Post by Silverback on May 12, 2005 9:57:20 GMT
Also known as: Coyote, Grandfather Coyote, Prairie Wolf, Sacred Dog, Big Trickster, The Contrary One
Shunkmanitu is a difficult being to directly define, as by his very essence and nature he defies definition. He is a mercurial being who loves to have fun and gamble, and is not above playing pranks and tricks on both friends and enemies alike. The big difference, of course, would lie in the nature of his pranks and jokes; for those who are Coyote’s good side, they may be simply humiliating; for those who are his enemies, deadly.
Shunkmanitu is the penultimate shape shifter, and often uses many different guises to both observe humankind, as well as play any number of his mischievous tricks. He can appear in any guise, as any age, and can shift between forms quicker than one can blink their eye. Many persons who encounter Shunkmanitu never even realize it was Coyote they had encountered until much later, after the fact.
Shunkmanitu is also a survivor of the highest caliber, as can be attested to by the fact that coyotes themselves thrive in practically any environment, including big cities such as New York and Washington, DC. This is not to say he is a great warrior- he is much more of a magician than a fighter. When the going gets tough, Coyote uses his cleverness, trickery and guile to get away, often leaving opponents dumbfounded, wondering where he went.
Shukmanitu is known to be a good friend of Iktomi (Spider), also an important trickster figure in Siouxan myths. The tales of their exploits are legendary, and most often humorous, with the jokes and pranks backfiring as often as going as planned. Many times persons who associate with Shunkmanitu and his many children over a long period of time also come to know Iktomi as well.
In most of the stories and legends, Shunkmanitu teaches a valuable lesson about proper behavior and proper ethics by exaggerating exactly those things that are improper and unethical. In this way, by making a big joke about something that is “not right”, he shows those around him what “right” truly would be. His favorite targets are those who are arrogant, over-confident, boasters and braggarts, and those who take themselves too seriously. Many times the jokes and pranks he plays on these persons are actually valuable lessons in humility and humanity, considered very admirable traits in Sioux culture and society. Depending upon how one reacts to being tricked, Coyote can either then befriend the one who reacts in humbleness, or become the sworn enemy of the one who reacts in anger. It is not wise to incur the wrath of the trickster, as it is within his powers and portfolio to cause anything that possibly could go wrong to do exactly that.
Tricksters of all sorts are often misunderstood by those outside of the culture in which they are defined. In Siouxan thought, Coyote as a trickster is a very necessary being, as he continually brings a touch of disorder to that which might otherwise become dogmatic and hence, stagnant, and as such, he is often viewed as a being of change- for good or ill is irrelevant, what truly matters is that things not be allowed to stagnate.
Those who work most often with Coyote Medicine are oftentimes referred to as “Heyoka”, which means “Contrary”. In extreme cases, these persons do everything backwards, from walking backwards and speaking backwards, to sleeping during the day and staying up all night. In less extreme cases, these persons are more like “Reversers”, ones who transmute one thing into its complete opposite with a mere thought. In either case, they are both revered and feared, as those touched by Grandfather Coyote tend to be as unpredictable as their patron. Those who have Shunkmanitu’s favor often find themselves very well protected by him or his many grandchildren, as Coyote takes very good care of his own, provided, of course, that he is treated with the proper respect. In any case, “Coyote’s Favor” can be considered both a blessing and a curse, with those “favored” finding themselves often going from one mishap and embarrassing situation to the next, with very little chance to rest or recover in between.
It should be mentioned, however, that Shunkmanitu is not a mean-spirited or evil being- in fact, he is a staunch opponent of evil spirits of all sorts- just one who likes to have fun. He encourages growth through overcoming trials and challenges, but is (usually) always ready to help should someone get themselves in over their heads, perhaps being sympathetic as he’s “been there, done that”, and got the lumps to prove it.
Shunkmanitu is a difficult being to directly define, as by his very essence and nature he defies definition. He is a mercurial being who loves to have fun and gamble, and is not above playing pranks and tricks on both friends and enemies alike. The big difference, of course, would lie in the nature of his pranks and jokes; for those who are Coyote’s good side, they may be simply humiliating; for those who are his enemies, deadly.
Shunkmanitu is the penultimate shape shifter, and often uses many different guises to both observe humankind, as well as play any number of his mischievous tricks. He can appear in any guise, as any age, and can shift between forms quicker than one can blink their eye. Many persons who encounter Shunkmanitu never even realize it was Coyote they had encountered until much later, after the fact.
Shunkmanitu is also a survivor of the highest caliber, as can be attested to by the fact that coyotes themselves thrive in practically any environment, including big cities such as New York and Washington, DC. This is not to say he is a great warrior- he is much more of a magician than a fighter. When the going gets tough, Coyote uses his cleverness, trickery and guile to get away, often leaving opponents dumbfounded, wondering where he went.
Shukmanitu is known to be a good friend of Iktomi (Spider), also an important trickster figure in Siouxan myths. The tales of their exploits are legendary, and most often humorous, with the jokes and pranks backfiring as often as going as planned. Many times persons who associate with Shunkmanitu and his many children over a long period of time also come to know Iktomi as well.
In most of the stories and legends, Shunkmanitu teaches a valuable lesson about proper behavior and proper ethics by exaggerating exactly those things that are improper and unethical. In this way, by making a big joke about something that is “not right”, he shows those around him what “right” truly would be. His favorite targets are those who are arrogant, over-confident, boasters and braggarts, and those who take themselves too seriously. Many times the jokes and pranks he plays on these persons are actually valuable lessons in humility and humanity, considered very admirable traits in Sioux culture and society. Depending upon how one reacts to being tricked, Coyote can either then befriend the one who reacts in humbleness, or become the sworn enemy of the one who reacts in anger. It is not wise to incur the wrath of the trickster, as it is within his powers and portfolio to cause anything that possibly could go wrong to do exactly that.
Tricksters of all sorts are often misunderstood by those outside of the culture in which they are defined. In Siouxan thought, Coyote as a trickster is a very necessary being, as he continually brings a touch of disorder to that which might otherwise become dogmatic and hence, stagnant, and as such, he is often viewed as a being of change- for good or ill is irrelevant, what truly matters is that things not be allowed to stagnate.
Those who work most often with Coyote Medicine are oftentimes referred to as “Heyoka”, which means “Contrary”. In extreme cases, these persons do everything backwards, from walking backwards and speaking backwards, to sleeping during the day and staying up all night. In less extreme cases, these persons are more like “Reversers”, ones who transmute one thing into its complete opposite with a mere thought. In either case, they are both revered and feared, as those touched by Grandfather Coyote tend to be as unpredictable as their patron. Those who have Shunkmanitu’s favor often find themselves very well protected by him or his many grandchildren, as Coyote takes very good care of his own, provided, of course, that he is treated with the proper respect. In any case, “Coyote’s Favor” can be considered both a blessing and a curse, with those “favored” finding themselves often going from one mishap and embarrassing situation to the next, with very little chance to rest or recover in between.
It should be mentioned, however, that Shunkmanitu is not a mean-spirited or evil being- in fact, he is a staunch opponent of evil spirits of all sorts- just one who likes to have fun. He encourages growth through overcoming trials and challenges, but is (usually) always ready to help should someone get themselves in over their heads, perhaps being sympathetic as he’s “been there, done that”, and got the lumps to prove it.
