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In Latvian mythology, the term Māte stands for "mother", sometimes written in English as Mahte.It was an epithet applied to some sixty-seventy goddesses.They were clearly distinct goddesses in most or all cases, so the term definitely referred to the mother-goddess of specific phenomena.
Latvian mythology is the collection of myths that have emerged throughout the history of Latvia, sometimes being elaborated upon by successive generations, and at other times being rejected and replaced by other explanatory narratives.
Māra is the highest-ranking goddess in Latvian mythology, the ancient Dawn-goddess, previously called Austra, [1] and, [2] not at all, although often stated, [clarification needed] the same as Zemes māte (Mother Earth, pace). [3]
Laima makes the final decision on individual's fate and is considerably more popular. While all three of them had similar functions, Laima is the Goddess of luck and is more related with mothers and childbirth, Dēkla is in charge of children, and Kārta holds power over the adult's life. [2]
In Latvian mythology Lauma is an assistant at birth, assuring the health and welfare of both mother and child. If the mother does not survive or gives the child up, she takes on the role of spiritual foster mother for the child. She spins the cloth of life for the child but weeps at the fate of some.
Size Title Content 153: Meza mate: In [[Latvian mythology]], '''Meza mate''' ("mother of the forests") was the patron goddess of forest: 169: Meza Virs
In Latvian dainas, Zemes Mate is associated with fellow Mahte ("Mothers") Velu Mate ('Mother of Dead Souls') and Kari Mate ('Mother of Graves'). According to researcher Elza Kokare, Zemes Mate and Kari Mate act as the resting places of the dead, guarding its body and holding the key to their graves. [ 106 ]
In other songs Perkūnas, on the way to the wedding of Aušra (dawn; the daughter of the Sun), strikes a golden oak. The oak is a tree of the thunder god in the Baltic mythology. [10] References to the "oak of Perkūnas" (in Lithuanian, Perkūno ąžuolas; in Latvian, Pērkona ozols) exist in a source dated to the first half of the 19th century.