Mamawata, Earthenware Ceramics, 2004

Mami Wata
Mami Wata (also known by variant spellings and by many other names), is known by its adherents in Togo, Benin and in the USA, as a pantheon of ancient water spirits or deities of the African diaspora who is worshiped in West, Central, and Southern Africa, and in the Caribbean and parts of North and South America. Mami Wata are ancient deities whose presence in Africa is pre-historic. It is believed that during ancient times, they were often pictured in their most primordial aspects as a mermaid, half-human or either half-fish or half-reptile. Mermaids are not a recent phenomena in African history. Most were honored and respected as being "bringers of divine law" and for establishing the theological, moral, social, political, economic and cultural foundation. They were credited with regulating the ecology: controlling the flooding of the Nile, establishing days for success at sailing, fishing, hunting and planting. They were also deemed responsible for punishments by means of devastating floods when laws and taboos were violated. However, just as not all serpents were revered, not all mermaids/mermen were considered "good."