Ningikuga = Ningal’s mother, Nannar’s Mother-In-Law
Lover of Enki’s, Goddess of Reeds and Marshes, & Weaving of Reeds
(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)
(gods in blue)
“a young Anunnaki goddess called Ningikuga (Nannar’s mother-in-law).
It was she who brought to humankind the art of binding and weaving reeds,
it was by her craft that the huts to live and worship were first built..
And it was by looking at the way Ningikuga weave the long reeds in a patterned way …”
“Ningikuga looked at the expanse of the Great Reeds,
contemplated with pride her work and then turned to Enki.
As a Craftsperson, she understood Enki and his Request with her Mind, Body, Heart and Soul.
She smiled at the Water God: …”
“Ningikuga laughed at the contagious enthusiasm of the Water God: ,,,”
“Faithful to her promise, Ningikuga had come with the Igigi and the Anunnaki,
who brought Enki gifts for the journey.
Thus he was cloaked with chain mail to protect his body, helmet to guide his Reason and Decisions,
a Sacred Horn so that he would never run out of food and drink
and Spear to focus his Will and to pierce the heart of the fiercest enemy.
With a graceful leap, Enki got into the boat.
There he stood for a while, contemplating the seashore, losing himself in Ningikuga´s eyes.
This last salute was for her …”
“Enki turned then his back to the Underworld,
with a firm resolve to enter again the Worlds Above, to return to Eridu.
He was truly coming back home! To Ningikuga perhaps?
Enki smiled to himself, his old confidence surfacing again: …”
“your own mother Ningikuga.
Ningal, I shall go with you to your house…”
“Young Ningal lived out in the marshlands
close to the ancient settlement of Eridu,
the beloved daughter of Ningikuga, the Goddess of Reeds,
and Enki, the God of Magic, Crafts and Wisdom…”
“Mother Ningikuga would nod, but not say a word.
She, the wise Goddess of Reeds, Sovereign of the Marshlands,
Enki’s dear friend, and the diligent Weaver
who had brought to humankind the art of binding reeds for the first ruts and temples of the land,
knew what the maiden’s natural shyness could not, would not yet reveal:
Ningal had fallen in love with Nanna.
Thus Ningikuga watched over Ningal,…”
“Ningikuga knew Ningal would soon come to her power.
Then she would know whom to choose,
she would announce her choice in a love song.
Would he be Nanna though?…”
“Mother Ningikuga’s eyes followed her through the grooming rites.
Ningikuga did raise an eyebrow and opened her mouth
to utter a couple of questions but did not say a word in the end…”
‘……, my beloved, if only I could come to you without my mother to ……!
If only I could come to you without Ningikuga (?)’…”
“If it were not for my mother Ningal,
he would be chasing me along the dark (?) paths of the desert!
If it were not for Ningikuga,
he would be chasing me along the dark (?) paths of the desert!
If it were not for Father Suen (Nannar / Sin),
he would be chasing me along the dark (?) paths of the desert…”