What is a mermaid and what do they symbolise? Tales of mermaids date back to the first mermaid sheet cake accounts of humanity, but how much do we know about the mythical sea creatures? A mermaid is a mythical sea-dwelling creature, often described as having the head and body of a woman and a fish’s tail below the waist. Stories of mermaids have existed for thousands of years and span cultures across the world – from coastal settlements in Ireland to the landlocked Karoo desert in South Africa.

With such a rich and varied history, the symbol of the mermaid is as changeable as the sea itself. In some cultures, the mermaid signifies life and fertility within the ocean. In others, she embodies the destructive nature of the water, luring sailors to their deaths — serving as an omen for storms, unruly seas and disaster. As these spirits or divinities stem from multiple African cultures with ancient roots, there is no singular characteristic to their identity. Mami Wata’s gender is fluid, meaning she can sometimes appear as a man or woman. The spirit is worshipped for both their benevolence in offering beauty, healing and wisdom, and as a way of warding off natural disasters.

Following colonialism and the rise of the slave trade in the 1600s, the stories and beliefs of Mami Wata spread across the globe and remain an important source of spiritual connection with African communities seeking to reclaim their traditions and cultural identities. Ancient Greece and Rome: Sirens and Mermaids The mermaids of Greek and Roman mythology are considerably close to the appearance and character of the European myths we think about today. Many ancient Greek myths equate sirens with mermaids. However, while they share many characteristics, they are now seen as two different entities. A famous Greek folktale claimed that Alexander the Great’s sister, Thessalonike was transformed into a mermaid upon her death in 295 BC and lived in the Aegean sea. Whenever a ship passed, she would ask the sailors one question: “Is King Alexander alive? If the sailors answered correctly, declaring “He lives and reigns and conquers the world,” Thessalonike would allow the ship to continue on its journey.

Any other answer was said to anger her, and she would conjure a storm and doom the vessel and its sailors to a death at sea. Eastern Europe: Rusalki Often translated as “mermaid,” the Rusalki are water nymphs of Slavic mythology. While initially regarded as benevolent spirits of fertility and agriculture, Rusalki gained a more sinister description in the 1800s. They were believed to be the ghosts of women who died violent deaths by drowning. In their anger and sorrow, the Rusalki now lured men and children to their watery graves. Ireland – Merrows Female merrows, with their beauty and long green hair, resemble our traditional views of mermaids.

Their counterpart, the male merrow is considered grotesque, cruel and more fish than man. The ruthless nature of the male merrow is why the creatures were said to have relationships with humans. In the Ramayana, the countries retellings of the Indian epic poem, one of the heroes, Hanuman attempts to build a bridge of stones across the sea. His plans are hampered by Suvannamaccha who has been instructed to prevent the causeway’s completion. The two meet and fall in love and Suvannamaccha ends up helping Hanuman finishing the path. The mermaid is now seen as a herald of good luck and her figure is depicted in charms, streamers and icons throughout Cambodia, Thailand and Lao.