Respect the Spider: Bjornemyr and "Iktomi, The Teacher of Wisdom"

Today's random tune is called Iktomi, The Teacher of Wisdom. It is a song in the style of Native American flute playing by Bjornemyr. We can't find much information on Bjornemyr other than it is the name of a Norwegian village, so we'll tell you a little about Iktomi. A spider-trickster spirit of the various Sioux peoples (Lakota, Dakota and Nakota) who can take human form, Iktomi is one of those troublesome spirits that can teach humanity as well as cause it trouble. One should avoid his gaze, so that trouble does not find one. The tales of his misbehavior are often humorous, ribald, and occasionally violent. However, he also seems to be a spirit that makes ways of communication easier, and his spider's webs, which in legend are supposed to cover the land, have been interpreted by some as the web of modern communications. You can find Iktomi,The Teacher of Wisdom on the 2009 album The World of Indian Spirits.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.