Info For Yous Mami Wata: The Sacred Woman Someone African H2o Deity
Wood, gilt, pigment. The Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Virginia
The powerful in addition to pervasive presence of Mami Wata results from a number of factors. Of special note, she tin displace convey good fortune inward the cast of money, in addition to every bit a “capitalist” par excellence, her powerfulness increased betwixt the fifteenth in addition to twentieth centuries, the era of growing merchandise betwixt Africa in addition to the repose of the world. Her real call is inward pidgin English, a linguistic communication developed to lubricate trade.
Mami Wata Devotee
The countless millions of enslaved Africans who were torn from their homeland in addition to forcibly carried across the Atlantic betwixt the sixteenth in addition to nineteenth centuries every bit portion of this “trade” brought with them their beliefs, practices, in addition to arts honoring Mami Wata in addition to other ancestral deities
Karin Miller, “African Mermaid,” ca. 2011, from the series Sea Changes.
. Reestablished, revisualized, in addition to revitalized inward diaspora, Mami Wata emerged inward novel communities in addition to nether unlike guises, among them Lasirèn, Yemanja, Santa Marta la Dominadora, and Oxum. African-based faiths go along to flourish inward communities throughout the Americas, Haiti, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere.
Mami Wata’s powers, however, extend far beyond economic gain. Although for some she bestows expert fortune in addition to status through monetary wealth, for others, she aids inward concerns related to procreation—infertility, impotence, or babe mortality. Some are drawn to her every bit an irresistible seductive presence who offers the pleasures in addition to powers that accompany devotion to a spiritual force.
Yet she also represents danger, for a liaison with Mami Wata often requires a substantial sacrifice, such every bit the life of a family member or celibacy inward the realm of mortals. Despite this, she is capable of helping women in addition to men negotiate their sexual desires and preferences. Mami also provides a spiritual in addition to professional avenue for women to go powerful priestesses in addition to healers of both psycho-spiritual in addition to physical ailments in addition to to assert female agency inward mostly male-dominated societies. Rapid socioeconomic changes in addition to the pressures of trying to endure inward burgeoning African urban centers receive got increased the demand for the curative powers of Mami Wata priestesses in addition to priests.
Everyone needs to lookout this.
attributes, personalities, identities, in addition to actions of these fascinating in addition to ambiguous spirits. Worshippers of Mami Wata have typically selected local every bit good every bit global images, arts, ideas, and actions, interpreted them according to indigenous precepts, invested them with novel meanings, in addition to and so re-presented them in novel in addition to dynamic ways to serve their ain specific aesthetic,devotional, social, economic, in addition to political aspirations.
Mami Wata is often portrayed with the caput in addition to trunk of a woman in addition to the tail of a fish (Dona Fish). Half-fish in addition to half-human, Mami Wata straddles world in addition to water, civilization in addition to nature.
Wood, pigment, metal, mixed media. Private Collection. Photo past times Don Cole.
(This sculpture comes from Republic of Angola where, every bit inward Zambia, Mami Wata is known mostly every bit Dona Fish (“Fish Woman” or “Madam Fish”). This version of Mami Wata is closely related to the water spirit Mamba Muntu of Central Africa. Carved past times an Ovimbundu artist, this piece of work was kept inward a theatre every bit “decoration,” but it evoked fear in addition to accusations of “witchcraft” from locals who saw it.)
She may also select the cast of a ophidian charmer, sometimes in combination with her mermaid attributes in addition to sometimes dissever from them. And every bit if this formidable H2O spirit were not complicated plenty inward her “singular” manifestation, the existence of mami watas in addition to papi watas must also live acknowledged.
1950s–1960s.Wood, pigment, metal, mixed media; 87.6cm (34½")
Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University 1994.3.9; L2007.63.1
Snakes, ancient in addition to indigenous symbols of African H2O spirits, frequently accompany Mami
Wata, who is often represented as a ophidian charmer. The partial depiction of Mami Wata’s lower
torso often provokes viewers to comment that she is “hiding her secret,” that is, her fish tail.
Thissculpture, covered inward white, riverine clay, was likely the centerpiece of an elaborate
Mami Wata altar used past times Annang Ibibio peoples.
An Efik sculpture portraying Mami Wata every bit a human-fishgoat-priestess handling a aeroplane in addition to a ophidian (Fig. 3) demonstrates her hybridity in addition to powers of transformation.
She tin displace also easily assume aspects of a Hindu god or goddess without sacrificing her identity (Fig. 4). She is a complex multi-vocal, multi-focal symbol with so many resonances that she feeds the imagination,generating, rather than limiting, meanings in addition to significances: nurturing mother, sexy mama, provider of riches, healer of
physical in addition to spiritual ills, embodiment of dangers in addition to desires, risks in addition to challenges, dreams in addition to aspirations, fears in addition to forebodings. People are attracted to the seemingly limitless possibilities she represents, in addition to at the same time, they are frightened by her destructive potential. She inspires a vast array of emotions, attitudes, in addition to actions alongside those who worship her, those who fear her, those who report her, in addition to those who create works of art about her. What the Yoruba peoples say nigh their civilization is also applicable to the histories in addition to significances of Mami Wata: She is similar a “river that never rests.”
“Mami Wata: Arts for Water Spirits inward Africa in addition to Its Diasporas” is an endeavour to tell the story of the magical world of mermaids in addition to other fantastic creatures, their myths in addition to seductive powers. It is also nigh art, belief, globalization, capitalism, and the powerfulness of traveling images in addition to ideas to shape the lives of people in addition to communities. Further, it explores how human imagination in addition to cross-cultural commutation serve every bit catalysts inward the artistic representation of these marvelous H2O divinities. The exhibition in addition to the volume that accompanies it aim to describe various streams of the far-flung, diverse, in addition to complex artistic in addition to devotional traditions for Mami Wata. Some may part sources and directions; others with shared sources may diverge; some with
unlike sources may converge; in addition to every combination of the above may occur at unlike times in addition to inward unlike places.
Sources in addition to Currents
From the earliest images on the continent in addition to throughout the millennia, various African cultures receive got stressed the value and power of H2O non entirely every bit a source of sustenance, but also every bit a focus of spiritual in addition to artistic expression. Many early on depictions of spiritual entities assumed the cast of hybrid creatures, parthuman, part-aquatic. In other words, the cosmological in addition to artistic frameworks were already nowadays inward many local contexts to make the introduction of newer H2O divinities, such every bit Mami Wata, a natural progression.\
Offering to Yemanja, the Afro-Brazilian deity of the Sea, at Honoring the Sea on Santa Monica Beach. Led past times Swing Brazil Tribe in addition to Elders from Bahia, Brazil, in addition to portion of the opening ceremony to the 2011 World Festival of Sacred Music inward Los Angeles.
Afro-Brazilian civilization is thriving in addition to revered inward Los Angeles simply every bit inward Brazil!
