[November 22nd, 2004] Bat

An animal visible in the shadows of the shining moon is the bat - symbol of this week.

The bat is a creature of the night, a fact that deeply has influenced its symbolic value - at least in western culture. In Tonga, West Africa and Bosnia the bat is sacred, and is often considered the physical manifestation of a separable soul. Among some native americans the bat is a trickster spirit and Chinese lore claims the bat to be a symbol of longevity and happiness. Bats are also a symbol of ghosts, death and disease. One of the reasons for this terrifying symbolic meaning could be that some of the bats feed on blood.

In South America there are 3 bat species that feeds on blood. They are called vampire bats - named after a legend. A vampire is said to be able to shapeshift into bats, fogs and wolves. Our most famous vampire, Dracula, for example, could turn into mist or a bat. In the novel by Bram Stoker Jonathan Harker (Draculas original name) could transform even in daylight. It was when the movie Nosferatu came that this abilty was transferred to the dark of the night.

When this world we live in gets too evil it seems that someone has the urge to invent a good creature as a counterpart. In 1939 Bob Kane (some say together with Bill Finger) invented The Bat-Man, today known as Batman, a fictional character to make this world a better place. With his ally Robin, he prevents crime and together they try to stop their persistent enemies from doing harm. Best known of these supervillians are The Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin and The Riddler.

Middle age saint Hildegard von Bingen reffered bats to a bird species flying in the night when mankind is asleep. She gave us a recipe for curing jaundice. Pierce a bat gently enough to keep it alive. First tie it back to back to the sick, and shortly after tie it on the abdomen until it dies. The illnes was supposed to leave the patient and enter the bat, to die with it.

The bat is a multifacetted animal. With interpretations varying from the western worlds nasty creatures that gets tangled into peoples hair, throughout South Americas bloodsucking vampires to China where its name fu sounds like their word for happiness. Ending with african myths where the bat is especially wise because it does not fly into anything, not even at night.