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Mami Wata and the Black Mermaids
Of course mermaids can be Black. Elaine K Howley delves into the mythologies behind Hans Christian Andersen’s enduring fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, exploring a rich aquatic spiritual culture of West African mer-creatures including Mami Wata and many other watery gods, goddesses and powerful swimming creatures.
Hans Christian Andersen’s enduring fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, published in 1837, gave the Western world a template for the quintessential mermaid: a comely, pale-skinned half-woman, half-fish creature that lived beneath the waves but longed for an immortal soul.
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![Swimming Rhossili](https://outdoorswimmer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screen-Shot-2023-05-02-at-10.27.58-AM-75x75.png)