Kokopelli is said to have travelled around villages bringing the changing of seasons - ending the harsh winter weather, creating milder temperatures and much-needed rain for successful harvests. The hunch on his back is thought to be due to the sack of seeds and songs he carried with him, his flute symbolises the transition from winter to spring, and the macaw feathers adorning his headdress are said to represent the spirit world. He's also known for his powers of fertility. Legends claim that all the villagers would sing and dance when Kokopelli arrived, and soon after every woman would be with child. 

In earlier times, Kokopelli was far more than an icon. There is, in fact, considerable evidence that he was an important deity to Southwestern Indians. His images are among the most widely distributed of any in the prehistoric and historic Indian sites of the Southwest. Kokopelli may have been as important to the Southwestern Indians as Abraham is to Jews or Paul, to Christians.

While we may never know the origin or the full meaning of Kokopelli, it is clear that he held high importance as a deity in the arid American Southwest. His roles in scenes representing human reproduction, crop growth and water suggest that the Southwestern Indians associated him universally with fertility and prosperity. His roles in hunting scenes, processions, rituals and ceremonies suggest that the Indians connected him universally to their physical and spiritual well being.

Today Kokopelli is still a popular figure in art and jewellery. Wearing the image symbolises a connection with music and fun and, for some, the desire for fertility.