COMMON CRANE (EURASIAN CRANE): Knowledge

A tall, elegant Bird, Common Crane breeds in secluded wetlands of Northern Europe. During the breeding season, He and his Family keep Themselves secluded from other Common Cranes. Whilst nesting, Common Crane’s Family covers their bodies with mud to hide from the others.

During migration, Common Crane returns to the same nesting spot with his Mate. Traveling in large flocks, Common Crane and his Friends fly in a “V”. Flying with his long neck and head straight out, He looks like an alphabet letter in the sky.

The Ancient Greeks once used the migration of Common Crane as their calendar. When He arrived in the spring, it was the start of their New Year. After Common Crane left in the autumn, it was time to bring in their boats from the sea.

Lore among the early Europeans tells of Common Crane inspiring the Gods to invent writing. For the Greek, Hermes, the God of Communication, saw Common Crane flying over Crete. He formed the Greek letters from the Common Crane flocks flying across the sky. Meanwhile, Oghma of the Irish created the Oghams (the stick alphabet) from watching Common Crane.

In addition, Common Crane was associated with hidden knowledge and prophecy. Apollo, the Greek God of poets and seers, often took the form of Common Crane when He moved amongst the humans. Among the Irish, Druids carried Crane bags, which were emblems of their arcane knowledge.

Through the years, Common Crane has guided people seeking to deepen their knowledge. He brought auguries to people to foretell the future. Common Crane inspired the creation of ancient alphabets. In fact, the Irish viewed Him as the Guardian of Magical Alphabets. Let Common Crane inspire you to your pursuit of knowledge.

BROLGA (NATIVE CONPANION): Dance

Found in Australia and New Guinea, Brolga is famous for her intricate and stately dancing. According local Australian lore, Brolga was named for a woman who was an exquisite dancer. She was transformed into a crane after she rejected all of her suitors. (“Brogla” is the shortened version of “Burralga” (from Gamilaraay) the official name.)

Within her flock, Brolga keeps to her small family. Each Brolga flock is actually a collective of families. However, when one Bird takes off, the others in the flock will follow suit. The whole group of Birds seems to move on the whim of only one Bird.

Brolga uses her dancing to bond with her Mate. She lines up opposite to Him, and begins stepping about with her wings half open. Bobbing and bowing, the two Cranes then stop and trumpet to each other. Sometimes They will jump, run, and throw sticks up in the air. At other times, the whole flock will dance together for no reason.

Dancing is an important way for people to express themselves. By moving your body, you can convey joy, sadness, and love. Brolga dances to deepen her bond with her mate. Learn the art of the dance from Brolga, and dance for no reason at all.
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CRANE FAMILY: Sacred Gifts

As one of the oldest groups of Birds, the Crane Family dates back to the Paleocene Era. For thousands of years, the beauty and grace of these Birds have inspired peoples and civilizations. From instilling sacred knowledge to inspiring speech, Cranes have always been a part of human cultures.

Scientists divide Cranes into two sub-families, the Balearicae and Gruinae. The Crowned Cranes comprise the Balearicae. These living fossils of the Crane Family are found only in Africa. Moreover, Crowned Cranes are the only Cranes who roost in trees.

Meanwhile, the Gruinae includes the typical Cranes; this sub-family is further divided into three groups (Genus). The Grus group is the typical Cranes that most people are familiar with. The Blue and Demoiselle Cranes (the Anthropoides) prefer dry grasslands and semi-arid areas instead of the usual marshes. Meanwhile, the Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is the only member of the Bugeranus Group. This Crane has a long bill, black legs and toes.

One custom that people notice about Cranes is what They do at dawn. Various pairs of Cranes will announce their territory with a unison call. Then, their neighbors will respond with their own calls. In the early morning, the grasslands and wetlands resound with the calls of Crane pairs. This dawn ritual is done to deepen the bonds of each pair.

The stateliness and elegance of Cranes have inspired people throughout the ages. In Asia, Sarus Crane is the symbol of marital fidelity. Meanwhile in China and Japan, Red-Crowned Crane represented happiness. Since They were messengers of the Gods, Demoiselle Cranes were places on Egyptian tombs. According to the Bambara of Africa, Crested Crane gave birth to speech. For the ancient Irish, Common Crane inspired Oghma to create the Ogham alphabets.

Cranes have given people many wonderful things. Their sacred gifts include beauty, happiness, immortality, love, loyalty, piety, and purity. These are suitable gifts that we can all possess and give to others. Let Cranes be your guide to holy things.
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Cranes

"In Eastern tradition, a pair of cranes symbolizes love in a harmonious, lifelong relaitonship. While one bird rests, the other stands on guard. Meditate on the cranes' perfect balance of mutual attentiveness, and let this inspire you and your partner to make a long and happy life together."
From One Spirit date book.