Kleis' Random Podcast: Recent Episodes
Wadjanapa Itthipoowadol
Hello, and welcome to Kleis' Random Podcast, Podcast number 2. Today, I will be talking about the movie: Enola Holmes. You can find the rest of the transcript at http://wadjanapa.weebly.com.
Hello and welcome to Kleis’ random podcast, a podcast where I talk about random things, podcast number one. Today, I will be talking about the many depictions of crows and ravens throughout a few different mythologies. I will be using the words crow and raven interchangeably, as some cultures don’t distinguish between them.
In some mythologies, crows and ravens were seen as bad luck. In some tales in Welsh mythology, for example, the raven is a bringer of death. Witches and sorcerers were believed to be able to transform themselves into ravens or crows to avoid capture. The bad reputation of the witches were applied to ravens and crows as well. You can still find crows and ravens in many modern drawings of witches and sorcerers. The crow is seen by many as a bad omen.
In other mythologies, crows and ravens are seen as a symbol of intelligence. In Native American mythology, the crow was seen as an intelligent creature. Depending on the tribe, there were different beliefs about the crow. Some tribes believed that the crow was a trickster, while others believed that that the crow was associated with the creation of the world and are the ones responsible for bringing fire to mankind. In Norse mythology, Odin, the king of gods and the god of wisdom, was often represented by two crows. So, crows are known by some people as intelligent beings.
Another way that crows and ravens are depicted is that they are used as a method of divination, which means ‘the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers.' In Greek mythology, crows were a symbol of Apollo, the god of prophecies. Greeks and Romans would do divinations using birds. They would interpret messages based on the bird’s color and direction of flight. A crow flying in from the east or south was considered favorable. There are other cultures that also interpret messages based on crows and ravens.
To conclude, crows and ravens can be seen as many different things. From omens of bad luck to symbols of wisdom, there are many interpretations of the crow. You’re listening to Kleis' random podcast number 1. It’s been a pleasure.