The Blood Moon Wasn’t Always Beautiful—Here’s Why People Once Feared It
Millions of people were treated to a rare sight on Sunday, September 7, 2025 as the moon turned red during a lunar eclipse—also known as a “blood moon.”
While many today think it’s beautiful, history tells a very different story. For ancient civilizations, a blood moon was often a source of fear, danger, death or even cosmic battles.
Ancient Inca: A Moon Devoured by a Jaguar
According to Daniel Brown, an astronomy lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, the Inca saw the red glow as the moon being eaten by a jaguar. Communities would shout, clash weapons and set their dogs barking to scare the beast away.
Mesopotamia: Protect the King
In Mesopotamia, eclipses were seen as deadly threats to kings. Since they could predict lunar eclipses, rulers took no chances—an expendable “substitute king” was installed during the event while the real king went into hiding. Once the danger passed, the substitute’s fate was sealed and the real king was restored.
Hindu Mythology: Rahu’s Revenge
Hindu mythology connects eclipses to the demon Rahu. After drinking the nectar of immortality, Rahu was beheaded but his immortal head continues to chase the sun and moon for revenge. When Rahu swallows the moon, an eclipse occurs—only for it to reappear moments later. In India, many still consider eclipses unlucky so families cover food, perform cleansing rituals and advise pregnant women not to work.
Native American Healing Rituals
Not all myths view the event as sinister. Tribes like the Hupa and Luiseño of California saw the moon as injured during an eclipse. Their response was to sing healing songs to restore its strength. Similarly in West Africa, the Batammaliba people of Togo and Benin saw the eclipse as a quarrel between the sun and moon. For them it was a time to end disputes.
The Samburu Perspective:
A Sky Full of StoriesIn Kenya, the Samburu community see a red moon as war, death or famine. But local leaders say these celestial events still connect people to the heavens. Samburu Governor Jonathan Lati Lelelit said his people have always looked to the stars for guidance.
“There is a lot of star reading in Samburu,” he said, recalling folklore about a rope tied to planet Venus that allowed the people to climb into the sky to seek blessings from God.
Science Meets Myth
Astronomically a blood moon occurs when the Earth’s shadow falls on a full moon giving it a reddish hue. But across history and cultures, the phenomenon has sparked fear, rituals and legends—reminding us that we have always looked up to the sky for meaning.
Also Read: NTSA Releases New Guidlines in Car Ownership Transfer Service
The Blood Moon Wasn’t Always Beautiful—Here’s Why People Once Feared It