This wonderful, tiny carving of a buffalo is a Zuni fetish carving, or a wemawe. These carvings are believed to be connected to the spirit of the animal it depicts. While the Zuni did not normally encounter buffalo near their homes, they often traveled north to hunt the buffalo or trade for their hides, meat, and horns with neighboring tribes.
The level of detail that is present suggests that this particular piece was created after the Zuni became familiar with power tools. Though the spiritual aspect remained, the inclusion of modern tools allowed the carvers to achieve a new level of realism for their tiny figures.
