Native American
This is some information I wrote down after reading it at ezboard.com
Legend of the colors : based upon a
Native American Legend
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel : All claimed that
they were the best, the most important, the most useful, the favorite.
GREEN said :
"Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was
chosen for grass, trees, leaves -
without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see
that I am in the majority."
BLUE interrupted :
"You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is
the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep
sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without peace, you would all be
nothing."
YELLOW chuckled :
"You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the
world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time
you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would
be no fun."
ORANGE started next to blow her trumpet:
"I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious
for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think
of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and paw paws. I don't hang around all
the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking
that no one gives another thought to any of you."
RED could stand it no longer. He shouted out:
"I am the ruler of all of you - I am blood - life's blood! I am the color
of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into
the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color
of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."
PURPLE rose up to his full height. He was very tall and spoke with great pomp:
"I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have
always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not
question me - they listen and obey."
Finally, INDIGO spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as
much determination:
"Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without
me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and
deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner
peace."
And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own
superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a
startling flash of bright lightening - thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started
to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to
one another for comfort.
In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak :
"You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate
the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique
and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."
Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.
The rain continued:
"From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a
great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The rainbow is
a sign of hope for tomorrow."
And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a rainbow appears in the sky,
let us remember to appreciate one another.
Symbolism
Symbolic Meanings
Arrowhead-Represents Alertness.
Buffalo Horns-Symbol of Success.
Cactus Flower-Means courtship and romance.
Corn-Symbol of Life. It is the mainstay for many tribes. Corn pollen and
cornmeal is offered in blessing for protection, understanding, and forgiveness.
Corn Maiden-Gave the corn of her own body to feed her family so they
would not have to hunt the beloved animals. After she passed on she was reborn
in the corn stalks and provided the seeds which continued to provide food for
all.
Feather-Sacred universal symbol of flight within the spirit world and
serving as messenger to Great Spirit.
Feathers Fanned into a Circle-Related to the Sun and The Creator.
Fetish-Object containing spirit and power which benefits the beholder.
Flowers-Symbolize a relationship to the sun.
Handprint-Symbol of a human's life, achievements and legacy, the creative
spirit, channeled energy.
Kachina -A Kachina can be a force of nature such as life, death, fire,
flood, or the spirit of a revered ancestor, and the dancer at a ceremony.
Lasso-Symbol of Captivity.
Man in the Maze-Tohono O'odham symbol of
life cycles and choice, and eternal motion with the goal of achieving harmony.
The man is named "U'ki'ut'l".
Mask-Symbol of a human's animal spirit and prayer to sacred deities.
Medicine Bag-Vessel containing herbs, remedies, and or stones necessary
for healing and protection.
Moon-Earth Protector and Guardian in Night
Morning Star-Honored as Kachina by most Pueblo tribes, sign of courage
and purity of spirit.
Music-Ritual of communication with Great Spirit with the singer's Life
Breath. A method of settling disputes between tribes.
Name-Given, taken away, and changed at life defining events in one's
life. Holds power of the individual thus given and spoken with respect and
caution.
Peyote-Psychedelic button of the peyote cactus used in religious ceremony
to induce spiritual vision and connectedness with higher realms.
Pipe-Used in negotiations of peace and war, to offer sacred tobacco smoke
to the four directions, and in religious ceremony.
Plants and Herbs-Represent essentials for survival including food, tools,
basketry, and healing.
Prayer Stick-Carved and painted cottonwood or cedar sticks decorated with
feathers and images for a specific prayer, planted at sacred sites to send
prayers to The Creator or to The Kachinas.
Rain Cloud-Symbol of change, renewal, and fertility.
Rattle-Ceremonial songs are accompanied with rattles which are often used
to represent the characteristic sounds of animals and nature.
Sacrifice-("To Make Sacred") Offerings of food, tobacco,
cornmeal, pollen, feathers, shells, beads, herbs, and such given to Spirit and
Deities in blessing and prayer.
Saddle Bag-Represents a journey.
Shell-Served as Wampum (money) in trade. Used in decoration of
traditional dress and jewelry, as essential utensils of cooking, gathering
water, and digging.
Shield-Warrior's most sacred possession from time of first battle until
death. The design would be received in a dream by an elder who would then make
the shield for the new warrior.
