From a magical standpoint, bats are associated with workings related to death and dying, communication, and the spirit world. WebFar Eastern Bat Symbolic Meanings. Bats in the house mean a death in the house or is a sign that the occupants will soon be leaving. Besides the above, hunting of fruit bats in the Indo-Pacific area is also supported by a market in Guamartificially maintained by the higher per capita income on Guam than on the source islands. Many spirits are associated with geographical features, such as mountains, rivers, wells, trees, and springs. Do they really deserve this sinister reputation, or do they play a more important role in the world than feeding the dark human fascination for the spooky and the supernatural? Bats are often misunderstood. Many mythological stories from different cultures have been passed down throughout the years about bats. Bats [bio]Gary F. McCracken is a professor in the Department of Zoology and the Graduate Programs in Ecology and Ethology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In Malaysia, a face-to-face survey was conducted in Penang Island to assess knowledge and awareness level toward bat conservation efforts. The duality of bats is mentioned in one of Aesops Fables, which tells how a bat fell to the ground and was pounced on by a weasel. Large-bodied old-world fruit bats, like this Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus, are disproportionally targeted to be hunted for bushmeat. These myths associate killer bats with fire as the bat burns its victims and is, in turn, thrown into the fire [60, 61, 62]. In many cultures, they are seen as symbols of good luck, while in others they are seen as omens of bad news. Bats have been present in folklore and myth for quite some time. Zteve enjoys researching deep into the folklore, myths and legends that run through society and are part of our everyday lives. Both African-Americans and those of European descent from around the United States frequently maintain that Samoan people prize flying fox meat as a delicacy and as a gift to elders, but commercial hunting and export of the meat are culturally frowned. In the Far East, particularly China, the Bat represents good fortune and longevity. These animals are nocturnal creatures that sleep during the day and come out at night to hunt for food. Open Access is an initiative that aims to make scientific research freely available to all. The account is linked to the first trees created by roog. Two Bats are greater luck, and five represents the five blessings This suggests that the Asia-Pacific region and its cultures contain far more positive associations with bats than most European or American societies and, as such, offer promising examples and opportunities to promote human-bat coexistence. However, consumption was influenced by religious beliefs, food taboos, and some myths about bats. 9. A bat was once known as a flittermouse or fluttermouse, which translates to flying mouse. This phrase is derived from the German word for a bat, Fledermaus. The English term bat is taken from the Old English word bakke, which means to flutter.. Folklore from Fiji, in the South Pacific, tells us that flying foxes originated when a rat stole the wings of a heron, while another Fijian tale relates that it was the rat that first had wings while flying foxes walked on four legs. Over five hundred species of plants rely on bats for pollination including durian, banana, mango, guava, cocoa and agave. African Mythology But it should come as no surprise that bats figure in most ancient mythologies. Generally, the Maya revered a Vampire Bat god, Camazotz, the death bat, which killed dying men on their way to the center of the earth [51, 52]. Out of over 13,000 species, there are only three that feed on blood. The Rompo is a common South African mythical creatures believed to exist. When his wife returned she saw the pot was still boiling and no sign of her husband. There are more than 1000 different species of bats in the world, making them the second-largest order of mammals. Interestingly, Islamic taboo. The flying fox obtained his wings when he borrowed them from the rat and refused to return them. Other than the polar regions, extreme deserts, and a few isolated islands, bats live in every habitat on Earth. The Tongan kings Samoan wife was rescued by flying foxes, and she honored her rescuers later by naming her son Tonumaipea (= rescued by flying foxes) [45]. One of the most enduring old wives tales from Europe is that bats will get tangled in womens hair and would have to be removed with a pair of scissors. On the other hand, the body fat of Indian Flying Fox is used to make massage oil to cure rheumatic pains, while drinking water from a bats wing is said to sharpen ones memory [30]. Contact our London head office or media team here. In Hunza, Pakistan, a witch appears in the shape of a bat, and it plays a role in magical practice in southwest Asia. It is imperative to obtain more current ethnobiological data to further our understanding of contemporary attitudes and relationships with batsand to document other cultural traditions not covered in this review. In 1332, a French noblewoman, Lady Jacaume of Bayonne [12], was publicly burned to death as a witch because crowds of bats were seen about her house and garden., William Shakespeare (15641616) also equated bats with witches, spells, and curses. In some versions of the myth, the old mice would climb to the top of a tall tree, and when they reached the highest branches, their tails would detach and grow into wings. People sometimes think of them as blind, bloodthirsty flying mice. Han Chinese people attach positive esthetic values to bats but may still hunt bats at unsustainable levels [72]. This ability, coupled with the ability to navigate at night by using a system of acoustic orientation (echolocation), has made the bats a highly diverse and populous order. The positive side is that by 600 BC., and probably before, humans were learning important things from bats. Bats are largely considered to be tricksters in African folklore and mythology. Zteve has two websites dedicated to myths, legends and folklore from around the world. 