Vulture Medicine, Mythology
& Vulture Links
by
~Vulture Man (Heca Wicasa)
Welll Heellloooooow Evereeeebahhhdeee!
The Cherokee know the Vulture as ‘Peace Eagle’, for the Turkey Vulture Kills Nothing.
The scientific latin name for vulture is Catharsis Aura ~ Golden Purifier.
The job vulture performs is a sacred service for all animal life forms. The toxins, pathogens and diseases that are possible as animals decompose and rot is substantial. The vulture was designed to clean this up. And with this purpose it accomplishes the Creators will with honor and no complaints.
The vulture does what needs to be done. It cleans up, protects, and is connected to the water as its guardian. To some vulture is ugly, but upon the invisible air it rides the current defying gravity with beauty and grace. Barley flapping a wing. Vulture teaches us that nasty jobs of great service are rewarded with great gifts.
The vulture is often looked down upon. However, the vulture in fact, looks down on you. The vulture sees all and knows what is done to the Earthly Mother. He is special friend to hawk, eagle, and raven.
The vulture mates for life, and lives in community upon a communal roost each night. This roost location varies each night. Each vulture ‘clan’ cleaning the territory as it sees fit. With communication that is transacted from many miles away, a vulture can see the flight patterns of its brethren, with eyesight ten times better than our own (not verified). A clan chieftan sends a signal that is relayed each evening, and a roost is selected. These roosts can be constant for many years and even generations. A system of roosts helps to ensure that the land is purified systematically. The roost is usually on a ridge that overlooks a river, and is normally in a spot that receives the last of the days sun, as well the first at sunrise. Each morning, the vulture clan turns to face the sacred Sun. Warming the feathers together in union before heading to work.
Eye contact with a vulture is easy. Just look at them and they see you.
The winged Egyptian Goddess Matt holds a vulture feather and can soar all day. Anubis, the jackal headed God, weighs your heart against Matts feather of truth. The Goddess Maat is protector of the Earth and her eyes are the eyes of the vulture ~ these eyes see all that we do, and will some day bring justice, truth and order. Rich and poor will be leveled in a struggle to survive. Nature’s balance will be restored.
The goddess Maat represents the ideals of law, order, and truth. The word, Maat translates “that which is straight.” it implies anything that is true, ordered, or balanced. She was the female counterpart of Thoth.
We know she is a very ancient goddess because we find her in the boat of Ra as it rose above the waters of the abyss of Nu on the first day. Together with Thoth, they charted the daily course of the Sun God Ra. Maat is sometimes called the ‘eye of Ra’ or the ‘daughter of Ra’.
In Greek & Assyrian mythology, the (old world) vulture was believed to be descended from the griffin, the guardian of the mysteries of life & death.
Vulture can have powerful medicine relating to transition and transformation and the biological cycle concerning alive or dead. Often times Vulture speaks to those with digestive issues and can be a warning to have yourself checked out.
In Lakota the language of the animals – Vulture Nation is Heca Oyate.
A long, long, long time ago, the sun got too hot.
It was too close to the earth. This was before man was created. All the animals gathered around a great sacred council fire to discuss the situation.
Humble opossum stepped forward. Back then oppossum had a beautiful coat of hair. The spirit of oppossum flew to the sun and as it got closer it burnt the hair on it’s nose really short. The opossum decided to try and tow the sun back, so he wrapped his tail around the sun and began to pull, He pulled, and pulled, and opossum was able to pull the sun back a little bit.
Unfortunately, the oppossum burnt the hair off its tail. And, this why the oppossum has a short haired face and no hair on its tail to this day. The oppossum gave its best for the good of all that day.
Next to step forward was the fox. Now the fox like the coyote was known as a sly trickster, and also as a good hunter. The spirit fox flew to the sun and grabbed the sun its mouth. It pushed and pushed, and did manage to get the sun back a little bit.
To this day fox has a black tongue as a reminder of that effort. Fox gave its best effort for the good of all.
Next to step forward was the vulture. Back then the vulture had a beautiful head of feathers. In fact, he kinda looked as beautiful as a golden eagle. The spirit vulture flew to the sacred sun and placed his head against the sun. Vulture pushed, and pushed as vulture flapped its great wings, and the sun, began to move back. He pushed, and flapped and the heat of the sun made a great wind for vulture to use as vulture flew the sun back to a safe distance.
When vulture returned to the Council fire it was finally cool enough and all the animals were very happy.
But alas, vulture burnt all the feathers off his head, and was bald as he is today.
Vulture had a message. “If it gets too hot again, I am sorry but I will be unable to provide this service again for I have no more feathers to protect me. Everyone, must pray for help and use their own heads to be sure it never gets too hot again.”
As you look up to see vulture. Remember, the job vulture did that day and today – and give vulture a little wave, a hello and a thank you. Vulture will see you and tilt his wings.
A Hau, Mitakuye O’Yasin ~sioux ~ we are all related.
Information About Vultures and The Myths of Vultures
Nature’s Noble Caretaker – A page all about vultures.
Brief information and drawing of this bird species from the Canadian Museum of Nature
King Vulture – facts, photos, and a movie of the largest species of vulture -Belize Zoo
Egyptian Vulture – picture and brief facts from the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Information from the Oakland Zoo on the African Savannah Griffin Vulture.
Black Vulture – find out where it lives, what it looks like, and how it acts ~ Animal Facts
Turkey Vulture Page Everglades National Park
“We are many…..and will take a moment…..
our wisdom will appear to you before we do.”
At the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, wall paintings depict scenes of vultures and vulture priestesses
Turkey Vulture shape shifting story
Annual Kern Valley Turkey Vulture Festival
Great pictures of a wide variety of Vultures
