The Raven -National Bird and the Embodiment of a Guardian Deity
~ About Bhutan~ BHUTAN – The Name
~ Bhutan and Buddhism
~ Archery - National Sport, Pass-time and Passion
~ The Takin – National Animal (an elusive goat-cow hybrid of the Himalayas)
It is believed that back in the day, one of the most powerful guardian deities - Mahakala shape-shifted into a Raven to guide Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the unifier of the country, from Tibet to Bhutan. Thereafter, designed by Lam Jangchub Tsundru (Jigme Namgyel’s root Guru) the first Raven Helmet was used in battle by Jigme Namgyel (the first King of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck’s father) against the British forces. Later, Ugyen Wangchuck adopted the Raven Crown as a unique symbol of the irrefutability of his authority. It represents the deity Gonpo Jarodongchen, the raven-headed Mahakala, one of the chief guardian deities of the country. The fact that these birds continue to flock at places of spiritual significance, especially temples and monasteries, certainly does lend a certain degree of credibility to the belief.
Since the use of the first Raven Helmet, the Raven Crown has been worn only by the Kings of Bhutan. Considering how they are able to use tools, understand deceit and strategy, it can be said that they are a highly underestimated lot and that adorning the Royal Crown with the Raven head couldn’t have been a more befitting tribute. The Raven-head adorning the Royal Crown symbolizes the deep reverence the Bhutanese have for these birds as the emanation of a protective deity, so much so that in Bhutan killing a single Raven is considered a more heinous crime than the murder of a hundred monks. And thus, in due consideration of historical significance, the National Bird of Bhutan has come to be the Raven.
Its throaty calls, combined with their ability to mimic human speech even gives them a human like quality. It is not just in the Bhutanese culture that the Raven enjoys an elevated status. It has appeared in the myths and legends of many cultures from ancient times to the present day. Far from simply appearing as the companions and messengers of deities, the Raven has also been described in mythology as the very embodiment of some Gods. Known to be intelligent creatures, even their movements were the subject of divinatory speculation. Augury – the interpretation of omens from birds was practiced by both the Greeks and the Romans which made the observation and interpretation of even the direction in which Ravens flew a mystical art form. Fun fact - a smart Raven is said to possess the same level of reasoning abilities as a below average human. They are also said to recognize faces and remember who inflicted harm or showed kindness towards them.
Whilst there are plenty of myths and which present the Raven positively, its association death, ill omen and evil can be said to be far more prevalent. The Raven’s negative reputation possibly grew from the observation of its scavenging nature. On the field of battle Ravens would be seen feasting on the fallen. It has been suggested that they have such an acute sense of smell that they can sniff out decay even from a great distance. Undoubtedly the bad reputation is undeserved both in terms of their diverse mythological reputation as well as the current scientific understanding of the birds. We now know that their brains count amongst the largest of any bird species, which means that they possess advanced cognition, having demonstrated problem solving abilities, imitation and even complex emotions like grief. Some scientists even consider their position on the intelligent spectrum to be at par with dogs. Whilst their negative reputation is no doubt misinformed, it is not very difficult to see why Ravens have fascinated mankind across the centuries.
In Greek mythology Ravens were thought of as the companions of Apollo, one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities. As the God of the sun, truth and prophecy, Apollo’s association with Ravens meant that the birds were thought to be able to define the future. In Norse mythology the Raven is regarded as equally knowledgeable. Odin, one of the principle deities of the Norse pantheon is often associated with Ravens. According to legend, on his shoulders sits two of the birds Hugin and Munin, meaning ‘thought’ and ‘memory’ respectively. As well as being birds of battle, the Ravens are thought of as wisdom bearers flying out each day to bring Odin news from the land of men.
To the Inuits the Raven is the principal creator figure known as the Raven Father. According to their legends the Raven was born out of darkness and began life weak and lost. After wandering and experiencing the world, he grew to realize who he was – the creator of all life. Gathering up all his strength the Raven Father flew to a new place which he called earth. There he found a giant pea pod from which man emerged. The Raven Father taught man how to live and care for nature and then created a female companion for him, providing them both with food and shelter. The Raven Father’s teachings were then passed down to man and women’s children. And so it is in Inuit belief that the Raven is revered as the creator of all life.
In Welsh mythology, Bran the Blessed – a hero figure of great wisdom, is a deity of Britain. In Welsh the name Bran means Raven. According to the legend, during a vicious battle with the Irish, Bran was wounded in the foot by a poisoned arrow. Knowing that death was imminent the Welsh hero ordered his followers to cut off his head and take it to the White Mount for burial. It was his request that his head should be placed facing east so that no foreigner may invade as long as it remained there. The tower of London now stands on the side of the White Mount. It is said that the Ravens gather at this spot even today in order to honor Britain’s fallen Raven King.
The idea of a Raven being a protector also appears in Native American legends. Some tribes regard it as a secret keeper – a magical bird able to carry messages and prayers to spirits. Only those perceived worthy by the Raven are to be trusted with its secret knowledge. It is the Ravens association with the land of the dead which has in other Native American tribes, given the bird a bad reputation. To some the Raven was regarded as an omen of death or even a stealer of souls. According to traditional legends if a Raven croaks near one’s home, death in the household is imminent.
In the Abrahamic religion story of Noah the Raven is described as the first bird sent from the arc to find land. It was said to have been distracted from its task by the sight of dead bodies in the water. Rather than searching for land as Noah had instructed, the bird stopped to feed on the floating carrion. When the Raven finally returned three months later an angry Noah cursed the creature, turning the birds once white feathers to black.
