Like most people. I had seen bears in a zoo or the circus, but had not had the opportunity to see them in their native habitat. I will never forget the day that I actually saw my first bear in the wild. It had visited our cabin at Cloudcroft, New Mexico, to feed on some scraps that we had put out for the squirrels and other small animals. We never dreamed a bear would show up for supper. He was about as excited as I was when he saw me watching him, and he took off like a rocket. I had never imagined that bears could run that fast. He was gone in a hearttbeat. This encounter gave me a respect for the agility and speed with which he moved and made me think twice about being able to outrun a bear in the woods. It also made me curious and interested in finding out all that I could about them. 
 
The human fascination with bears stretches back hundreds of years and is found in the rituals and traditions of many Native American cultures. They are symbolic for their strength, power, unpredictability, courage, protection, intelligence, and their ability to walk upright. They tend to have human-like characteristics and therefore, are sometimes compared to humans. They are normally the largest land mammals in their area, and because of their sheer size and strength, they have the ability to overpower most animals as well as humans. The mother bear, like most human mothers, is extremely protective and aggressive at any threat to her offspring. The bear is also highly intelligent and is especially unusual in the animal world because of its ability to walk on two legs instead of the customary four. The hibernation of the bear is another unusual trait. They essentially sleep in their dens through the winter and emerge once again in the Spring. This trait is sometimes associated with resurrection and the coming of new life.
 
Bears figure prominently in the mythology of nearly every Native American tribe. In most Native cultures, the bear is considered a medicine being with impressive magical powers, and plays a major role in many religious ceremonies. Bears are symbols of strength and wisdom to many Native Americans, and are often associated with healing and medicine. Bears are also used as clan animals in many of the Native cultures.
 
The spiritual connections made with the bear makes it a brother to the First People. The Grizzly bear was especially important to them and contributed to their idea of what makes a good warrior. A warrior would see these traits in the bear: a fierce spirit that would give the warrior bravery, a large mass, and physical power that shows confidence and victory, a preference for peace which calls for balance and caution but also potentially furious storm and a powerful surge of courage and strength that the warrior would need at times.
 
Among the Pueblo tribes, bears are considered one of the six directional guardians, associated with the west and the color blue. The Zunis ascribe healing powers to bears and carve stone bear fetishes to protect them and bring them luck. A bear's claw was one of the talismans frequently included in medicine bundles. Warriors in some tribes wore bear claws hanging from their waistband or as necklaces to bring them power and strength. They were also thought to bring protection and good health to the person wearing them. They never traded these objects but could give them away as a special gift. When used in jewelry, the bear symbolizes leadership qualities as well as strength. The bear paw is another symbol that is used in their jewelry. It was their belief that the bear paw was an indicator of the animal's spirit and power, representing an inner strength.
 
On my Bear Paws vessel, I have used a realistic bear and bear paws in a circle on the lid. On two sides, I have used a stylized bear with a heart line and a stylized bear with a bear paw. On the remaining two sides, I have placed large bear paws. Hopefully, this vessel will impart protection and good health as well as inner strength to the person who possesses it.