kōtuku: crossing the veil

The bird you see is the white heron, or kōtuku, in te reo Māori. I grew up on the lakes and ponds of Dakota lands (Minnesota) where we called it an egret. As a child, I saw these spindle-legged birds smoothly creep through the shallow pond waters behind my home. You could see their snowy white bodies at a distance. It was always a special and remarkable treat to spot one from the kitchen window.

The egret was solitary. I could see it pick up it’s long, slender feet out of the water in slow-motion, plotting every step deliberately. And then - suddenly - it would startle, quickly expanding its 1.5m wingspan and take to the air, elegantly gliding across the sky. Or it would strike like a flash, using its long, pointed beak to skewer a small fish for lunch.

Here in Aotearoa (New Zealand), the kōtuku is said to symbolize all that is rare and beautiful. It is believed to be able to cross the thin veil between the physical and spiritual realms and act as a guide for those who have completed their earthly journey. And that is another reason why the kōtuku has been chosen to represent within/without. Not only is the egret something that inspires awe, it is a symbol of integration between the physical, psychological, and spiritual. It reminds us of the multi-dimensionality of who we are as humans.