A beloved southwestern Indian image and legend, Kokopelli may
originally
have been an Aztec trader, heading north with a parrot on his shoulder.
He most likely carried a large woven bag filled with trading goods.
Perhaps this is how he came to be portrayed with a hunchback, as he is
seen in petroglyphs at ancient Anasazi and SW Indian sites.
`
It's said that the wind carried his music to many places, until
canyons,
natural acoustic chambers that they are, echoed and re-echoed his
life-giving music. Being a very smart fellow, Kokopelli also played to
let pueblos and camps know that it was Kokopelli who approached, and
not
an enemy. That also ensured that by the time he arrived, the welcoming
feast and party were ready !
`
Today, Kokopelli lives as his own entity; indeed, he journeys many
roads
even today. I've heard his song in many places, and have learned to
look
for him just around every bend. Far more than just a quaint petroglyph
or anthropological footnote. Kokopelli still travels among us as a
symbol of Indian music, joy, adventure, and fertility.