Roll over the image to see the symbol of the turtle |
The beaded yoke is more than just a decoration. It shows a blue sky reflected
in a prairie pond that is the home of the sacred turtle. The U-shape at
the lower center of the yoke represents the turtle. In the creation stories of many
Plains people,
the Creator placed mud from under the sea on the
back of the turtle to form the earth. The turtle came to be a protector
of women since they too have the power of creation, by giving birth. |