By Nosa Olotu

Introduction

SNAKE Snakes in cultural and religious beliefsHumans are descended from those primates and therefore our instinctual fear of snakes can be traced back to those early primates. Scientists believe that this signified the start of an evolutionary arms race between predator (snakes), and prey (mammals). To avoid being eaten, mammals would have had to develop ways to both avoid and detect snakes before they could strike. It makes sense that the primates able to detect snakes would be more likely to pass on their genes.

A term used to describe someone who fears snake is “ophidiophobic”. “ophis” refers to serpents, or snakes, and “phobia” meaning fear. A typical ophidiophobic however, fears the very thought of snakes, cannot watch them on television, nor even look at a picture of one.

Being afraid of snakes is perfectly natural and signifies a healthy respect towards the snake. Typically, people fear snakes for their venom, and the possibility that their lives may be in danger. Fear of snakes can also occur from a personal or traumatic experience with a venomous snake. Children are taught to fear snakes from an early age.

The myths

The regularity with which people kill a snake first and ask questions later might lead you to believe that the world is overrun with venomous snakes. In fact, venomous snakes only make up about 10 percent of snake species worldwide.

Snakes are almost always described as larger than they really are. The way that people feel about snakes is heavily influenced by religious and cultural beliefs and mythology. While snakes are respected in some parts of the world they are despised in others. Some cultures held snakes in high esteem as powerful religious symbols while other cultures have associated snakes with medicinal powers or rebirth.

The way that people feel about snakes is heavily influenced by cultural beliefs and mythology.

The Christians

Judeo-Christian culture has been less kind to snakes. Tales of the Garden of Eden and the serpent’s role in “man’s fall from grace” have contributed to a negative image of snakes in western culture. In the cultural region of Appalachia, eastern United States of America, some Christians handle venomous snakes as part of ritual ceremonies, relying on faith to protect them from bites. Whereas among the Catholics, Saint Patrick is credited with ridding Ireland of snakes, a feat celebrated by many as a good thing.  Deep rooted cultural biases may be responsible, in part, for widespread fear and disdain for snakes.

George’s Day customs in Estonia (in Eastern Europe) have something to do with snakes. The Estonian tradition concerning snakes contains two kinds of reports: mostly, the snake is used in repelling and preventive magic to help the cattle thrive and people fare well and also to cure people’s diseases, while a lesser part contains instructions on how to avoid snakebites in the coming summer. And again one can find an opposite interpretation: according to some German beliefs snakes are not poisonous before St. George’s Day as it is only since that day that the poison of the earth enters the snakes and toads.

Conclusion

Mythological tales about snakes are handed down from generation to generation. As we learn more about the true nature of snakes, we can begin to base our perceptions of them on fact rather than fiction. 

The way people feel about snakes is often strongly influenced by learned cultural beliefs. In fact, our modern medical symbol of two snakes wound around a staff comes from Greek mythology. Many people may be afraid of snakes because some are venomous. Without snakes we would be overrun by rodents and other prolific small mammals.  Of course you want to avoid getting close to any animals in the wild, but you don’t need to fear snakes just because of the way they look.