In Brazil, offerings to Yemanja select identify each twelvemonth on Feb 2 inward Salvador, Bahia. In Rio de Janeiro, offerings to Yemanja are a highly celebrated New Year's Day ritual.
H5N1 rare in addition to elegant belatedly nineteenth-century Sowei/Nowo headdress from the Sherbro-Bullom peoples of Sierra Leone features the idealized attributes in addition to beauty of a immature woman. The ringed cervix suggests ripples of water, every bit if the spirit has just emerged from the depths (ibid., p. 36). It may also resemble the chrysalis of a moth or butterfly every bit a sign of beauty in addition to female transformation (ibid., p. 32). The snakes that look coiled on either side of the caput are alongside the most frequent motifs depicted on Sowei/Nowo headdresses. Generally considered to be H2O creatures, snakes break a constellation of ideas about
ancient African H2O spirits and, later, Mami Wata. They are the guardians of the medicines of Sande/Bondo, in addition to shrine sculptures often depict a female-headed coiled ophidian or a woman mortal head and cervix encircled past times a ophidian (Phillips 1995:146,). Wall paintings of Tingoi/Njaloi sometimes demonstrate her every bit a serpent-fish with a human caput adorned past times elegantly arranged in addition to luxuriant hair (ibid., p. 54,).
Ancienne Mami Wata Gouro Guro
This elaborate coiffure resonates with subsequently descriptions in addition to representations of Mami Wata. Among the Sherbro, rich, total pilus is a sign of beauty in addition to health, in addition to women interweave dark cotton with their ain pilus to accomplish volume (MacCormack 1980b:106). For the Mende, the thickness in addition to length of pilus are emblematic of the productive organic growth in addition to fertility essential to femininity (Boone 1986:96–7, 138; reckon Jell-Bahlsen forthcoming for a give-and-take of Mami’s pilus alongside the Igbo.). The apartment circular form
over the broad forehead inward the illustrated headdress may live a mirror or older cast of amulet. Mirrors often refer to the surface of water in addition to are attributes of mermaids, every bit good every bit of the graduates of Sande/Bondo who, during their “coming out” ceremony, sit down in state in addition to gaze meditatively into them (Phillips 1995:84.)
Mythical Origin of Mami Wata
The mystical pantheon of Mami Wata deities are often pictured inward their most ancient primordial aspects every bit a mermaid, half-human or either half-fish or half-reptile. Mermaids are non a recent phenomena inward African history. For example, according to the Dogon’s creation myth, they attribute the creation of earth to mermaid/mermen similar creatures whom they telephone call upward Nommos. They claimed to receive got known nigh the existence of these mermaid-like divinities for to a greater extent than than 4000 years. Also according to Dogon mythology, the ancient dwelling theatre of these (originally crude) reptilian (half-woman/half-men/fish) pantheon of H2O spirits is believed to live the obscure in addition to celebrated star scheme inward the belt of Orion known every bit Sirius (or Sopdet, Sothis), to a greater extent than popularly known every bit the “Dog Star” of Isis. When asked where their ancestors obtained these stories of mermaids in addition to mermen, they rapidly dot to ancient Arab Republic of Egypt (Griaule, 1997, Winters 1985, p. 50-64, Temple 1999, p.303-304). Mermaid/mermen "nymphs" worshiped every bit goddesses in addition to gods born from the sea are numerous inward ancient African cultures history in addition to spiritual mythology. Most were honored in addition to respected every bit existence "bringers of divine law" in addition to for establishing the theological, moral, social, political, economical and, cultural foundation, to regulating the overflow of the Nile, in addition to regulating the ecology i.e., establishing days for success at sailing in addition to fishing, hunting, planting etc., to penalization past times devastating floods when laws in addition to taboos were violated. However, simply every bit non all serpents were revered, non all mermaids/mermen were considered "good." In 1 story, the famed London, Naturalists Henry Lee (1883) recounts that "in the sea of Republic of Angola mermaids are oftentimes caught which resemble the human species. They are taken inward nets, in addition to killed . . . in addition to are heard to shriek in addition to outcry similar women (p. 22)."
ANCIENT ORIGINS OF NAME "MAMI WATA"
The call “Mami Wata,” was believed past times Western scholars to live a derivative either direct from pidgin English, or is an anglicize version of the 2 words “mommy/mammy” in addition to “water.” However, though phonetically similar to the English linguistic communication words, the call “Mami Wata” does non receive got its linguistic roots nor whatever cultural, mythological or historical origins inward the West. Mami Wata are ancient, African deities whose primordial origins in addition to call tin displace live traced linguistically through the languages of Africa. According to some renowned scholars, the call “Mami Wata” was originally formulated inward ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Mesopotamia, in addition to is derived from a composite of 2 African words, “Mami,” in addition to “Wata.” Both words are rooted inward the ancient Egyptian in addition to Ethiopian (Coptic), Galla in addition to Demotic languages. “Mami” is derived from “Ma” or ”Mama,” important “truth/wisdom,” in addition to “Wata” is a corruption of non an English, but the ancient Egyptian intelligence “Uati,” (or "Uat-ur" important sea water), in addition to the Khosian ("Hottentot") "Ouata" important “water.” Further, nosotros uncovering from Mesopotamian myths that the firstly groovy H2O goddess inward the story of the Creation Flood was known every bit "Mami," (Mami Aruru) every bit she was known inward ancient Babylonian prayers every bit existence the creator of human life (Dalley 2000, p. 51-16, Stone 1976, p. 7,219).
“Uati” is perhaps the firstly of to a greater extent than than x grand appellations of Isis (logos/wisdom) inward her oldest generative cast every bit the Divine African Mother, or Sibyl (Mamissii/Amengansie) prophetess. Furthermore, Massey (1994, p. 248) informs us that the intelligence “Wata, Watoa, Wat-Waat” which agency “woman,” are all exact spellings inward the ancient Sudanic languages spoken past times the Baba, Peba in addition to Keh-Doulan groups. In ancient Egypt, Uati was Isis’ oldest appellation, in addition to was the firstly Mami goddess worshiped past times the Egyptians every bit “the Holy Widow”, “the Genitrix,” the “Self-Creator”, “the 1 who reigned lonely inward the beginning”, “the 1 who brings forth the gods,” “she who was mateless”, in addition to “the Virgin (meaning ‘unmarried’) Mother.” Thus, nosotros receive got Isis originally worshiped every bit “Mama Uati” inward ancient Egypt, in addition to every bit Mami (Uati/Aruru) inward ancient Mesopotamia, where she is firstly addressed in addition to immortalized inward prose past times the gods. (Massey 1992, p. 204, 227). Mami Uati, is an ancient in addition to sacred call which remarkably, after thousands of years, has survived every bit “Mami Wata,” inward West African Vodoun in addition to other African religious systems, having changed lilliputian inward its master copy phonetic form.
