Ancient Wisdom...
The wisdom of the animal kingdom has been most appreciated by native people who depended on animals for food and who lived physically close to them in nature. Native American Plains Indians honor brother eagle, for instance, as Great Spirit's messenger. They believe that eagle flies straight from Great Spirit on missions of love. Most tribes collect eagle feathers to use in ceremony to honor the Creator for giving them life and protecting and feeding their tribe. Some tribes like the Lakota Sioux perform eagle dance. Other tribes dance the turtle, deer, elk or buffalo dances. The spirit of the animal is said to enter the heart of the dancer who honors the animal for all it has given.

Northwest Pacific Coast Indians carved totem poles, with the faces of animal spirits stacked up in a row. Carved out a cedar log, totem poles stand tall as an emblem of a clan's connections to the animals in their region. Stories and legends also were told of this connection.

The Aboriginal tribes of Australia also respect the animals that are a part of their desert life. Animals such as the snake, kangaroo, wallaby and possum are thought of as "kin" or family. Many Australian aborigines take the name of the animal that lives close to their home as their own last name. Just think of it! What if your family name was Possum? Australian natives also paint pictures of the animals that roam their desert home and tell stories about the animal's contribution to the "Great Dream". These stories are legends and myths that have been told generation after generation. They are retold so that future generations won't forget the animal clan.

Hawaiian elders understand that the power of their animal allies is there to protect them. Shark or "Mano" as it is named in Hawaiian language, may appear in a dream of a Hawaiian child. From that moment on, they will always be safe swimming and fishing in Hawaiian waters. The Owl or "Puao" is a magical ally for Hawaiians. It brings healing power. And turtle is another important ally that gives assistance in childbirth. The Hawaiians call their animal allies, "Aumakua". They considered the Aumakua to be their ancestor's spirit, who took on an animal form.

Some ancient cultures believed that animals were Gods. The ancient Egyptians believed that animals were closer to God because they were closer to the power within nature. The Mayans believed the Sun God was a Jaguar. And they worshiped the Jaguar because they believed it had supernatural or magical powers that could help their people survive on earth. Cultures around the world honored animals and used their images as symbols to represent characteristics that they were proud of within themselves. The lion is a symbol strength, courage and honor. The buck and the fish are both symbols of Christian values.

Today, as most cultures did in the past, people wear a tattoo of a special animal spirit. The practice of decorating the body with a symbol of an animal has stuck with us for centuries. Do you know someone who has a snake tattoo? Maybe they believe the snake has a special power for them.

What most people have forgotten is how much we can learn from our animal relations through dreams, their legends and ancient wisdom. These legends teach us about the characteristics of animals, where they live, and how important they were to the tribes that honored them.