Sniega Mate is the Latvian Goddess of snow. Every fall, at the first frost, she awakens in her home under a mountain and comes forth to blanket the land with snow. Also seen as Sniego Mate, her name means Mother of the Snow—she is one of the many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Blessed Yule, everyone! To those who don’t know, Yule is the Pagan celebration associated with the Winter Solstice, when the sun (usually seen as the God) is reborn to the world. Here’s a feminist twist to the story, from a pantheon where the sun is a Goddess.

Saules Meita is the Latvian Goddess of the sun’s renewal, daughter of the sun Goddess Saule. Dressed in fine silk clothes, Saules Meita wears a golden ring and a garland of leaves. At the winter solstice, it is said that Saule is tired out from her year’s worth of travels across the sky every day, and she steps down from her position in favor of her daughter. Saules Meita takes up her mother’s place in the sky and the sun is reborn. Saules Meita’s name means “daughter of the sun” and the Lithuanian version is Saules Dukryte.

Dziparu Mate is the Latvian Goddess of yarn. Knitting was very important in the life of young Latvian women. Girls were expected to knit over fifty pairs of mittens before their wedding day, and the number of pairs a girl had made was one factor in finding a husband. On the wedding day, the bride would give out the mittens she had made to her in-laws. Dziparu Mate was called upon by these young knitters to watch over their yarn and make sure that it had no tangles. Also seen as Dziparina Mamulina, her name means “yarn mother”—she is one of the many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Bisu Mate is the Latvian Goddess of bees. Beekeeping and honey-making have a long history in Latvia, dating back well over a thousand years. Also seen as Bisu Mamulina, her name means “bee mother”—she is one of the many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Contrary to what some online “sources” say, this Goddess does not have “dominion over the god.” It’s fog, not god. Fog.

Miglas Mate is the Latvian Goddess of fog. Sailors prayed to her for clear skies, and for protection on foggy days. Also seen as Miglas Mahte, her name means Mother of the Fog—she is one of many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Rijas Mate (pronounced REE-yass MAH-teh) is the Latvian Goddess of threshing, the process that separates the wheat from the chaff after the harvest. She is the Latvian version of the Lithuanian Gabjauja, Goddess of corn and other grains. Also seen as Rigas Mate, her name means Mother of the Threshing House—she is one of the many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Ogu Mate (pronounced OH-goo MAH-teh) is the Latvian Goddess of berries and the plants that produce them. It is said that the Latvian flag’s distinctive dark red color was first produced with the juice of the berries that grow wild in the forests. Ogu Mate’s name means Mother of Berries—she is one of many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Velu Mate (pronounced VEL-oo MAH-teh) is the Latvian Goddess of death. She rules over the land known as Vinsaule, which translates as “the world behind.” Dressed in a white woolen cape, she receives the souls of the dead, which are known as veli. Velu Mate’s name means Mother of the veli—she is one of many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Linu Mate (pronounced LIN-oo MAH-teh) is the Latvian Goddess of linen and flax. Also seen as Linu Mahte, her name means Mother of the Flax—she is one of many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

Itchita is the Yakut Goddess of the earth and the prevention of disease. The Yakuts of Siberia say that she lives in a beech tree, from where she and her helpers protect people from illness.