The main argument of Henry John Drewal's article “Mermaids, Mirrors and Snake Charmers: Igbo Mami Wata Shrines” is that Mami Wata shrines, and the ideas surrounding them, were created from many outside influences, reinterpreted and repurposed. While many of the imagery, beliefs and practices surrounded Mami Wata are borrowed from other cultures and beliefs, they are not merely copies or imitations of those beliefs. Instead, Mami Wata worshippers have created something entirely new and unique by applying many diverse ideas from foreign cultures to the the needs and beliefs of Igbo people.
According to Drewal, the appearance of Mami Wata may vary depending of the interpretations of different artistes and believers, but most commonly she appears as a woman with thick, dark hair, parted in the middle, wearing a European-style dress. She is very …show more content…
She is often depicted with one of more snakes, which she holds aloft. These ideas originated with a chomagraph originally printed in 1885 and subsequently distributed throughout England, India and Western and Central Africa. Frequently, Mami Wata is also depicted as a mermaid – although she can appear with human legs as well – and is strongly associated with many of the same elements as European mermaids like vanity, a fondness for mirrors, and most significantly: water. Due to her status as a water spirit, Mami Wata is associated with things like fishing nets and boats, particularly canoes. This particular connection comes from the Ijo people, who are traditionally said to have brought Mami Wata to the Igbo people. The Ijo were well known for their impressive, massive canoes that could hold up to eighty people and were used for trading and slave
According to Drewal, the appearance of Mami Wata may vary depending of the interpretations of different artistes and believers, but most commonly she appears as a woman with thick, dark hair, parted in the middle, wearing a European-style dress. She is very …show more content…
She is often depicted with one of more snakes, which she holds aloft. These ideas originated with a chomagraph originally printed in 1885 and subsequently distributed throughout England, India and Western and Central Africa. Frequently, Mami Wata is also depicted as a mermaid – although she can appear with human legs as well – and is strongly associated with many of the same elements as European mermaids like vanity, a fondness for mirrors, and most significantly: water. Due to her status as a water spirit, Mami Wata is associated with things like fishing nets and boats, particularly canoes. This particular connection comes from the Ijo people, who are traditionally said to have brought Mami Wata to the Igbo people. The Ijo were well known for their impressive, massive canoes that could hold up to eighty people and were used for trading and slave