|Admiral Nut of Squirrel Galactica
According to Mayan legend, in the beginning of time,
it was a little squirrel who guided the sun on it's first journey across the sky. Upon arriving in the West, the little squirrel built an altar to the Sun. The squirrel always delighted in the Sun's company while the other animals were angered by the light of the Sun in their eyes. The jaguars and wolves were jealous and killed the squirrel. And to this day,
the Huichol Indians honor the squirrel as a hero-god.*
In the Mayan calendar, the Sun is the 20th day sign and is the symbol of enlightenment - the symbol of the highest consciousness. So it is no accident that the little squirrel is the animal to guard the Sun. Here in Austin, long before the University of Texas was built, hundreds of little squirrels thrived and prepared the property. Once the university was up and running, little squirrels continued to live happily and connect with the students.
Interestingly, UT is well known for its Mayan Studies program. So it's no wonder that 200+ squirrels thrive there. The students love the squirrels, share snacks with them and love to photograph them. In fact, one student took on the project of photographing and cataloging the squirrels on campus. With this incredible database, she has published the "Squirrels of UT YearBook"!!
To order your own copy of the yearbook,
* From "The Hidden Maya" by Martin Brennan