In legends, Hummingbird is often portrayed as a healer or as a spirit being who helps people in need, and sometimes plays the important mythological role of fire-bringer. Seeing a hummingbird is a sign of good luck in many Native American tribes, especially Northwest Coast tribes. In ancient Mexico, hummingbirds were considered sacred and associated with royalty and warriors; the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli, patron god of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, had the hummingbird as his divine animal and was sometimes depicted in hummingbird form in traditional Aztec art. In some Mexican tribes today, hummingbirds are believed to be messengers from the afterworld or manifestations of a dead person's spirit.

Hummingbirds are also used as clan animals in some Native American cultures. Tribes with Hummingbird Clans include the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico. Hummingbird is an important clan crest in some Northwest Coast tribes, and can sometimes be found carved on totem poles. http://www.native-languages.org/