Restless Ghosts
Other legends describe the rusalky as female ghosts who haunt lakes and waterways. These legends explain that the rusalky represent the souls of young women who died in or near bodies of water. In many cases, the women died violently, as murder victims or suicides. Because they died prematurely and unnaturally, they continue to be bound to Earth as spirits for the length of what would have been their normal lives. Only if a murdered ghost’s death is avenged can her spirit finally rest.
Still other tales say rusalky are the souls of unbaptized babies. Some of these disembodied spirits were babies born out of wedlock and drowned by their mothers. Folklore says they roam the land, searching for someone to baptize them so they can finally find peace. According to some accounts, ghostly rusalky can be violent, though others insist they’re not usually malicious if you leave them alone.
A ten-minute-long Russian movie titled Rusalka received an Oscar nomination for Best Short Animated Film. Directed by Aleksandr Petrov in 1996, it used a special paint-on-glass technique. In the story, a young monk discovers a beautiful naked woman in a river and falls in love with her. The woman turns out to be a rusalka, the spirit of a girl the young monk’s master rejected many years ago. As is typical in much Russian folklore, the rusalka seeks vengeance on the man who treated her badly.
A RUSALKA VAMPIRE?
The first book in C. J. Cherryh’s fantasy trilogy, The Russian Stories, features a rusalka named Eveshka. Published in 1989, Rusalka takes place in pre-Christian Russia and tells the story of a wizard’s murdered daughter who becomes a ghost. The rusalka exists by sucking the vitality out of other living things.
Ukrainian Rusalky
According to the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Ukranian rusalky are water nymphs who resemble pretty, naked young females with long green or blonde hair upon which they wear wreaths woven from marsh plants. Some accounts say their “eyes blaze like green fire” and their white skin seems almost translucent. However, these shapeshifters possess the ability to transform themselves into animals or anthropomorphic creatures when it pleases them.
These souls of drowned girls and unbaptized children live in underwater crystal cities most of the year, but emerge in the spring on Rusalka Easter (about seven to eight weeks after Christian Easter) when they dance and play on land. During Rusalka Week or Green Week, which usually occurs in early June, the rusalky reportedly reach their most dangerous peak. Superstitious people avoid swimming at this time for fear of being pulled underwater by the treacherous water nymphs.
While on land the rusalky appear as lighthearted young girls, but despite their winsomeness they can be dangerous to humans. Folktales say they attract bachelors by singing, and then either drown or tickle their victims to death. Sometimes a rusalka’s laugh is enough to kill a man. To protect themselves against the wicked wiles of the rusalky, Ukrainian men wear wormwood or lovage as amulets, or carry pieces of lucky cloth.
RUSALKA DANCING: A FERTILITY RITE
The rusalka’s dancing supposedly aids the growth of grain—giving her a link with the fertility deities of other cultures.
Siren Sightings
On June 15, 1608, English seafarer and explorer Henry Hudson was searching the Arctic Circle near Russia for a new route to the East Indies when a crewman spotted a mermaid. Hudson recorded in his log that at 75° 7’ N “one of our companie looking overboard saw a mermaid, and calling up some of the companie to see her, one more came up, and by that time she was close to the ship’s side, looking earnestly upon the men: a little after, a Sea came and overturned her: From the Navill upward, her backe and breasts were like a woman’s . . . her body as big as one of us; her skin very white; and long haire hanging down behinde, of colour blacke; in her going down they saw her tayle, which was like the tayle of a Porposse, and speckled like a Macrell. Their names that saw her were Thomas Hilles and Robert Rayner.”
THEY WALK AMONG US
How can you spot a rusalka? First, her eyes have no pupils, giving her a rather demented look. Second, her hair is always wet, and if it dries she’ll die. Consequently, she can’t survive long on land. Her comb, however, serves as a talisman, for with it she can magically make water appear if she gets stranded.
