How does water (Elugushi Beach and Mami Wata) factor into the lives of the Falodun women? What do you think this says about them?
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Water is the most powerful symbolic force for these women. Elegushi Beach is a place where their fears about the curse feel most real, but also where they experience freedom, and pleasure. The beach shows how they are always standing between safety and risk.
Mami Wata represents a powerful female spirit. More a source of power and female autonomy—where society has taught them to distrust.
What is to them doom may actually be unknowing strength.
They’re all very fearful of it, and I can’t say that I blame them, given their history with it. I was surprised to find out from my Jamaican friends that they have similar feelings towards the water around Jamaica (those that grew up there). I wonder if it’s more ingrained in them through generations rather than this one particular incident that happened to their particular family.
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That’s interesting your Jamaican friends have similar feelings. I wonder if this might extend to some people who live surrounded by water. Water can be the source for economic survival but also for taking lives.
Water, like life itself, can be empowering (Eniiyi learns to swim and saves Zubby from drowning and then teaches him to swim), but even when she realizes that Mo took her own life (the water didn’t take it from her), she still can’t let go of the curse. Even her education in genetics couldn’t save her from her belief.
The theme of water as something to fear as well as something that can bring life and joy (and how fear can limit living life) reminds me of The Covenant of Water.
Mami Wata was a boogeyman. Her dagger teeth and deformed and decaying hands imply she was scary. I think she was a myth used to keep kids from going into the water and out of danger. At one point as she describes the beach it was more of a hangout spot and not for swimming for the local folks. Water is needed to sustain life but can also take a life. It also sounds like there was a decent undertow.
Water was a fickle character first these women, it could provide a place to gather, was part of ceremony , it could provide strength and power but it also could take a life and create fear and grief for the Falodun women