Mermaids in West African Tradition: History, Belief, and Hidden Evidence

What lies behind West African accounts of Mami Wata? Why do stories of beings said to live in water appear in different cultural settings—and what might they mean to the people who tell them?

Dr Joseph Opare explores cultural traditions, spiritual questions and unusual accounts of the sea. Watch the episode to follow his Biblical perspective and the material he brings into the discussion.

What is Mami Wata?

Mami Wata is associated with powerful water spirits in African and African Atlantic traditions. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art has explored the subject through an exhibition covering five centuries of visual culture and history. It shows how these stories have appeared in art and culture over many generations. Explore the Smithsonian exhibition overview.

The mermaid is one of the forms connected with that record. Research presented by UCLA’s Fowler Museum also discusses snake-charmer imagery and its relationship to representations of African water spirits. So the images linked to water spirits include more than mermaids. Read the Fowler Museum’s exhibition account.

In the episode, Dr Opare uses this cultural setting to explore questions about spirituality and the mysteries of the sea. The discussion moves between inherited beliefs and the interpretation he brings to them through faith.

How did water-spirit stories travel?

The Smithsonian’s treatment of Mami Wata includes the African Atlantic world. That raises a question: how did these stories travel, and how did people retell them in new places?

Warrior House brings its own perspective to that conversation. Dr Opare approaches the material through mysteries in the Bible and in other accounts, asking how these accounts relate to his understanding of the unseen world.

Faith and the unseen world

The episode’s spiritual focus gives the discussion a clear direction. It asks viewers to consider why accounts of beings associated with water appear in the material being examined, and what significance those accounts may have within a religious understanding of the world.

“Extra-Biblical” simply refers to material outside the Bible. Dr Opare explores these accounts alongside Bible passages and cultural traditions. How do they connect? Follow his explanation in the video.

Sightings and claims of hidden evidence

Dr Opare also examines video excerpts and allegations that accounts of beings said to live in water have been suppressed, including allegations involving naval authorities in the United States. What do those accounts claim, and how do they connect with the wider mystery? Watch the episode to follow his examination of these claims.

Continue the conversation

Watch the episode above for Dr Opare’s exploration of mermaids in West African tradition. As you do, note the stories that sound familiar and the questions you would like to discuss with relatives. A conversation about a remembered place or name can be a useful way to preserve family knowledge.

For another personal exploration of culture and faith, read Israelite Heritage in Ghana. You can also return to Warrior House for more videos examining history, identity and Biblical interpretation.