Tortuga Brooch

Our Tortuga Brooch is hand beaded by Dominican artisans.

In Taíno mythology, the turtle is often associated with the creation of the world and the physical Earth. The turtle’s rounded, dome-like shell resembles the Earth’s surface, making it a natural symbol for the land and grounding force in the Taíno worldview. Some myths suggest that islands or land masses arose from the back of a giant turtle, echoing similar stories across indigenous cultures where the turtle is seen as a foundational creature in creation myths. The Taíno might have viewed the turtle as a symbol of stability and grounding in the cosmos.