Ed Meredith Art Collections

Medea At The Hummingbird Crossing

Hummingbirds are found only in the western hemisphere and restricted to the Americas from southern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, including the Caribbean... so they are absent from the traditional fairy tales, legends, and myths of Europe, Asia and Africa. Tthe Hummingbird has nothing to do with the original tragic story of Medea. There is, however, a rich supply of stories about these tiny birds in North and South Native American mythology. A Mayan legend says the hummingbird is actually the sun in disguise, and he is trying to court a beautiful woman, who is the moon. One of the widespread beliefs is that hummingbirds, in some way, are messengers between worlds. As such they help the shaman keep nature and spirit in balance. The Cochti have a story about ancient people who lost faith in the Great Mother. In anger, she deprived them of rain for four years. The people noticed that the only creature who thrived during this drought was the Hummingbird. When they studied it's habits, the shaman learned that the Hummingbird had a secret passageway to the underworld. Periodically, it went there to gather honey. Further study revealed that this doorway was open to the Hummingbird alone because it had never lost faith in the Great Mother. This information inspired the people to regain their faith. After that the Great Mother took care of them. i like and use the Hummingbird as a symbol of regeneration or resurrection. Hummingbird is the creature that opens the heart. When the hurt that caused us to close our hearts gets a chance to heal, our hearts are free to open again. With hummingbird consciousness, we can learn the truth of beauty. Our life becomes a wonderland of delights in flowers, aromas and tastes. We laugh and enjoy creation, we appreciate the magic of the present moment, and the magic of being alive.