Known for their masked face and quick gait, the Raccoons, are small, nocturnal animals that can be found just about anywhere in the world. These animals are known for their highly curious nature and an effortlessly charismatic personality that they don’t reveal right away.
Although they are often referred to as “Bandits”, having them as your spirit animal can help you in surprising ways.
In this article, we will give you a detailed account of a Raccoon’s symbolism and their importance in different cultures. We will also tell you what it means to see these animals in your dream and how they can help and guide you as your totem and spirit animal.
What do Raccoons symbolize?
In the wild, raccoons have a reputation for being mischief-makers. But what do they symbolize for humans? Below, we will discuss some of their important symbolism.
Anonymity
Although raccoons are no superheroes in disguise, their black bandit masks give them a somewhat similar essence. It seems that while hiding behind their masks, these notorious little animals can get away with anything.
Therefore, they symbolize anonymity in circumstances that demand it, allowing you to hide your true identity or intentions from the world.
Curiosity
The curious nature of the raccoons is what often gets them in unpleasant situations. These nocturnal animals seem to possess the soul of a pirate, often wandering off too far at night to fulfill their thirst for exploring new things. This is why raccoons are symbolic of the lust to find the unknown and learn all the truths hidden on the Earth.
Resourcefulness
It might come as a surprise to many, but raccoons are known to be avid problem-solvers. They are more resourceful than they lead you to believe, always working in secrecy while maintaining an ordinary lifestyle. These animals are not the ones that like to get into a mess themselves; they have other ways to get the task done.
What does it mean to see a Raccoon in your dreams?
The dreams of raccoons can have multiple interpretations based on the current circumstances of your life. However, if you are looking for a general idea of what seeing these animals in a dream could signify, it is mostly a sign of deceit or theft.
In other words, they are warning you of an impending threat; maybe someone is deceiving you by giving half-truth and hiding their true intentions. It could also simply be indicative of potential theft or burglary at your home or workplace, which could lead to a monumental loss.
If you look at it from a different perspective, the raccoon in your dream could also be a symbol of your way of life. Maybe you are not leading an authentic life and need to change it. Or are you stealing something from yourself?
But what is it that we can steal from ourselves? Time is the most probable answer to it. It could also mean several things; either you’re being unproductive by wasting far too much of your time or not giving enough time for the things that truly matter in your life, such as your loved ones.
Let’s now learn more about the actions of raccoons in our dreams and what they could mean:
A playful Raccoon
If you encounter a playful, child-like raccoon in your dream, it is probably a sign that you’re being too harsh on yourself, crushing your inner child in the process. It is time to draw pleasure in little things instead of going after the big ones.
An aggressive Raccoon
If an aggressive Raccoon comes to your dream, it is an indication of too much negativity seeping into your life.
The symbolism of raccoons in different cultures
The mention of raccoons has been made in several ancient as well as contemporary cultures in different contexts. Let us take a look at how these cultures perceive these notorious creatures.
In the Native American culture
All the references made to raccoons in the Native American culture have one thing in common: they are most concerned about these animals’ dexterity. The Native Americans have given these animals, names such as “Chippewas” and “Cree” that, when translated to English, mean the one who picks things up.
Some tribes of Native America also tend to believe that raccoons possess magical powers. They call them “Sioux”, which means one who is sacred or has magic. The Dakota Sioux called them “wee-ka kg-alega”, which refers to a sacred creature with a painted face.
In the Yakama tribe, the names of raccoons can be translated to one who watches. These tribes believed that raccoons are somehow related to dogs, and kept them both as pets. In some of the other Native American tribes, raccoons were also consumed as food.
In Christianity
How many of you have a fair recollection of Noah’s Ark story? The mention of raccoons in the story is unforgettable, although they have been portrayed negatively.
The raccoons were once proud carnivores that were one of the animals accompanying Noah on his boat. However, Noah had packed no meat, which meant they had to survive on fruits. This didn’t sit well with the raccoons, that were fed up eating berries and craved unicorn meat.
Knowing Noah would never allow such a thing, these animals snuck behind his back one night to the pens of unicorns, tempting them into coming closer and then killing and feeding on them. The next morning, when Noah came to know of it, he was furious and cursed them to turn into scavenging beasts.
In a sermon in the Bible, it is mentioned that those who venture out in the dark are usually indulged in wrong-doing, afraid of being caught.
Jesus is portrayed as the light of the world in the Bible, and only those who hate him embrace the darkness. This includes nocturnal creatures such as bats, raccoons, and owls. According to this sermon, raccoons have no love for Jesus.
In the Celtic culture
In the Celtic culture, the folklore of raccoons as tricksters are quite famous. They are believed to be clever animals but use their wits for fowl reasons, such as stealing the hard-earned food of other animals.
In one particular tale, a raccoon cleverly steals all the acorns collected by his old grandmother and eats them alone. When she comes to know of the theft, the grandmother is furious with her grandson and hits him on the face with a fire poker. The marks left by this fire poker is believed to give them their masked appearance.
In many other ancient stories, raccoons have been shown to possess supernatural powers. However, in all these tales, the female raccoons are displayed as fierce mothers.
Although raccoons are not from the family of bears, many people believed them to be related to the pandas due to their somewhat close resemblance. Even the scientific name of these animals is similar to that of the Washing Bears.
When the raccoons were first introduced in Germany in the 1930s, the Germans considered them to be Washing Bears as well.
In the Japanese culture
If you ever visit Japan, you might encounter a dog that looks terribly like a raccoon. The Japanese refer to them as the Raccoon Dogs or Tanuki. The Tanukis share many behavioral traits with the raccoons. These clever animals are mentioned in many of their folklore and myths, possessing some of the other superpowers in each one.
