Atabey (goddess)
Atabey is an ancestral mother of the Taino, one of two supreme ancestral spirits in Taíno mythology. She was worshipped as a zemi, which is an embodiment of nature and ancestral spirit, (not to be confused with a goddess, how she is commonly referred to in colonial terms to replace Taino verbiage and culture) of fresh water and fertility; she is the female entity who represents the Spirit of all horizontal water, lakes, streams, the sea, and the marine tides. This spirit was one of the most important for the native tribes that inhabited the Caribbean islands of the Antilles, mostly in Puerto Rico (Borikén), Hispaniola, and Cuba.
| Atabey | |
|---|---|
Mother of Waters, fresh water and fertility | |
Reproduction of petroglyph depicting Atabey | |
| Abode | The heavens |
| Symbol | Depicted as a nude woman, a therianthropic representation of Mother of Water |
| Personal information | |
| Children | Yúcahu and Guacar (twins),Yayael |
Atabey or Atabeira defines prime matter and all that is tangible or material and has several manifestations. One is the aforementioned nurturing maternal figure. Another is Caguana: the spirit of love. The last is Guabancex (also known as Gua Ban Ceh): the violent, Wild Mother of storms, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
Alternate names for Atabey are Iermaoakar, Apito, and Sumaiko and Taíno women prayed to Atabey to ensure safe childbirth.