Hummingbirds

We are now offering these exquisite life-size hummingbirds, fully beaded and hand crafted by Maya Indians.  The Mayans who create these incredibly beautiful objects of art are from the region around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.  The word "atitlan" in Mayan means "the place where the rainbow gets its colors".  Lake Atitlan is a volcanic lake and is surrounded by three volcanoes.  It is known as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.  Their work is produced under the principles of fair trade.

There are seven species native to the Mayan country.  They have a legend of the about a young chief who was protected by a hummingbird but is killed by his jealous uncle and then transformed into a quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala which is also a symbol of freedom. 

In Native American symbolism, it is known as a spirit messenger, the soul carrier and the sun-kisser.  It has a very powerful spiritual significance.  In the Andes of South America they believe it is a symbol of resurrection. It seems to die on cold nights, but comes back to life again at sunrise. There are many other recognized spiritual significances. For more in-depth information, see this website and Wikipedia. 

You will be amazed at the splendor of these beaded hummingbirds.  Hang them in a window where the sunlight can light up the rainbow of colors in the beads.