My wife and I collect shamanic and religious articles from many primitive cultures. Primarily Souhtheast Asia and Africa. To us they have great beauty. To the cultures they came from they are working tools, not decorations.

Many of these were created at great effort by the artisans. Tress cut on auspicious days after blessings and ceremonies. Carefully dried and consecrated wood, pigments were assembled. Artisans went through purification ceremonies and worked only on very specific days. It took years to create many of these pieces.

We know that these "primitive" or "pre-contact" cultures were very concerned with the invisible kingdom. These artifacts were working tools to help them relate with this invisible kingdom from which spirits and all manifestations came forth.

For the most part we only have a dim view of their original functions, yet we are drawn to them. Holding them quietly can induce altered states of consciousnesses. A tingling in the solar plexus, in the gutskie wutskies that is very pleasurable.

Some pieces we are deeply drawn to, others not so much. But some exhibit very powerful attractions. Why do we, and others, find these artifacts have beauty? That stir chords deep within us?