Turkey

Turkey

Turkey plays a great significance with Native American culture, even before the Thanksgiving festival.

Eastern tribes have a peculiar way of consuming its meat by turning it into a type of jerky to maintain its meat quality.

Indeed the turkey has always been a symbolism of prosperity and wealth.

Turkey seems to infiltrate the culture of American Indian as it used as a sacrifice for various ceremonies.

Up to this day, A certain ethnic group from Oklahoma still practice the traditional "Turkey Dance". Caddo people strut the Turkey dance to convey significant events that happened in the past.

Recent findings at the Jaguar Paw Temple, an ancient Mayan archaeological site suggest that Mayans have been using turkey as an elite sacrifice. Turkeys have been domesticated by the Aztecs long before the Spanish colonization period.

Did you know that the turkey we eat today was a direct descendant of the ancient breed of turkeys that the Aztecs produced? Chalchiuhtotolin, (Jade Turkey) an Aztec God was also part of its mythology. Also a part of the native Mexican culture, the Toltecs, uses the turkeys as a source of their headdress decoration.

The turkey symbolizes the following attributes

  • High sense of self esteem- feathers of turkeys are used to adorn their chieftain headdress.
  • Prosperity-Turkeys are always present on our table to celebrate a good harvest annually.
  • Benevolence-By being a source of nourishment, this creature has been generous enough to provide us with his delicious meats and eggs.
  • Sacrifice-Ancient cultures used turkey as a sacrifice for fertility and thanksgiving ceremonies.
  • Wealth.

It should be noted that turkey also shows a disturbance during bad weather condition, reason why the ancient culture used them to foretell the future. Up to this day even the breastbone of the turkey is use to predict the winter, light shades for a mild winter and dark color for a harsh one.

Moreover turkeys also remind us to cultivate our skills, it is significant to know and be one with our surroundings, be aware of what might happen. There are things that will happen that might jeopardize your life, turkey is a good teacher that we should avoid unnecessary confrontation, just by utilizing our skills.

Turkeys also teach us to be grateful for the things that come our way. Not only that, turkeys also remind us to appreciate everything we possess now, instead of asking and seeking new things. Never forget to share what you have, be charitable to those who are in need so that you will receive the same grace when you are in need.

Male turkeys also teach us to be proud and to showcase our strength. Spread our wings and reveal our true colors. It’s better to be appreciated for who you are than for who you are not. Deliberate that things that make you wonderful as a person.

But having said that, turkeys also teach us when to use our energy effectively, this creature has a perfect sense of timing, it knows when to use its ability to out run predators. Turkeys remind us not to waste our energy to unimportant things.

Overall, this creature is the best example of appreciation, gratefulness and conservation of energy.

Turkey shows up as a spirit guide when

  • You need to sacrifice yourself for a higher purpose.
  • You need to understand the gift of giving away.
  • You need to honor the earth mother.
  • You need have bounty harvests.
  • You need to share what you have with others.

Call on turkey as a spirit guide when

  • You need to sacrifice so as to achieve greater things.
  • You should be able to give to others.
  • You need to honor your parents.
  • You need to have what is enough for you.
  • You need to appreciate what you have.

By Flo Saul
Mar 23, 2013