Slavic Water Spirits
Although the rusalky dominate Russian and Slavic merfolk myths, a few old legends speak about other types of water spirits. These beings bear similarities to those found in the folklore of other cultures, including the Greek water nymphs and the Indian snake deities.
Some Slavic legends mention mermen who marry rusalky. Like the females, they may be the ghosts of people who died unnatural deaths. These male water spirits, called wodjanoj or vodianoi, are said to be shapeshifters and can transform themselves into fish. These couples, folklore says, live in underwater castles built from parts of sunken ships. Unlike their beautiful mates, the ugly males sport long green beards and have bodies covered with scales and slime. The mermen can be vindictive—they may drown humans who offend them or capture people and keep them in the aquatic realm as slaves.
Slavic lore also includes stories of human-snake hybrids with magical powers. In one folktale a water snake comes ashore and tricks a girl into marrying him. The couple lives in his home at the bottom of a pond, where the snake transforms into a human-looking being, and they have two children together.
After three years, the wife decides to visit her mother on land. She tells her mother about her shapeshifting husband and her underwater life. But the mother, not wanting to lose her daughter, tricks the snake-man and chops off his head. The brokenhearted wife then changes herself and her children into birds.
Siren Sightings
In February 2007, a strange aquatic creature was supposedly captured in the Sea of Azov by villagers from Russia’s Rostov region. The fishermen, initially believing they’d caught an alien or a mermaid, took pictures of it with a cell phone. The strange whitish creature resembled a shark and weighed about 220 pounds. Andrei Gorodovoi, chairman of the Anomalous Phenomena Service, called it “an anomalous being” and specialists said they’d never seen anything like it. Unfortunately, scientists can’t study the rare creature, because after filming it the fishermen ate it and pronounced it delicious.
The Iele
Romanian mythology speaks of the Iele, female spirits similar to the rusalky who make their homes in ponds, marshes, and springs. These magical beings can be seen dancing on land at night with their long hair flowing, holding candles and wearing nothing but bells around their ankles. Often they seem as translucent as ghosts, but they sometimes inhabit the shapely bodies of beautiful young women. Their mesmerizing dancing and enchanting singing captivate humans.
The Iele can be temperamental and may cause people who displease them to fall asleep for long periods of time—or to disappear altogether. Other stories say a human who hears them singing instantly turns mute. The ground on which they dance looks scorched afterward and nothing but mushrooms will grow there from then on.
Some Romanians call the Iele “the devil’s daughters.” Woe be to someone who angers the Iele, for these malicious spirits take revenge by possessing the person. In this demonic state, known as Luat din Calus, the deranged individual may suffer all sorts of horrible consequences including loss of sight and/or hearing. Some injure themselves or others—they may even commit murder. The only people who supposedly can remove the Iele’s curse are the Calusari, a group of healers with magical powers who perform a ritual dance to cure victims.
Not all Iele fall into the category of water spirits, however. Legends depict them as nature fairies of various kinds, some of whom live in caves, forests, and mountains, or fly about in the sky.
“I am the star that rises from the sea, the twilight sea
I bring men dreams that rule their destiny.
I bring the dream-tides to the souls of men;
The tides that ebb and flow and ebb again—
These are my secrets, these belong to me.”
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—Dion Fortune
CHAPTER 8
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African AND Indian Mermaids
MANY OF THE WORLD’S most ancient mermaid myths come from Africa, India, and the Middle East—the earliest centers of civilization. People in these parts of the world told tales of curious aquatic beings and powerful water deities long before Europe and the Americas were settled. Their stories, handed down through countless generations, influenced conceptions of mermaids, sea gods and goddesses, and other water deities up until the present time.
Mami Wata
“Mami Wata as the Divine African Mother/God/dess has been worshiped and celebrated around the world for thousands of years. From Egypt as Isis, in Asia Minor (Ephesus) as Sibyl (Cyeble), in Greece as Rhea, Hekate and Artemis, and in Rome as the great Magna Mater amongst her other holy names.”
