Totems: Seagull

Seagulls are often thought of as nuisances and since the coming of Finding Nemo the idea of seagulls repeating “Mine.” came to shine.

Scavenging is also a lesson, the seagull teaches that scavenging can be useful. Scavenging itself is usually frowned upon, yet can help in various ways. People do throw things out and the saying “one’s man trash is another mans treasure” goes well with this.

The lesson of not feeling guilty also goes with the lesson of scavenging. The seagull teaches that one shouldn’t feel guilty about taking things off others hands or being an opportunist, that it is okay to do so.

The seagull teaches the power of perseverance and endurance. It is the seagull who keeps on going and it is important for one to try to keep going on, to stay determined and strong. Seagulls are also thought of to not only be very perseverant with trying to get food when there is an opportunity, but also to keep going despite injury. It is the teaching of the seagull to keep on being perseverant despite injury, and it is the seagull who will keep going despite injury.
Interestingly, seagulls are commonly told that the very birds themselves lose legs from being caught in fishing nets and from large fish biting them off.

Opportunism is yet another lesson, and an interesting one. It is the seagull that will eat just about anything and it is seagulls that ate locusts threatening to destroy crops in California sometime in 1849, stopping the invasion of locusts that occurred. Opportunism doesn’t just have to be about food, it can be about taking the chance of doing something new.

Seagulls teach of building relationships based off of fairness and respect. Teaching how fairness and respect is very much needed.

As for offerings, anything edible could be offered especially small fish, it depends what is enjoyed. Seagulls are known to eat almost anything as mentioned earlier, leaving much  to be potentially offered.