Kaltes-Ekwa
Encyclopedia
In the Ugric mythology
, Kaltes-Ekwa (Ostyak
, Kaltes Ankw) was the mother of the hero Mir-Susne-Hum
and the wife of the god Num-Torum
, who defeated her in heaven. She was also a goddess of the moon
associated with the month April; a birth giving goddess
(she is called upon by women in child-birth); goddess of fate; goddess of dawn and a shape-shifter, often shown manifested as a hare
.
An animal sacred to her, the hare appearance shows her lunar nature, for the hare is a lunar creature; many cultures, when looking at the moon see the outline of the hare, who lives in the moon. The hare is often seen as an intermediary between lunar deities and humans, so the appearance of Kaltes in this form indicates her accessibility to her people. Kaltes is known as a fertility goddess
and a goddess of rejuvenation. She is called upon by women in childbirth
, for she is especially venerated as a promoter of the beginning of the life cycle
. Although she is somewhat feared because she can determine people’s destinies, she is mostly revered for her gentle wisdom. She is a compassionate guide to the mysteries of life.I
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, Kaltes-Ekwa (Ostyak
Ostyak
Ostyak on its own or in combination, can refer, especially in older literature, to several Siberian peoples and languages:* Ostyak:** Khanty people** Khanty language* Yenisei Ostyak:** Ket people** Ket language* Ostyak-Samoyed:...
, Kaltes Ankw) was the mother of the hero Mir-Susne-Hum
Mir-Susne-Hum
Mir-Susne-Hum is a culture hero of the Samoyedic and Ugric peoples. He was the seventh son of Num-Torum, the supreme god of the Ob-Ugrian people, and acted as a mediator between humans and the god Num-Torum...
and the wife of the god Num-Torum
Num-Torum
Num-Torum is the supreme god or father god of the Ob-Ugrian peoples. FHe is the father of the hero Mir-Susne-Hum, six other sons and one daughter. According to the Khanty people, he lives on the highest level of heaven, which means that it is difficult for people to talk to him, thus the children...
, who defeated her in heaven. She was also a goddess of the moon
Lunar deity
In mythology, a lunar deity is a god or goddess associated with or symbolizing the moon. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related to or an enemy of the solar deity. Even though they may be related, they are distinct from the...
associated with the month April; a birth giving goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
(she is called upon by women in child-birth); goddess of fate; goddess of dawn and a shape-shifter, often shown manifested as a hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
.
An animal sacred to her, the hare appearance shows her lunar nature, for the hare is a lunar creature; many cultures, when looking at the moon see the outline of the hare, who lives in the moon. The hare is often seen as an intermediary between lunar deities and humans, so the appearance of Kaltes in this form indicates her accessibility to her people. Kaltes is known as a fertility goddess
Fertility goddess
A fertility deity is a god or goddess in mythology associated with fertility, pregnancy, and birth. In some cases these deities are directly associated with sex, and in others they simply embody related attributes...
and a goddess of rejuvenation. She is called upon by women in childbirth
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
, for she is especially venerated as a promoter of the beginning of the life cycle
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
. Although she is somewhat feared because she can determine people’s destinies, she is mostly revered for her gentle wisdom. She is a compassionate guide to the mysteries of life.I
External links and references
I) This paragraph dedicated to this article by Susan Boulet and Michael Babcock, Goddess Knowledge Cards, Pomegranate, Rohnert Park, CA- "A rise of Mir-Susne-Hum." Graphic cycle dedicated to a national Ob-Ugrian (Ostyak - Hant and Vogul - Mansi) hero.
- World view of the Hanti
- [Webpage dedicated to Kaltes - http://www.fortunecity.com/roswell/druid/361/goddess/kaltes.html]