In Togo, West Africa, in addition to inward the United States, the priestesses of Mami Wata are called Mamisii (Mamissi, Mamaissii, Mammisi). Certain paths of high-priestesses who are called to opened upward an Egbé (spirit house) are known every bit "Mamaissii-Hounons" which translates every bit “queen of the ship,” or literally “mother wisdom” (Alapini 1955, Massey 1994, p. 227, Rosenthal 1998, p. 116-117). This is an ancient call likely having its etymological roots inward ancient Egypt, where nosotros uncovering the call Mammisi important “motherhood temple,” every bit the sacred shrine where the queen/ priestesses gives nascency to spirit. (Walker 1983, p. 572-573).
CLEOPATRA BUILT MAMMISI SHRINE
In a political ploy likely designed to legitimize her reign, after inheriting her father's expanding colonial kingdoms at the historic menses of 17, the Macedonian (Greek) Cleopatra IV in addition to her 10 twelvemonth old blood brother (Theos Philopator)-Ptolemy XIII, installed every bit the novel rulers of Egypt, inward imitation of the African queen mothers, reputedly built herself a (now destroyed) Mammisi shrine at Erment (Upper Egypt), when giving nascency to her firstly son. She fifty-fifty had inscribed inward her shrine the traditional priestly attributes including depicting herself giving nascency to Julius Caesar's son, existence assisted past times the 7 Netjers (divine African ancestors, including Isis in addition to Osiris).
However, lacking the ancestral connexion to the divine spirits, she thought she could mistaken it past times trying desperately (without success) to obtain the sacred prophetic poems of the Eastern Masses, authored past times the groovy Sibylline (Mami) prophetesses'. Undeterred, she ordered her conquered African subjects to address her every bit the "New Isis." Ironically, she met her demised when she was fatally bitten past times 1 of the sacred asp (serpents). (Walker 1983, p.573, Britannica 1974, Vol. 6, p.484, Vol 8, p. 386, Vol. I p. 261, VIII p.282, Nicholson, p.264,269,Lindsay 1971, p. 384).
P R I M H5N1 R Y F U N C T IO N
On a basic level, inward the family, Mami Wata's primary role inward the life of the devotee/initiate is "healing," past times helping the initiate to accomplish wholeness both spiritually, in addition to materially inward their lives. Mami is also responsible for protection, emotional, in addition to mental healing, spiritual growth/balance, in addition to maintaining social monastic enjoin past times assuring that sacred laws imposed on both the initiate in addition to the theatre unit of measurement inward which she/he lives is maintained.
When these requirements are met, Mami often blesses the initiate (and family) with stuff wealth. "wealth" existence relative to assuring that the theatre unit of measurement has the basic needs of survival, such every bit shelter, food, clothing, medicine in addition to funds to keep them. Or, wealth could hateful achieving groovy riches through some profession or spiritual gifts the initiate powerfulness possess. Far from existence the over-embellished, “seductress” or “god/dess of love” so over-emphasized past times western anthropologists, Mami Wata is primarily known to make Africa’s groovy seers, prophetesses, prophets, scribes, herbalists, healers, orators, mystics, etc., They are also known every bit the protector of mothers in addition to children, in addition to of abused women, in addition to the “bringer of fertility” to both men in addition to to barren women. They are fifty-fifty known inward ancient history every bit existence the “protector of sacred prostitutes”, important those African priestesses whose role was to subsume the “uncivilized invader/foreign groups” past times “spreading the ache” of the African god/desses.
Water spirit Mami Wata, Ewe origin, perhaps Ghana, private collection, ph. B.Montpied, 2008
The Mermaid—A European Water Spirit Arrives
Mermaids, in addition to to a lesser extent mermen, receive got populated the human imagination for millennia. Some of the earliest have their origins inward the fertile river valleys of Mesopotamia (e.g., the merman spirit of River Urat, circa 900 bce, inward the Museum of Ethnology, Berlin-Dahlem), Africa’s Nile Valley, in addition to subsequently the
Mediterranean world of the Phoenicians, Minoans, Greeks, and Romans.
Name: Mami Wata
Details: It is a Snake Goddess, an Africa’s Ancient God/dess representing the Mother Goddess. Found inward the
Palace shrine of Knossos inward Pre-Grecian Afro-Minoan, matriarchal Crete.
Location: Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Greece
For the Greeks in addition to Romans, mermaids—like the part-bird, part-human sirens—symbolized danger. In Christian Europe of the Middle Ages, the mermaid entered bestiaries and other arts inward the 12th in addition to thirteenth centuries, where she normally appeared inward a strongly moralizing context every bit a symbol of vanity, immorality, seduction, in addition to danger (see Hassig 1999).
By the fifteenth century, when Europeans began to explore beyond Mediterranean waters, they carried with them images of mythic creatures—dragons, griffins, unicorns, centaurs, and especially the mermaid. These images assumed unlike forms within the stuff civilization of sailors, merchants, in addition to explorers and powerfulness look every bit volume illustrations, prints, playing cards, flags in addition to other heraldic devices, trademarks (like the mermaids and mermen on Dutch clay pipes traded inward many parts of Africa since the seventeenth century), watermarks, in addition to perhaps tattoos. Songs, dances, games, in addition to the playing of musical instruments may also receive got made direct reference to sirens or mermaids. European belief inward the existence of such creatures is confirmed past times the fact that inward Jan of 1493 Christopher Columbus recorded the sighting of iii mermaids off the coast of Haiti, in addition to so known as Hispaniola. He wrote that they “came quite high out of the water” but were “not so beautiful every bit painted, though to some extent they have the cast of a human face” (Columbus 1493 [2001]:154).
Sirena Mermaid Mexico A novel exhibit called "Mami Wata" opened terminal calendar week at the National Museum of African Art inward D.C. Mami Wata, an African H2O deity, is often depicted inward fine art every bit a mermaid. The sirena (mermaid) is a real mutual dependent area inward Mexican folk art, too. This mermaid inward a private collection inward Oaxaca appears to receive got been made inward Santa Maria Atzompa
At nigh the same fourth dimension that Christopher Columbus was seeing mermaids inward the Atlantic, an African sculptor, a fellow member of the Sapi peoples living on Sherbro Island off the coast of Sierra Leone, was carving the prototype of 1 on an ivory saltcellar, commissioned past times a visiting Portuguese explorer or merchant. As his model, the creative mortal used an prototype supplied to him by his Portuguese client.Though the mermaid was copied from a European model, the Sapi sculptor instantly “Africanized” her, for she is flanked past times 2 crocodiles, ancient African symbols for H2O spirits in addition to a key prototype associated with H2O spirits among the Sapi’s descendants, the Bullom in addition to Temne. As their familiarity with European mermaid lore increased, Africans interpreted, adapted, in addition to transformed the prototype of a European mermaid (and, later, other images) into a representation of an African deity—Mami Wata—evolving elaborate systems of belief and sacred visual in addition to functioning arts inward the process.
