bats in african mythology

In New Zealand, Mori people associate bats, pekapeka, with the mythical nocturnal bird hokioi that foretells death [49]. These myths associate killer bats with fire as the bat burns its victims and is, in turn, thrown into the fire [60, 61, 62]. These creatures have had a long and varied history with humans, and it is hoped that this article has helped to increase your understanding of these creatures. But where theyre used as an ingredient in a witchs brew, theyre no different to frogs or snails (also common ingredients). For instance, 40,000 caves have been dynamited in Venezuela. Common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is the one reason for global Chiroptophobia although it is very small weighing about 55 grams and only occurring in central and South America. By using a million dollars annually to educate the public about the dangers of bat-caused rabies in humans simply exacerbates the already unreasonable fears, which many people have of bats. Photo credit: Stan Delone creative commonWikimedia. While the three species of true vampire bats (common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus, hairy-legged vampire bat Diphylla ecaudata, and white-winged vampire bat Diaemus youngi) are microbats, measuring just a few centimeters in length, it was the exaggerated reports from early explorers and adventurers that gave the public the image of these huge bloodsucking creatures. This is bound to threaten the continued existence of local bat populations. In many cultures, they are seen as symbols of good luck, while in others they are seen as omens of bad news. They are unquestionably weird beings, appearing as half birds and half rodents, as if they came from a nightmare realm. In Hunza, Pakistan, a witch appears in the shape of a bat, and it plays a role in magical practice in southwest Asia. Vampires had been part of Slavic folklore in Eastern Europe since the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but it was not until the nineteenth century that popular fictional literature, predominantly through Bram Stokers Dracula in 1897, would forever tie bats and vampires together, with the protagonist, Count Dracula, being able to transform himself into a huge bat [13]. It remains to be seen, however, if this could halt or even reverse the decline of the North American bats [64]. In the Bible, the bat is seen to be unclean [8], while its nocturnal activities ally it to malevolent spirits that roam the land when darkness has fallen. Bats - Disease-Prone but Beneficial, Reviewed: December 23rd, 2021 Published: January 18th, 2022, Total Chapter Downloads on intechopen.com. In Thailand, bat meat or blood is eaten for muscle pain, increasing virility and longevity [36]. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. An idea that reflected their ability to fly around so quickly in the dark without hitting anything. Interestingly, giant bat stories have persisted in these flying-fox-less societies, which evolved from western Polynesians cultures where flying foxes have been prevalent [45]. Bats were also persecuted because they were believed to be carriers of disease. Especially when the bats preferred natural resources have been logged out of existence and replanted as a monoculture. Both African-Americans and those of European descent from around the United States frequently maintain that They belong to the Order Chiroptera. Bats lead us to the best opportunities to protect nature anywhere in the world. To date our community has made over 100 million downloads. His name means literally One Monkey, which is more than fitting as he turned into one. As messengers for the forces of darkness, they become evil omens. Between Iran and Rajasthan, north-western India, there is the widespread public belief that if a bat lives somewhere in the house or hangs on the roof, this would mean bad luck for the owner [25]. The bat populations in Malaysia are decreasing in 26% of species and only 15% are still stable. Also known as Hunbatz, One Monkey A Monkey, not a Bat One of the Monkey Twins, hes the son of Hun Hunahpu and Xbaquiyalo. Creative commonsWikimedia. New molecular biology findings indicate that there are two new Suborders, Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera, not coinciding with the earlier subordinate classification [5]. In medieval Europe, dragons were usually depicted with wings and a barbed tail and as breathing fire. On the other hand, the Tupinamba people believed that the planet would be eaten by a bat at the end of time. Zteve believes that people have far more in common with each other than is often shown on the surface and this can often be seen in the folktales from other parts of the world. In 1796, John Stedman wrote of being bitten by a vampire in Guiana, describing it as a bat of monstrous size, that sucks the blood from men and cattle when they are fast asleep, even sometimes till they die. [14]. In Kenya, a bat attitude questionnaire was presented to 394 people living around the Arabuko-Sokoke forest. Sometimes bats are husbands as in a Mataco lore from Argentina. The bat represented the opias (= spirits of the dead people) to the Taino. Bats