The Zuni
Indians, who live in West central New Mexico,
believe dragonfly, known as Dragon-Fly-Man, is a
very important. Dragon-Fly-Man is an intercessor in
the story, The Deserted Children (Boas: 1928). It
is taboo to kill a dragonfly, as it is thought they
posses supernatural powers. The dragonfly is patron
of the Shumaikoli Society which cures sore eyes,
cramps, and convulsions. The Shumaikoli mask is
present in Hopi, but thought to mythically have
originated in the Eastern Pueblo area, supposedly
near a large lake or in the Sandia Mountains. It is
dangerous for a pregnant woman to look at the eyes
of a Shumaikoli Kachina, for fear of the child
being born with sore eyes. The Zunis associate the
Shumaikoli Kachina with awls and moccasin making.
This is interesting as else where in the world the
dragonfly is associated with sewing, some times
called the devil's-darning-needle. It is also
thought, in Europe, there is an association with
children, for example, if a child lies the
devil's-darning-needle will sew up its mouth. The
devil's- darning-needle will also sew the toes
together of some one who sleeps without covering
their feet.
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Coyote
and Anotherone
Historic
Coyote Tales
Patron Saints
The dragonfly is found in Native American myth and
art.
They are popular symbols in Plains Indian cultures,
appearing on the clothing of the
Sun Dance and the Ghost Dance as decorative
features. In the southwest, dragonflies are
associated with the game animals, water, fertility
and curing.
Dragonflies motifs are present at both Pottery
Mound and Kuaua, in New Mexico, pictured on
prehistoric kiva murals, indicating the possible
presents of the Shumaikoli Society.
Dragonfly, According to Parsons, is tentatively
associated with the the Hopi-Hano insect kachina
Nepokwai'i or Kokopelli. This hunter seduces young
women or makes them bridal moccasins. His hump is
stuffed full of gifts. They appear as decorations
on some of the late prehistoric and historic pueblo
pottery types in the southwest. In the New World,
however, the dragonfly is, for the most part, a
friendly intercessor. The one exception I have
found is the Navajo belief that he was once harmful
to man but was subdued by Holy Man in a contest
with White Weasel. The Navajo believe that
dragonflies hover over water which represents the
mountain home of the Buffalo and clear water.
Parsons 40:104 The Hano Shumaikoli impersonation is
blind (Stephen 4:343). For Hano and Laguna myth
explanation why Shumaikoli is both lame and blind
see Parsons 42: 254ff; Parsons 20:116
The Shumaikoli
All art work and text C 2002 by Susi Nagoda
Bergquist