Although the wellspring of the visual civilization in addition to history of Mami Wata volition e'er rest conjectural, I would propose that much textual in addition to visual bear witness indicates that the concept of Mami Wata, if non her name,originated long earlier the massive dispersal of Africans to the Americas (from the sixteenth to
nineteenth century) in addition to the colonial era (1900–1957). Thursday e antiquity in addition to prevalence of indigenous African beliefs inward H2O deities, widely imaged every bit hybrid human-aquatic creatures,served as a ground to empathise in addition to interpret European mermaid myths and images into African ones from the firstly momentous Euro-African contacts inward the fifteenth century.
The Double-tailed Mermaid—Benin in addition to Yoruba
Another version of the mermaid, 1 with a double tail, was probably introduced past times the Portuguese inward the fifteenth or sixteenth century. This prototype has had a major touching on on the West African coast inward the Republic of Benin Kingdom in addition to alongside the neighboring Owo- in addition to Ijebu-Yoruba.
At Benin, images of the Portuguese were rapidly incorporated into the imperial arts of the courtroom (ivories, bronze sculptures, plaques, musical instruments, textiles, in addition to so forth) because these newcomers were instantly associated with wealth from the sea, with Olokun, the god of the sea, in addition to therefore, with the divine ruler on land, the king, or oba. Judging a motif ’s “centrality to culture” tin displace live highly problematic. Its reception and
integration depend on where in addition to how it fits inside an existing, evolving cultural system, a concept that is crucial inward the complex histories of Mami Wata images in addition to ideas. I believe the striking imagery in addition to popularity of the double-tailed European mermaids of the 12th through sixteenth centuries, which were carried to
Africa inward various forms past times Portuguese travelers in addition to others from the belatedly fifteenth century onward, are a probable source for the fishlegged figure inward Republic of Benin in addition to Yoruba cultures.
Olokun
H5N1 janus-faced, double-tailed figure crowns a Republic of Benin ivory ritual bell. Below this, a standing, “mudfish-legged” figure with a crown, sword, staff, snake, in addition to fish represents the oba in addition to his divine link with the god of the sea in addition to wealth, Olokun. Juxtaposed on the contrary side, the prototype of a Portuguese human being with straight hair, a beard, in addition to a lid refers to Republic of Benin beliefs nigh the visitors from overseas, their luxury goods, in addition to their connection to the watery realm in addition to riches of Olokun.
Two Yoruba-speaking peoples, the Owo in addition to Ijebu, receive got had close, long-term interactions with the Kingdom of Benin, especially during the seventeenth in addition to eighteenth centuries. This is clearly evident inward their arts, which part a number of images, including the mermaid. The lid of an Owo-Yoruba wooden box, which was likely used to agree kola nuts or perhaps precious gifts, is dominated past times a relief prototype of a woman mortal fish-tailed figure. She grasps her breasts every bit her tail curls around behind her. An interlace pattern runs higher upward in addition to below the figure, echoing the bend of her tail. In the absence of other contextual data,we cannot know much nigh its other possible meanings. Such objects were, however, the possessions of high-status individuals, chiefs, or rulers, who would presumably receive got had interactions with courtroom officials from Benin, in addition to thus powerfulness have used the mermaid to associate themselves with Olokun and, by extension, the oba.
Olokun devotees
Owo ivory carvers were likely the primary sculptors working for the courts inward Owo in addition to Republic of Benin City betwixt the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries (Abiodun 1989:104). An intricately carved armband (Fig. 10) with dangling ivory bells depicts fishand-crocodile-legged figures that refer to Olokun every bit good every bit to the mystical aspects of the divine king. These alternate with mythical snake-winged bats that hang upside downward (see Willett 1988:121–7, Drewal 1989:120ff.). Such an alternating organization suggests multiple perspectives in addition to the fluid, liminal space between worldly in addition to otherworldly realms.
An intricately carved Oshugbo lodge (iledi) door panel presents a fabulous array of intriguing images, alongside them a fishtailed figure that holds inward its large hands 2 mudfish. This is Olokun. The themes of life in addition to death, sacrifice, transformation, continuity, in addition to infinity run through the iii major divisions of this door panel. Three is an Oshugbo/Ogboni sacred number, referring to woman, man, in addition to creator/witness (Drewal
1989a:243, n. 54, Drewal 1989b:70; reckon also Lawal 1995). At the top a huge coiled ophidian devours a human being with a sword, piece another diminutive warrior rides his steed. H5N1 frog in addition to a chameleon propose liminality in addition to transformation. Intricate interlaces, signs of infinity, receive got no start in addition to no end. In the centre section, a
mounted warrior grasps 2 kneeling figures who have on amulet gourds suspended from their belts. At the bottom of the panel is Olokun, the fish-tailed figure with oblique lines radiating from the caput in addition to mirroring the fish tail. These lines propose the feelers (barbells) that number from the heads of mudfish.
Half-human, half-serpent images for H2O spirits, widespread throughout Africa—like the half-human, half-fish creatures discussed above—set the phase for the arrival in addition to incorporation of a very particular European prototype of an “Oriental other” that resonated deeply inside African H2O spirit arts: a ophidian charmer.
The West has had a long in addition to enduring fascination with the “exotic.” By the 2nd one-half of the nineteenth century, this European involvement inward the exotic had spread beyond the European upper in addition to middle classes to a much wider audience. During the Victorian era, with its stiff social norms, people turned to the exotic to furnish a “temporary frisson, a circumscribed experience of the bizarre” (Clifford 1981:542). Institutions such as botanical in addition to zoological gardens, ethnographic museums, and especially circuses provided vehicles for such escape.
One of the most important centers for such developments was the northern High German port in addition to trading centre of Hamburg, which was inward many ways Europe’s gateway to the exotic (cf. Bitterli 1976, Debrunner 1979). There, a human being named Carl G.C. Hagenbeck worked every bit a fish merchant inward St. Pauli inward the port expanse of Hamburg, an expanse that was also a pop “entertainment” centre for sailors in addition to others. In 1848, a fisherman who worked the Arctic waters brought some sea lions to Hagenbeck, which he in turn exhibited every bit a zoological “attraction.” The immediate success of this venture led to a rapidly enlarged menagerie of exotic animals from Greenland, Africa, in addition to Asia (Niemeyer 1972:247).
Contemporary poster of a Mami Wata, "serpent priestess" painted past times High German (Hamburg) artist. Schleisinger, ca. 1926, displayed inward shrines every bit a pop prototype of Mami Wata inward Africa in addition to inward the Diaspora
Sensing the public’s enormous appetite for the bizarre, Hagenbeck decided to expand his imports to include some other curiosity—exotic people. This was the pocket-size start of a new concept inward pop amusement known every bit the Volkerschauen, or “People Shows” (Benninghof-Luhl 1984). In monastic enjoin to advertise his novel attractions, Hagenbeck turned to Adolph Friedlander, a leading printer who rapidly began to make a large corpus of inexpensive color posters for Hagenbeck.
