Mammy Wata appeared in the early 20th century in the riverside areas of southeastern Nigeria and dispersed throughout Nigeria and then to other locations in West Africa.  Mammy Wata cults have been found also in Ibibio of Cross River State in Nigeria (Book 1).

Mami Wata  represents a free unencumbered spirit of nature detached from social bonds.   "Although her name 'Mami' is usually translated as 'Mother,' she has no children, nor family of any kind, and this may be the aspect of her that attracts those concerned with sexual matter, such as: impotence, barrenness, and homo- or bisexuality ." (Book 2)  "She personifies unattainable, exquisite beauty, vanity, jealousy, sexuality, romance not maternal love, limitless good fortune--not health, long life, or progeny, but riches, material, and monetary.  She is thus very much part of the international trading system between Africa and Europe commencing in the late fifteenth century and now including other regions of the world as well,"(Article 2)

"Addressed by different names: 'Mermaid,' 'Maid,' 'Mother,' 'Queen,' 'Nwanyi Mara Mma (very beautiful woman),' 'Ezenwanyi (queen of women),' 'Nnekwunwenyi (honorable woman),'
'Ezebelamiri (queen who lives in water),' she is most commonly known as Mamy Wata (Book 1).

A psychiatrist's take on the origins of Mami Wata:

 "Culturally shared witchcraft beliefs and culturally sanctioned 'delusions' of possession by witchcraft provide one such means of reducing anxiety, to the extent that this process represents displacement and projection of aggression in a form which produces communal anxiety and provides emotional support for the witchcraft 'victim' (Article 6.)."

A closer look at the doctor's work in Liberia, click here.