Messenger

The hummingbird, a creature often perceived as "magical," enthralls us with its unparalleled speed and uncanny ability to appear and vanish in the blink of an eye. These mystical beliefs are woven into the tapestry of multiple legends that surround this mesmerizing bird. In ancient Mayan lore, a tale unfolds of the hummingbird as the "sun in disguise," descending to Earth to court the radiant moon, weaving a narrative of celestial romance. The condor, deemed the "King of the skies," vested its spiritual messenger status of the "upper world" upon the hummingbird. In various cultures, the hummingbird symbolizes wisdom and is seen as the key to the next stage of human consciousness. An Incan legend paints a contest between the condor and the hummingbird, a competition for the title of "king of the skies." The condor, confident in his might, claimed he could fly to the edge of the sky, while the hummingbird professed he could journey beyond to the center of heaven. When the appointed hour came, the hummingbird, shrouded in the condor's plumage, emerged and soared to the heart of the upper world, triumphing in a realm beyond the condor's reach. At the zenith of the upper world, the hummingbird encountered a celestial garden. Within it stood Wiraqocha, the Divine Gardener, King of Heaven, and Lord of the Upper World, tending to his ethereal sanctuary. Driven by the intoxicating elation of victory and unable to slow down at this celestial altitude, Hummingbird collided with Wiraqocha. The result was an ecstatic merging, a profound connection without boundaries. Hummingbird became One with God, a timeless truth that endures to this day. Condor retained his dominion as the King of the Sky, intertwined with the Upper World, while Hummingbird became the Carrier of Sky Power and the harbinger of new initiation. Across African cultures, a common belief arises: birds, particularly the sunbird, akin to the hummingbird, symbolize the zenith of perfection. The human soul, when reaching its ultimate form, undergoes a transformation, taking flight as a bird. In a divine narrative, the gods crafted the world and assigned purpose to all living beings. Yet, they realized a vital omission—the absence of a messenger to convey their desires and thoughts. Lacking the materials used in their initial creation, they sculpted a small arrow from jade, breathed life into it, and witnessed it soar with unprecedented swiftness. This small jade creation was, indeed, a hummingbird. Legend has it that the hummingbird's delicacy allowed it to approach flowers without stirring a single petal, its plumage adorned with the colors of the rainbow. Beyond being messengers of the gods, hummingbirds became the bearers of messages from those who passed away, carrying the thoughts and desires of humankind. Each of these tales converges upon the hummingbird, painting a mosaic of enchanting narratives that illuminate the mythical journey of this remarkable creature—a journey that now finds its expression in my art, a testament to the enduring fascination and universal significance of the hummingbird across cultures and time.