“And for my last day,
I think I will go see the sun”

Words fail to capture the emotional complexity experienced worldwide in response to the sight of a humpback anglerfish off the coast of Tenerife. I can’t count the times my heartstrings were plucked by various social media depictions of a creature who spent her life wreathed in eternal midnight and yet, miraculously, managed to swim to the warmth of the surface in her final moments.

Many have expressed annoyance towards the poetic dedications in her honour, claiming it is nothing more than romanticisation, born from an inability to comprehend something we have very little knowledge of. That her appearance under the light of the sun can be explained by oceanic currents propelling her upwards or perhaps disease or disturbance in her environment from increased human activity. Any of these may be true, but it hasn’t stopped the little anglerfish from embodying implications for a world in turmoil, transforming her from an entity of the cold abyss to a resonant and magical metaphor for endurance, existentialism, and hope. It has nothing to do with whether she could truly feel the radiance of our luminous world, or whether she was inclined to explore above in search of a light she didn’t have to create herself. But it has everything to do with what meaning can be found in her legacy; what messages can be relayed through her tenacious spirit as she swam through the perpetual darkness to greet us.

The collective awe and grief we expressed for the anglerfish’s departure reflects one of the many examples of our imaginative capability to derive meaning from the world around us. Since the beginning of time, humans have utilised the power of narrative to integrate ourselves into the cosmic energy of the universe, especially to glean truth and significance within our own lives and shape them accordingly ¹. Whether this be generational stories rooted in specific cultures and traditions, or expansive myths that speak of the genesis of Gods; it is here where the intersection of the human condition and transcendence occurs to bestow wisdom ².

Each myth, folk tale, or ominous sign attempts to make sense of an everchanging planet, rooting us further into the established bonds we have with our community, our environment, as well as holding profound meaning for us to ponder upon. When something as unprecedented occurs as the appearance of a deep-sea dwelling fish, our need for reflection is inescapable. In fact, Ignoring the global intensity of emotions that manifested would be futile. For there is no doubt that a primal energy was awoken, urging us once again to explore and generate a new narrative to find meaning in her tragic death, as we have done for millennia in similar circumstances. Only this time the lips that have tasted a plethora of revelations throughout history now cry out in disarray for the dark times ahead.

As sensational as she is, overall, it is a rarity for the anglerfish to cross the everyday mind, unless we frequently watch that scene from Finding Nemo where an anglerfish gives chase to the poor clownfish in search of his son.  Otherwise referred to as the Black Sea Devil, the humpback anglerfish is, at first glance, a nightmare to behold, with protruding teeth and a monstrous form perfectly adapted to a life absent of light apart from the females own bioluminescence used for luring prey. Nevertheless, her appearance was still perceived as beautiful, cloaked in the collective compassion and empathy we dressed her in as she momentarily inspired us to seek understanding. Through our mourning, we saw her surfacing from a vast and lonely ocean akin to our own individual journeys through an often isolated, apprehensive world where hate, upheaval and ecological destruction are rife. We saw courage and determination free her from the shackles of the infinite dark and pressure, guided by her own light in the same manner each one of us is attempting to do so under capitalistic restraint and societal enmity. But most importantly, we glimpsed the forgotten feeling of hope amongst despair; that a fish measuring six inches swimming towards the light, even at the cost of her own life, allowed us to recall the beauty and love in the world that is worth holding on to and fighting for, no matter how long and arduous the road may seem.

Throughout mythological and religious belief, fish have actively embodied the mysteries of the primordial waters, bringing forth knowledge to those who actively listened. For example, we glimpse this is Mesopotamian mythology with Oannes emerging from the sea draped with the skin of a fish to teach humans literature, science, and art ³. Close to my home, on the banks of the River Severn, Britain’s longest river, another fish emerged within Celtic myth to entangle us to the mysteries of the water. In the story of Culhwch and Olwen, Wales’s oldest surviving prose text, Culhwch is tasked with laborious and seemingly impossible tasks, one of which is to seek out and free Mabon ap Modron from imprisonment ⁴. However, this only came about after seeking out the oldest and wisest of all animals, the Salmon of Llyn Llyw, who obliged to help. An anglerfish emerging may seem coincidental, but her appearance demonstrates the continuation of a lineage displayed by fish in mythological belief who come before to impart their own wisdom.

Of course, the interpretations we make are entirely subjective. Many have seen her as a warning of environmental catastrophe, pressing us to be more conscious of our actions. Others have seen her as an emblem of revolution; she who represents the marginalised, the downtrodden and the oppressed, rising from the gloom to seek the light of liberation. But if there is one interpretation that can consolidate all her meanings into one single concept it is undoubtedly the presence of hope. Its so easy in the modern age to lose this with the current affairs of the world where our faith deteriorates in our fellow humans. But the anglerfish reminds us that in our grief and sadness we come together. We display our vulnerability and our empathy, taking refuge in each other in response to the pain and heartbreak that all of us will experience despite our differences. Only when we do this, when we find empathy for each other, can healing take place, with its beautiful radiant light illuminating the path towards the solace of a better future. It’s funny, as I was writing this article in my local coffee shop as well as crocheting the anglerfish to capture her essence, a random elderly gentleman out of nowhere brought me a drink. This random act of kindness completely threw me off guard and as I write about hope in people, I wonder whether this was a weird synchronicity from the universe or whether it’s my emotions being derailed from an overload of iced coffee combined with which ever planet is in retrograde at the moment. Nevertheless, the point still stands. We are all swimming in our own darkness, but the universe will send us a guide to help alleviate this. Only this time it came in the form of a little fish who reminded us of our responsibility towards each other and who now swims amongst the outpourings of love and adoration she inspired in millions of people. No matter what, just keep swimming.

Brett Hollyhead, also known as the Witch of Salopia across social media, is a practicing Welsh Marches Folk Witch, workshop leader and a public speaker at regular Pagan related events/ conferences throughout the United Kingdom. He’s a member of the Cylch y Sarffes Goch Coven (Circle of the Red Serpent) alongside Mhara Starling and Moss Matthey. He’s also a member of OBOD and a guardian of the Doreen Valiente Foundation.

References:
1. Larsen, S. (1996). The Mythic Imagination: The Quest for Meaning Through Personal Mythology. Simon and Schuster
2. Barnes, H. E. (1955). Myth and Human Experience. The Classical Journal, 51(3), 121-127.
3. McInerney, J. (2017). “Fish or Man, Babylonian or Greek? Oannes between Cultures.” Interactions Between Animals And HumansIn Graeco-Roman Antiquity. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 253-74
4.Davies, Sioned. (ED.).(2007). The Mabinogion. Oxford University Press, USA