Bluebird of happiness
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[edit] History
The Bluebird of Happiness is one of the most popular hand blown glass animal figurines ever made. If you've ever been to a hospital or airport gift shop anywhere on earth you've probably seen a blue crystal glass "Bluebird of Happiness". Invented and manufactured near Fayetteville, Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains, at Terra Studios, a community of artisans who produce glass and pottery homewares and fine art, founded in the early 70's. The Eastern Bluebird is the real life model. Native only to North America and Bermuda, early settlers were captivated by its friendliness and sweet song. They are a favorite gift for Arkansas ambassadors to carry with them to foreign countries. One senator’s wife presented two bluebirds to an appreciative Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife.
Ancient symbology of the bluebird
Although Terra Studios may hold the term "Bluebird of Happiness" as a registered trademark, the mythology of the bluebird has deep roots, going back thousands of years. Indigenous cultures across the globe hold similar myths and beliefs about the bluebird.
It's the most universally accepted symbol of cheerfulness, happiness, prosperity, hearth and home, get well soon, congratulations on the new baby, the renewal of springtime, any and all positive sentiments can be attached to the bluebird with practically no negative aspects.
Practically none. In magical symbology, you almost always find that every symbol has positive and negative aspects. Bluebirds are used to represent confidence in the positive aspect and egotism in the negative. A dead bluebird is a symbol of disillusionment, of the loss of innocence, of transformation from younger and naive to older and wiser.
Bluebird symbology in America
There is no universally accepted theory as to how long Native Americans have occupied the American continent, nor how old are the cultural religions, myths, stories, etc. It ranges from 9000 yr, 64000 yr, 350000 yr, even 3 million years but there is no doubt that the legends are very old.
Many Native American tribes considered the bluebird sacred, the firstborn son of Sun was named Bluebird.
The Navajo hold the Mountain Bluebird to be a god in animal form and associate it with the rising sun. Navajo songs reinforce ancient beliefs. Bluebird Song: "Bluebird said to me, 'Get up, my grandchild. It is dawn, it said to me" This text reinforces the Navajo belief that one should wake at dawn and rise to greet the sun.
The Bluebird Song is still used in social settings and is also performed just before sunrise in the Ye'iibicheii winter Nightway ceremony, it's the most revered song, the closing act, performed just before sunrise on the final day of the nine days long Ye'iibicheii winter Nightway ceremony.
Bluebird symbology in Europe
Bluebird mythology in Europe is noted in a fairy tale called L'Oiseau Bleu (The Blue Bird) by Madame d'Aulnoy (1650/1705). This seems to be the root source of most modern accounts of bluebird symbology and myth.
In 1908 The Blue Bird was made into a stage play by Maurice Maeterlinck. Then several movies during the 20th century.
Bluebird symbology in Asia
A mythological Korean bluebird had similar symbolic meanings but also operated as a kind of metaphysical operative for the gods. It flits around and spies on the humans. "A little bird told me."
[edit] Reference
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/sw/tci/tci025.htm She nursed him until the Sun father came back. Sun returned to the girl, and the girl offered the child to him, saying, "Here is your baby. It is a little boy." They named him Bluebird (Culutiwa).
http://www.newworldrecords.org/liner_notes/80406.pdf Navajo Bluebird Song - Navajo Songs from Canyon De Chelly