Hagenbeck hired a famous hunter named Breitwieser to travel to Southeast Asia in addition to the Pacific to collect rare snakes, insects, and butterflies. In add-on to these, Breitwieser, brought back a wife, who nether the phase call “Maladamatjaute” began to perform every bit a ophidian charmer inward Hagenbeck’s production. A
chromolithograph poster made for Hagenbeck past times Freidlander’s company inward the 1880s featured her; Malhotra 1979:99). A Hamburg studio photograph taken nigh 1887 shows Maladamatjaute attired for her performance.
Mermaid which is found inward Beaufort, SC that was portion of a 2006 fine art project, “Beaufort’s Big Swim”.
It is entitled:Mami Wata
The trend in addition to cut of her bodice, the stripes made of buttons, the coins nigh her waist, the armlets, the seat of the ophidian around her cervix and a 2nd 1 nearby, the nonfunctional bifurcated flute held in her hand, in addition to her facial features in addition to coiffure: all duplicate those seen inward a ophidian charmer chromolithograph from the Freidlander lithographic company, the master copy of which has non yet been found.What nosotros do have, however, is a reprint, made inward 1955 in Bombay, India, past times the Shree Ram Calendar Company from an master copy sent to them past times 2 (Indian?) merchants inward Kumasi, Ghana. In a missive of the alphabet to me dated June 17, 1977, the manager of the Calendar Company stated that the impress had been copied “without changing a line fifty-fifty from the original.”
There tin displace live lilliputian doubt, therefore, that Maladamatjaute was the model for the image. Her calorie-free brownish peel placed her beyond Europe, piece the boldness of her gaze in addition to the strangeness of her occupation epitomized for Europeans her “otherness” in addition to the mystery in addition to wonder of the “Orient.” As Maladamatjaute’s fame
every bit a ophidian charmer spread, her prototype began to look inward circus flyers in addition to demonstrate posters for the Folies Bergère inward Paris (see, for example, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, no. 480), every bit good as in the United States. Soon after, in addition to likely unknown to Maladamatjaute, her prototype spread to Africa—but for real different reasons in addition to imbued with real novel meanings.
Not long after its publication inward Europe, the ophidian charmer chromolithograph reached West Africa, likely carried by African sailors who had seen it inward Hamburg. European merchants stationed inward Africa, whether Germans or others, may have also brought Maladamatjaute’s seductive prototype to decorate their piece of work or domestic spaces.
For African viewers, the ophidian charmer’s calorie-free brownish skin and long dark wavy pilus suggested that she came from beyond Africa, in addition to the impress had a dramatic in addition to almost immediate impact. By 1901, nigh 15 years after its appearance inward Hamburg, the ophidian charmer prototype had already been interpreted as an African H2O spirit, translated into a three-dimensional carved image, in addition to incorporated into a Niger River Delta water
spirit headdress that was photographed past times J.A. Green inward the Delta town of Bonny (Fig. 15).
The headdress clearly shows the inspiration of the Hamburg print. Note especially the long, dark hair parted inward the middle, the garment’s neckline, the earrings, the position of the figure’s arms in addition to the snakes, in addition to the low-relief rendering of the inset with a kneeling flute musician surrounded by four snakes. The prototype of Maladamatjaute, the “Hindoo” snake charmer of European in addition to American renown, had begun a new life every bit the primary icon for Mami Wata, an African H2O divinity with overseas origins, joining in addition to sometimes replacing her manifestation every bit a mermaid.
Mami Wata Icons inward the Twentieth Century
Between the fifteenth in addition to nineteenth centuries, the vast bulk of visitors from overseas that Africans encountered were European or American. By the early on twentieth century, however, as Europeans established a colonial presence inward Africa, other peoples from European-influenced areas, such every bit Lebanese Republic in addition to the British colony of India, began to arrive. They came every bit traders and, similar the Europeans earlier them, were associated past times Africans with wealth from overseas. In the 1930s in addition to 1940s (possibly inspired inward part by Mahatma Gandhi’s successful crusade for India’s independence in addition to past times African soldiers serving inward Southern Asia during World War II), Indian stuff civilization inward the cast of images inward books, pamphlets, films, in addition to pop devotional chromolithographs (Bae 2003), every bit good every bit the votive practices of Indian traders inward Africa,
came to receive got a profound touching on on Mami Wata worshipers, their icons, in addition to their ritual actions.
Pigment, cloth; 267cm (105")Fowler Museum X2005.5.1; Museum Purchase
Ghanaian creative mortal Joseph Kossivi Ahiator, inspired past times a Hindu impress of Vishnu, created
this complex icon of a host of Mami Wata spirits that he calls “India Spirits.” Kossivi was
born with Republic of Republic of India spirits in addition to he visits Republic of Republic of India often, sometimes inward his dreams, sometimes piece at
the beach along Ghana’s coast. In 2005 Kossivi had brilliant dreams of a nineteen-headed Indian
king spirit together with his nine-headed queen. He dreamed that he was swimming
with them inward the sea in addition to thereafter called the manlike mortal “King of Mami Wata” in addition to his queen
“NaKrishna.” He has gathered these spirits under the ancient African celestial rainbow
serpent deity Dan Aida Wedo, thus forging links betwixt Africa, India, the sea, and
ultimately the African Atlantic where Dambala Wedo continues to live venerated past times Haitians and others.
Amuia Ata (Mami Wata), the woman nurture H2O (Avrekétê inward Ewe)
H5N1 novel episode inward the evolution of the visual civilization of Mami Wata began inward the 1940s–1950s. The popularity of the snake charmer lithograph in addition to the presence of Indian merchants (and films) inward West Africa led to a growing fascination with Indian prints of Hindu gods in addition to goddesses. In various places, especially along the Ghana-Nigeria coast, people began to interpret these deities every bit representations of a host of mami wata spirits associated with specific bodies in addition to levels of water.
Using these prints every bit guides for making icons inward wood, clay, in addition to other media, performing rituals, in addition to preparing altars known every bit “Mami Wata tables,” devotees expanded the pantheon of H2O spirits, fostering an ever-growing complexity inward Mami Wata worship, which includes elements of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, astrology, European spiritualist in addition to occult beliefs in addition to practices, and so forth (Drewal 1988a,b,c, 2002b).
ADJA - Togo / Benin
Figure ritual " or Densu Nana Densu or Denzu or Day-On "
( Mami Wata "masculine")
Wood, pigment, patina
h32 cm x L12 x p11
The openness of such belief systems offers “eternal potential” (Rush 1999:61, 1992). As Dana Rush notes, the Hindu chromolithographs that receive got flooded vodunland (i.e., Ghana, Togo, in addition to Benin) possess both external in addition to internal mobility. They are easily reproduced in addition to transported, in addition to they are “inwardly mobile” since their “inherent forms in addition to meanings do non rest stationary” (1999:62). They continually move, change, shift, in addition to multiply.