Spiral Pattern-Whirlwinds, cycles of life, eternal renewal and water
essential for life.
Squash Blossom-Symbol of plenty, abundance.
Steps Pattern-Represent Kiva steps or clouds, direction and change.
Sun-Earth Guardian in Day, Healing Energy
Sun Face-Giver of life, warmth, growth, goodness.
Tobacco-Sacred Herb used to make offerings, treat disease, seal
agreements, and smoked for enjoyment.
Tomahawk-Hatchet-like object used in ceremony and war. Often showed
carvings of owners life events. As recognized in trade as the 'Indian blanket'.
Totem-Representing guardian spirits of an individual, family or tribe.
Totem Pole-Northwest tribal tradition, could be exterior and interior
pole. Exterior often a memorial for deceased family member or a monument to the
bearer's wealth and status, that of his family, and the deities connected with
his family. Interior totem poles often recorded family legends and history
serving as a family tree.
Wave Pattern-Water and cycles of life, renewal and water element
essential for life.
Zia-Symbol of the Zia Pueblo, also represents the sun, the four
directions, and the circle of of life.
Yeii Spirit-Navajo irit considered to be a communicator between Man and
The Creator. Yeiis control the natural elements.
Animal Symbols
Alligator-Stealth, Survival
Ant-Patience, Diligence and Work
Antelope-Taking Action
Armadillo-Boundaries, Self Protection
Badger: Symbolizes aggressiveness, passion and drive.
Bear: The bear is the protector and symbolizes physical strength and
leadership.
Bee-Service, Gathering, Community
Bat-Death and Rebirth on Personal, Spiritual Level
Bird-Unity, Freedom, Community
Buffalo-Abundance, Survival Needs Met, Good Fortune, Healing
Butterfly-Self Transformation, Balance, Grace
Bumblebee-Honesty, Pure Thinking, Willingness and Drive
Caribou-Travel and Mobility
Cougar- Power, Swiftness, Balance
Crane-Water, End of Summer, Migration
Cricket-Singing, Spring, Fertility
Crow-Sacred Law, Gateway To Supernatural, Shape Shifting, Illusion
Coyote: Sometimes considered an omen that bad things could happen. Is
also considered a trickster.
Deer: Symbolizes speed and family protection.
Dog-Protection and Loyalty
Dolphin-Joy, Harmony, Intelligence, Self Connection
Dove-Love, Gentleness and Kindness
Dragonfly-Dreamtime, Illusion, Spring, Water
Dragonfly: He is often considered a messenger.
Eagle: Often considered the protector, carrier of prayers, visions &
spirits.
Elk-Stamina, Pride, Power, Majesty
Frog: Symbolizes renewal, fertility & springtime.
Hummingbird: Symbolizes devotion, permanence and eternity. This is a
strong symbol in disguise because although the hummingbird is small in stature,
it is extremely determined in it's own territory.
Loon: Symbolizes peace, tranquility, and generosity.
Moose: Symbolizes scrutiny and attention to detail.
Owl: The owl is a very respected animal and is thought to symbolize the
souls of the departed. They are connected with darkness and night and are
considered a bad omen.
Parrot: Parrots are considered bringers of specific prayers and could
bestow blessings.
Pheasant: Symbolizes warning and concealment.
Porcupine: Symbolizes gentle innocence and trust.
Rabbit: Symbolizes fear and overcoming limiting beliefs.
Snake: The snake is usually seen in healing and fertility rites. He is
often considered a hunter.
Tadpole: Tadpoles are very powerful, they are a symbol of fertility,
change, and renewal.
Turtle: This is a very powerful symbol for women. It symbolizes
fertility, long life, and perseverance. It is sometimes even considered able to
defy death.
Wolf: The wolf is the teacher of new ideas and wisdom. It shows intense
loyalty with a balance of independence.
Fairies
IKTOMI
is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggins with long soft
fringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins on his feet. His long black
hair is
parted in the middle and wrapped with red, red bands. Each round braid hangs
over a small brown ear and falls forward over his shoulders.
He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings
around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored beads sewed
tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave. In truth, his paint and
deerskins are the best part of him -- if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
May-may-gway-shi (Rock Fishers): The
rock fishers are from the stories of the many tribes of the Abnaki
Confederation. They were reputed to be able to vanish into rock to escape
pursuers, and to be able to make fishing more plentiful. Indeed, the may-may-gway-shi
are able to pass through solid rock, and may even pilot a vehicle through rock.
