The Huma is a legendary bird in Iranian and Kurdish folklore that flies continuously in the sky and never lands on the ground. Whoever its shadow falls upon gains great fortune and kingship. For this reason, the Huma is called the “bird of paradise” or “bird of fortune.”
According to legend, the Huma possesses both male and female nature and repeatedly dies and is reborn — rising from its own ashes. The Huma bird was used as a reference in coronation ceremonies of Iranian and Ottoman rulers. Possessing a Huma feather or its shadow was considered a sign of divine grace and legitimate authority.
