Represents destiny and crossing to a new life. The sun and moon give light, and people end up in the dark when they lack sight. No one knows what lies in the future, and at any moment, new situations occur through nature’s forces or our actions. How well we face challenges depends on the light within us.

The mind can conquer greed, hate, envy, prejudice, and other base instincts. The brain registers thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and people or situations become conduits of good or evil. The more often there are good thoughts, the stronger the path to a healthy state of mind. The converse happens with evil thoughts.

History portrays truths about civilisations and the biases of conquerors, so “until the lions write their history, the tale of the hunt will always be glorified by the hunter”—African proverb.

History is not always objective, and there is more than one side to stories. The Old Testament and New Testament Bibles are sources of the might and military escapades of the Ethiopian (ancient Abyssinian) and Nubian Kingdoms. The Ashais people in the Land of the Crystal Bird trace their origins to these kingdoms.

The tallest free-standing mountain in Africa, symbolises the search for roots and truth. It represents freedom as well as secrecy. Its snow-capped peak is often bathed in brilliant sunlight. It towers over the famous Serengeti Plains, overshadowing where it is said humans originated. Uhuru, its highest point in Africa, rises above the clouds. Everywhere in the story of The Crystal Bird, the natural environment flourishes. Mt. Kilimanjaro signifies nature’s strength and beauty. It is sacred to the Maasai, who named it Ngage Ngai or the House of God.

In earlier times, the people believed anyone who attempted to reach the House of God would have frozen to death. The Chagga people of Tanzania believed it to be the home of a bird god. Their folklore weaves tales of evil spirits dwelling in the heights of the snow-capped mountain.

The lion of the sun god symbolises courage and guardianship of truth. It is the slayer of evil and protector of the land. It holds dominion over the forests and all creatures except the Kriziantu, the crystal bird.

Zete is an enormous, mighty bull with an unstable temperament, although capable of great loyalty only to his master. It thinks it is human and will charge anything in its path if the mood takes him. Humans indiscriminately cut down precious rainforests and kill off natural habitats in the name of progress.

It is a hermaphroditic bird connected to the sun god. It is a healing bird, symbolising enduring love, enlightenment, and the power and grandeur of nature. Like the crystal bird, humans can self-heal from actions that could cause their downfall. People can renew themselves to a higher order of existence, free of hate, prejudices, wars, and poverty. Everything we need for survival is abundant and renewable if we don’t destroy the source of life—the natural environment. Our intellect is wings that enable us to innovate so we can fly above the clouds throughout space and time.

Symbolises conquests over enemies. The Ashais’s spear can morph into any weapon of defence.

Chinua, Keeper of the Forests, symbolises the harmony of all life forms.

Wealth symbolises the illusion of power.