Pelican Symbolism

The pelican is a large waterbird known for its distinctive throat pouch used for catching fish. But beyond its unique appearance, the pelican is rich in symbolic meaning across cultures and spiritual traditions. This guide will explore the extensive symbolism behind the pelican to help you understand the deeper significance of this bird.

Overview of Pelican Symbolism

For centuries, the pelican has been a source of fascination and mythical lore. Here are some of the common symbolic interpretations of the pelican:

• Sacrifice and selflessness – Pelicans are known to pierce their chest to feed their young with blood in times of famine. This is seen as Christ-like self-sacrifice.
• Resurrection and renewal – The legend of the mother pelican wounding itself to revive its young with its blood parallels resurrection.
• Abundance and provision – The large throat pouch of pelicans allows them to catch fish in abundance to provide for their young, symbolic of material abundance.
• Reflection and solitude – Floating solitary on the ocean waves evoke introspection and inner wisdom.

However, pelican symbolism also has many nuances based on cultural context as we will explore.

Pelican Symbolism in Christianity

In Christianity, the pelican represents sacrifice and resurrection. An old myth that parent pelicans wound themselves to feed their young with their blood when food is scarce led to its Christ-like connotations¹.

The pelican’s actions mirror Jesus sacrificing himself and shedding his blood to give life to his followers. As one of the Passion symbols, the pelican thus came to epitomize the Eucharist or Holy Communion in medieval Europe.

Some ways the pelican symbol is used in Christianity:

• Represented in religious paintings and architecture to depict Jesus’ sacrifice
• Used in heraldry and family crests to indicate belief in Christ’s resurrection
• Serves as a symbolic motif for Catholic and Anglican churches

For instance, a pelican feeding her young is carved into many altarpieces to evoke parallels between Christ’s sacrifice and the Eucharist ceremony.

Pelican Symbolism in Ancient Egypt

The pelican had unique symbolic importance in Ancient Egyptian mythology as well:

• Associated with death and the afterlife Egyptians observed pelicans stab their chest with their beak to feed their young. This resembled the life-after-death beliefs central to Egyptian spirituality.
• The blood from the mother pelican’s chest was thought to bring the dead young back to life, much like the reviving nature of blood offerings made in Egyptian rituals.
• Signified protection – pelicans were believed to protect the deceased due to being buried together in excavated tombs.
• Represented maternal qualities – the pelican’s care for its young made it symbolic of Isis and other mother goddesses.

Overall, the pelican’s tendency to closely guard its young informed its protective symbolism in Ancient Egypt.

Pelican Symbolism in Buddhism and Hinduism

Pelican Symbolism in Mythology

Various mythological traditions also highlight the pelican’s symbolic significance:

• In a Choctaw legend, the pelican was sent by the Great Spirit to prevent a famine. Its large bill could carry fish enough to feed the tribe. Here, the pelican became a savior symbol².
• Greek mythology states that a pelican mother killed her young and then resurrected them with her blood, linking it to themes of sacrifice and rebirth.
• Aboriginal mythology identifies the pelican as a Firestarter who stole flames from other parts of the world to start the fire of their tribe. The pelican’s red-tinged chest represents this fire.

Symbolic Meanings Based on Pelican Behavior

Beyond legends and myths, the observable behavior of pelicans also informs symbolic interpretations:

• Pelicans frequently stab their chests with their beaks to keep cool. Seeing this, people may associate them with sacrifice and self-harm.
• Pelicans living in groups evoke community, while solitary floating conveys introspection.
• Because pelicans plunge straight down into the water and emerge triumphantly with fish, they suggest determination.
• Their large throat pouches that can store up to 3 gallons of fish allude to abundance and prosperity.

Changes in Pelican Symbolism Over Time

There has been a shift in pelican symbolism from the Middle Ages to modern times:

• During the Middle Ages, pelicans chiefly embodied Christ-like sacrifice and resurrection in Europe due to religious connotations.
• Conversely, pelicans today are secular symbols of traits like nurturing, community, abundance, and environmentalism.
• Earlier masculine warrior associations have been replaced with feminine nurturing qualities.
• Once revered in heraldry and Christianity, pelican imagery is now used for conservation efforts.

Cultural Variations in Meaning

Pelican symbolism varies across cultures:

• Native American tribes applied different totems to the pelican – from a Rain Bringer to a Death Bird.
• Australian aboriginal clans viewed them as Firestarters who brought the flame to mankind.
• Ancient Peruvians saw the pelican as capable of unleashing storms due to its association with rainfall.
• In America today, the pelican predominantly symbolizes Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico.

So while sacrifice and renewal resonate globally, other interpretations reveal cultural relativism.

Practical Applications of Pelican Symbolism

Once you understand the layered significance of the pelican, you can apply its wisdom practically:

• Reflect on whether you need to revive any ‘dormant’ parts of yourself.
• Examine ways you can balance individual needs with caring for your ‘flock’ or community.
• Tap into the pelican’s determination and resilience in the face of challenges.
• Practice prudence and budgeting of your resources as the pelican does.
• Allow times of solitude amid group endeavors to reconnect spiritually.

Interpretations of Pelicans in Dreams and Literature

Like other animal symbols, pelicans also emerge with symbolic meaning in dreams and literature:

Pelican Dream Symbolism

Pelicans in dreams suggest:

• A need to sacrifice more to nurture others. Or conversely, that you are sacrificing too much.
• Introspection is required for inner healing and renewal.
• Facing a loss but emerging renewed after a difficult phase, like the pelican legend.
• Preparing for a phase of abundance and prosperity ahead.

Pay close attention to what the pelican is doing and how you feel in the dream.

Symbolic Use of Pelicans in Literature

Famous literary usages of pelican symbolism include:

• John Milton’s Paradise Lost compares Satan to a “foul and ominous bird of night”, believed to be the pelican. This gives it connotations of darkness and evil.
• Shakespeare references the pelican’s beak wounding her breast in Hamlet, emphasizing themes of sacrifice.
• Percy Shelley’s poem “The Pelican” depicts it as a suffering mother figure who ultimately abandons her young, reflecting grief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In closing, the pelican is a multidimensional symbol rooted in its unique appearance and legends across belief systems. But regardless of specific cultural interpretations, it universally represents themes of sacrifice, community, abundance, and solitude with nuanced meaning. Understanding the pelican’s symbolism provides deeper insight into human nature and spiritual concepts.

1. https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/the-symbolism-of-the-pelican.html [↩]
2. https://www.native-languages.org/legends-pelican.htm [↩]