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Celtic Radio Community > The Grove > Raven


Posted by: Elspeth 19-Jan-2004, 04:08 PM
I notice many people use Raven in their name. It is the only bird I remember seeing used. What is the significance of a raven?

Posted by: peckery 19-Jan-2004, 04:32 PM
They are a very dark color of black. rolleyes.gif Mysterious, intelligent, only type of bird that can play guitar. (hard with no fingers) Well liked by Poe and those who like Poe.

Posted by: kidclaymore 19-Jan-2004, 06:12 PM
The American indian and the Eskimo has a lot legends about them, supposed to be the wisest of all creatures.

Posted by: Shadows 19-Jan-2004, 06:38 PM
QUOTE (kidclaymore @ Jan 19 2004, 07:12 PM)
The American indian and the Eskimo has a lot legends about them, supposed to be the wisest of all creatures.

...the smartest of all birds... not all animals!

The crow/raven forbodes death, instability, fertility, sexuality and doom.
It is how the bird is seen and where that are it's telling characters.

One should not try to put associations on natural things until they have studied all that apply.

Posted by: Elspeth 19-Jan-2004, 09:24 PM
A sidebar - What does a hawk forbode? Even though I live in suburbia, they have made a foothold (or is that a claw hold?) Anyway, I often see them and every sighting is special. Richard and I have talked about hawks. I was wondering what legends say they forbode.

Back to the Raven. Again, I am wondering why it is so popular in people's name choices.

Posted by: RavenWing 20-Jan-2004, 08:11 AM
I don't know about anyone else, but this bird had a very special meaning for me, and is a spirit guide of sorts.

Posted by: Swanny 20-Jan-2004, 01:03 PM
There is no "one" Native American religion, and the significance of any particular totem or animal spirit varies widely from tribe to tribe, or even within a single tribe or nation. Among the northern Salish peoples of southeast Alaska and northern British Columbia, the Raven represents the spiritual trickster, similar to the persona of Coyote among the Navajo and some other southwestern tribes. Meanwhile, among Alaska's Athabascan speaking people, the common belief is that the Raven carries the spirit of dead ancestors. The late Peter John, traditional chief of Minto and the Tanana peoples was a strong advocate of temperance and once told me "That's why we see so many of them digging through dumpsters behind the bars on Second Avenue (in Fairbanks). He wasn't joking about it, either.

I can't speak to the Aleuts or Inupiak (eskimo) and I'm not familiar with their beliefs regarding the Raven.

There is just as much variation in beliefs regarding the spirits of raptors among AN/First Nations people. Among the Siouxan people (Lakota, Dakota, Teton and related) many believe that the Golden Eagle carries the prayers of the people to the Great Mystery and hold it as sacred, while people of other nations attach less significance to the Golden Eagle.

Swanny

Posted by: Raven 20-Jan-2004, 01:28 PM
I'm sorry not to have some interesting story about why I choose Raven. But the simple truth is that my wife has a hip middle name that she uses as a stage name and so I started going by Raven. (partly because I sing like a bird and it is a dark mysterious name) at the time I was the only one in the band who did not have a cool nick name.

Besides it's kind of fun and has gotten me into all kinds of mischeif on the boards here tongue.gif

Peace

Mikel

(now I spell my name wrong to be different - see above)

Posted by: Radagast 04-Feb-2004, 09:15 AM
Where I come from Raven's forebode many things most negative... but it's dependent on when you see them (night/day) and what they are doing.

In most cases around here when you see one it's because there is a roadkill close by. During the winter months here a huge flock of probably 2000+ that congragates of all places close to a stream and university campus. It is a chilling site to behold reminiscent of the "The Birds".

All in all I find them to be rather intelligent and resourceful - but not a bird I want to see in my front yard... unsure.gif

Posted by: maisky 04-Feb-2004, 07:15 PM
QUOTE (Radagast @ Feb 4 2004, 10:15 AM)
Where I come from Raven's forebode many things most negative... but it's dependent on when you see them (night/day) and what they are doing.

In most cases around here when you see one it's because there is a roadkill close by. During the winter months here a huge flock of probably 2000+ that congragates of all places close to a stream and university campus. It is a chilling site to behold reminiscent of the "The Birds".

All in all I find them to be rather intelligent and resourceful - but not a bird I want to see in my front yard... unsure.gif

My friend Raven is welcome in MY front yard any time. biggrin.gif

jester.gif

Posted by: ravenmaker 06-Feb-2004, 10:20 AM
My user-name - Ravenmaker - is a rough translation of my last name, Raab-Faber. Raab is a raven or a large black bird. Faber equaling "maker" is a bit of a stretch. It is roughly a manufacturer and somewhere has similar roots to words like Fabric and Fabricate.

I've translated my first name, Richard, as King's Heart although I've seen it translated differently. According to http://www.behindthename.com, it means "brave power", derived from the Germanic elements ric "power, rule" and hard "brave, hardy".
which is a similar meaning.

Actually, this is a very interesting site with hundreds of names and their meanings and derivations. For those of you looking for an exotic name, or if you are, like me, just interested in word and name origins, it's a great resource.

Posted by: ravenmaker 06-Feb-2004, 10:25 AM
Oh, Yeah. Also the Raven is a symbol of the Norse Chief god Odin. I think he may have appeared in the form of a raven from time to time.

Kind of interesting that on a Celtic site that most people referenced Native Americans when discussing this bird.

Posted by: Elspeth 07-Feb-2004, 11:54 AM
QUOTE (ravenmaker @ Feb 6 2004, 11:25 AM)
Oh, Yeah. Also the Raven is a symbol of the Norse Chief god Odin. I think he may have appeared in the form of a raven from time to time.

Kind of interesting that on a Celtic site that most people referenced Native Americans when discussing this bird.

Probably because a great many of us are Americans. biggrin.gif
Thanks for giving information from another source.


Posted by: Angel Whitefang (Rider) 11-Mar-2004, 11:58 AM
QUOTE (Shadows @ Jan 19 2004, 07:38 PM)
The crow/raven forbodes death, instability, fertility, sexuality and doom.
It is how the bird is seen and where that are it's telling characters.

One should not try to put associations on natural things until they have studied all that apply.



It depends on what culture you look at it from. The Raven also symbolizes Prosperity, Good Fortune, Long life, Good Luck and a myriad of other "GOOD" Things for people.


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