SPIDER WOMAN

Southwestern Native American

In the beginning, there was the dark purple light at the dawn of being. Spider Woman spun a line to form the east, west, north, and south. Breath entered man at the time of the yellow light. At the time of the red light, man proudly faced his creator.

Spider Woman used the clay of the earth, red, yellow, white, and black, to create people. To each she attached a thread of her web which came from the doorway at the top of her head. This thread was the gift of creative wisdom. Three times she sent a great flood to destroy those who had forgotten the gift of her thread. Those who remembered floated to the new world and climbed to safety through the Sipapu Pole the womb of Mother Earth.

Spider Woman had two daughters, Ut Set, the mother of the Pueblo people. She formed the sun and gave her people the gift of the sun. Nau Ut Set formed the moon and was the mother of all others. She gave the gift of prayer sticks.

After the sun and moon were formed, it was still too dark. Spider Woman formed the Star People with clear crystal for eyes. She also gave the people Eagle feathers for their hair to remind them to keep the door open to her gift of creative wisdom.

Spider Woman is also Thought Woman or Creation Thinker Woman. As she thinks, so are we. The Spirit is all -- it flows in and out of everything -- it embraces the earth -- it encompasses the universe. It is the earth. It is the universe. Spirit is universal.

The designs on the dresses are taken from Arachnids.

SYMBOLS

1. Ut Set - Golden Silk Spider (Nephila clavipis). The Golden Silk Spider spins a web similar to the sun's rays. (The sun)

2. Spider Woman - Nursery Web Spider (Pisaurina mura). The female constructs her web, then watching over and guarding the egg sac until hatched.

3. Nau Ut Set - Selenopid Crab Spider (family Selenopidae). Active in dim light and darkness. It runs sideways very rapidly. (The moon)