Today is national press freedom day.
We published this story Thursday about how propaganda is much worse now than in ancient Egypt….and it’s rapidly worsening alongside troubling media concentration and brutal violence:
Then this
According to symbolism, whoever left the fish on our East London doorstep that afternoon was being anything from hopeful to deeply sinister.
ChatGPT unchecked:
Catfish had a surprisingly rich symbolic role in ancient Egypt, tied to ideas of life, protection, and the strange boundary between order and chaos.
One of the clearest connections is with the Nile itself. The annual flooding of the Nile River brought fertility and renewal, and catfish—being bottom-dwellers that thrive in murky, low-oxygen water—were seen as creatures that could survive and even flourish in conditions others couldn’t. That made them quiet symbols of resilience, regeneration, and hidden life emerging from the depths.
There’s also a more divine angle. The goddess Hatmehit, worshipped in the Delta city of Mendes, is sometimes depicted as a fish (often interpreted as a type of Nile fish, possibly including catfish in broader symbolism). She was associated with protection, fertility, and the primal waters—again linking fish to creation and sustenance.
Catfish also appear in Egyptian hieroglyphs. One species (often identified as the electric catfish) was used in writing and may have carried connotations of power or force—possibly even danger—because of its ability to generate electric shocks. This gives catfish a dual symbolism: not just life-giving and fertile, but also unpredictable and tied to unseen forces.
Finally, in a more everyday sense, fish—including catfish—were a staple of diet along the Nile, so they naturally took on associations with abundance and survival. But unlike more “noble” animals (like falcons or lions), catfish lived in the mud and darkness, which may have linked them symbolically to the underworld or hidden realms—places of transformation rather than just death.
So in short, catfish in ancient Egypt tend to symbolize:
- Survival in harsh or unseen environments
- Fertility and renewal tied to the Nile
- Hidden or mysterious forces (sometimes protective, sometimes dangerous)
- A bridge between life above water and the murky, unknown below
….
Catfish symbolism shifts quite a bit across cultures—sometimes they’re life-givers like in Ancient Egypt, and elsewhere they take on trickster, protective, or even ominous roles.
West Africa (especially along major rivers)
In parts of West Africa—for example among Yoruba traditions in Nigeria—catfish are often linked to water spirits and the unseen world beneath the surface. Like in Egypt, they carry associations with fertility and sustenance, but there’s a stronger spiritual edge: creatures that move between realms. Because they live in murky water, they’re sometimes seen as mediators between the physical and spirit worlds, occasionally tied to deities like Olokun (deep waters, wealth, mystery).
Japan (earthquake mythology)
In Japan, the giant catfish known as Namazu is almost the opposite of Egypt’s life-giving symbol. Namazu lives underground and causes earthquakes when it thrashes. It’s usually restrained by the god Kashima. Here, the catfish represents instability, chaos, and the unpredictable power beneath the earth—much closer to a force of disruption than renewal.
Southeast Asia (luck and adaptability)
In places like Thailand and Vietnam, catfish are more practical symbols: resilience, adaptability, and economic survival. Because they’re hardy and easy to farm, they’re often associated with prosperity and perseverance. In some folk beliefs, they also bring luck, especially in business or household stability.
Native North America (varies by tribe)
Among some Native American traditions (especially in river-based cultures like those around the Mississippi River), catfish can symbolize survival, patience, and grounding. They’re bottom-feeders, so they’re sometimes linked to humility or making use of what others overlook. Not as mythologized as other animals, but still respected as steady providers.
Modern Western symbolism
In contemporary Western culture, especially in the age of the internet, “catfish” has taken on a completely different meaning—deception or false identity, popularised by the documentary and TV show Catfish: The TV Show. That’s a sharp break from older symbolic meanings, shifting the fish from survival and mystery to disguise and manipulation.
Big picture contrast:
- Ancient Egypt: renewal, fertility, hidden life
- West Africa: spiritual mediator, mystery, water power
- Japan: chaos, earthquakes, destructive force
- Southeast Asia: resilience, prosperity, practicality
- Native North America: survival, humility, grounding
- Modern West: deception, false identity
What’s consistent across almost all of them is the idea of something hidden beneath the surface—whether that’s life, danger, spirits, or secrets. The difference is whether that hidden world is seen as nourishing… or threatening.