Nana Densu the hubby Of Mami Wata made past times Sowanou Ambedo from Togo inward 1994.
Take for example, the chromolithographic prototype of the triple-headed, multi-armed Hindu deity Dattatreya. For Ewe Mami Wata worshippers, it represents Densu, a papi wata spirit associated with a river inward Ghana. He is called the “triple gift giver” in addition to is a source of enormous wealth every bit explained by the creative mortal of the mural inward the shrine of renowned Mami Wata priestess Affi Yeye inward Benin. An Ibibio (?) variant copies the print closely in addition to another, from the Ewe, combines Hindu and mermaid elements.
(This particular Densu carving was done past times a Togolese artist, whose entirely chore is to carve images of the Vodoun Gods.
Because of its three-headed characteristices, many anthropologists receive got mistakenly attributed this divinity every bit a "borrowed" aspect of the Indian Hindu pantheon. Nothing could live farther from the truth. Densu is an ancient in addition to major characteristic inward West African & Diaspora Mami Wata Vodoun.
Densu (day-su), is a major aspect of the many anthropomorphic forms that the Mami Wata Spirit takes. He/she is androgynous, in addition to is known in addition to venerated throughout all of Togo in addition to Benin, Ghana, Burkino Faso etc.,, every bit the crowned divinity of its imperial priesthood.
This particular aspect of Mami is often inherited through the bloodline. It is infamous every bit the diety of "bi-location, inward which it is known to select on the outer persona of its retainer . Being 1 of the most awed, feared, amd most powerful divinity inward the entire West African & Diaspora Mami Wata Vodoun pantehon, Densu rewards its retainer with wealth, noesis in addition to spiritual transformation.)
As Mami Wata’s popularity increased in addition to spread from the colonial menses to the 1970s, many devotees came to conceive of her every bit resembling a Christian saint who used her spiritual powers for the do goodness of her followers. Seeking to strengthen this resemblance, they modeled their arts in addition to devotional practices on those of Christianity in addition to a generalized “European” etiquette (see Drewal 1988c:176–80 for a description of The House of the Holy Trinity [La Maison de la Sainte Trinité] inward Togo). In the Republic of Republic of Benin (the erstwhile Dahomey), “Papa Nouveau,” the Christian “prophet” of an independent church, became very influential because he was believed to live the hubby of Mami Wata (Auge 1969:184–6, 195).
Within the terminal 20 to 30 years, however, Mami Wata’s engagement with modernity, morality, Christianity, in addition to Islam has led to dramatic transformations inward the ways she is depicted and understood. For some, her unsafe in addition to seductive attributes align her with the forces of Satan. Mami has thus become
a primary target of a widespread in addition to growing religious motion led past times evangelical (Pentecostal) Christians in addition to fundamentalist Muslims who seek to denigrate in addition to demonize indigenous African faiths; reckon Gore forthcoming in addition to Nevadomsky forthcoming for to a greater extent than contemporary disputes in addition to negotiations
betwixt Mami Wata followers in addition to Pentecostal Christians in Benin City, Nigeria).
For these groups, Mami Wata has come upward to personify immorality, sin, in addition to damnation. She is considered one of the most powerful presences of Satan, 1 whose piece of work is to seduce women in addition to men away from the “path of righteousness”(See essays on this topic inward Drewal forthcoming: Meyer, Gore, Elleh, Hackett, Kisliuk, in addition to Moyer; reckon also Michelle Gilbert 2003:353–79 in addition to n. 17, who cites a similar province of affairs inward Cameroon, the DRC, in addition to Sierra Leone inward the works of Geschiere 1997, De Boek 1999, in addition to R. Shaw 1997).
Voodoo ritual related to Mami Wata sea Godess inward Grand Popo. South Benin. Benin-Travel
Mami Wata inward Cultural Context
Cultural instance studies complement the visual history overview to demonstrate how, why, in addition to where persons in addition to communities have created arts honoring Mami Wata for their ain specific purposes. Both historical in addition to cultural perspectives assist us embrace the extraordinary multifariousness in addition to complexity, similarities and differences, of the circumstances that shape artistic, religious, and cultural practices in addition to the lives of people. What follows are a few examples of works to give you lot a sense of the richness and diversity of fine art for Mami Wata in addition to other H2O spirits inward Africa and beyond.
Mami Wata Priestess in addition to FriendBenin, 2000.Photography by Henry John Drewal
Cote d’ivoire
Masks in addition to sculptures depicting Mami Wata are made by a broad multifariousness of artists inward S in addition to key Côte d’Ivoire, and their belatedly twentieth-century styles are often indistinguishable from each other.
African Mami Wata mermaid statue from the Baule people
These artists, who include Baule, Guro, Yaure, Wan, Anyi, in addition to Attie peoples, piece of work for a varied clientele composed of locals in addition to foreigners. Ivoirians usage these artworks for dances, shrines, divination sessions, or every bit interior decor in modern homes, in addition to foreigners instruct them every bit souvenirs and for decorative purposes.
This marketplace seat province of affairs seems especially appropriate for a dependent area similar Mami Wata, for she herself is a product of transcultural in addition to transnational encounters in addition to commercial transactions. Created for such a various market, these masks in addition to sculptures reverberate the ingenuity of artists who are able to combine indigenous aesthetics with a sensitivity to international tastes in addition to to contain fantastic novel imagery, including that inspired past times a variety of Hindu chromolithographs sold by itinerant African merchants since the 1950s (Holas 1969:116)
Fowler Museum at UCLA.Photo past times Don Cole
Jolly Masquerades—Freetown, Sierra Leone
Jolly masquerade societies developed inward Freetown inward the middle of the twentieth century every bit an amalgamation of varied traditions. They go along to live composed of young men who perform—primarily at Christmas, New Year’s celebrations, in addition to occasions such as weddings—in commutation for funds. Their masquerades are held inward the streets, private residences, metropolis parks, in addition to other populace spaces. Performing inward ornate woman mortal attire, Jolly masqueraders receive got taken the “fancy” aesthetic of immature men’s masquerades to new artistic heights, splicing together materials in addition to motifs from around the globe (Below; Nunley 1981:52–9).
Wood, pigment, fabric, netting, beads, metallic fiber; 75cm (29½").Collection of Jeremiah Cole;
L2007.9.1The lively imagination of Temne creative mortal John Goba brings together ferocious horned animals, dancing snakes, a woman nurture with children, in addition to a multiheaded, rainbow-necked Hindu goddess to evoke a fantastic swirl of forces surrounding Mami Wata inward this masquerade headdress from Freetown,
Sierra Leone. Mami’s fish tail is visible at the back of the headdress.)
