An early spring snowfall had me going through my collections and reference books Fri. Spring cleaning. I flipped through a guide to Zuni fetishes and found this about birds and in particular, Ravens. Paraphrasing: Birds live in a vertical, rather than horizontal world. Each is like an embodied breath, carrying messages between nature, human beings and fellow creatures. At Zuni, the behavior of perhaps 200 birds is correlated with weather events such as coming snowfall or drought. Every bird has a role in the workings of the universe. Many birds have other roles such as the Owl’s familiarity with night and darkness and the Raven’s interference in people’s lives. What is this shapeshifter up to?
I’ve read a lot about raven folklore but don’t recall reading anything about the Zuni beliefs. I might have to check that out. I do think I need to speak to those 200 birds you referred to about the snow we’re still getting in what has become an unwelcome abundance around here…
I like this photo. It feels sort of stark and lonely, but the birds bring in companionship. Also, the nakedness of the figure and the trees go together, while the movement of the figure and the birds contrast with the stillness of the trees. I also like the perspective, that the scene seems to move back into eternity.
Thanks Carol for your thorough description of how this photo made you feel. It’s nice to know that it was worthy of more than a passing glance (a.k.a. Instagram/Facebook syndrome).
Becoming Raven
An early spring snowfall had me going through my collections and reference books Fri. Spring cleaning. I flipped through a guide to Zuni fetishes and found this about birds and in particular, Ravens. Paraphrasing: Birds live in a vertical, rather than horizontal world. Each is like an embodied breath, carrying messages between nature, human beings and fellow creatures. At Zuni, the behavior of perhaps 200 birds is correlated with weather events such as coming snowfall or drought. Every bird has a role in the workings of the universe. Many birds have other roles such as the Owl’s familiarity with night and darkness and the Raven’s interference in people’s lives. What is this shapeshifter up to?
I’ve read a lot about raven folklore but don’t recall reading anything about the Zuni beliefs. I might have to check that out. I do think I need to speak to those 200 birds you referred to about the snow we’re still getting in what has become an unwelcome abundance around here…
I like this photo. It feels sort of stark and lonely, but the birds bring in companionship. Also, the nakedness of the figure and the trees go together, while the movement of the figure and the birds contrast with the stillness of the trees. I also like the perspective, that the scene seems to move back into eternity.
Thanks Carol for your thorough description of how this photo made you feel. It’s nice to know that it was worthy of more than a passing glance (a.k.a. Instagram/Facebook syndrome).