are largely considered to be tricksters in African folklore and mythology. However, modern science, and hence western Europe, really only learned about them as we traveled out to the tropical world. He has also contributed to Enchanted Conversation Magazine and his latest Kindle ebook, The Feather of the Firebird is now available. In a Cherokee fable, an eagle, a hawk, and other birds fashioned the first bat and the first flying squirrel from two mouse-like creatures. It was called Boman, and it was able to turn into a stone or a snake at will. Nearly another third reported actively killing bats or destroying bat roosts, and most respondents associated bats with the destruction of farmers fruits, especially mangoes. We may never know how these early humans viewed their small flying co-habiters. Bats can be found practically everywhere on the planet, including most parts of the United States. These Goddesses of beauty reflect peace for a lot of people. These names can be misleading as often, megabats can be smaller while microbats can be bigger. A long time ago, on the opposite side of the earth, the Aztec term for a bat was apparently quimichpapalotl, which means butterfly mouse. In Makira, Solomon Islands, local people value traditional currency for transactions, such as bride price, and use the canine teeth of flying foxes as a traditional currency [47]. This article has covered some of the main points about bat mythology, superstition, folklore, and persecution. Bat Conservation International 2023. Its unlucky to see a bat in the daytime. In another tale from Aesop, a bat borrows money for a business venture that fails. People in Vanuatu consider Pacific Flying Fox Pteropus tonganus as their ancestor and claim to be able to communicate with them [46]. The bat must then hide during the day to avoid creditors. These are Under the influence! Bats play an important role in the ecosystem by eating large quantities of insects. In Macbeth (1605), there is the incantation of the three witches: Eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog, while there is Calibans curse on Prospero in The Tempest (16101611): All the charms of Sycorax, toads, beetles and bats, light on you.. A modern variation of the myth that bats arose from rodents comes from an Ohio woman of Polish ancestry who attested that the bat was from a mouse that had eaten blessed Easter food. (In Polish tradition, a representative food from the Easter dinner is taken to church to be blessed.) Finally, his wife realized what he was doing and set fire to the tree and killed her husband and the bats [54]. Of course, in languages other than English, a bat is not called a bat. The Global Owl Project Carriage Drive, USA. Bats have also been associated with blood-sucking vampires and other dark creatures in stories and movies. But it became obvious that the public attitude toward bats has still not been investigated extensively enough throughout the world, namely in contemporary Africa, America, Australia, and Europe. Contemporarily the bats were divided based upon morphology and behavior into two suborders, Microchiroptera (Microbats) and Megachiroptera (Flying Foxes and Old World Fruit Bats) [4]. The animals then give teeth to the bat to make it more animal-like. Around 62% of the Asia-Pacific people had only positive cultural values of bats, 8% had only neutral values, while 10% had only negative values [27]. He told her he would make some tasty soup like Emiong had taught him for when she returned. If a bat flies into a house and then escapes, there will be a death in the family. 15 Interesting Myths And Legends In African Mythology 1. There are more than 1,300 bat species! To a shaman the appearance of a bat does not signify actual or physical death, but more the death of old fears or the old ways of doing things that no longer serve you. This was before people knew about germs and how diseases are spread. However, after offering prayers, dead bats found on the ground can be eaten. In shamanism, the bat as well as being a symbol of death and rebirth is able to guide people through the dark times of their lives. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode. In Western culture, bats are also associated with vampires causing hysteria and wrong nomenclature of non-sanguivorous bat species such as Large Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus. Many paintings from western Europe in the middle ages depict the devil with bat wings. A world without bats would look very different than the one you know and not for the better. If a bat flies into a kitchen and at once hangs on to the ceiling, it is a lucky omen, but if it circles the room twice before alighting, it is a bad omen. Large, often man-eating, bats are found in Hawaiian traditions, and there is even a legend of an eight-eyed bat in Hawaii. Bats were associated with longevity and pleasure in both ancient Chinese and Persian traditions. The flying fox obtained his wings when he borrowed them from the rat and refused to return them. Also, a Tacana woman in Bolivia was killing a bat while not realizing that it was her husband [34]. Many mythological stories from different cultures have been passed down throughout the years about bats. It is the largest bat found in continental Africa and was believed to suck the blood of sleeping children until they die. 7. How? Which is why bats have such short faces, apparently. Pre-Islamic magical belief in Hunza said that if the lady would once offer the cooked meat of bat to her guests, hiding it behind her back while serving her family would never be without meat for their whole life [25]. Aboriginal peoples, however, were describing them long before this. WebWhen seen as human souls, bats are often imagined as souls of the dead, particularly souls of the damned, or those that are not yet at peace. 