Meaning
The mermaid-like water spirit of Jamaican folklore — a beautiful woman who sits at the head of a river combing her long hair with a golden comb, guarding the fish and the source. To disturb her or steal her comb is said to bring misfortune, flooding, or the river running dry.
Examples
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Dem seh River Mumma sit pon di rock a comb har hair.
They say the River Mumma sits on the rock combing her hair.
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Nuh trouble di river head, River Mumma live deh.
Don't disturb the river's source, the River Mumma lives there.
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If yuh tek River Mumma gold comb, bad luck follow yuh.
If you take the River Mumma's gold comb, bad luck follows you.
Origin
An Afro-Jamaican water-spirit tradition (paralleling West African 'Mami Wata'); 'mumma' (mother) marks her as the guardian mother of the river.
How it’s used
A central figure in Jamaican folklore, tied to rivers, fortune, and caution around water.