Man in the Maze

 

Man in the Maze

 

 

• Man in The Maze: is an Otham being. There are many stories about him and how he came to be. According to traditional Otham people the Man in the Maze is not something that should be decorating T-shirts, hats, towels etc. The design should be respected and only be drawn in certain Otham cultural activities.  

• O’odham people live in the southern part of Arizona. There are several tribes that identify as O’odham people e.g. Gila River Indian Community; Tohono O’odham, Ak Chin, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community;

• Here are some interpretations of the Man in the Maze from the O’odham people.  O'odham see the image of a man as representative of an individual, or all of mankind, or I'itoi himself. It is a visual representation of their belief in life, death and the life after death. The man at the top of the maze depicts birth.

• The design has become more contemporary and is used in various art forms and commercial products.