Thursday, March 24, 2011

Kokopelli

Kokopelli is a fertility God. He was founded by the Native American culture in the southwest of the United States. Hopi legend says that this humpback flute player carries unborn children on his back to distribute to women. He also takes part in marriages, and supports agriculture by using his flute playing to chase away winter and bring in spring.

                                                                     (not my photo)
My sister loved the Kokopelli symbol. When she was 16 she tattooed a pink and black Kokopelli on her shoulder. The following Christmas I bought her a silver Kokopelli necklace with a turqouis stone in the middle. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly this past September, but during what turned out to be our last phone conversation Kokopelli came up. My sister knew my fertility troubles, and she knew how badly I wanted a baby. She had only recently (yes, AFTER getting the tattoo) learned what Kokopelli meant. My sister said, "I don't want kids, and you really want them, so I am going to send the necklace you gave to me back to you, so you can wear it and hopefully it will bring you a baby." We laughed about it, but I was willing to try anything. Unfortunately she never got that necklace in the mail, but when I went to her room after she died it was hanging on the wall. So I put it on.

My sisters dad found a great hand painted and etched Kokopelli tile on his travels to attend my sisters funeral. He felt like it was a sign from her saying "I'm OK." Weeks later he gave me the tile, told me to put it under my bed and get to work on making that baby! Here's the tile:
It still lives underneath my bed, and I still wear the necklace from time to time. But, I am still waiting to hear the sound of that flute.....

1 comment: