Turtle Reptile Calabash Christmas tree ornament and hand rattle
These unique Christmas tree ornaments and rattles are made from calabash tree pods (gourds) by native artisans from the Ampiyacu River region of the Peruvian Amazon. This rattle features an image of a turtle. There are about 45 species of river turtles and land tortoises in the Amazon ecosystem. The largest is the Giant South American River Turtle whose females can grow to 200 pounds. Another unique creature of the river is the Amazon snapping turtle (locally called "matamata") with a long neck and triangular head.
This rattle has a chambira palm fiber chord allows it to be hung from a Christmas tree. The beads inside also make it a great rattle that fits in the palm of your hand.
Please remember that the artisan carves these rattles one at a time so the exact design of the animal and shape of the calabash pod may vary from the photo shown of this model.
Model: ORWR006 (turtle); ORWR010 (snapping turtle)
Also see: Turtle Balsa Wood Ornament
Support native artisans & rainforest in the Amazon
Amazon forest loss is driving species to extinction, aggravating global warming, and robbing people of unique medicines, foods and other benefits. Cutting and burning forests is often more profitable than conserving them, so some native communities in northern Peru have illegally logged and grown coca and other cash-crops to escape poverty.
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