Umay

Umay is a goddess. She looks after babies and mothers. Many people think she lives in heaven. She is often shown with a child.

Some say she keeps souls in a temple. This temple is on a mountain. She can also help people get food. She can bring them good luck.

Her color is yellow. This is because she is like the sun. She has sixty golden hairs. These look like sun rays.

People watch babies to see her. A smiling baby means she is near. A crying baby means she left. It is a way to know she is there.

Umay is a goddess in Turkic mythology. She is a protector of women and children. Many people believe she lives in heaven. She is invisible to most people.

Umay is linked to birth and nature. Some say her name comes from words for a womb. She helps women have babies. In some traditions, women tie strings with small cradles to ask for a baby.

She is also like the sun. Her color is yellow. She is called the Yellow Maiden. She is shown with sixty golden hairs. These look like rays of the sun.

People watch babies to see if she is near. A smiling baby means she is close. A crying baby means she has left. If she stays away, a child might get sick. Then, shamans may try to call her back.

Umay also helps communities. She can bring luck and food. She may even help souls go to heaven. Some think she keeps baby souls in a temple on a mountain. She is a very important figure in these beliefs.

Umay is a goddess in Turkic mythology and Tengrism. She is a goddess of fertility. This means she is linked to life and growth. She is very close to women, mothers, and children. Many believe she lives in heaven. She stays invisible to most people on earth.

Umay has many special jobs to do. She protects and teaches babies. She also helps souls move on after death. This is especially true for young children. Some say she keeps baby souls in a temple. This temple is on Mount Ymay-tas, or Amay.

History shows us that people have honored Umay for a long time. Her name appears in the 8th century Kul Tigin inscription. This is one of the oldest pieces of evidence. In those days, she was seen as a mother and a guide. Even the wives of khagans were seen as Umays. They helped have babies to keep the empire strong.

There are many interesting facts about her. Her name might come from words for a womb or placenta. In Mongolian, the word for Umay means womb. She is also linked to the sun. People call her Sarı Kız, which means Yellow Maiden. Her color is yellow. She is often shown with sixty golden hairs. These hairs look like sun rays.

People look for signs of Umay every day. A smiling baby might mean she is near. A crying baby might mean she has left. If she stays away, a child might get sick. Then, shamans might try to call her back. Umay also brings luck and food to whole communities. Some people even use her name today. Umay is a name for girls in Turkey.

Umay is a major goddess in Turkic mythology and the belief system known as Tengrism. She serves as a deity of fertility, which means she is connected to life and growth. Her role is deeply tied to women, mothers, and children. Many traditions believe she resides in heaven. In this celestial home, she remains invisible to most people on earth.

Umay performs several essential spiritual functions for human life. She is responsible for protecting and educating infants. She also manages the movement of souls. Specifically, she may separate the soul from the dead, particularly in the case of young children. Some traditions state that the souls of babies waiting to be born are kept in her temple. This sacred place is located on Mount Ymay-tas, also called Amay.

There are many different ways to understand her specific powers and symbols. Because she is linked to the sun, she is sometimes called Sarı Kız, or "Yellow Maiden." Yellow is her primary color and symbol. She is often depicted with sixty golden tresses of hair. These golden strands are said to look like the rays of the sun. Some believe she was once identical to a figure known as Od iyesi. Additionally, the essence of fire, called Od Ana, is said to have been born from Umay.

Linguists look at the name Umay to understand its ancient roots. The Turkic word originally meant "placenta" or "afterbirth." This connection explains why she looks after women and children. In the Mongolian language, Umay means "womb" or "uterus." This may show how different groups influenced each other in the past. Researchers even see possible connections between these words and the Old English word "womb." These links suggest a very old human connection to the idea of bringing life forth.

Historical records provide evidence of her importance through the centuries. The oldest evidence of Umay is found in the Orkhon script monuments. Her name appears in an 8th-century inscription for Kul Tigin. In that text, she is described as a mother and a guide. During that era, the wives of khagans, called katuns or hatuns, were also considered Umays. These women were vital because their children ensured the future of the empire.

People have many ways of interacting with her through belief and practice. In some cultures, Turkic women tie strings with small cradles to ask Umay for a baby. The Divanü Lügat’it-Türk states that women who worship her will have male babies. Families also watch for signs of her presence in their children. A smiling, sleeping baby may mean Umay is near. A crying baby might mean she has left. If she stays away for a long time, a child might become ill. In these cases, shamans may be called to bring her back.

Umay's influence extends to large groups and modern culture. The Kyrgyz people believe she protects entire Turkic communities. She is also thought to bring luck and help people obtain food and goods. Her legacy survives in modern Turkey, where Umay and Ece are used as female given names. Even nature holds a connection to her through the "Umay Nine Trees" at the Teos Archaeological Site. One olive tree there is believed to be nearly 1,800 years old and is named after her.