Also Known As: Khanty, Kaltes Ankw

In Siberian mythology, Kaltes-Ekwa is a moon goddess as well as the goddess of rejuvenation among the Ugric people.

The main story surrounding Kaltes-Ekwa is that she was defeated in combat by her husband Num-Torum, the Supreme god of the Ugric pantheon. Due to this defeat, Kaltes-Ekwa gave birth to her son Mir-Susne-Hum who would go on to do several great deeds of his own and become a great hero.

Attributes

Animal: Hare, Rabbit

Month: April

Planet: Moon

Sphere of Influence: Childbirth, Fate, Life Cycles

Parentage and Family

Spouse

Num-Torum – In myth, Num-Torum defeats Kaltes-Ekwa to become ruler of the heavens.

Children

Mir-Susne-Hum – A hero in Ugric beliefs and mediator between humans and his father Num-Torum.

Moon Goddess

As a Moon or Lunar goddess, Kaltes-Ekwa’s role within her pantheon is very multifaceted. For there is a lot of symbolism invoked with this status.

As a Moon deity, Kaltes-Ekwa presided over numerous functions. The notable ones are life cycles as seen in the different phases of the moon, childbirth, fertility, and rejuvenation.

Childbirth

Kaltes-Ekwas was called upon by pregnant women, especially those about to give birth. As a moon goddess, Kaltes-Ekwas also symbolized the not just the life cycle, but the beginning of life.

Dawn Goddess

Kaltes-Ekwa’s association with the beginning cycle of life has also given her this title as a Dawn Goddess, with the beginning of the day.

Goddess of Fate

Given Kaltes-Ekwa’s role as a goddess of childbirth, it was also believed she was responsible for determining the fate and destinies of people before they are even born. This association caused some people to be fearful and potentially over cautious in her presence.

Still, people call upon Kaltes-Ekwa for her compassion and wisdom to guide them through life.

Hares

The hare is Kaltes-Ekwa’s sacred animal. It makes sense, when looking at the Moon, some people see the shape of a rabbit or hare in the moon. As a result, hares and rabbits are seen as lunar animals in many beliefs. The hare in this role, acts as a messenger between a lunar deity such as Kaltes-Ekwa and humans.

As a goddess, the hare is also her preferred animal to shape-shift into.