The hummingbird is a small, yet remarkable bird that has captivated people for centuries with its beauty and mystical qualities. In many cultures across North and South America, the hummingbird is seen as holding deep spiritual significance and is associated with special attributes and powers. One of the most common connections made is between the hummingbird and various goddesses from mythology and folklore. The hummingbird’s magical ability to hover and fly backwards, its speed and agility, and its long bill that allows it to drink nectar from flowers have inspired a number of legends and beliefs connecting the bird to female deities of nature, joy, and fertility.
Some of the main goddesses believed to be represented by the hummingbird include:
Huitaca – Goddess of Pleasure and Joy (South America)
Huitaca is a goddess found in the mythology of the Muisca people of Colombia and surrounding areas. She is considered the goddess of happiness, dance, flowers, and joy. Her representation as a hummingbird stems from the bird’s playful nature and tendency to flutter between flowers. She was believed to encourage people to enjoy life, drink chicha (an alcoholic ceremonial drink), and dance.
Xochiquetzal – Goddess of Beauty, Arts, Flowers (Aztec)
For the Aztec civilization’s mythology, Xochiquetzal was the goddess associated with concepts like female sexuality, pregnancy, birth, flowers, crafts, and the arts. The Aztecs made a connection between the hummingbird drinking nectar from vibrant flowers and this goddess’s beautiful and artistic essence. The hummingbird was believed to carry messages from Xochiquetzal to earth.
Chicomecoatl – Goddess of Sustenance (Aztec)
Chicomecoatl was an important Aztec goddess ruling over food, nourishment and fertility. The hummingbird was linked to her because of its ability to utilize flowers for sustenance. Chicomecoatl was sometimes depicted wearing hummingbird feathers or with hummingbirds surrounding her.
Hina – Goddess of the Moon (Hawaii)
In Hawaiian mythology, the goddess Hina is associated with the moon, oceans, tapa cloth, female energy, and flowers. Hummingbirds were believed to be sent by Hina to bring joy and were called “messengers of Hina.” Their presence was considered a sign of good fortune.
Amaru – Serpent Goddess (Inca)
For the Inca civilization, Amaru was a powerful serpent goddess representing fertility and immortality. She is linked to hummingbirds, seen as messengers between the divine spiritual realm and earth. The Inca people also saw the long beak of the hummingbird as reminiscent of a venomous serpent’s forked tongue.
Detailed Explanations of the Connections
Now that we’ve looked at some of the major goddesses associated with hummingbirds, let’s explore the symbolic meanings and origins of these connections in more depth:
Huitaca
Huitaca originated in the belief systems of the Muisca civilization of Colombia and parts of surrounding countries like Panama and Venezuela. She took on different roles in the mythology of the Chibcha people including being the goddess of happiness, joy, flowers, and dance:
As the Muisca goddess of happiness and intoxication, Huitaca encourages people to enjoy life, drink chicha, and dance. Her origins stem from Bachué, the primordial earth mother of Chibcha mythology, who introduced agriculture and fertility before turning into a snake and disappearing into a lake. Huitaca is associated with owls and hummingbirds who act as her messengers. The hummingbird’s ability to rapidly flutter between flowers while feeding on nectar resonates with Huitaca’s playful and joyous essence. Tribal intoxicants and the relaxed joy of dance are also part of her domain. Her free-spirited presence is believed to counterbalance the more solemn and authoritative male gods.
During special religious festivals and ceremonies, the Muisca people would invoke Huitaca’s blessing and influence by drinking chicha (an alcoholic brew made from fermented maize) and performing traditional dances. The hummingbird was seen as blurring between the human and spirit realms, carrying Huitaca’s divine energy and essence.
Xochiquetzal
For the pre-Columbian Aztec civilization centered in modern-day Mexico, Xochiquetzal was an important female deity associated with beauty, fertility, arts, flowers, and female sexuality. Her origins trace back to earlier Mesoamerican cultures including the Olmec and Toltec peoples:
The name Xochiquetzal combines the Nahuatl words xōchitl (“flower”) and quetzalli (“quetzal feather”). She was the wife of Tlaloc, the water god and goddess of rivers and lakes. She was created during the era of the initial creation of humans and remained youthfully beautiful even as she aged.
Xochiquetzal’s association with hummingbirds comes from the Aztec belief that hummingbirds were the messengers of Xochiquetzal, carrying her mystical energy from the spirit world to earth. Hummingbirds would drink nectar from vibrant flowers, which were seen as a manifestation of Xochiquetzal’s creative feminine essence.
Aztec art often depicted Xochiquetzal accompanied by hummingbirds and wearing clothing adorned with hummingbird imagery and feathers. The rapid fluttering and hovering abilities of the hummingbird were seen as a reflection of this goddess’s nimble creative powers.
Chicomecoatl
Chicomecoatl was another Aztec goddess who presided over sustenance and fertility:
Also known as the “Seven Serpent”, Chicomecoatl was the Aztec goddess of nourishment and fertility, especially relating to maize and food. She provided the crops needed to sustain the people. Chicomecoatl was consistently depicted with maize growing from her head. Her name refers to the seven ears of corn she supplied.
As a fertility and earth goddess, her powers connected strongly to the earth’s cycles. The hummingbird’s ability to draw nectar from flowers linked it to Chicomecoatl. Hummingbirds were seen as bringing the energy from flowers to sustain the crops. She was sometimes shown wearing a hummingbird headdress or with hummingbirds surrounding her as a sign of this relationship.
