A couple of days ago nature photographer Kurt Lolo of Lolo Pics shared a photo that he gave a wonderfully poetic title : " The Tapestry of Suspended Pearls ". It is a photograph of an abandoned spiderweb on which the sun and its lights has left an abundance of water drops scattered like a shiny treasure left there by a distracted and fugitive fairy. The spiderweb is very dense, and very capable in supporting the weight of the water drops that in fact do give the impression of being pearls suspended on the tapestry that became for them the spiderweb. It is a magnificent spectacle, that makes one dream on the magical power that nature is able to have on our imagination.
There are two actors in this captivating scene : the bright water drops and the hospitable spiderweb. The absence of the spider merits nevertheless a well deserved inquiry into the qualities of the artisan responsible for this beautiful tapestry that allows this impressive exhibit of her abilities as a weaver. A measure of spider silk has a strength 5 times the resistance of steel. Water weighs one kilo gram per liter. The water drops suspended like pearls on the spiderweb in the photo of Kurt Lolo is in this sense a proof of the talents of the spider, of whom the world of humans continues to try and repeat her competence as a craftswoman without equal. The spider is a fascinating animal and it is worth it to suppress a certain aversion and repugnance towards her, because of her rather dubious appearance, with all those hairy and sharp legs and poisonous bite, and deadly speed, as know the people of the Native American tribes of the Great Plains of the United States. The cultures of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people are the 3 main divisions of the Sioux tribes that inhabited the Great Plains states of Minnesota, to the east of Montana and Saskatchewan in Canada, up to the state of Nebraska. Today, these tribes live mostly on reservations in the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Montana. In the mythology of the Lakota and Dakota cultures, the spider has a prestigious place as an important totemic symbol. A totem is defined as a natural object or animal that is esteemed to have a specific significance in a particular culture and is adopted by it as an emblem, that is to say a symbol representing an idea or quality specific to that culture. The spider is a spirit guide valued by the Dakota and the Lakota for its intelligence, its craftsmanship, and is considered as representing feminine power in nature and the universe. The persons who have the spider as their animal spirit are perceived as possessing a capacity for creative acts, for creating things that are delicate, complex, and also strong. As the weaver of her webs, the spider is considered a symbol of the spirit of creation, and is seen as an ancient symbol of mystery, power and growth. The beautiful picture of Kurt Lolo with its enchanting title is in that sense an example of the talent of the spider, that the beauty of the heavy water drops held up in suspension by the spiderweb, testifies to. The quality of strength of the spiderweb was honored in the culture of the Lakota and Dakota among their warriors, that wore the symbol of the spider as a design on their body and armour, convinced that the symbol was sufficient to counteract all wounds inflicted by arrows and bullets, since the spiderweb can survive for the most part intact the penetration on the part of those projectiles, and that this way they would be equally protected through the symbolic presence of this powerful spirit animal.
The spider is also considered in these Native American cultures as having the power of words, of communication, and that one can call upon its magical powers when one feels trapped. The spider is seen as having the ability to stir up the deepest spirit and to understand a sense of connection and integration on all levels. The spider is also considered a trickster, dangerous when crossed, or contradicted. In those moments, the spider becomes deadly and its reprisals merciless and quick. As she is an agile weaver, her talents as an animal spirit guide can also be directed towards the invocation of trickery, secret and mystery, and in this way the spider is seen as an excellent ambassador for difficult and complex conflicts that benefit from the art of strategic dissimulation.
The spider often works in the shadows, the darkness, and it is only when the light hits the craftsmanship of her elaborate and perfect webs, that the beauty of her efforts are revealed. The photo of Kurt Lolo carries in this manner also a beautiful spiritual message, that is often relevant when it comes to the effort of the life of an artist : often an artist will work in obscurity, and it takes a lot of courage, energy and determination and also a measure of good fortune, in order for the world to finally see the value and the beauty of these efforts. The tapestry of suspended pearls is a beautiful metaphor for courage, and the importance of persistence when it comes to the pursuit of our dreams. The idea of having the help of a powerful animal spirit guide like the savvy and ingenious spider is perhaps an advantage worthy of consideration.
Trudi Ralston
The research on the cultures of the Sioux tribes, on the spider and her symbolism in the Dakota and Lakota cultures, and also on spiderwebs, courtesy of Wikipedia.
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