Mother Rice
Quick Summary
The "Rice Mother" is a significant figure in Indonesian mythology, representing various aspects of rice and its importance to life. There are three main forms: a goddess from whom rice originated, an all-nourishing mother who guards crops and good fortune, and the last sheaf of harvested rice, ritually treated as a woman. This last sheaf is believed to contain the essence of the field, a concept also found in European folklore with figures like the "Wheat Mother." In some traditions, a specific rice plant is designated as the Mother Rice from planting, its vitality influencing the entire crop.1
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