The Aztec people would make offerings to Chicomecoatl in rituals focused on sustenance, agriculture, and the generous fertility of the earth and land. The hummingbird represented the vital pollination, growth and nourishment provided by this goddess.
Hina
In Hawaiian mythology and folklore, Hina is seen as a powerful female deity associated with the moon:
Hina is recognized across Polynesia as the goddess of the moon and tapa cloth, but in Hawaiian traditions she holds additional roles related to female energy and power. She has dominion over flowers, oceans, bamboo, rain, coral, the night, and stars.
The people of Hawaii believed red hummingbirds were sent by Hina to bring joy and happiness to those who needed it. They were known as “Messengers of Hina.” When someone spotted a red hummingbird, it was considered a sign of good fortune and blessing from the goddess. This linked Hina and her nurturing, protective presence to the delicate hummingbird.
In the Hawaiian language, hummingbirds are called mokumoku ali‘i (“kingly” or “regal flashing”) which references their divine connection in folklore. Seeing a hummingbird dance delicately through the air was believed to be a sign of Hina’s divine female energy.
Amaru
For the ancient Inca civilization of South America, Amaru was a powerful serpent goddess representing fertility, death, and immortality:
Amaru appears in Inca mythology both as a giant double-headed serpent demigod and also a female deity equated with Mother Earth. She emerged from the body of Wiraqucha, a creator god, and was seen as influencing the world’s fertility and agricultural growth.
The Inca associated hummingbirds with Amaru and saw them as her divine messengers who could traverse between earthly and spiritual realms. The long slender beak of the hummingbird resonated with the forked tongue of the serpent goddess. Small serpent motifs were sometimes incorporated into Inca depictions of hummingbirds.
Amaru’s influence over the fertility of the land meant hummingbirds were seen as transferring the goddess’s life-giving energy into crops and plants when they moved from flower to flower feeding on nectar.
Parallels Between the Goddesses Linked to Hummingbirds
Although these goddesses come from different cultures across the Americas, we can identify some interesting parallels when it comes to their links with hummingbirds:
- Most are connected to fertility, nature, and flowers – This ties into the hummingbird’s relationship with pollination and flowers.
- Several are associated with joy, pleasure, and dance – Hummingbirds seem to represent playfulness and happiness.
- Some have influence over artistic skills and creativity – Hummingbirds exemplify delicate beauty.
- A number represent female energy and power – Hummingbirds are delicate but mighty.
- They serve as messengers between realms – Hummingbirds can gracefully transition between worlds.
While the specific mythology varies across cultures, the overarching symbolic meaning of hummingbirds as magical bringers of joy, fertility, vigor, beauty, and divine blessings rings true in the legends linking them to these important goddesses. Now let’s dive deeper into some of the key attributes of hummingbirds that underpin their mythological connections:
Unique Traits and Powers of Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds possess several unique traits and abilities that have contributed to their mystical associations with goddesses throughout the Americas:
Flight Abilities
Hummingbirds are the only species of bird able to fly backwards. They can also hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12-80 times per second. This allows them to utiltize their long, specially-adapted beaks and tongues to drink nectar from flowers while hovering in place. Their flight powers connect to concepts like joy, lightness, and transcendence.
Iridescent Colors
Male hummingbirds display iridescent plumage with highly reflective feathers that flash different hues. As light hits them from different angles, the colors change and shift like a prism. This links to the goddesses associated with female energy, beauty, flowers, and creativity that hummingbirds are messengers for.
Connection to Flowers
Hummingbirds utilize flower nectar for the majority of their diet. As they move from flower to flower feeding, they also pollinate the plants. This symbiotic relationship with flowers is central to the hummingbird’s association with fertility and growth.
Agility and Activity
A hummingbird’s wings beat up to 200 times per second and their hearts can reach over 1,200 beats per minute while in flight. Their energetic activity and agility link to concepts of vigor, joy, and liveliness associated with the goddesses they represent.
Small and Delicate
Despite their great powers, hummingbirds are the smallest species of bird, with bee hummingbirds measuring only around 2 inches long. Their delicate and diminutive size adds to their air of magic and mystery.
Long Slender Beak
The hummingbird’s distinctive slender, pointed beak allows it to reach inside flowers and sip nectar. For some cultures, this evoked connections to snakes and serpent goddesses.
The Enduring Symbolic Legacy of Hummingbirds
While the ancient cultures and mythologies that linked hummingbirds to various goddesses evolved and faded over time, the potent symbolic meaning and sacredness of the hummingbird remains strong for many groups indigenous to the Americas.
Even for those without indigenous heritage, when we see a hummingbird gracefully hovering as it drinks nectar from vivid flowers, the bird’s luminous magic is undeniable. The hummingbird’s power to bridge different realms, carry joy and creative inspiration, facilitate fertility, and convey delicate feminine strength lives on as a remnant of its sacred legacy. Care and preservation of hummingbird habitats helps ensure this unique species continues bringing its mystical energy and vibrance to the natural world.
Conclusion
The hummingbird’s distinctive qualities like its hovering flight, long slender beak, propensity for flowers, and shimmering iridescent colors have inspired a wealth of legends connecting it to goddesses related to joy, fertility, nature, feminine energy, beauty, and magic. By exploring the folklore and mythological links between hummingbirds and important deities like Huitaca, Xochiquetzal, Chicomecoatl, Hina, and Amaru, we shed light on the foundations of this mystical bird’s enduring symbolic power and cultural resonance in the Americas and beyond. While the gods and goddesses of old have largely faded, the mysticism and magic of the hummingbird remains alive today.