Achiyalabopa
by Ralf Rohner
Title
Achiyalabopa
Artist
Ralf Rohner
Medium
Photograph
Description
Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I meet strange creatures. One of the strangest ever was Achiyalabopa.
Never heard of him? Achiyalabopa is the Zuni Pueblo people’s huge bird god of the sky. However, until these days, Achiyalabopa remains mysterious. The only things known are that he has rainbow colored wings with feathers made of knives and a razor sharp bill. Furthermore, some think that this celestial creature might be attributed to the whole of creation.
It is said that Achiyalabopa can kill people who show him no respect, but I found him a very kind and well-tempered beast with a fine sense of humor. When I asked him who he was, he just told me his name. Upon my insistence, he explained that he was a brother of the more famous Thunderbird and a far cousin of the Phoenix and the Hindu Eagle King Sadayu. Of course this all seemed fantastical, but when I saw him shouldering the whole universe, I immediately knew he was telling the truth.
I inquired what he was doing. With amusement in his eyes, Achiyalabopa asked if it wasn’t obvious that he was lifting Milky Way higher into the sky so that the demons of the night couldn’t catch it or maybe for those nightscape photographers to be able to capture it better...
I had the feeling he was telling me to mind my own business and I therefore asked if I was allowed to take a picture of him. He stared down at me for a long time and finally said that it better be a good one, because some said he was irascible and as vain as a peacock. “Peacock?” I exclaimed, ”The brother of the Thunderbird can’t be a peacock!” Achiyalabopa let out a thunderous laughter that proved his brotherhood beyond any doubt.
When I was done, Achiyalabopa warned me that people would call me a nut who was talking to rocks, if I ever told this story. Imagine my surprise when I checked my images the other day and found that my RAWs just showed a bird-like rock, instead of my new acquaintance Achiyalabopa…
Uploaded
October 8th, 2017
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