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Native American Dragonfly Mythology

Dragonflies play a variety of roles in the mythology of different Native American tribes. In the Hopi and Pueblo tribes, the dragonfly was considered a medicine animal, associated with healing and transformation, whose spirit was often called upon by medicine men and women. Killing a dragonfly was considered highly taboo in the Pueblo tribes. To the Navajo tribe, the dragonfly is a symbol of water, and dragonfly images frequently appear in sacred sandpaintings to represent the element of water. In Plains Indian traditions, dragonflies are symbols of protection or even invincibility, and pictures of dragonflies were often painted on war shirts and tepee covers to ward off danger and injury.

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Dragonfly is used as a clan crest in some Northwest Coast tribes, such as the Tlingit, and can sometimes be found carved on totem poles. The Yaqui also have a Dragonfly Dance among their tribal dance traditions.

Native American Dragonfly Gods and Spirits

Sivuftotovi Kachina (Hopi)

Native American Legends About Dragonflies

*Coyote and Water Dragon:
    Jicarilla Apache legend about Coyote foolishly imitating Dragonfly.

Recommended Books of Dragonfly Stories from Native American Myth and Legend
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The Boy Who Made Dragonfly * Dragonfly's Tale:
    Two children's books recounting a Zuni myth about the origin of the first dragonfly.
A Dazzle of Dragonflies:
    Book of dragonfly history and legends from around the world, including Native American mythology.
Insect Mythology:
    Interesting book on the meaning of dragonflies and other insects in world mythology, including Native North America and Mesoamerica.



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