Huma: The Bird of Paradise Background of the tattoo: Huma is a legendary mythical bird from the Iranian legends and fables which became a common motif in Diwan and Sufi poetry. There are many legends of the bird, but what is common to all is that the Huma never rests on the ground but circles high above the Earth its entire life. It is completely invisible and impossible to spot by human eyes. The bird looks for opportunities to bestow valuable gifts to those on Earth and in some legends, it’s said to have no legs which is why it never alights on the ground. The body of the Huma has the physical features of both female and male. Huma is often referred to as a ‘bird of paradise’ in Ottoman poetry and symbolizes unreachable height. In the Persian language, ‘huma’ stands for ‘the fabulous bird’ and in Arabic, ‘hu’ means spirit and ‘mah’ means water. In ancient times, it was believed that if this legendary bird sat on someone’s head, it was a sign that the person would become a king. Sometimes, the Huma is depicted like the Phoenix bird and is said to consume itself in fire after hundreds of years, rising from its own ashes. According to the Sufi tradition, catching the bird is completely impossible and beyond one’s wildest dreams but catching a glimpse or shadow of the Huma is said to bring you happiness for the rest of your life. While it is believed that Huma can’t be caught alive, anyone who actually kills the bird is doomed to die within 40 days. tattoo idea