They are also able to summon fish to any body of water. They fondness for fish
makes them easily manipulated or trapped, though. In their fae miens, the
may-may-gway-shi are short and agile, with a fine otter like pelt of water
resistant fur covering their arms and legs, and long flowing hair.
Rock Giants: Rumored to be the children
of the Cannibal spirit among the Iroquois, rock giants are known for their
strength, ferocity, and ravenous appetites. Rock giants are as strong as trolls,
and not nearly so morally encumbered with such an inconvenient sense of honor.
Difficult to hurt under the best of circumstances, they are impervious to
weapons of rock and stone. These Nunnehi are also avoided on account of their
legendary tempers. If they are insulted, or their bravery or prowess is called
into question, nothing will keep them from exacting revenge upon the one who
offended them. Though their personalities usually make friends rare, those that
do befriend a rock giant will usually find them to be extraordinarily loyal and
steadfast companions. In their fae mien, a rock giant appears to be a gigantic
(troll-sized) human encased in an outer shell of rock.
Nanehi The nanehi are one of the more
helpful faerie types of Cherokee legend. The nanehi are traditionalists,
historians, artists and musicians. They are able to physically alter their size
and appearance, to enhance or lower their looks, and to make themselves look
younger or older than their actual age. They excel in all forms of performance,
especially if the performance involves traditional songs, dances and stories.
Nanehi are vain to a fault, and have difficulty resisting flattery. Conversely,
any insult to their appearance, or any adverse conditions on their appearance
affects them badly. Nanehi, in their fae form, appear as idealized versions of
the tribes of their mortal kin, with lustrous dark hair and striking faces.
Thought-Crafters: The thought-crafters
come from tales told by the Algonquin tribes, and they usually reside among the
remnants of the Algonquin tribes scattered between Maine and Virginia. In
addition to being skilled crafters and artisans, the thought-crafters are
dedicated to opening the ways to the Higher Hunting Grounds to all Nunnehi
again. The thought-crafters are especially dextrous, and quick witted, and they
are skilled in physically manipulating objects, as well as solving riddles and
puzzles. They are especially skilled at inspiring others and may restore lost
Glamour to changelings, and bring creativity back to mortals who have lost it.
The fae form of a thought-crafter resembles idealized versions of their mortal
kin.
Yunwi Amai'yine'hi ("People of the
water"): Shape changing tricksters that protect bodies of water, the yunwi
amai'yine'hi come from Cherokee legend. Many stories of fishermen being rescued
by friendly water creatures come from encounters with these fae. Like pooka, the
yunwi amai'yine'hi may change shape into animal form, their animal must be some
sort of water creature though. They also possess an uncanny ability to control
water, causing it to be still or otherwise. If they are in animal form and are
caught by a trap, hunter or fisherman, they often tend to panic like an animal,
and not be able to use their powers or intelligence to escape. In their fae
mien, the yunwi amai'yine'hi tend to have traits of their animal affinity, much
like pooka. Their large eyes resemble pools of their chosen body of water.
Yunwi Tsundsi ("Little
People"): Cherokee legend also tells of elusive but helpful little people.
The yunwi tsundsi are able to make themselves inconspicuous, not invisible, but
rather unseen. They are also very skilled crafters. Though they tend to be
helpful to mortals, they have terrible tempers when their work is insulted, or
their help is scorned. When this happens, they will usually prank the offender
mercilessly until they have properly apologized, or until a phase of the moon
has passed. In their fae miens, the yunwi tsundsi appear as normal humans, but
rarely stand over five feet tall.
Canotili ("Tree Dwellers"):
The Indians of the Plains or Great Lakes told tales of diminutive warriors:
strong, agile, and frightening despite their small stature. The canotili were
known as patrons of hunters and archers as well, and the best were said to have
been blessed by them. The canotili possess a chameleon-like ability to blend in
with their surroundings, and have enhanced strength and dexterity. If a canotili
is surprised, they exude a powerful pheromone that causes panic in all non-canotili
present. The uncontrollability of this power makes it more of a disadvantage
than a benefit. Canotili look much like smaller versions of the Plains or Great
Lake Indians in their fae mien. Their fingers and toes are longer than normal,
and they all have eyes that glow in the dark.
