{"product_id":"strawberry-ani-gorget-handmade-cherokee-copper-gorget","title":"Strawberry Ani Gorget | Handmade Cherokee Copper Gorget","description":"\u003c!-- Strawberry Gorget | Cherokee Copper product description --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Paste into the Shopify product description (HTML view). Items in [BRACKETS] need confirming before publishing. --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eStrawberry Gorget\u003c\/strong\u003e carries one of our favorite Cherokee stories: the story of the first strawberry. A husband and wife quarrel, and she walks away. It is the sweetness of a strawberry along her path that makes her stop, remember the love they share, and turn back home. We made this handmade copper gorget to keep that teaching close: what matters most is what we do after anger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design began with a custom order from a customer in Stilwell, Oklahoma, the Strawberry Capital. Our son Joshua saw that the strawberry deserved a design of its own, and our lead artist, Greg Stice, placed it front and center on a 3-inch copper gorget. It debuted at the Cherokee National Holiday in Tahlequah and sold out, then sold out again at the ATALM conference (Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums), all before it ever reached our website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Benefits\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA Cherokee story you can wear:\u003c\/strong\u003e Every time you put it on, you carry a teaching about love, forgiveness, and slowing down long enough to remember what matters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigned and handmade by Cherokee artists:\u003c\/strong\u003e Created by our Cherokee family in our Oklahoma studio. You know exactly who made it and where it came from.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy to wear every day:\u003c\/strong\u003e At 3 inches, it is noticeable without being oversized, simple enough for everyday wear and meaningful enough for special occasions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA gift with a story behind it:\u003c\/strong\u003e A thoughtful choice for anniversaries, weddings, a new beginning after a hard season, or anyone from Stilwell. As we heard again and again at our booth, every girl from Stilwell needs a strawberry gorget.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRooted in centuries of tradition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Engraved shell and copper gorgets have been worn across the Southeast, including by the ancestors of the Cherokee, for centuries. This piece carries that form forward.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupports a Native-owned family business:\u003c\/strong\u003e Your purchase supports Cherokee artists and keeps our stories and our craft going for the next generation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Copper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesign:\u003c\/strong\u003e A single strawberry, centered on the gorget\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural unsealed copper \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCord or chain:\u003c\/strong\u003e Copper Chain \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigned by:\u003c\/strong\u003e Greg Stice, Cherokee artist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMade in:\u003c\/strong\u003e Our family studio in Oklahoma\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Story Behind the Strawberry Gorget\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs our family tells it, the first man and woman became angry with one another, and the woman began walking away toward the east. Her husband's anger faded, and he followed, calling for her to come back. The Creator saw his desire to make things right and placed beautiful plants along her path, but she walked past them all. Then strawberries appeared. She stopped, tasted one, and its sweetness began to calm her anger. As she gathered the berries, she thought of her husband and the life they shared. She turned around, and the two returned home together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were taught that the sweetness of the strawberry reflects the sweetness of life. We learned our telling from Jules Daugherty, former Miss Cherokee and a Cherokee artist who works alongside us. Cherokee stories are carried by families and communities, so you may have heard it a little differently. In some tellings it is the Sun who helps the husband, but the heart of the story stays the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cherokee word for strawberry is \u003cstrong\u003eᎠᏂ\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eani\u003c\/em\u003e), pronounced roughly \"ah-nee.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cherokeecopper.com\/blogs\/copper-stories\/cherokee-story-of-the-first-strawberry\"\u003eRead the full Cherokee story of the first strawberry\u003c\/a\u003e on our blog.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eShipping\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHandmade in our Oklahoma studio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShips in approximately 2–3 business days unless otherwise noted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStandard shipping is $7.99\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePackaged and ready for gifting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTracking included with every order\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCare Instructions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeep your gorget dry and remove it before swimming or showering.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid harsh chemicals, lotions, and perfumes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePolish gently with a soft cloth to restore its shine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCopper naturally develops a warm patina over time. Many people love that aged look; others prefer to polish it bright. Either way, it is part of what makes copper special.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat does the strawberry mean in Cherokee culture?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Cherokee story of the first strawberry, the berry is what makes an angry wife stop and remember her husband, leading the two to reconcile. In our family, we were taught that the sweetness of the strawberry reflects the sweetness of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big is the Strawberry Gorget?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Strawberry Gorget measures 3 inches, a comfortable size for everyday wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho makes the Strawberry Gorget?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was designed by Cherokee artist Greg Stice and is handmade by our Cherokee family at Cherokee Copper, a Native-owned coppersmithing studio in Oklahoma.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is a gorget?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA gorget is a pendant worn at the throat. Shell and copper gorgets have been part of Southeastern Native adornment, including among the ancestors of the Cherokee, for centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill the copper change color?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Copper naturally darkens and develops a patina over time. You can keep that look or polish it back to a bright shine with a soft cloth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore more handmade Cherokee jewelry in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cherokeecopper.com\/collections\/gorgets\"\u003e gorget collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cherokee Copper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67586866872621,"sku":null,"price":165.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1326\/2253\/files\/strawberryanigorget.png?v=1790790262","url":"https:\/\/cherokeecopper.com\/products\/strawberry-ani-gorget-handmade-cherokee-copper-gorget","provider":"Cherokee Copper ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}