Editing Latvian mythology (section)

===Afterlife===
The world of the dead is called ''Aizsaule'' or ''Viņsaule'' ("The Other Sun", where the sun goes at night).<ref>Doniger, Wendy. ''Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions''. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 1999. p. 109. {{ISBN|0-87779-044-2}}</ref>{{efn|The word ''Viņsaule'' denotes a "place on the other side", in opposition to "this world" where the sun shines. This opposition is marked by Latvian prefix ''viņš''.<ref>Vaverová, Naďa. "[https://www.lituanistika.lt/content/74864 On expressions for the otherworld in Baltic languages]". In: ''Valoda: nozīme un forma''. 2017, 8, p. 244-257. Valodas gramatiskās un leksiskās sistēmas variatīvums. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22364/VNF.8.18</ref>}} It is related to various [[Mahte|mother deities]] (or perhaps one referred to by several names): ''Zemes māte'' (Mother of Earth), sometimes referred to as "Nāve", literally meaning "death"; ''Veļu māte'' (Mother of Wraiths), ''Kapu māte'' (Mother of Graves), and ''Smilšu māte'' (Mother of Sand). Zemes mate is portrayed as wearing a long robe in all white and occasionally has a scythe or sickle.<ref name="ancestors">{{cite encyclopedia| last =Muktupāvela |first =Rūta | editor-last =Jones | editor-first =Lindsay | title =Ancestors: Baltic cult of ancestors| encyclopedia =Encyclopedia of Religion | volume =1 | pages =327–331 | publisher =Thomson Gale| year =2005|edition=2nd}}</ref>

''Jods'' (not to be confused with ''velni''), the equivalent to Satan, is a being usually portrayed as being on par with other deities. Unlike velni, Jods is purely evil. He is said to have taken part in the creation of the world and living things. Jods steals people away to take them to his world. In this he is similar to other spirits who kill people, including Veļi who were believed to sometimes come back to claim a life of a person they knew in their lifetime.<ref name="bur">{{cite book | last =Straubergs | first =Kārlis| title =Latviešu buramie vārdi | publisher =Latviešu folkloras krātuve | volume =II | year =1941 | location =Rīga | language =lv}}</ref> The dead - called ''Veļi'' (also ''Iļģi'', ''Dieviņi'', ''Pauri'') - were considered to be visiting their old homes during autumn from [[Miķeļi]] (September 29) to [[Mārtiņi]] (November 10).<ref name="ancestors" /> A Jesuit report from the end of 16th century suggests that historically a funeral procession was led by a person waving the axe to protect the deceased from Veļi coming to him too fast. The deceased was [[grave goods|buried with]] items of trade to be able to secure livelihood in the afterlife. Bread and beer was also given. In autumn the souls were invited back home for a feast. The house would be clean and a table with foods set. At the beginning of the feast, an elder would invite Veļi by calling the names of all the dead who once lived in the house the living could remember. He would then give a speech scolding them for not having protected the house well enough, ask them to do better next year and then invite them to eat. After the meal was done Veļi would be chased out and the house would be carefully cleaned to ensure no one had stayed behind and the dirt would be thrown in water.<ref name="bur" /> Veļi could also be invited to chaste themselves in the bathhouse. The food could also be brought to the graveyard or left in the bathhouse, barn or granary. In that case, it would be checked next morning to see if Veļi had touched it, to figure out if they were benevolent to the living. In this case, a candle would be lit so the dead could see the food. In some regions, pails of milk and water along with a clean towel would also be left so Veļi could wash themselves. Those who did not honor Veļi were said to have a poor harvest. In modern Latvia, a form of ancestor worship has been preserved in celebrating the Remembrance day of the dead in late November and in graveyard days. (''kapusvētki'') which are held in late summer, and the precise dates of which are decided by whoever owns or manages a particular graveyard. During this day or sometimes days people come to clean up the graves of the deceased of their family.<ref name="ancestors" />