Tunghat ("Green Dwarves" or
"Owners"): The stories of the tribes of the Plains, Plateau and Basin
told of dwarvish masters of animals. The tunghat were those that placed animals
in the path of the most worthy hunters, and made sure that the animals that were
unlikely to survive the next winter were the ones slain in the hunt. All tunghat
are bound to a certain animal type. They are able to cover themselves with an
illusion that makes them appear as this animal type, and they are able to summon
and communicate to some extent with the animals of their chosen kind. It is
possible for a tunghat's illusion to start fooling even them if they maintain it
for long enough, until they start to believe that they actually are the animal
in question. The tunghat, in their fae forms, are small green people with darker
green hair, teeth and nails.
Kachinas: The kachinas were said to come
from the spirit world, teaching the rituals, songs and dances necessary for
survival in harmony with nature to the Southwest tribes. The kachinas value
ritual above all else, believing that rituals create a link between the Earth
world and the spirit world, and enough such links might allow access to the
Higher Hunting Grounds someday. Kachinas are able to make rain, and to make
plants grow if the proper rituals are performed by their mortal tribes. They are
also able to transform themselves into clouds. The kachinas have a tendency to
specialize in one skill though, all other pursuits becoming secondary. The
kachinas tend to change their fae appearance as they grow older, looking more or
less normal until their elder years, when they seem to shrink down to resemble
living versions of the kachina dolls fashioned by their mortal kin.
Surems (Yaqui "Little
People"): Easily the most peaceful of the Nunnehi nations, the surems are
opposed to loud sounds and any sort of violence. Surems are able to project an
air of serenity around them that will calm those in the area, it is difficult to
become angry or agitated under this influence. They are known for their
congeniality, and have advantages in social situations. However, surems are so
commited to finding peaceful solutions to problems that they have great
difficulty forcing themselves to resort to violence even in extreme
circumstances, or even speaking harshly. In their fae forms, surems are usually
about 5 feet tall and solidly built, with broad pleasant faces.
Water Babies: Seen as evil spirits that
steal human children and pull mortals into lakes and rivers to drown them, in
the legends that they figure in, the water babies have to deal with the mistrust
and misinformation of others constantly. It's true enough that they steal away
human children, but only those who have been abandoned, orphaned or abused. They
also will sometimes drown certain mortals, but only those that have despoiled
the waters that the water babies protect, or those who have committed crimes
against children. Water babies are able to breathe underwater, and allow those
touching them to breathe there also. Also, when a water baby chooses to take
vengeance on someone, their strength increases to help them pull the victim in
the water and drown them. If the intended victim is actually innocent, their
strength will not increase, and they will know that they are mistaken, and will
release the victim. Water babies are dependent on water, and if they are kept
from immersing themselves in a water source for more than two days, they will
begin to die. In their fae miens, water babies appear androgynous (legends
indicated that all water babies were female because of this), have silvery eyes,
webbed hands and feet, and gills.
Pu'gwis (also "Bukwus"):
Horribly ugly, cursed beings who are among the most tragic of all of the Nunnehi.
Pu'gwis long for love and friendship, but their hideous seemings make these
goals nearly unreachable. Ironically, they are gifted singers, and are able to
summon those who hear their songs to them. They also can also sing a song to
cause those who they failed to win over to forget them. The pu'gwis have the
faces of rotting corpses, with yellowed eyes that almost seem to decay in their
sockets. This decay extends to their physical form, making them physically weak,
as well as mortifyingly ugly.
Inuas ("Spirit Helpers"): Born
of the dreams of the northernmost tribes, the Inuit and the Aleuts, inuas were
the helpers of the shamans, aiding these mortals in communing with the spirits
and in enforcing the taboos. To aid them in this task, the inuas have the
ability to invest powers from their Arts into amulets to be used by the mortal
shamans. Inuas are also able to change into animal forms native to their region.
Though they are able to change into more than one type of animal, it is
difficult and takes practice to learn to move in several different forms. Inuas
look much like members of their tribes. Most wear "labrets", plugs of
ivory, bone or other hard material inserted into the skin to make a chin
decoration. When advising a shaman, they prefer to be in animal form; usually an
animal important to the welfare of the tribe.
