Written By Katherine Tomlinson
Dragonflies have been on the earth for 300 million years. That’s over 50 million years before dinosaurs existed! The Dragonfly has a special meaning for many people.
As a symbol of protection
Indigenous Americans lived closely with the natural world. Each part of Nature had a special significance. Dragonflies were considered to be species of sacred birds rather than insects (5) and one of the mysterious elements of creation. Pictures of dragonflies were often painted onto people and horses, or sewn as beadwork on clothing. This was thought to summon the dragonfly’s power of protection (2).
As a representation of joy
In Japan, the dragonfly is the national symbol and represents joy and rebirth. There are 172 dragonfly species in Japan (6) and in ancient times, Japan was named "Akitsu shima", meaning "Dragonfly's Island" (7)
In Mayan folklore, the dragonfly is the animal of the goddess of creativity, Ix Chel (4).
References
British Dragonfly Society (2019) Discovering Dragonflies Day, 28.02.2021 https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/event/discovering-dragonflies-day/
Green, R. (2012). The dragonfly motif in plains Indian art. Whispering Wind, American Psychological Association 6th Edition, 41(3), PP 4-7
Gunn, C (2017) Totem Animals, Orion Publishing Group, London
Harris, E (2021) Dragonfly Spirit Animal & Totem, Sprit Animal, 28.02.2021 https://www.spiritanimal.info/dragonfly-spirit-animal/
Keyser, J.D. (2013) The Dragonfly Shield at Writing-On-Stone, Whispering Wind; Vol. 41, Iss. 6, PP 10-13
Miller, J. (2015) The Significance of the Dragonfly in Japan, The Dragonfly in Japanese Culture, 28.02.2021 https://jamiemillerdragonfly.weebly.com/
A Potter for over 25 years, Katherine is passionate about eco-conscious pottery materials and practices. She has created books and courses to help other Potters find the information they need. Listen to the Oxford Clay podcast for more pottery tips. You can contact Katherine here.