—Mama Zogbé, “Mami Wata: From Myth to Divine Reality”
Mermaids have existed in African mythology for millennia, and they have connections to ancient Egyptian and Minoan gods and goddesses. The name Mami Wata comes from the ancient Egyptian and Ethiopian word mama meaning “truth, wisdom” and uat-ur meaning “ocean water.” In some early languages of the Sudan, wata means “woman.” Other sources, mostly in the West, suggest Mami Wata is pidgin English for “Mother Water,” though this is unlikely considering that the deities existed in African culture and folklore long before the English language infiltrated that continent.
Although commonly thought to be a single deity, “Mami Wata” actually refers to a pantheon of African water deities; these deities are part of Africa’s ancient spiritual belief system, which was matriarchal like those in many other areas throughout the world prior to the ascent of the patriarchal religious structures typically embraced today. Early depictions of Mami Wata show them with the heads and torsos of humans and the lower bodies of either fish or snakes—much like mermaids in other parts of the world. These water spirits can be either masculine or feminine, but are usually thought of as feminine. In later representations, Mami Wata morphed into a singular image of a voluptuous, long-haired black woman with a large snake—symbol of wisdom and spiritual power—wrapped around her body.
Like their mermaid counterparts elsewhere, Mami Wata enjoy their fancy combs, mirrors, and jewelry. To solicit their aid, a supplicant might make an offering of these gifts—Mami Wata love bling!
GODDESS OR SNAKE CHARMER?
Der Schlagenbandinger, an Art Nouveau chromolithograph of a beautiful Hamburg snake charmer created by German artist Felix Schlesinger, contributed to our contemporary conception of Mami Wata. Western images sometimes present Mami Wata as a seductive love goddess or sensual female shapeshifter who can take the form of a mermaid, snake priestess, or human woman. The name Mami Wata may even be used as a slang term for a beautiful woman.
Benevolent Beauties
Unlike the mischievous, tempestuous, or downright destructive merfolk who turn up in the myths of other parts of the world, Mami Wata are generally viewed as benevolent and powerful divinities who govern natural cycles, including the Nile’s overflow, agriculture, fishing, hunting, and so on. They’re said to assist human beings physically and spiritually, and to provide food, shelter, protection, healing, and all the other necessities for life on Earth. Therefore, legends sometimes link these spirits with wealth and abundance—they bring prosperity to humans. As fertility goddesses, they watch over mothers and children. Some sources also credit them with guiding seers, mystics, and healers.
Mami Wata sometimes capture swimmers or sailors and shepherd them into other worlds—either the underwater realm or the spirit plane (which may be the same thing, given that water in mythology often symbolizes intuition and spirituality). If these human abductees return to land, they display a greater spiritual awareness and often prosper as a result of their experiences with Mami Wata. They may even come back with psychic ability or other extraordinary skills.
But some sources warn that Mami Wata aren’t always gentle and generous—they can also be capricious and cantankerous. If a person disobeys them, they may drown the errant follower or thrust him into a world of confusion, delirium, and disease.
KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE
The Mami Wata Healers Society of North America, Inc., is a nonprofit “ancestral, Afro-religious organization committed to the resurrection, establishment, dissemination and maintenance of the Mami Wata and Yeveh Vodoun spiritual and ritual traditions, brought to the North American shores by enslaved Africans.” (See www.mamiwata.com for more information.)
Yemaya
“Yemaya reminds us that even the worst catastrophes can be endured and that, with her help, we can learn to negotiate the ebbs and flows of change in our lives with her wisdom, courage, and grace.”
—Sharon Turnbull, author of Goddess Gift
Yemaya, or Yemoja, goddess of the ocean, abides at the heart of several African religions. Her full name, Yey Omo Eja, means “mother whose children are the fish.” Often depicted as a mermaid, this mother goddess of the Yoruba religion originally ruled the Ogun River, the largest and most powerful waterway in Nigeria. When Africans were brought to the New World, Yemaya came with them and watched over them as they endured the arduous voyage and travails of slavery.
