Hurray! You found the Macatawa Mermaid cryptid cache at Window on the Waterfront!
History of mermaids:
The lore behind mermaids goes back to 1,000 BC. A Syrian legend claims the goddess Atargatis transformed herself into a fish, but the gods wouldn't let her hide her beauty, so only her lower half grew a tail. The mermaid can be seen in antient texts from across Europe. One tale from ancient Greece claims Alexander the Great's sister, Thessalonike, became a mermaid after he died. Magical, freshwater mermaids—like our Macatawa Mermaid—were common in folklore of medieval Europe. There are different versions of mermaids in folklore all around the world, including the Mami Wata of West Africa, the selkies of Scotland, the Iara of Brazil, the sirens of ancient Greece (who used to have bird bodies instead of fish tails), and the Kataw/Sirena and Siyokoy of the Philippines.
Modern day:
Today, mermaids are a popular subject for film, art, and literature. There are version of mermaids in everything from your books and movies to Starbucks' cups and fashion (have you ever heard of mermaidcore?).
Fun facts about mermaids:
- National Mermaid Day is March 29th
- The are people who train to be professional mermaids. They wear silicone tails and dive deep into water while holding their breath for long periods of time.
- The Weeki Watchee Mermaid show in Florida has enchanted visitors with mermaids since 1947.
Want more mermaids? Check these items out:
