Andrea Shirley Lonjose Northern Cardinal Pin Brooch Pendant

Coral

Jet

Turquoise

Mother-of-Pearl

Sterling Silver

Height: 24 mm

Width: 37 mm

Handmade and signed by Zuni artists Andrea and Shirley Lonjose in New Mexico

The Messengers of the Spirit World

Cardinals have been considered messengers sent by the spirit world for quite literally thousands of years. This notion spreads across a number of different cultures — wherever these beautiful red songbirds are found, the legend arises. It’s therefore not too surprising to see the word “cardinal” used to signify an important or meaningful object or relationship. Whether it’s cardinal angels, cardinal directions, or cardinal colours, the use of the word denotes something big and noteworthy.

This makes it especially appropriate that the word itself contains the Latin root word cardo, which means either an axis or a hinge — a point which everything revolves around or holds all moving parts together. Cardinals are, resultantly, viewed as the revolving point between our world and the spirit world, acting as messengers between the two.