Where mosquitoes came from and why they exist: A look from comparative plot analysis

Abstract (English)

Unlike domestic animals and game animals, small insects—particularly mosquitoes—rarely attract the attention of anthropologists. However, interactions with them play a significant role in traditional societies. Firstly, especially in the tropics, these tiny creatures are a source of numerous diseases, while in the North, protecting reindeers from ubiquitous biting insects is an important cultural practice. In my presentation, I would like to focus on how mosquitoes are portrayed in the traditional folklore of various cultures, reflecting people’s perceptions of these insects.
One of the main narrative motifs associated with mosquitoes involves origin stories. These typically revolve around either the opening of a forbidden container or the burning of a giant creature, reflecting an idealized world without bloodsuckers. Another group of mosquito-related plots highlights their small size, allowing it to secretly observe events or infiltrate places unnoticed (e.g., causing a girl to become pregnant). A different set of narratives explains events through their actions — for example, a widespread motif in New Guinean texts features a cannibal telling a mother that her child is crying because of mosquitoes, while in reality, the cannibal is eating the child.