ILAZKI

[Basque] Although her image is quite ambiguous, sometimes good, sometimes evil, she is treated with uttermost respect and called Ilargi-Amandre (Lady Mother Moon or Grand-Mother Moon), Illazki, Ilargi, Iretargi, Iratargi, Ilargia, