This article was co-authored by Adeche Atelier and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger, BA. Adeche Atelier, also known as Adwoa Botchey and Solomon Adebiyi, are fine artists, storytellers, and content creators inspired by African mythology, folklore, and spirituality based in London, UK. With over 5 years of experience researching this field, they now share what they've learned in a bite-sized, accessible format on their social media to a community of over 580k followers. Together they also host the Afro Mythos Podcast, releasing longer-form episodes every month that explore the world of African mythology and folklore. They have been commissioned to create paintings by major institutions, including The National Gallery London, BBC Arts, the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, and EA Games in collaboration with Black Girl Gamers. They have produced digital content for The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and The Hayward Gallery. In 2023, they had a solo exhibition at OXO Tower titled African Odyssey Exploring Cultures, Myths and Stories.
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Cultures around the world revere nature, and in many religions, natural elements are personified in the form of deities like gods, goddesses, and spirits. In some cases, these beliefs were a way to explain natural phenomena like thunder and storms, and in others, they were a way to honor the earth. We’re exploring the most interesting nature deities from around the world, so let’s get started.
5 Fascinating Nature Deities
- Tonantzin: Aztec Earth Mother goddess who became associated with the Virgin of Guadalupe
- Artio: Celtic goddess of wildlife who can transform into a bear
- Tapio: Finnish god of forest, sometimes depicted as a tree
- Curupira: Brazilian forest spirit with green skin, red hair, and backwards feet
- Amaratsu: Japanese goddess of the sun and supposed ancestor of the Japanese Imperial Family
Steps
Expert Q&A
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References
- ↑ Adeche Atelier. African Mythology Experts. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Asase-Yaa
- ↑ Adeche Atelier. African Mythology Experts. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://egyptianmuseum.org/deities-geb
- ↑ https://acjol.org/index.php/aku/article/view/2889/2846
- ↑ https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/poetry-corner/tonantzin
- ↑ https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/gods/virgin-of-guadalupe-and-tonantzin
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hou-Tu
- ↑ https://www.hanyus.com/2024/12/13/chinese-mythology-hou-tu-niang-niang/
- ↑ https://theindosphere.com/religion/prithvi-the-hindu-earth-goddess/
- ↑ https://theindosphere.com/religion/prithvi-the-hindu-earth-goddess/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zemes-mate
- ↑ https://norse-mythology.org/fjorgynn-fjorgyn/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nerthus
- ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Gaia/
- ↑ https://teara.govt.nz/en/papatuanuku-the-land
- ↑ https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100242708
- ↑ https://worldhistoryedu.com/anyanwu-the-igbo-sun-deity/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amaterasu
- ↑ https://armenianweekly.com/2019/11/27/the-remnants-of-armenias-pagan-past/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-Greek-mythology
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nut-Egyptian-goddess
- ↑ https://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=108_Chinese_Mythological_Gods_and_Characters_to_Know_About
- ↑ https://www.heritagetoursandsafaris.com/zulu-religion/
- ↑ https://timelessmyths.com/gods/japanese/tsukuyomi
- ↑ https://www.philippineartscouncil.com/post/mayari
- ↑ https://www.hellapinay.com/article/2017/2/10/tala-tagalog-goddess-of-stars
- ↑ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-02602-8
- ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Gaia/
- ↑ https://teara.govt.nz/en/papatuanuku-the-land
- ↑ https://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=108_Chinese_Mythological_Gods_and_Characters_to_Know_About
- ↑ https://www.heritagetoursandsafaris.com/zulu-religion/
- ↑ https://okwuid.com/2024/08/31/amadioha-the-igbo-god-of-thunder-and-lightning/
- ↑ https://www.nativeskywatchers.com/articles/Booklet-African-2-25-21v11.pdf
- ↑ https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Thor/313835
- ↑ https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/indra-deity
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vayu
- ↑ https://timelessmyths.com/gods/japanese/fujin
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Susanoo
- ↑ https://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4514/1/4514_1978.pdf?UkUDh:CyT