Ghana, Togo, in addition to Benin
The peoples who alive inward the coastal part ranging from Republic of Ghana to Togo and Republic of Benin are culturally in addition to linguistically related in addition to include the Ga, Ewe, Akan, Mina, Aja, Gun, Fon, in addition to Tori. These groups receive got an intimate association with the sea in addition to with H2O divinities, in addition to they worship a vast pantheon of spiritual entities mostly known every bit Vodun (Blier 1995).
AKAN AFRICAN ASHANTE FEMALE ANCESTRAL FIGURE MAMI WATA RIVER SPIRIT GHANA
Mami Wata exists every bit portion of, yet apart from, the Vodun. The Fon, for example, have their ain freshwater deities called Tohosu, in addition to they consider these to live distinct from Mami Wata, who is regarded specifically every bit a saltwater divinity. Others believe Mami represents a vast “school” of woman mortal and male H2O spirits (mami watas in addition to papi watas), piece soundless others reckon her as the source of all Vodun. Given these various conceptions, Mami Wata, who is mostly acknowledged to live an African divinity with overseas origins, is honored inward arts that convey together ancient in addition to indigenous rites; images, beliefs, in addition to practices from close in addition to far; in addition to elements from the global marketplace.
Tori potter Akpogla Togbo Ekpon is a devotee of the Vodun spirit Dangbe, a deity who deals with psychological issues in addition to is associated with the python. She creates wares for a real diverse, urban clientele seeking flowerpots in addition to decorative items for their homes, every bit good every bit elaborate “modern” shrine sculptures for their guardian spirits.
Ekpon, who works in the outskirts of Porto-Novo, Benin, inward a little commercial pottery manufacturing works life that produces utilitarian ware, is renowned for her ritual vessels for the Vodun. Her piece of work is highly detailed, naturalistic, in addition to “modernized,” as she describes it, compared to the older, to a greater extent than abstract vessels that were made past times her aunts in addition to grandmothers. She has emphasized how she strives to decorate in addition to refi ne her forms, create a pleasing symmetry and proportion, in addition to complete the piece of work with a smooth, finely polished surface. One of her piece, a mermaid with a comb, mirror, in addition to clay cowries inward a clay shell for divination is Mami Apouke.
AMI WATA ANNUAL CEREMONY IN TOGO WEST AFRICA
One of the cultural traditions Agudas brought from Brazil was the masquerade known inward Republic of Benin every bit Bourian. It likely derives from two eighteenth-century Brazilian masking traditions, the Burrinha (Little Donkey) in addition to the Bumba-meu-Boi (Bumba-my-Ox), which combine Portuguese, Brazilian, in addition to Afro-Brazilian elements. In Brazil these masquerades are associated with Catholic celebrations of Epiphany, or the day of the Three Kings (January 6). In Ouidah, however, Bourian has become a largely secular amusement that may occur whatever fourth dimension of the year to celebrate Aguda theatre unit of measurement events such every bit baptisms, marriages, graduations, funerals, in addition to reunions. Thursday e humorous in addition to oft en bawdy performances poke fun at human foibles. Thursday e de Souza in addition to de Nevis families, both Aguda, perform Bourian inward Ouidah, in addition to it is hither that Mami Wata makes her appearance.
Mami Wata
.
Nigeria
For the Igbo peoples of southeastern Nigeria, the call “Mami Wata” refers to a specific H2O spirit in addition to to a “school” of indigenous H2O spirits with specific local names in addition to attributes. Such H2O deities, related to, yet dissever from, a vast pantheon of gods in addition to goddesses (agbara), are considered “free spirits” who be exterior the populace cult scheme (Cole 1982:62). Mami Wata works with diviners and priest/healers helping clients with physical in addition to psychological ailments. She also intervenes inward money matters, since she is thought to receive got “been brought past times white men, whom people believe to receive got endless supplies of newspaper money in addition to coins”
(Cole 1982:64–5; reckon also Cole in addition to Aniakor 1984:75–7, 104–6; Jones 1984:89).
Mami Wata altar inward Nigeria
H5N1 mask honoring spiritual forces in the Igbo cosmos depicts Mami Wata with three Christian images: Jesus on the cross, a robed priest or saint, in addition to a Madonna-like figure. Such juxtapositions recall conversations I had with Mami Wata devotees inward 1975 in addition to 1978. One Igbo woman related that Mami Wata was a Christian in addition to compared the preparation of a church building altar with its candles, flowers, statues, incense,and chromolithographs to that of a Mami Wata shrine. Alphonsius Njoku, a Mami Wata priest in addition to healer,
explained the presence of a Madonna and Child impress inward his shrine past times asserting that Mami Wata was a Christian. When I asked what type of Christian, he replied that she belongs to “every church, she is nondenominational.” Another priestess—who, while inward a trance, sang a vocal evocative of a Christian hymn to me inward a mixture of Igbo in addition to pidgin English—remarked that Mami Wata was a Christian and “beat” those who failed to go to church. Before the 1980s, Mami Wata real much resembled a Catholic saint to her devotees, in addition to these masks, likely carved in the 1950s or 1960s, visualize local religious and ideological debates, dialogues, and negotiations of a particular era (see Elleh forthcoming for a give-and-take of these religious contestations in addition to their touching on on Mami Wata icons). The Igbo’s northeastern neighbors, the Ejagham, borrowed Mami’s image to signify their ain spiritual entities for local purposes (Fig. 26).
Ibibio
Among the Ibibio, although Mami Wata could bestow groovy riches, she could also wreak havoc according to her whim. She could possess men in addition to women and lure them to her watery kingdom while they were bathing or entice them to follow her through fantastic dreams.
![ukpuru: “Mami Wata” kwaghir mask owned past times Aba [Tiv sculptor]. Agagbe district, Nigeria, 1978. Photo: S. L. Kasfir. This mask inward the trend of an Annang Ibibio work-shop may truly receive got been made past times Aba. — Sidney Littlefield Kasfir](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vZQu46SvxbmZSk269IH6kujm_RiNej2GAsPLVgDz1oeLmXLP6aEoqbG21dGh01ivJRRphyqg_svdJOJ9R-z97C1UBdPrWQtp6KOo07br9D9FqhXdakMHRXB8xcoGK8R0o=s0-d)
“Mami Wata” kwaghir mask owned past times Aba [Tiv sculptor]. Agagbe district, Nigeria, 1978. Photo: S. L. Kasfir.
This mask inward the trend of an Annang Ibibio work-shop may truly receive got been made past times Aba.
Her devotees powerfulness select on an other worldly appearance in addition to comport strangely. While they could go wealthy, they would be unable to bear children, a decided disadvantage inward a civilization that prizes fecundity. Some people, however, reveled in their communication with the spirit and became Mami Wata priests or priestesses in their ain right.
Nigeria 1989. From Mammy Water: In Search of the Water Spirits inward Nigeria bSabine Jell-Bahisen.
