Stein River owl, from York, "They Write Their Dreams
on the Rocks Forever", p.221.
Fig. 156. Stein Valley Owl, York, "They Write Their
Dreams on the Rocks Forever", p.236.
A variation of the owl figure in rock art that I find to be
very compelling is from the Stein River Valley in British Columbia, Canada. The
Stein River Valley owl has large eyes and a graceful curve to its wings that
make it very attractive designwise, and it symbolizes deeply spiritual themes
to the people there. It has complicated meanings including not only owls and
their attributes, but also it is identified with the two-headed spirit snake
Sisiutl. This owl is very often illustrated with its outstretched wings
embracing or encompassing game animals. This leads to interpretation as
representing spiritual power over game animals and thus, the Stein River owl is
part of a hunter’s magic.
Dreams on the Rocks Forever", p.236.
A variation of the Stein River Owl pictograph
with its wings encompassing game animals.
with its wings encompassing game animals.
That association is explained by Annie York below: “A more intellectually complex visualization is found in Fig 156, - it has been adopted by common usage as the Stein Valley “owl” logo.
Fig. 100, York, "They Write Their Dreams
on the Rocks Forever," p.149.
This is the dream form
of the hunter’s spirit helper. Annie explained this image as the dream form taken
by men who have a well-developed hunting power. Their specific power may
emanate from a natural creature such as the rubber boa ( Sisiutl, appearing above the owl in the illustration above, see my column of
May 1, 2010 – Sisiutl – The Two-Headed Serpent ), the eagle or the owl, and then, in the dream, it can transform itself
into the directed will of the hunter, portrayed in its dream form as a
semi-human, semi-bird encompassing the game.
The dominant shape of
this figure is a strong vertical body and two arched and encompassing arms.
It is strikingly similar to the forceful image of the joined eyebrows and nose in many petroglyphs such as Fig. 145, and in the famous Tsagaglalal petroglyph portrayal of a face at Long Narrows, Columbia River.” (York 1993:236)
Fig. 145, York, They Write Their Dreams
on the Rocks Forever, p. 212.
It is strikingly similar to the forceful image of the joined eyebrows and nose in many petroglyphs such as Fig. 145, and in the famous Tsagaglalal petroglyph portrayal of a face at Long Narrows, Columbia River.” (York 1993:236)
So, on the one level we have meaning found in its identity
as an owl and all of the qualities attributed to that bird. On the second level
we have meanings that arise from its association with Sisiutl. And then on a
third level we have the association with other rock art of the Northwest based
upon the similarity of the shape of the wings of the Stein River owl with the
eyebrows of petroglyph faces supposed to represent spirit or ancestor figures,
and it is also seen to be similar to the Spedis Owl (August 2, 2010, Birds in Rock Art – The Spedis Owl).
This is a pretty large role to play for such a small
character.
REFERENCE:
York, Annie, Richard Daley, and Chris Arnett,
1993 They
Write Their Dreams on the Rocks Forever, Rock Writings in the Stein River
Valley of British Columbia, Talonbooks, Vancouver, B.C.
, he related that the Zuni call the burrowing owl “the priest of the prairie dogs” and explained that these owls live “on peaceable terms with prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, and horned toads” (p. 161). I have always personally fancied that I could see a 16th century Spanish priest in the burrowing owl, with spindly bare legs showing below the hem of his ragged cassock. Both burrowing owls and rattlesnakes are frequently seen in prairie dog towns, the burrowing owls live in abandoned burrows, and the rattlesnakes can also shelter in burrows as well as prey on the prairie dogs. Tyler went on to record many different mythological roles for owls among Pueblo peoples, there are a number of owl kachinas, and roles in fertility, hunting, and even war, are played by owls.
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