7 Myths About Bats Camazotz There are more than 1400 bat species worldwide, and they make up roughly 20% of the worlds extant mammals [6]. To a shaman the appearance of a bat does not signify actual or physical death, but more the death of old fears or the old ways of doing things that no longer serve you. In Thailand, bat meat or blood is eaten for muscle pain, increasing virility and longevity [36]. The myths grew with the 1927 stage production which further associated Dracula with bats. Thereafter, humans and animals may have lived different lives; but like people, the animals still had tribes, councils, and ethics, and they played ball games. Bldg. Recommended for you. In Western culture, bats are also associated with vampires causing hysteria and wrong nomenclature of non-sanguivorous bat species such as Large Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus. While some cultures see bats as a harbinger of death, others believe that the creature holds the key to eternal life. If a man whose wife is nearing childbirth unthinkingly does so, some harm may befall the unborn baby [34]. 15 Interesting Myths And Legends In African Mythology 1. Saharan African mythology have legendary The Tzotzil Maya lived, and continue to live to this day, on the plateau of Chiapas in southern Mexico. Sociocultural definitions of animals as good or evil have persisted throughout the history of human beings. Many people still believe this to be true in Mexico. ), the ambiguous nature of bats is transformed into duplicity in their character. Books > More than 1,200 species are currently recognized, and many are enormously abundant. 2022 The Author(s). In 2005, the privately owned Montfort Bat Cave Sanctuary on Mindanao Island, south of the Philippines, opened for tourism. That makes them the second most common group of mammals, after rodents. Throughout Southeast Asia, bats are associated with luck and good fortune and used as spiritual totems [6, 27]. Licensee IntechOpen. Later bats received even more bad publicity when they became linked to Count Dracula and vampires. In other parts of the world, fruit bats are occasionally hunted in small numbers. People in Vanuatu consider Pacific Flying Fox Pteropus tonganus as their ancestor and claim to be able to communicate with them [46]. Zteve believes that people have far more in common with each other than is often shown on the surface and this can often be seen in the folktales from other parts of the world. The genus Pteropus was first described by Brisson in 1762 from specimens collected on the Reunion Islands. The bat serves as mentor of the night and is identified with Talking God, one of the foremost deities. and Folkrealm Studies. Men hunt and consume bats more often than women who have fears that consuming bat meat would give them strange or deformed children. The tour includes a brief 20-minute conservation education lecture about bats, caves, and the history of the Montford Bat Cave Sanctuary. This North American bat-like depiction should come as no surprise; it is merely another manifestation of the fear, horror, and superstition with which bats have been regarded down through ages [64]. The Greek philosopher Chaerephon was called the bat, because he, like the animal, did not appear by day but instead hid and philosophized. Bats are also revered throughout India. Photo credit: Raniel Jose Castaneda creative commons Wikimedia credit as in Figure 7. Myth or Fact: Bats are Just Mice with Wings (slide to the left for answer) Text Description for Image Slider Ancient Celtic Cauldrons: The Magical, the Mythical, the Real, Top 5 Trees in Celtic Mythology, Legend and Folklore, Celtic Warrior Women: Queen Boudica of the Iceni, Animism and the Living World of the Ancient Celts, Mixing Animals, Birds, Humans and Gods in Celtic Mythology, Unicorn Lore: Interpreting the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries, The Legendary Puss in Boots and the Marquis of Carabas, Top Five Mythical Birds in Legend and Folklore, Aesops Fables; a new translation by Aesop, BATS Magazine Article: Folklore and the Origin of Bats, Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa by Elphinstone Dayrell. Bats are not associated with any diseases, and it was felt to be safe to eat bat meat, but both studies were conducted before the 2013 Ebola outbreak (Figure 2) [19, 20]. This category has the following 7 subcategories, out of 7 total. He has also contributed to Enchanted Conversation Magazine and his latest Kindle ebook, The Feather of the Firebird is now available. Here, we review documented narratives and surveys from around the world and our ethnographic observations from Europe to analyze beliefs associated with bats. With Gods permission, He fashioned the winged likeness of a bat from clay and breathed life into it. Using its new teeth to hold the ball, the bat helps the animals to win the game. In Myths of the Cherokee (1900), James Mooney points out that a general theme in American Indian folklore is that, in the beginning, there were no essential differences between humans and animals. In many human cultures, caves were seen as gateways to the underworld and bats often emerge from caves at twilight when day merges into night. Shockingly, US news media recently reported shortages of Halloween decorationsplastic bats among them, doubtlessdue to the world supply crunch [63]. Today, we know that this is not the case, but the association of bats with longevity persists in some parts of the world. Both African-Americans and those of European descent from around the United States frequently maintain that Most students (56%) reported seeing bats in their locality. dragon, in the mythologies, legends, and folktales of various cultures, a large lizard- or serpent-like creature, conceived in some traditions as evil and in others as beneficent. So in honor of National Bat Week, we're clearing up some myths about the world's only flying mammal. African To date our community has made over 100 million downloads. In some parts of the world, they are a valuable food source, and their body parts are used in traditional medicine, while their guano is collected and used as agricultural fertilizer [7]. For example, a number of these countries are investing in the burgeoning industry of ecotourism by promoting organized visits to bat caves and bat watching [74, 75].