(Shumak'olo:wa)

Ask Zunis about 'Dragonfly' (Shumak'olo:wa) and they will tell you that Dragonfly is the messenger who carries prayers to Spirit World. The double-winged form of Dragonfly is sometimes referred to as the “Pueblo Cross.” Dragonfly is recognized as a sign of water, which is where this remarkable creature lays its eggs. Where there is Dragonfly, there is water; where there is water, there is life. Dragonfly is a skilled aerial acrobat, and like the mind, can move quickly in any given direction to accomplish its goal. Being mindful of dragonfly can help us guide us to our own positive and transcendent goals. The lovely, often-iridescent colors of the wings remind us that the mundane existence that we commonly accept as the only reality may be an illusion.