60 pages • 2 hours read
The Hummingbird's Daughter
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Symbols & Motifs
Hummingbirds
The hummingbirds that appear throughout the novel serve as a motif for The Union of Catholic and Indigenous Spirituality. A hummingbird carries deep significance in Mexican culture, and the birds frequently appear in Teresita’s dreams and visit her in real life. For the Aztecs, hummingbirds were associated with being a good warrior, and the hummingbird itself was the primary symbol for the god Huitzilopochtli. The hummingbird therefore carries significance in Indigenous traditions in Mexico and is supplemented by its connection to God in the Catholic faith. As Huila explains, “[The hummingbird] is the messenger. He brings messages from Heaven to us on earth. And he carries our requests to the ear of God” (97). Because of the bird’s role as a messenger from God, Teresita views hummingbirds with reverence and feels connected to God through them. The hummingbird’s place in Aztec culture also endures, and its legacy still influences Huila and Teresita’s beliefs. The bird also has significant Indigenous importance and is connected to several deities. With Catholicism sweeping across Mexico, that connection becomes a part of Catholic faith as well. Therefore, the significance of the hummingbirds in the text is designed to emphasize its dual importance in Catholic and Indigenous spirituality.
Bees
The bees symbolize the underlying tension of revolution caused by the government’s violation of Indigenous land rights. Tomás is first attracted to bees because of their sense of community and hardworking nature. Tomás discusses his admiration of bees with Aguirre, asserting, “Bees […] are hard workers—they certainly work harder than these lazy bastards that work for me. They are brave as [Indigenous] warriors” (232-33). He speaks of their unity and bravery and believes that they are better than humans. Combined with Aguirre’s opinions of revolution, Tomás’s perception of the bees can be compared to Teresita’s interactions with her pilgrims. When the story of Teresita spreads, pilgrims descend on Cabora, seeking her counsel and healing talents. In a sense, she becomes a queen, and they are her worker bees, spreading her word. This unity makes the Díaz government believe that she will instigate a revolt, and they therefore seek to destroy both her and the pilgrims. Teresita is the queen bee, and under her guidance and preaching, there is new hope for resistance against the widespread government abuse of Indigenous land rights.
Roses
The scent of roses that Teresita exudes upon gaining her healing powers represents her holiness and her growing status as a living saint. In Catholicism, there are many stories of saints who smell of roses, particularly after their deaths. In this belief system, the scent of roses is a means by which sanctity can be identified; its presence is therefore seen as an endorsement of the saint’s holiness. The importance of this scent is known to the pilgrims at Cabora, and when Teresita begins to smell of roses, they belief that her sainthood is confirmed. The scent only begins when she returns from the dead, after speaking to God and returning with incredible healing powers. Her death, resurrection, and claims of a relationship with God make her a saint in the eyes of the pilgrims.
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By Luis Alberto Urrea
