Mother Earth

Mother Earth may refer to:

Deities and concepts

Written media and literature

Film and TV

Mat Zemlya

Mat Zemlya, also Matka Ziemia, and Mati Syra Zemlya (literally Damp Mother Earth), is the oldest deity in Slavic mythology, her identity later blended into that of Mokosh. She shares characteristics with Indo-Iranian Ardvi Sura Anahita “Humid Mother of the Earth.”

In the early Middle Ages, Mati Syra Zemlya was one of the most important deities in the Slavic world. Oaths were made binding by touching the Earth and sins were confessed into a hole in the Earth before death. She was worshipped in her natural form and was not given a human personage or likeness. Since the adoption of Christianity in all Slavic lands, she has been identified with Mary, the mother of Jesus.

An example of her importance is seen in this traditional invocation to Matka Ziema, made with a jar of hemp oil:

East – "Mother Earth, subdue every evil and unclean being so that he may not cast a spell on us nor do us any harm." West – "Mother Earth, engulf the unclean power in thy boiling pits, and in thy burning fires." South – "Mother Earth, calm the winds coming from the South and all bad weather. Calm the moving sands and whirlwinds." North – "Mother Earth, calm the North winds and clouds, subdue the snowstorms and the cold." The jar, which held the oil, is buried after each invocation and offering is made at each Quarter. (Slavonic mythology 1977:287)

Mother Earth (Within Temptation song)

"Mother Earth" is the third single of Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation from their second studio album, Mother Earth. The song peaked at #14 on the Germany Singles Top 100.

Along with the singles Ice Queen and Stand My Ground, Mother Earth has become one of the bands signature songs and is present on the setlist at almost every concert. It was also used as the theme for the German translation of the anime X.

Track listing

Video

Although it's their third music video, the video for Mother Earth is the first professional one. It was directed by Patric Ullaeus. Filming location was by lake Delsjön near Gothenburg, Sweden. The video has a strong nature/pagan theme, with several aerial shots of lakes and forests as well as different animals. Sharon den Adel is first shown as a woman (presumably "Mother Earth") transforming into an owl that flies around rivers and mountains. She is then depicted as walking around in the forest as a sort of magical spirit, interacting with nature, and performing in a forest glade with the rest of the band.