Bears: Masters of the Forest

The "Spirit Names" by which bears have been addressed indicate the human respect they have commanded throughout the ages. According to bears.org, these names include the following:  Divine One Who Rules the Mountains (Ainu), Great Man (Siberian), Master of the Forest (Lapp), Holy Animal (Lapp), Owner of the Earth (Siberian), Pride of the Woodlands (Finn), Worthy Old Man (Ural Altaic), and Venerable One (Vogul).

Bears.org emphasizes that bears were often viewed with great reverence.  The English word "beserk" is derived from a Scandinavian legend in which bear-skin shirts (called bear-sarks) were donned by warriors so that they would "gain the strength, stamina, and power of the animal."  An Ancient Greek legend tells of Callisto being transformed into a bear as punishment by Hera for bearing her husband Zeus' child Arcas (whose very name is derived

from the Greek word for "bear" – Arctos).  Arcas was a hunter, and wound up shooting  Callisto (not knowing that this bear was actually his mother).   Zeus took pity on both mother and son at that point, and changed Callisto and Arcas into Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, "the two great bear constellations."

Reverence for bears has long been associated with a healthy amount of respect for what they are capable of.  When their presence or turf is not treated with the utmost of care, the results can be catastrophic.  A thorough knowledge of safety tips is recommended for those who might encounter these Masters of the Forest while visiting their domain.

Resources

http://www.bears.org/spirit/names.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America

http://usscouts.org/safety/safe-bear.asp#General_Bear_Safety

Copyright August 28, 2012 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved