Badger: Pagan Symbol of Aggression
The Animal Is Also a Subject of Lore and Urban Legends
Badgers’ symbolism varies within the culture the animal is found; however, the behavior of the animal remains the same. In lore, her tooth is considered attracting good fortune.
The Badger
These solitary animals, native to America, Europe, Asia and Africa, are most active at night and, for the most part, inactive during winter. They aren’t true hibernators, but have cycles of languor that normally last up to 29 hours and only come out of their dens on warm winter days.
Badgers are aggressive, fierce, tenacious hunters. They have powerful forelegs which enable them to dig through earth easily and swiftly to capture their prey, their primary method of hunting. Their quarries are ground squirrels, pocket gophers, prairie dogs, rabbits, marmots, wood and kangaroo rats, voles, mice, lizards, ground nesting birds, insects, fish, amphibians and hibernating skunks. They will eat carrion, honeycombs and some vegetables.
Their predators are humans, bobcats, cougars, golden eagles, coyotes, grey wolves and bears. Strangely, badgers and coyotes have been observed hunting in a seemingly cooperative manner. Badgers can dig rodents out of burrows, but can’t run them down effectively. Coyotes can run rodents down, but can’t easily dig them out of their dens. Both animals benefit by each other’s skills, so they tolerate one another. They have also been seen engaging in playful behavior with each other.
Symbolism of Badger
Native Americans’ keynote for Badger is aggressiveness. This is a totem for many powerful medicine women. Badger is keeper of medicinal roots. She has wisdom of things beneath the earth including plants, herbs and minerals. She is symbolic of bold self reliance and self expression and keeper of stories. Her zenith of power is late spring.
Badger’s other attributes, varying in the culture's traditions, are confidence, wisdom, perseverance, determination, cunning, independence, focus, strategy, protection, tenacity, strong will, protection, eagerness, earth magick and defense.
In Europe, she is deemed to be a weather prophet. The Chinese see her as a lunar yin animal, mischievous, playful and a shape-shifter. In Japan, she is a rice spirit, providing the grain and helping the crops grow.
Lore and Killer Badger Urban Legends
Carrying a badger’s tooth attracts luck.
Gypsies and gamblers believe a badger’s tooth brings money from winning bets.
Some hunters believed that, when a badger bit people, it wouldn’t let go until it heard bones crack, so they wore two pairs of hunt boots. There was charcoal between the boots. When the animal bit, it would hear the wood cracking and let go.
Killer badgers are critters that figure in urban legends from Basra, Iraq. One is that British troops released these animals near Basra following the 2003 invasion. The British denied this.
In 2007, the rumor was that American troops released killer badgers to terrorize the people. This was also denied.
Both urban legends agree that the killer badgers attacked people and livestock. Scientists identified the animal as a ratel or honey badger, which, while rare in Basra, inhabits southern Iraq. A high ranking administrator of a veterinary college believes the ratels most likely migrated to the area because of efforts to re-flood the marshland near Basra that Saddam Hussein drained as part of his campaign against the Marsh Arabs. Another prominent veterinarian noted the animal had been sighted in the area prior to the urban legends.
Related articles:
Coyote, Pagan Symbol: Trickster
Otter: Pagan Symbolism and a Legend
Sources:
Animal Magick, D. J. Conway, (Llewellyn Publications, 1996)
Animal-Speak, Ted Andrews, (Llewellyn Publications, 2002)
Favorite Animals of North America, Will Barker, (Portland House, 1987)
The Medicine Cards, Jamie Sams & David Carson, (Bear & Company, 1988)
