I’m sure most of you are familiar with the watered down version of Kokopelli that is sold in stores and the Internet as a décor item. But how many of you actually know about his ancient origins and meaning?
As a mythical symbol of the Hohokam people (contemporaries to the Anasazi), the symbol of Kokopelli first appeared as a petroglyph, and later on pottery dating from 750-850AD.
Although the legends and history of Kokopelli vary from tribe to tribe, most agree that he was a Fertility God who brought life to the desert, bountiful crops, the birthing of babes, and plentiful rains.
The sack that Kokopelli always carries on his back has been linked to seeds, and human conception (like our stork). And ancient representations of him were depicted with a large phallus that connected him with marriage rites, fertility, and procreation.
Because the oldest depictions of Kokopelli were a combination of human and insect, he is seen as being Anthropomorphic, and it reflects the origins of his name; “Koko”, kachina or spiritual being, and “pelli”, the insect desert robber fly with a prominent proboscis (elongated sucking mouthpart that is tubular and flexible and looks like a flute), and a rounded back denoting its zealous sexual activities.
Some people interpret his insect-like qualities as shamanic shape-shifting, so that perhaps the original Kokopelli was indeed a shaman who returned to the material world after his flight to other dimensions, bringing back guidance or healing for his tribe.
About the Author… Barbara-Lynn Freed has practiced shamanism for over twenty years and offers a 3-year Shamanic apprenticeship entitled Resurrecting the Old Ways: Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship. Find out more about this worthy program and how to sign-up by visiting her website.
Ancient Kokopelli
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