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Kiwi Symbolism & Meaning

Is something puzzling you? Want others to acknowledge your shining success? Kiwi, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! Kiwi teaches you how to understand the nature of paradox, all while showing you the true benefit of always doing your absolute best. Delve deeply in Kiwi symbolism and meaning to find out how this Animal Spirit Guide can inspire, stir, and motivate you!

Kiwi Table of Contents

Kiwi Symbolism & Meaning

The Kiwi is the national symbol for New Zealand. The people of the region use the title of Kiwi as a part of a group designation; here, Kiwi earns symbolic ties to the concepts of community, unity, and collaborative effort. The Bird’s name, originating in the Maori language, means “Hidden Bird.” Strangely, The Bird is incapable of flying, raising the question of how Kiwi inhabited New Zealand at all. With their unusual name and the creature’s questionable origins, Kiwi Birds come to represent the unknown and all things mysterious.

The Kiwi Bird’s name and origins are not the only things making these avian creatures extraordinary. First, the reason the creature can’t fly is that it doesn’t have wings. Odder still, Kiwi Birds don’t have a tail. But to make up for the lack of certain features, Nature provides these Birds with an exceptional sense of smell which they use for food-finding and sniffing out nearby predators in the environment.

Even the Kiwi’s nose is strange, considering it is at the tip of the Bird’s beak. It is an uncommon trait, giving Kiwi a feature that’s more like a Mammal than a Bird since most avian creatures have a nose at the base of their beak. More curious still, Kiwis have whiskers on the tip of their nose, which is yet another attribute common in mammals. The bristles help the Flightless Bird move through the night, sensing the surroundings while foraging for food. The crossover features cause scientists to call the Kiwi “An Honorary Mammal.” The same chimerical attributes cause the Bird to represent eclecticism, enigmas, and paradox.

In the middle of the 19th century, people began using images of the Kiwi Bird on various items. The first accessory depicting the creature was a regimental badge. Later, during the First World War, Kiwi became a term reflecting great yet brazen military prowess. Here, Kiwi earns symbolic ties to defense, courage, and the spirit of the warrior.

Kiwi Birds lay some of the largest eggs of all avian species; their fledglings are, of course, large when they hatch. Both Kiwi adults and babies are movers and shakers; they run like the wind, even when they are only two weeks old. Here, Kiwi Birds symbolize going beyond expectations, the refusal to accept mediocrity, and swift action.

Sadly, the Kiwi is on the Endangered Species List. Experts feel only two hundred Kiwi are living in the wild today. Some people are creating sanctuaries for these Birds, hoping to improve their numbers. So, the Kiwi Bird becomes a lasting emblem of survival against all the odds and ever-lasting hope.

Kiwi Spirit Animal

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Because Kiwis stay together as mated pairs in the wild, they symbolize loyalty, devotion, and family. When the Kiwi Spirit Animal comes into your awareness, it’s time for you to review your relationships. Kiwi wants you to question if you are giving all of yourself to your mate. As a Spirit Guide, Kiwi says, “Don’t hold back.”

When Kiwi enters your awareness, it encourages self-expression. The lesson Kiwi offers is the freedom you’ll find when you express your most intimate feelings without allowing the fear of vulnerability to paralyze you. The Bird has a carpe diem attitude; its motto is “Live every day as if it’s your last.” But, your Animal Ally also cautions you to harmonize the outflow of expression; there is a necessary balance between voicing your feelings and listening to your significant other.

When Kiwi is your Spirit Animal, sometimes it comes to remind you if something smells “off” about a person or situation, trust your initial instincts. The Kiwi’s accurate interpretation of aromas in the physical world equates to the psychic gift of clairalience where you can sense spirits without the use of your physical senses.

Kiwi Totem Animal

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People with a Kiwi Totem Animal are shy. While they love splashes of color in their wardrobe, the hues they choose aren’t ostentatious. If you have a Kiwi Totem, you’re also a “Night Bird.” You’ll find you have more energy after sunset, and you may even prefer working in the evening or during the graveyard shift.

Home-sweet-home for you means having a living space near or in forested regions, but you can adapt to other terrains ranging from the mountains to the prairies. No matter where you make your “nest,” you crave stability. Your appreciation of security extends into relationships. You are monogamous. If you bond with someone and they leave, it takes a long time, if ever, for you to recover from a broken heart.

With Kiwi as your Birth Totem, you stand out as a natural leader among your friends and colleagues. You are ambitious, but it doesn’t stop you from being respectful to others. As for yourself, you command respect without demanding it. You do not abuse your leadership abilities because you embrace all the responsibilities that come with it.

Kiwi Power Animal

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Call on Kiwi as a Power Animal when you are looking to establish a long-term commitment. You want certainty when it comes to the choices you’re about to make. A loving relationship requires vulnerability, which can prove uncomfortable and frightening. Kiwi supports you in finding the strength you’ll need to open your heart to another and to forge headlong into a loving relationship without allowing emotions to hold you back.

Invoke Kiwi as a Power Animal when you’re looking for the best ways of expressing your affections. Keeping a relationship healthy requires the desire to make the relationship thrive and a few creative ideas now and then, to fan the flames of romance. Let Kiwi Energies help you in rising to the occasion by helping you meet or even exceed your partner’s romantic expectations.

Maori Symbolic Meanings

In New Zealand, the Maori have lore relating to the Kiwi Bird. Tales of the Bird reveal how the creature ends up with its unusual physical features. Maori tales depict Kiwi willing to sacrifice its comfort for the good of the forest and those that inhabit it. The God Tāne Mahuta asks all the Birds in the forest if any among them will remain on the forest’s floor.

Volunteering Birds had to consume insects, which would ensure the lasting health of the trees. Only one Bird was willing to take on the responsibility, the Kiwi. In doing so, the Bird grew thick legs and abandoned its feathers. The Kiwi’s willing sacrifice not only saves the trees but earns the Bird the respect of all other creatures in the forest.

In the 1930s, the Kiwi Bird appeared on some of the first currency New Zealand released, giving it creature associations with prosperity. The most common images were on the two-shilling and ten-shilling coins. Ironically, during the Second World War, “new airmen” adopted the nickname of the flightless “Kiwi.”

Kiwi Dreams

Dreaming of a Kiwi Bird means your creative potential is about to expand exponentially. Your imagination will run wild, and you will bring your visions to life. Seeing a flock of Kiwis coming toward in a dream is a warning of sadness or troubles ahead. If the Birds move past you, the problems will be short-lived.

If the Kiwi lands on you in your dream, it portends unexpected good news arriving from afar. Two Kiwis in your dream represent your desire for a committed relationship. You are closing one door, a time where you are rebuilding your life, and now ready for new love.

If the Kiwi walks around you or your significant other in your night vision, it’s time to take a long hard look at your union while questioning the direction it is taking. Consider if there is a willingness from both parties to invest one hundred percent of themselves in the relationship. Since a Kiwi Bird does not fly, one taking to the air in your dreams speaks of something miraculous manifesting in your waking life. A flying Kiwi Bird can also represent your spiritual progression or reaching heavenward.

When the Kiwi tries to hide, it warns of outside negative influences threatening your relationship. Seeing the Kiwi in your bird hunting in the dirt for food implies you need to do some digging regarding a person or situation before making a choice. The same image suggests it’s time to consider how you are feeding your mind and soul.

Kiwi Symbolic Meanings Key

  • Awareness
  • Culture
  • Emotion
  • Leadership
  • Loyalty
  • Monogamy
  • Prowess
  • Self-Expression
  • Unity
  • Paradox