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/ancient-Iranian-religion/Anahiti#ref559694
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Agni
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oshun
- ↑ https://www.historyextra.com/period/general-history/water-gods-goddesses-deities/
- ↑ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-02656-8
- ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Anahita/
- ↑ https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/water-war-chinese-myth
- ↑ https://www.armenianexplorer.com/urbexarmenia/tsovinar:-the-iconic-soviet-monument-of-hrazdan
- ↑ https://historycooperative.org/varuna/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Njord
- ↑ https://vikingr.org/norse-gods-goddesses/ran
- ↑ https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803102044248
- ↑ https://heritageireland.ie/2024/03/women-water-and-wisdom-in-celtic-mythology/
- ↑ https://gullveigpress.wordpress.com/2019/08/05/festival-of-abnoba/
- ↑ https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/29943
- ↑ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/aranyani
- ↑ https://satakieli.haaga-helia.fi/article/we-are-not-above-the-nature-in-the-republic-of-sakha-the-traditional-ayii-itegele-faith-still-lives-on/
- ↑ https://www.celebratepaganholidays.com/general/artio-celtic-bear-goddess
- ↑ https://brewminate.com/goddesses-in-celtic-religion-nature-and-bounty/
- ↑ https://www.suflora-nature.com/valleyofgenius
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tapio
- ↑ https://www.folklore.earth/culture/georgian/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pan-Greek-god
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Faunus
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Silvanus-Roman-god
- ↑ https://historyandarchaeologyonline.com/the-festival-of-the-feroniae-honouring-a-wild-goddess-in-the-heart-of-rome/
- ↑ https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/B/berstuk.html
- ↑ https://teara.govt.nz/en/te-waonui-a-tane-forest-mythology/page-1
- ↑ https://warsandhistory.com/the-legend-of-the-curupira/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/leshy
- ↑ https://www.theplayatimes.com/2016/05/04/maya-almighty-yum-kaax-god-wildlife/
- ↑ https://ia902906.us.archive.org/28/items/tibetan-book-of-the-dead/VooDoo_HooDoo_SpellBook.pdf
- ↑ https://globalpressjournal.com/americas/haiti/farmers-devastated-poultry-virus-rampages-northern-haiti/
- ↑ https://www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/en/attractions/detail/153
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sansin
- ↑ https://www.aswangproject.com/mariang-sinukuan/
- ↑ https://www.aswangproject.com/visayan-deities-in-philippine-mythology/
- ↑ https://m.vovworld.vn/en-US/culture/vietnams-mother-goddess-worship-a-world-intangible-heritage-494581.vov#ref-https://cse.google.com/
- ↑ https://en.vietnamplus.vn/mountain-god-festival-becomes-national-heritage-post126942.vnp
- ↑ https://historiska.se/norse-mythology/skadi-en/
- ↑ https://historycooperative.org/ullr/
- ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Oxylos.html
- ↑ https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4372/ruaumoko
- ↑ https://mythlok.com/nomkhubulwane/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Xochiquetzal
- ↑ https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/pachamama
- ↑ https://www.aks.ac.kr/cefia/webzine/2207/focus_eng.html
- ↑ https://mysteryinhistory.com/abu/
- ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/article/221/the-mesopotamian-pantheon/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cernunnos
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sucellus
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Freyja
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Freyr
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aphrodite-Greek-mythology
- ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Aristaios.html
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-Greek-goddess
- ↑ https://web.sas.upenn.edu/discentes/2020/08/28/blood-lead-and-tears-the-cult-of-cybele-as-a-means-of-addressing-ancient-roman-issues-of-fertility/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Demeter
- ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Persephone.html
- ↑ https://meettheslavs.com/jarilo/
- ↑ https://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4514/1/4514_1978.pdf?UkUDh:CyT
- ↑ https://dbpedia.org/page/Ningikuga
- ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Xochipilli/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ningishzida
- ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/NympheKhloris.html
- ↑ https://www.theoi.com/greek-mythology/nymphs.html
- ↑ https://sharon-brubaker.com/2013/06/08/native-american-green-man/
- ↑ https://honoraryreporters.korea.net/board/detail.do?articlecate=1&board_no=12032&tpln=1