The Zuni People and the Dragonfly - Jonas Miller 02/17

The Zuni people of the American Southwest align with the cliff-dwelling groups of the region, although they themselves have a number of unique traditions myths. One such myth, a story I read for my entomology class last semester, features the dragonfly as a spiritual entity responsible for the rains. From the sources I found, the story begins during a period of drought in the people's village. The people decide to leave their home in pursuit of more fertile lands, however, they leave behind a young boy and girl in their hasty diaspora. The young girl is understandably saddened by her abandonment, which prompts the young boy to create a corn-husk doll  to comfort her. As the time since the people left grew longer, the girl began to pray to her doll every night. One day the doll found new life and flew away from the boy and girl, causing the great sadness for the young girl. Thankfully, her sadness was short-lived and the doll, which had become a dragonfly, returned to the village and brought with it the rains needed for crops. The people returned to the village and the rains became annual once more; their return signaled by the emergence of the dragonfly.

In modern times, the simple sketch of a red dragonfly can be found painted on stone faces throughout New Mexico and Arizona. The ancestral Zuni people would paint these creatures to indicate spiritual locations or to pray for the coming rains to hasten their arrival. Thankfully, the Zuni people still exist today, although their ancient paintings provide a unique glimpse into their spiritual history. It is compelling to see the description of natural patterns recognized by the Zuni people. Dragonflies, like many aquatic insects, will often metamorphosis into their adult forms just before the start of the rainy season. This adaptation allows them to take advantage of the surplus of prey items during the wet season and discourages excess competition between males thanks to expanded aquatic habitat. The Zuni people recognized this pattern and incorporated it into their mythos, cementing the dragonfly in stone as a sign of good harvest and health. 

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