Mother of the Narts
Circassian · deity · mythic / Nart age · Recorded classification
Cognate of Ossetian Satana but a distinct Circassian figure. A folk gloss reads the name as 'mother of a hundred'. Treated as a goddess-tier matriarch within the semi-divine Nart family.
Children
Domains
- wisdom
- fertility and household
- weather foresight
Powers
- foresees coming events and advises the Narts
- marks and quickens the stone that holds the unborn fire-hero
- works sorcery and prophecy as the wise-woman and witch of the Narts
- brings about and midwifes the miraculous births of the Nart heroes
Epithets
- Setenaya The wise and beautiful mother of the Narts, mistress of counsel and plentyJ. Colarusso, Nart Sagas from the Caucasus (secondary)
- Сэтэнай-гуащэ Lady Setenay / 'Mother of a Hundred (Narts)'J. Colarusso, 'The Woman of the Myths: the Satanaya Cycle' (secondary)
Relations
- spouse: The Great NartSetenaya is the wife of Warzameg, the Great Nart.Colarusso, Nart Sagas from the Caucasus (2002), the Warzameg-and-Setenaya cycle (secondary)
- ally: Divine Smith of the NartsThe Nart matriarch is the smith's counsellor, setting him on his quest for knowledge in the saga of Tlepsh and Lady Tree.John Colarusso, Nart Sagas from the Caucasus (Princeton 2002) (secondary)
Sources
- Setenaya/Satanaya is the wise, eternally youthful matriarch of the Narts, wife of Warzameg and (foster-)mother of the heroes, especially Sosruquo.: Colarusso, John. Nart Sagas from the Caucasus. Princeton UP, 2002, Setenaya cycle. (secondary); Jaimoukha, Amjad. The Circassians: A Handbook. Curzon, 2001. (secondary)