The swastika is a sacred symbol used for millennia in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cultures that represents peace and fortune. On the other hand, it has also been an important symbol for indigenous peoples around the world.
Its use dates back to prehistory, the term”swastika” has Sanskrit roots and means “the mark of well-being”. In both Buddhism and the Zoroastrian faith and among Jains, the meaning of the symbol changes. But in all, it represents something divine or sacred.
However, since the twentieth century, after the expansion of Nazism, the aftermath of the holocaust and the Second World War, made the swastika today a relation to hatred and extermination. This means that communities that see the symbol as part of their faith have to self-censor to avoid conflicts.
An investigation conducted by the Associated Press and published by “Religion News” breaks down the details of the findings and meanings around the controversial symbol:
“The swastika was also a Native American symbol used by many Southwestern tribes, particularly the Navajo and Hopi. To the Navajo, it represented a rotating trunk, a sacred image used in healing rituals and sand paintings. Swastika motifs can be found in items with carbon dating back 15,000 years that are on display at the National Museum of Ukrainian History, as well as artifacts recovered from the ruins of ancient Indus Valley civilizations that flourished between 2600 and 1900 BC.
The symbol was revived during nineteenth-century excavations in the ancient city of Troy by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who connected it to a shared Aryan culture in Europe and Asia. Historians believe it was this notion that made the symbol attractive to nationalist groups in Germany, including the Nazi Party, which adopted it in 1920.”
Religious representatives and history experts have investigated and published books and articles on the subject. All to clarify doubts about what a symbol that continues to provoke doubt and discomfort is.
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