In one of these stories, it is suggested that Tanukis change into human beings in the spring season to sing songs. In yet another tale, Tanukis are believed to walk in umbrellas on rainy nights, taking a human shape. And, if anyone gets tricked into joining them, the Tanukis disappear with the people into another realm.
Although these animals have been known to have magical powers in these stories, their personalities are always portrayed as dark and dangerous.
The story behind Raccoons washing their hands
Many of us have heard about the peculiar habit of raccoons washing their hands or food before eating, but do you know why? We’re going to tell you a popular story that is believed to be the reason behind it.
One fine afternoon, after his nap, a raccoon climbed down the tree and set out to look for something to eat. On his way, he heard several birds calling behind him in warning but paid them no attention. He was hoping to catch a bird for supper but had no luck. Instead, he picked up a few mussel-shells on the beach to feed on.
After having tough luck with the squirrels as well, he was about to return when he encountered a tree. From a hollow in the tree trunk, a thick, golden liquid was trickling down. The raccoon went ahead to taste it and was pleased.
Thereafter, he kept climbing up and down the tree to drink all of the delicious liquid. By the time he was done, he was covered in it from head to toe. Suddenly, he felt hundreds of stings coming together at him, and in an attempt to bat them away, he fell down the tree into a bed of fallen leaves. The leaves stuck to every part of his sticky body.
He paid no attention to the leaves and ran to his friends, looking for help. However, to his friends, he seemed like another scary animal. At last, when he realized what was wrong, he went to the lake nearby and cleaned himself thoroughly.
From that day to this, the raccoons make it a point to clean their hands as well as their food.
Raccoon totem
Have you ever wondered about whether or not you are leading an authentic life? If you have, you are about to encounter a raccoon totem very soon. The mask, the most significant feature of the Raccoons, is an important symbol: it symbolizes anonymity, discretion, hidden intentions, or even an urge to create a false but favorable identity in front of others.
The Raccoon totem will convey to you the best usage of this mask; they will explain how to best use it to meet your needs and warn you against those who might be wearing masks around you.
In the end, they will also tell you when it is time to give up the mask and let the world see your genuine identity. After all, leading a deceptive life for too long can also attract the negative energy around you.
Racoon spirit animal
Having a raccoon as your spirit animal means that you always have a guardian problem-solver watching over you because that is their strongest asset. Being known for their excellent resourcefulness, their spirit animal will guide you out of even the biggest mess you make.
Raccoons are sly animals that maintain utmost secrecy in everything they do. Nobody can know of their true intentions unless they wish to disclose them on their own, which is very unlikely.
When they enter your life, you will easily be able to feel it because of the apparent shift in every sphere. Their arrival means that they have contemplated things long enough and are now ready to spring into action.
Raccoons also symbolize mask. When your spirit animal enters your life, they might be there to give you a lesson about masks, both yours as well as of the people around you. Masks provide you the ultimate anonymity and freedom; freedom to be whoever you want to be, without being held accountable for it.
Your spirit animal might be asking you for your intentions behind putting on a mask and whether or not are they helping you. Similarly, if someone close to you has masked their true selves in front of you, the raccoon spirit animal will provide you with clarity about them.
Moreover, the Raccoons have mastered the art of letting go, and are in your life to teach you the same. Clinging on to things, whether they be emotional or materialistic, has done no one any good.
Unless you let go of things that are possibly weighing you down, you will never be able to welcome goodness in your life. Your spirit animal will lend you the courage to give up the bad and embrace the change in your life, and soon, success and joys will follow.
When should you call on your Raccoon spirit animal?
If a raccoon is your spirit animal, you always have hope in your life despite all the wrong-doings or deception. Under the following circumstances, you can call upon your Raccoon spirit animal to guide you on a path to betterment:
1. When you are ready to give up deception and want to lead an honest life. This is not a one-day transition, so you should not be looking for miracles. However, slowly your life will change for the better, both for yourself as well as for your loved ones.
2. When you are tired of your life as it is and are looking for a monumental transformation. Raccoons symbolize change and transition, but it is possible that you might not like all parts of it. Therefore, you should have an accepting attitude towards the new things that come your way.
3. When you desire the people around you to know your true self.
What does it mean to get a Raccoon tattoo?
Getting a raccoon tattooed on your body is an effective way to channelize their spirit into your being. Raccoon tattoos are symbolic of the fact that you can easily see through the deception of others and have a clear idea of who is actually loyal to you and who isn’t.
These tattoos could also work as a motivator, encouraging you to live a more sincere and genuine life so that you can always stay in touch with your inner self.
Raccoons are very amicable animals and tend to live in harmony with other animals as well as with humans, and thus, their tattoos can help you in establishing a peaceful balance between you and your ego.
Facts about Raccoon symbolism
At first glance, Raccoons might seem to be naïve creatures that get into unnecessary troubles left and right. However, in order to unleash the full potential of their symbolism, you have to be willing to look beyond this image. Following are some facts about their symbolism that you might not be expecting:
- Raccoons are very tribe-oriented animals and always encourage you to put your loved ones first in every walk of life.
- Raccoons are surprisingly good judges and symbolize discernment. They help you to assess every situation beforehand so that you can be confident while planning your actions.
- Raccoons teach you not to be selfish. There is no joy in a life that is only lived for oneself and has never experienced the true joy of helping others.
Raccoon symbolism and meaning (bottom line)
To sum it up, you can usually associate traits such as disguise, cleverness, ingenuity, secrecy, curiosity, dexterity, stealth, and resourcefulness with the symbolism of Raccoons.
These animals have appeared in folklore, myths, and legends, and are considered a trickster in most of them. If you ever encounter them in your dreams, they are most likely trying to warn you about the deceit of theft you should be careful about.
Raccoons, as your spirit animal, can solve all your problems with their wits and resourcefulness.