A friend of mine recently brought my attention to the plight of the African Elephant. Every day, Elephants are poached for their tusks, estimated over 20,000 per year. I had never given much thought to the issues Elephants face in their natural habitat. At that time, I was one of the many people who thought ivory was a banned item in the United States. Sadly, I was wrong. During the month of May her group, Elephants NJ, was involved in a nation wide initiative to gather 100,000 signatures to petition the White House to introduce legislation banning ivory.
Elephants are alluring, a mix of extreme strength and extreme delicateness. For their size, they can weigh up to 6 1/2 tonnes, they are able to walk softly, almost silently. The African Elephant can use its trunk to reach up over 20 feet, rip branches off trees as well as the fine motor dexterity to pick berries. Female elephants live in family units, are fiercely loyal to this matriarchal group and will protect their herd.
The Elephant is revered in many cultures, a common symbol of strength and patience. In Hinduism the deity Ganesha, has an elephant head atop a human body and is considered the remover of obstacles.
The first time I purchased charms to stock at Three Charmed Gems I was drawn to Elephant charms. Most days you will find me wearing an Aventurine Stackable Bracelet with an Elephant Charm. Now that I’m more aware of the meaning and real life issues, I’m proud to offer a charm that represents such a magnificent animal.
I’ll get off my soap box now.