1. The general attitude is that the flying fox is part of the forest, and the vast majority support the protection of Pteropus samoensis and P. tonganus [45]. Sometimes a Mochica bat carries a warclub and a small human captive. Among the Ndop people, bats, owls, and bush-cats are said to be witch shapes. Iban people in Sarawak, Borneo, believe that a bat flying into the house indicates a shaman bringing good vibes, conferring protection against any harm, while in Thailand, if a bat enters a house but immediately flies away, it is believed to change bad luck to good. Fruitbats are not the only bats to be eaten in the Indo-Pacific region. The study estimated that in the karstic Mahafaly Plateau some 50100 caves are exploited for bats and that between 70,000 and 140,000 Microchiroptera bats may be collected annually in the region. Our collection of global perceptions aims to promote a better biocultural richness for humans and bats as our long-term nocturnal companions. Brief introduction to this section that descibes Open Access especially from an IntechOpen perspective, Want to get in touch? In many places, blood sacrifice was believed to benefit agriculture, and therefore, bats had agricultural, as well as death, connections for Pre-Columbian peoples and in Oaxaca, Mexico, a bat deity was associated with maize [51]. Only older and somewhat educated people reported more positive attitudes toward bats than others [21]. Bastet/Sekhmet, Bastet and Sekhmet were described as two parts of a similar Goddess, with Sekhmet representing the ground-breaking fighter and defender figure and Bastet, who was often portrayed as a feline, speaking to a gentler viewpoint. WebIn the Popol Vuh, Camazotz are the bat-like spirits encountered by the Maya Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque during their trials in the underworld of Xibalba. Both to such an extent that hunting them has become a major concern to environmentalists. The complete extinction of Pteropus tokudae and the extinction of Pteropus mariannus on most inhabited islands is a direct result of hunting and habitat destruction. WebThen there was the Olitiau, a giant demon bat that had been seen in these parts, and lived for hundreds of years. Until we provoked the animals hostility because of our aggressiveness and disregard for their rights, humans and all creatures lived together in harmony, mutual respect, and helpfulness. In southwest Asia, the bat is predominantly perceived as a strange, negative, and demonic animal that should be avoided. A folktale from Kanara, India tells how bats were once unhappy birds that prayed to become human. Since the fourteenth century, Chinese culture has regarded bats as lucky animals, and these blessing bat symbols have been prevalent in Chinese arts over the centuries [33]. Adjule. In Vietnam, many mounted bat species are sold in souvenir shops, and in Laos, bats are traded in several markets (Figure 3) [41, 42]. Bats flying vertically upwards and then dropping back to earth means that the Witches Hour has come. London, SW7 2QJ, Therefore, they would only come out at night, spending the daylight hours praying to be transformed back into birds. Perhaps now youd like to learn a bit about the bat skeleton. The duality of bats is mentioned in one of Aesops Fables, which tells how a bat fell to the ground and was Betwixt and Between. #FolkloreThursday 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, United Kingdom, WC1N 3AX. They then appealed to the eagle, the captain of the bird team. Upset at his death, and possibly the ruining of the soup, she went straight to the king. The bat is a devil who flies only in the night because it would die if flying in the daytime [25]. WebTrunko. The account is linked to the first trees created by roog. The north coast of Peru is one of the South American regions where bat iconography is particularly prominent [51]. Recommended for you. They eat insects performing pest control while also pollinating species of plants and spreading seeds. While Aesops fables involving bats may have envisioned them as duplicitous and dishonest, other folklore has ascribed a lot worse to bats, as we have seen in this series of articles. They are hugely beneficial to man and play a major role in the well-being of the worlds ecosystems. Surprisingly little folklore exists specifically about Vampire bats, and Pre-Columbian erotic scenes do not involve bats although some folklore portrays female bats as alluring to men.

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