Basic Information
Alternative name: Dan Ayido Hwedo (Fon) [4]
Disambiguation: Ayida, Aida Wedo
Titles: Rainbow Serpent, Rainbow Snake, [5] the Great Python [4]
Type/Species: Great Serpent, Ouroboros
Origin: Mythology of the Dahomey Peoples, [8] Fon Mythology, [9] Haitian Mythology [7]
About Aido Hwedo
Aido Hwedo was the Rainbow Serpent [6] and the great cosmic serpent in Dahomey and Fon mythology. [2] He was sometimes called the great python, [4] for he served Mawu-Lisa during the creation of the world. [2]
Though some accounts maintained that Mawu-Lisa created the Rainbow Serpent first, before anything else in the universe, [4,8] others claimed that Aido Hwedo came into being with the first human beings [1] or that he existed even before Mawu-Lisa. [2] Thus, he was not considered the son of the supreme deity. [1]
Aido Hwedo was so enormous that he had to eat vast quantities of iron to sustain his strength. When there was not enough iron, he would devour his own tail to sustain himself. [6]
He served Mawu-Lisa and participated in the creation of the universe [2] by acting as Mawu-Lisa's vehicle as she filled the world, [9] transporting her through the cosmos [6] by carrying her in his mouth. [2] He supported the earth by curling underneath it to ensure that everything in the universe remained in its place. To this day, Aido Hwedo continues in this task. [2]
Later, the great Rainbow Serpent became known for his jealous nature, and believers were careful not to incur his wrath. Newlyweds presented special offerings to Aido Hwedo, and relatives petitioned him not to harm them. [10]
Aido Hwedo in the Creation of the World
Mawu-Lisa created humans on the first day, and thereafter made everything else [3] with the help of Aido Hwedo, [4] who carried the deity in his mouth. [5] That is why the world is shaped the way it is. There are winding curves and both high and low places; all of these were made by the movements of the Rainbow Serpent. [1]
His tracks became chasms, [8] sloping curves, [3] and the rivers. [8] Each night, Mawu-Lisa and Aido Hwedo would rest, [1,2] and the serpent would leave vast piles of excrement, [6] which built up the mountains [2,9] and filled them with minable treasures [5] and other riches. [1]
Aido Hwedo as the World Serpent
When Mawu-Lisa finished, she became worried that the world might sink under the weight of itself, [4] because there were too many things on its surface: too many mountains, too many trees, too many big animals, and so on. [1,4] When she realized its great weight would continue to increase, she feared it would fall through the cosmos. [6] Thus, it was necessary to rest the world on something [1] that could support its incredible weight [6] to prevent it from toppling. [9]
Thus, the supreme deity decreed that Aido Hwedo could support the world on his coiled body. [6] She asked the Rainbow Serpent to circle himself under the earth [1,3] and hold it in place by gripping his tail in his mouth. [4] Thereafter, whenever he shifted, the earth moved, either as a tremor or an earthquake. [9]
While his body held up the world, the heat generated by his efforts put him in agony, [6] so Mawu-Lisa crafted the seas and the oceans to keep Aido Hwedo cool. [5,6] The Rainbow Serpent despised heat, so he remained submerged in the waters of the sea to keep comfortable. [1,9]
Unfortunately, sometimes the oceans were not enough to keep Aido Hwedo properly cool, [6] and he writhes in pain. These snake-like stirrings caused violent earthquakes from time to time. [1,5]
Aido Hwedo and the End of the World
Since Aido Hwedo coiled under the earth, he could no longer acquire new food sources. [6] According to some traditions, there were red monkeys that lived in the sea, and they created iron bars to feed Aido Hwedo. [5] Other traditions maintain that Aido Hwedo had an enormous supply of iron under the earth that was gradually diminishing. [6]
However, should the monkeys fail to produce enough food, [5] or when the iron supply was gone, [6] Aido Hwedo would be forced to eat his own tail. [5,10] Once that was gone, the whole world would end [10] by falling completely into the oceans. [5,6]
Physical Description
Aido Hwedo was a giant python [4] or an enormous python-like serpent with vast coils. [6] Sometimes he was described as being celestial blue. Other accounts claimed that he had yellow and red stripes that ran the length of his body or that he was brilliantly multicolored. [8]
Aido Hwedo, to this day, can be seen in the sky as a rainbow, or in the light reflected off water. [2]
Quick Facts
- Aido Hwedo was the Rainbow Serpent [6] and the great cosmic serpent in Dahomey and Fon mythology. [2]
- He carried the Mawu-Lisa in his mouth [5] while she created the world. [3]
- He was so enormous that he had to eat vast quantities of iron to sustain his strength. [6]
- Aido Hwedo was a giant python [4] or an enormous python-like serpent with vast coils. [6]
- His tracks became chasms, [8] sloping curves, [3] and the rivers. [8]
- Aido Hwedo supported the world on his coiled body. [6]
- Mawu-Lisa crafted the seas and the oceans to keep Aido Hwedo cool. [5,6]
- When he writhes or moves, the earthquakes. [1,5]
- Once he consumes all the iron under the earth, [5,6] he will be forced to eat his own tail, and when that is gone, the world will end [5,10] by falling into the oceans. [5,6]
Related Articles
Term Reference
Footnotes
- Courlander 167
- Lynch 5
- National Geographic [Essential] 446
- O'Neill 60
- Parrinder 22
- Rose [Dragons] 9
- Rose [Dragons] 305
- Rose [Dragons] 306
- Turner 29
- Turner 30
For more information on footnotes and references, please see the bibliography.
