Mami Wata

Origin and tradition

Mami Wata traditions across Africa and the diaspora describe powerful water spirits linked to beauty, wealth, healing, danger, and possession.

Illustration in this atlas

A jeweled mermaidlike woman holds a mirror beside water. This plate selects familiar mirror and mermaid imagery from a diverse family of Mami Wata traditions; serpent-associated and other forms also occur.

References and further reading

1. en.wikipedia.org — Mami Wata

These references offer further reading. Accounts and depictions vary; the atlas illustration is interpretive artwork, rather than historical or scientific evidence.