New Perspectives

Photo by The Curated Feast

Sitting on the ground for this shot reminded me to keep seeking new perspectives.

STORYTIME: Speaking of new perspectives, the #ranunculus flower and it’s relative the #buttercup are sometimes known as “Coyote Eyes” — and that story is a perfect example.

According to one #pima (or #akimeloodham) legend, Coyote was throwing his eyes into the air and catching them, hoping to brighten them up. As he did this, he said “come back my eyes, come quickly”, and they did. They came back even brighter than before. But when he tried it again, his eyes continued to rise into the air, far beyond his reach.

Unable to see, Coyote took two yellow buttercups from the field as new eyes.

[two notes: 1. it is important for me to acknowledge that the name “Pima” itself is the result of colonialism, since the term Pima actually comes from the phrase “pi ‘añi mac, which translates as “I don’t know”. And 2. in one alternate version of this tale, he takes his eyes from the gum of a pinion tree]