JUNE 2005 GODDESS OF THE MONTH

Spider Woman is an important goddess among many southwestern Native American tribes. Though occasionally destructive, she is nearly always portrayed as beneficent. The Keresan Spider Woman created everything there is by thinking, dreaming, or naming; she taught the people how to plant seeds. Cherokee Grandmother spider brought people the sun and fire; she taught them pottery, weaving, and how to make ceremonial blessings.

SpiderWoman is responsible for bringing fire among the Pueblo, Tewa, and Kiwa tribes. A spider woman named Biliku, found in the Indian subcontinent, also brought fire and light. For the Hopi, Spider Woman is a creator who helped the people during their emergence, created the moon, has the power to give and take life, and is connected to hunting and agriculture.

Spider Woman is a reminder that good comes from everywhere. Even the lowly spider, sometimes dismissed as irrelevant, has the power to create and teach.

From GODDESS KNOWLEDGE CARDS,
Susan Eleanor Boulet Trust.
Text by Michael Babcock.
Published by Pomegranate
Box 6099, Rohnert Park, California 94927