At various points in European folklore Ravens have also been associated with witchcraft. In medieval and early modern periods it was said that witches had the ability to shape-shift into the devious looking birds. These creatures were known as familiar spirits, a supernatural entity ….. an alter-ego of a witch, able to assist them in their practice of magic.
In Native American myths, the Raven is a trickster who stole the sun and fire and gave it to the world. However when carrying the fire in its beak, the smoke from the fire blew back and turned its feathers black. Its beak began to burn and so the Raven had to drop the fire. The fire landed on a pile of rocks and hid itself inside them. It is said that that is the reason why sparks of fire fly when one strikes two stones together. And therefore, in concluding, it can be safely asserted that it is not for nothing that the Bhutanese people chose the Raven as the National Bird.
Its throaty calls, combined with their ability to mimic human speech even gives them a human like quality. It is not just in the Bhutanese culture that the Raven enjoys an elevated status. It has appeared in the myths and legends of many cultures from ancient times to the present day. Far from simply appearing as the companions and messengers of deities, the Raven has also been described in mythology as the very embodiment of some Gods. Known to be intelligent creatures, even their movements were the subject of divinatory speculation. Augury – the interpretation of omens from birds was practiced by both the Greeks and the Romans which made the observation and interpretation of even the direction in which Ravens flew a mystical art form. Fun fact - a smart Raven is said to possess the same level of reasoning abilities as a below average human. They are also said to recognize faces and remember who inflicted harm or showed kindness towards them.
Whilst there are plenty of myths and which present the Raven positively, its association death, ill omen and evil can be said to be far more prevalent. The Raven’s negative reputation possibly grew from the observation of its scavenging nature. On the field of battle Ravens would be seen feasting on the fallen. It has been suggested that they have such an acute sense of smell that they can sniff out decay even from a great distance. Undoubtedly the bad reputation is undeserved both in terms of their diverse mythological reputation as well as the current scientific understanding of the birds. We now know that their brains count amongst the largest of any bird species, which means that they possess advanced cognition, having demonstrated problem solving abilities, imitation and even complex emotions like grief. Some scientists even consider their position on the intelligent spectrum to be at par with dogs. Whilst their negative reputation is no doubt misinformed, it is not very difficult to see why Ravens have fascinated mankind across the centuries.
In Greek mythology Ravens were thought of as the companions of Apollo, one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities. As the God of the sun, truth and prophecy, Apollo’s association with Ravens meant that the birds were thought to be able to define the future. In Norse mythology the Raven is regarded as equally knowledgeable. Odin, one of the principle deities of the Norse pantheon is often associated with Ravens. According to legend, on his shoulders sits two of the birds Hugin and Munin, meaning ‘thought’ and ‘memory’ respectively. As well as being birds of battle, the Ravens are thought of as wisdom bearers flying out each day to bring Odin news from the land of men.
To the Inuits the Raven is the principal creator figure known as the Raven Father. According to their legends the Raven was born out of darkness and began life weak and lost. After wandering and experiencing the world, he grew to realize who he was – the creator of all life. Gathering up all his strength the Raven Father flew to a new place which he called earth. There he found a giant pea pod from which man emerged. The Raven Father taught man how to live and care for nature and then created a female companion for him, providing them both with food and shelter. The Raven Father’s teachings were then passed down to man and women’s children. And so it is in Inuit belief that the Raven is revered as the creator of all life.
In Welsh mythology, Bran the Blessed – a hero figure of great wisdom, is a deity of Britain. In Welsh the name Bran means Raven. According to the legend, during a vicious battle with the Irish, Bran was wounded in the foot by a poisoned arrow. Knowing that death was imminent the Welsh hero ordered his followers to cut off his head and take it to the White Mount for burial. It was his request that his head should be placed facing east so that no foreigner may invade as long as it remained there. The tower of London now stands on the side of the White Mount. It is said that the Ravens gather at this spot even today in order to honor Britain’s fallen Raven King.
The idea of a Raven being a protector also appears in Native American legends. Some tribes regard it as a secret keeper – a magical bird able to carry messages and prayers to spirits. Only those perceived worthy by the Raven are to be trusted with its secret knowledge. It is the Ravens association with the land of the dead which has in other Native American tribes, given the bird a bad reputation. To some the Raven was regarded as an omen of death or even a stealer of souls. According to traditional legends if a Raven croaks near one’s home, death in the household is imminent.
In the Abrahamic religion story of Noah the Raven is described as the first bird sent from the arc to find land. It was said to have been distracted from its task by the sight of dead bodies in the water. Rather than searching for land as Noah had instructed, the bird stopped to feed on the floating carrion. When the Raven finally returned three months later an angry Noah cursed the creature, turning the birds once white feathers to black.
At various points in European folklore Ravens have also been associated with witchcraft. In medieval and early modern periods it was said that witches had the ability to shape-shift into the devious looking birds. These creatures were known as familiar spirits, a supernatural entity ….. an alter-ego of a witch, able to assist them in their practice of magic.
In Native American myths, the Raven is a trickster who stole the sun and fire and gave it to the world. However when carrying the fire in its beak, the smoke from the fire blew back and turned its feathers black. Its beak began to burn and so the Raven had to drop the fire. The fire landed on a pile of rocks and hid itself inside them. It is said that that is the reason why sparks of fire fly when one strikes two stones together. And therefore, in concluding, it can be safely asserted that it is not for nothing that the Bhutanese people chose the Raven as the National Bird.