Coyote

Growing up in the Southwest, we talked about our history as something including Native American culture. Perhaps it was an easy way to paint a pretty picture or to make penance, but I think it was also perhaps an attempt to accept that "white culture" was not the primary way the Southwest was understood. Anyway, as a child, I was obsessed with Coyote myths--stories about coyotes and their place in Native culture. Coyote has generally been understood as a trickster always fooling his friends and even himself. What I find most intriguing about Coyote, though, is that he is also the animal most often called upon to do "brave deeds" such as to steal fire from the FireBeings to share with all the other animals, so that they are not cold.

As well, in a Navajo creation myth, Coyote is the one that prophesies that we must all die. When he says so, everyone gets angry, but he responds, " 'If we all go on living, and if all the women keep having babies, there will be too many people. There won't be any room. Nobody will be able to move around. There will be no space to plant corn.

'Isn't it better that each one of us should live here for just a while, until old age slows us down? ... Then we ought to move on. Leave everything behind for the young. Make room for the new generation.'
When the people heard what Mq'ii the Coyote had to say, they recognized the wisdom of his words. Grudgingly they agreed that he was right. And one by one they grew silent."

Even while Coyote is a jokester and someone to be cautious of, he still represents and communicates great wisdom humbly. Coyote, for me, is a powerful symbol of how one can live their life, and I believe Coyote is my spirit animal.

My favorite story about Coyote involves how he got to be the dusty color he is. Remember, the filter through which I recall it is twelves years after I was told the story in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. My sixth grade class and I prepared a program about Native American legends. We told a tale, which is likely from the Cherokee tradition. I will paraphrase the story for you and only speak of the parts that I think are pertinent to my life right now (if you want a more complete idea, here is a good link).

One day, Green Coyote, hidden in the grass, spotted beautiful Blue Bird. He asked Blue Bird how he got to be so beautiful and blue. Blue Bird said that he had spent four days singing a little song and diving into the deep blue water. Then all his feathers fell off and on the fifth day they grew back in a brilliant blue. Green Coyote decided he wanted to be a beautiful blue color, too. So, he did exactly as Blue Bird had said, song and all. On the fifth day, Green Coyote became Blue Coyote! Now, this was a sight to see. Coyote loved the color of his coat and decided to run and show it off. As he ran, he looked from side to side to see if people noticed how beautiful and blue his coat was. Since he was running and looking from side to side, he did not notice a large stump. Bam! Coyote ran right into the stump and fell onto the dirt. When Coyote rose, he found that his coat had turned to a dingy, dusty color. And, this is why Coyote looks the way he does today.

Ace is a chow lab mix, so he has a lot of the darker pigment that Chow Chow's do (he also has a good deal of their personality, too. For instance, he generally loves to poke his head out the window and keep an eye on the neighborhood rather than socialize with new guests). This gives his tongue that blue, black quality you might have noticed. Less noticeable, but ever present, is the blue pigment that runs across his skin under his black coat. I have had many a Vet comment that it's hard to gauge different vital signs because of his dark skin (I'll have to default to someone more medicinally gifted to explain why). If you rub his coat backwards (gently!), you will see a blueish tint where the hair enters the skin.

Recently, I've realized that Ace is a blue coyote, still blue, happy and free. And, I feel so lucky to live with him.