Mąʼii (coyote) - Mesa Verde National Park, CO

DAY 6
TUES 2 OCT 2012

Coyote stole the stars laid out by First Man and scattered them, willy nilly, across the heavens. Yet, from Coyote's mischievous behavior, changes came about that made life better. From Coyote's foolishness, mortals gained wisdom, learned what, and what not, to do.

Coyote is a prominent figure in Native American lore and mythology. The Navajo regard coyote as a trickster - mischievous, cunning, alert.

Both sacred and profane, Coyote gives birth to mischief and promise, he is a deceiver, but also a deliverer of good. Through his actions, change becomes possible; and change, through good and bad, brings newness and breaks conformity.
- Gerald Hausman, The Gift of the Gila Monster, Navajo Ceremonial Tales; 1993