The Thunderbird

The Thunderbird symbolizes the fire element among native cultures and is connected to fire the sun and the flashes.

How the Big Hawk became the Thunderbird

In old days there was a very big Hawk, he was that big that his shadow covered 2 wigwams as he flew over them. But he was a very friendly Bird to all who knew him. But he was nor only big  he was also very mighty. As soon as he started to sing a special song, the Hawks from the area around gathered to talk to each other. With an other song he could call rainclouds and make them move towards him. It was even told he knew a song that makes mice and rabbits jump direct into his claws as he flies deep over the ground.
This Hawk was that mighty that the Thunderbeings decidet one day to give him a song, that could call them. But to sing this special song in a correct way he had to buildt up a wigwam that would cover him and all the animals he wanted to invite and also he had to have certain things from the mineral and plant and animals relatives layed there at a certain place. And also theThunderbeings told him to pray to the Great Spirit and  give thank that he was honored to share this special song and power with the Thunderbeings. One nice summerday the Hawk decidet to sing this song, and after he correctly kept all preparations and followed the ceremony he was told he invited some Hawks  one Eagle, two Crows and a Baldeagle to his wigwam. They followed his invitation and as the special song has been sung and the Thunderbeings arrived, they all left the wigwam, knowing that through listening to that song evrybody gained a special power.
The Big Hawk got very strong powers so he was able to heal  with a touch of his wing even deep wounds of his friends. But with holding this strong power the Hawk became very vain, and in despite to pray evry mornig to the Great Spirit to thank for his gifts, he said I am the Big Hawk I am the mightiest of all the Hawks I am the Big Kaik Kaik Kaik.
The Great Spirit looked at this for a while, still hoping the Hawk will remember what was told to him. But nothing got better the Hawk even got fresher.

In the next year the Hawk decidet to sing this special song again to even gain more power. He believed to be that mighty so he has not  to prepare the ceremonie in building a wigwam and thank the Great Spirit and the Thunderbeings. And this time he invited all animals to show his power. He sat on a branch of a high tree and startet to sing this very song. And the thunderbeings arrived fast as he called them but then a flash struck him on the wing and he disapeared and found himself standing infront the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit  said:" Hawk you have been too vain and fresh and you even didn´t remember from where you gained this powers you have. You didn´t thank for it,  you forgott about the ceremonies we told you to do  and thatfore you have to serve the Thunderbeings from this day on. They going to call you now when their work is to be done and you have to follow their call. And to keep you from getting vain again you have to fly above the thunderclouds, so that man only see some strange form of clouds or a flash and only the one with a very clear eye will know you are flying there. Go now and serve the ones you have hurt, till you learn the joy of serving in humbleness and to know your place in the universe."
In this way the Thunderbird came to the people.

old ojibwe story