Dzelarhons

Dzelarhons, or Dzalarhons, in the mythology of the Haida people (an indigenous people from the Pacific Northwest coast of North America), is a mountain spirit known as Volcano Woman who rules the earth's creatures and punishes those who abuse them.[1]

According to legend, she was originally a mortal woman whose husband became abusive soon after the wedding. Outraged, her people came to rescue her and burned down the village. Dzelarhons was nowhere to be found; in her place was a stone statue holding a burning staff. She was now a powerful goddess and guardian of animals. One story describes her vengeance against some villagers who were so used to having an abundance of fish in their waters that they began to kill fish needlessly, and torture them for their amusement. Dzelarhons the Volcano Woman rumbled and erupted, killing them with her fiery rage.[2]

The Dzalarhons Mons, a mountain on Venus, is named after her.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Coulter, Charles Russell (2013). Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. Routledge. p. 160. ISBN 9781135963903.
  2. ↑ Monaghan, Patricia (2014). Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines. New World Library. pp. 318–319. ISBN 9781608682171.
  3. ↑ "Dzalarhons Mons". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Further reading

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