As her African worshipers experienced the sea for the first time, Yemaya’s powers expanded and she gained dominion over the ocean as well. But she only represents the upper portion of the ocean, the part that contains most of the sea life, the source of nourishment—for this mother deity generously provides for her human children. You could even think of the ebb and flow of the ocean’s tides as a great cradle in which the goddess Yemaya rocks us all.
Like most water deities and mermaids, Yemaya exudes a potent sexuality. Usually she is portrayed as voluptuous, with large breasts, hips, and buttocks that suggest her fertility. The rolling tides symbolize the motion of her undulating walk. She wears seven blue-and-white skirts, which signify the seven seas.
Despite her caring, comforting, and compassionate nature, Yemaya can be temperamental—just like the ocean. Provoke her at your peril, for this protective goddess drowns those who harm her children.
YEMAYA’S GIFT TO HUMANITY
Yemaya’s energy flows through seashells, and folklore says she gave shells to human beings so they could listen to her voice. Hold a shell to your ear—can you hear Yemaya speaking to you?
PETITIONING YEMAYA
How can you win Yemaya’s favor and protection? Honor her with gifts of flowers, jewelry, oranges, and pound cake. Like many water deities (and women), she also loves perfume.
Oshun
“I am the honey-sweet voice of the waters. I am the flowing of a woman’s skirts as she dances her life.”
—Thalia Took, creator of The Goddess Oracle Deck
Daughter of the sea goddess Yemaya, Oshun (or Ochun) abides in freshwater and is sometimes known as the goddess of luxury and love. Like many water deities, she represents fertility, prosperity, nourishment, and healing. And, like other African goddesses, this beloved deity protects her people and provides for them.
Some images of Oshun show her as a typical mermaid, with the torso of a beautiful woman and the tail of a fish. Others depict her as a lovely and charismatic young human female. In addition to the usual mirror and comb, Oshun sometimes holds a golden fan. This luxury-loving lady adores jewelry, and artists often picture her decked out in gems.
Although Oshun can be considered vain and more than a little self-indulgent, she’s one of the best-natured of all the water deities. This benevolent river goddess lacks the dark and dangerous qualities often associated with mermaids in other cultures. Generous, kind-hearted, and compassionate, she likes to shower her adoring followers with gifts and wants everyone to be happy. The only time she gets angry is when someone harms children, for Oshun serves as their protectress.
LOVE-CASTING
Legend says Oshun possesses the gifts of divination and spell-casting. Being a
love goddess, she particularly enjoys casting love spells. But before you ask her for magical help, remember the old saying: Be careful what you wish for!
Desperately Seeking Oshun
Where can you find this generous and lusty lady? First try the Ogun River in Nigeria. But if you can’t make it to Africa, legend says she resides in streams, rivers, and lakes everywhere. Some sources say this sensuous goddess revels in beauty and likes to hang out in all the luxurious places human women frequent: spas, jewelry stores, boutiques, and beauty shops. That sexy bottle-blonde getting a seaweed wrap at your favorite day spa might just be Oshun!
If you’re serious about making contact with Oshun, one way to get her attention is to present her with a gift. Deities are accustomed to receiving offerings from people who seek their aid—and Oshun is no exception. She’ll be glad to assist you in the game of love, but first it’s a good idea to give this notoriously decadent mermaid-goddess a few goodies. She adores gold and amber jewelry (but she’ll settle for brass if gold is out of your price range). She’s a big fan of perfume, too, particularly lush, sensual fragrances like amber, patchouli, and frankincense. Sweet foods of all kinds delight her, too, especially honey. Often artists depict her with a honeypot dangling from her hips—innuendo intended! Cinnamon, yams, and pumpkins also tempt her taste buds. And, like most females, Oshun adores flowers—yellow roses most of all.
Set up an altar dedicated to her. Place the offerings on it and sing to her or play African music. Pretty soon you’ll sense her presence. Ask her to help you—most likely, she’ll agree.
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