Mother Nature Terms
Because she personifies the planet, Mother Nature has been an important part of every culture on earth at one point in history. Also known as "terra mater" (Latin for Earth Mother), she is usually represented as a female goddess who nourishes the planet and therefore humanity. Worshiped in folklore all over the world, Mother Earth is known under many different names.
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Greek Mythology: Gaia
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Gaia, or Gaea, was an older goddess of the earth in Greek mythology. According to the Encyclopedia Mythica, Gaia "was born from Chaos, the great void of emptiness within the universe." (This is what scientists call the big-bang theory.) She is the mother of Pontus the sea and Uranus the sky. She is also said to be the mother of Rhea, who is known as the mother of the gods.
Greek Mythology: Demeter
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The sister of Zeus, Demeter "brings forth the fruits of the earth," according to the Encyclopedia Mythica. The goddess had a daughter, Persephone, who was abducted into the realms of the underworld by its lord Hades. While she was there, Persephone ate pomegranate seeds, the food of the underworld. Upon her rescue by Zeus, it became her fate to forever return to the underworld for a few months each year. Her mother becomes so distraught during this time that the crops cease to grow. This is the season people know as winter.
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Roman Mythology: Tellus
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Tellus, or terra mater the Earth Mother, is an ancient Roman goddess. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Tellus "was concerned with the productivity of the earth." She was celebrated in the festivals of Fordicidia and Sementivae, which celebrated good crops and fertility. These festivities were meant to honor the earth and can be compared to today's Thanksgiving celebrations.
Other Names for Mother Earth
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Because many different cultures honored and celebrated Mother Earth, she also has innumerable names. Some of these less commonly known names are Hertha, Erda, Jörd, Fjörgyn and Hlödyn, who were all worshiped as earth goddesses at one point. In Iroquois folklore, she is known as Etenoha. The Lakota Indians worshiped her as Ina Maka.
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