Desi(s)

Native American Folklore

Since ancient times Yaqui people have worshipped Toad believing that Toad holds the power to bring the rain. Rain that brings renewal, the rebirth of life to the desert they inhabit. Yaqui elders pray to Toad, asking for rain.

Every year desert monsoons bring Toad from his underworld hibernation to earth’s surface to feed and breed in the temporary pools created by these hard rains, before returning to the comfort of his underground world for another year. To Yaqui people Toad is symbolic of life’s renewal.

In one renewal ceremony, some Yaqui men will sing to celebrate life’s renewal, the coming of the rain, while others mimic Toads mating dance.

Yaqui people tell the story of how Bobok the Toad saved the world. They say that long ago Yaqui people were suffering through a terrible drought. Water holes dried up, so did old wells and crops shriveled up and died. To break this drought Yaqui elders sent Bobok to speak to Yuku the spirit of rain who lived in the Sky World. Bobok borrowed a set of bat wings to make the journey. Bobok was successful and convinced Yuku to send rain down to Yaqui people. As long as Bobok continued to sing (croak) the rain would continue to fall, if he stopped so would the rain. Singing all the way down, Bobok made it safely to the Yaqui lands and so did the rain. Since that time the toads have multiplied, and whenever they sing, the rain comes looking for the toads to bless the earth with water.