Great wealth in addition to prestige could accrue to priests in addition to priestesses from creating private “hospitals” where impotent men, barren women, in addition to those suffering from mental problems would pay high fees to live treated using various modalities, including drugs, electric shock treatment, in addition to lengthy counseling sessions. Furthermore, traditional Ibibio society is manlike mortal dominated, in addition to the powerfulness of a adult woman to live possessed past times Mami Wata offered her nearly her entirely chance to accomplish the condition accorded to men (Salmons 1977:10).
The commissioning of carvings for these many Mami Wata adherents explains their prevalence inward the 1970s. Members of the Chukwu family, who produced many such carvings, perpetuated Akpan’s unusual
carpentry trend of using precise measurements to carve private segments of Mami Wata, which were in addition to so nailed together. Other carvers, however, such as Udunwa Matthew Ekpe in addition to John Onyok, adopted a much freer approach, while still incorporating key elements such as the entwining snake, the bugler/snake charmer, the elaborate jewelry, in addition to the long flowing pilus of Mami Wata (Fig. 28). Variations, such every bit Mami Wata riding inward a canoe flanked past times paddlers, or atop a box tableau surrounded past times her devotees, were commissioned both for the shrine context or for local amusement groups and were also sold to tourists or other ethnic groups through the arts and crafts markets of Ikot Ekpene in addition to Calabar.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the social imaginary of the western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a broad expanse of H2O separates the world of the ancestors from that of the living. It also separates Mputu (Europe) from Africa. The siren or mermaid, whose chemical component is water, is preeminently a mediator betwixt these worlds. More a lover than a goddess, she assists men inward their quest for power and wealth inside a universe laid inward displace past times colonial modernization. Her assistance, however, comes at a terrible price.
Mami Wata, 1989. Acrylic on canvas. Private Collection
The earliest stories of encounters betwixt sirens in addition to local men appeared after World War II, written for literary competitions. At this fourth dimension urban music inspired past times the Cuban rumba was obsessed with seduction in addition to consumption (early songs advertised cigarettes, margarine, in addition to Coca-Cola). Musicians sang of men in addition to women forlorn inward the urban world in addition to desperate for money to pass on consumer goods. While men were wage earners, those described every bit “free women” (residing inward urban centers away from their families) were excluded from the workforce in addition to offered men domestic and sexual services inward commutation for money. These negotiated sexual relationships were typically temporary in addition to almost contractual. The social infinite of men was the bar, where clothing, the consumption of beer in addition to music could create a reputation.
African Atlantic
Sacred waters bathe the histories of African peoples, sometimes every bit tears of deep sorrow, sometimes every bit drops of soothing in addition to cooling liquid sustaining life in addition to hope. Water connects—world with otherworld, life with afterlife—for many African in addition to African Atlantic peoples—Yoruba, Kongo, Fon, in addition to others. And alongside Africans dispersed across vast oceans, those waters are emblematic of the ultimate journeying dorsum dwelling theatre to all those distant yet living ancestors. In Haiti, it is the journeying dwelling theatre to Guinee, across the rippling kalungaboundary of existence, imagined every bit a vast expanse of water, betwixt life in addition to afterlife. This is the abode of Mami Wata, Simbi, Olokun, Yemoja, La Baleine, La Sirene, Watramama, Maman d’Eau, River Maids, in addition to all the H2O divinities of Africa in addition to the African Atlantic.
MAMI WATA Santa Marta DominadoraHaiti
The Haitian faith of Vodou may live real roughly characterized every bit moving dorsum in addition to forth betwixt cool in addition to restrained (Rada) aspects in addition to hot in addition to energetic (Petwo) characteristics. Water enters the Vodou cosmology inward many forms in addition to via many paths. Marine spirits tin displace live contacted through bodies of water
ranging from the sea to the tubs found inward Vodou temples.
Fish, whales, in addition to snakes, especially the rainbow python Danbala, join fantastic composite creatures, such every bit the mermaid Lasirèn, to symbolize the spirits, or lwa, of the water. Some H2O spirits are associated with the cool in addition to sweetness Rada divinities; others are Petwo, hot in addition to volatile. Some, similar Lasirèn, switch dorsum and forth every bit they please.
Brazil
Every Feb 2, along the Northeast coast of Brazil that reaches out toward Africa, descendants of those enslaved, every bit well as many others, plough their eyes in addition to thoughts toward the vast watery horizon in addition to pray to the “Queen of the Sea,” “MotherWater,” the “Mother-of-Fish,”
Painting of Yemanja Goddess
Yemanja, seeking her love, support, protection, in addition to guidance. People come upward from all parts of Brazil in addition to every corner of earth to pray for expert fortune in
the coming twelvemonth in addition to to give offerings to Yemanja at her principal shrine inward Bahia, Brazil close the oral cavity of the Rio Vermelho.
On the eventide of Yemanja’s festival, her sweet-water sis Oxum is also honored with offerings at her sacred lake. This is a fourth dimension for renewal. Families in addition to friends, devotees in addition to tourists come upward bearing gifts—bouquets of flowers, perfume, sweet fruits, soft drinks, candies, talcum powder, soaps, beads, mirrors, dolls, candles, in addition to many other items to delight the goddess.
Making offering for Yamanja (Mami Wata), the Goddess of The Sea
offering for Mami Wata (Yemanja)
These offerings are loaded into large woven baskets, placed in boats, in addition to carried out to sea to live given to Yemanja. When she has accepted them—her sign of blessing—the political party begins with singing, dancing, in addition to drinking into the dark in addition to side past times side morning, when the sun’s firstly rays sparkle on Yemanja’s waves.
Afro-Brazilian Yemanja devotee praying at the beach to the Goddess (Mami Wata)
Mami Wata every bit Artist` Muse
In add-on to their continually transforming histories of influence inward Africa in addition to its diasporas, Mami Wata in addition to other African and African Atlantic H2O spirits receive got gained an fifty-fifty wider audience, every bit good every bit novel meanings and import, past times capturing the imaginations of a number of contemporary artists—women and men from Africa, Europe, North America, in addition to the Caribbean—who receive got found inward Mami Wata in addition to her cohorts a highly intriguing dependent area matter.
Mami Wata altar
Even though they may non worship her, Mami Wata has entered the dreams in addition to waking hours of these artists, seducing them into creating extraordinary works that opened upward our eyes, minds, in addition to imaginations to wonderful possibilities (Cover, Figs. 37–41). The unique understandings in addition to involvements of contemporary artists with H2O spirits also allow them to employ Mami Wata in addition to other underwater denizens to address issues of gender, race, morality, identity, economics, politics, and the environment
Boy at the Mamai Wata Vodun Priest. Posted inward Villa Karo, Benin, Grand-Popo,
Offerings to the Candomblé orixa Iemanja (Yemaya inward Lukumi-Santeria) inward Brasil
:http://www.mamiwata.com/mami.htl
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