The Wolf Tattoo

The Wolf

There are many legends, myths or just plain stories about wolves. Some of them are from Native American tribes. Others just seem to spring up from who knows where. Maybe their origins have been lost.

Many of the tribes of the Americas were strongly connected to the wolf. Maybe that is why there are so many traditions relating to the wolf.

The wolves were known for their great hunting abilities. So as with the Eagle, their ceremonies would include a warrior dressed as a wolf. As with the Eagle some of the dances they did were intended, or at least hoped for the warrior, to gain some of the hunting prowess of the wolf.

Of course hunting wasn’t the only thing for which the wolf was known. The wolf also was known for their survival skills. Shamen believed the wolf had much spiritual power.

Some tribes would do wolf dances believing that the wolf had great healing abilities. One Eskimo story says that an old woman was abandoned in the winter. It was believed that she became a wolf to survive. Whether this was due to the wolf’s survival skills or partly the healing properties isn’t clear. Still the credit goes to the wolf she supposedly became, and survived.

The wolf was also believed to be able to teach  the people about life, and the world. While each tribe may have had their own interpretation of the wolf stories. The same basic theme ran through most of them. The Pawnee, a plain’s tribe were particularly associated with the wolf and the beliefs about them.

Since wolves mate for life, they are associated with things like loyalty and success. Something you might consider before getting a tattoo. Wolves are also considered to be teachers of the people.

A few other attributes considered to be of the wolf, are spirit teaching. intelligence, cunning, outwitting enemies. A path finder, intuition, psychic energy and inner divinity.

Consider this things before you decide if you are worthy to wear a wolf tattoo.

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Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, Ethnicity, Gray Wolf, hunt, Hunting, Idaho, Indigenous, Mammals, Native Americans in the United States, Pawnee, Predation, Wyoming