron Bay Hand Poured Candles. All designed, made and poured locally - they smell divine.  Each morning we debate on which scent to light in store..

Shikoba only stocks local craft from the Byron Area not the general Northern Rivers area and I must admit I am picky to what I'd recommend to others.  Byron Bay Handpoured Candles were an easy win and one Shikoba is proud to recommend to all our followers and customers.

BYRON BAY HANDPOURED CANDLES

NATURAL SOY WAX CANDLES

They use 100% natural soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks and their fragrance oils are of the finest quality.

The candles are natural in colour, are slow burning and have a high scent throw.

The solid glass jars are reusable and the packaging is recyclable..

No pretrolium

No parrafin

No lead

No presticides or herbicides

No animal testing.

Scents include :- Cinnamon

Coconut

Coconut Lime

English Garden

Frangipani

French Pear

French Vanilla

Gardenia

Mandarin

and 

Rose.

Try these candles in store on online today..

Byron Bay Handpoured Candles Link

And I am also going to share our latest skull..
The Shikoba Peace Skull

Shikoba - Working with Your Chakras

The 7 Chakras are the energy centers in our body in which energy flows through.

Blocked energy in our 7 Chakras can often lead to illness so it's important to understand what each Chakra represents and what we can do to keep this energy flowing freely.

Here's our quick summary of the 7 Chakras:

1. Root Chakra - Represents our foundation and feeling of being grounded.

• Location: Base of spine in tailbone area.
• Emotional issues: Survival issues such as financial independence, money, and food.
• More on Root Chakra healing

2. Sacral Chakra - Our connection and ability to accept others and new experiences.

• Location: Lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in.
• Emotional issues: Sense of abundance, well-being, pleasure, sexuality.
• More on Sacral Chakra healing

3. Solar Plexus Chakra - Our ability to be confident and in-control of our lives.

• Location: Upper abdomen in the stomach area.
• Emotional issues: Self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem.
• More on Solar Plexus Chakra healing

4. Heart Chakra - Our ability to love.

• Location: Center of chest just above heart.
• Emotional issues: Love, joy, inner peace.
• More on Heart Chakra healing

5. Throat Chakra - Our ability to communicate.

• Location: Throat.
• Emotional issues: Communication, self-expression of feelings, the truth.
• More on Throat Chakra healing

6. Third Eye Chakra - Our ability to focus on and see the big picture.

• Location: Forehead between the eyes. (Also called the Brow Chakra)
• Emotional issues: Intuition, imagination, wisdom, ability to think and make decisions.
• More on Third Eye Chakra healing

7. Crown Chakra - The highest Chakra represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually.

• Location: The very top of the head.
• Emotional issues: Inner and outer beauty, our connection to spirituality, pure bliss.