Native American Myths & Legends: Love

Long ago, the Plains Indians observed the bull elk as a courageous and magnificent figure - he had a large harem, he was willing to fight to the death to protect his mates, and his cows loved him…and so it was that the Elk became a symbol of love and passion.

Elk Power
The Elk Dreamers (those who have visions of the elk) were renowned for their gifts of spiritual power to combat bad spirits and to generate strong emotions - the bull elk, the animal embodiment of these qualities, was the creature responsible for all their power.

Elk Dreamers were believed to be givers of the healing medicine of love. They were often consulted concerning matters of the heart and highly regarded for their knowledge concerning passion and desire.

The mysterious Elk Men & the Love Flute
In many Native American legends, a mysterious group of men known as the “Elk Men” play an important role in many sacred ceremonies - the Elk Men are often credited with the creation of the first flute, an instrument used by young men to captivate women.

These magical flutes (when armed with the magical music of love) have been said to be so powerful that a girl, upon hearing the melody, would become so overwhelmed that she would leave her tipi...and following the gentle sound, end up in the arms of her lover.

Symbols of masculinity
The noble Elk was also associated with masculinity, endurance, and bravery.

Men often showed their hunting prowess by making the Elk's eyeteeth into jewelry for their special girls or by gifting the teeth to their wives to decorate their dresses - this also symbolized everlasting devotion and permanence, as elk ivory does not decay or deteriorate with time.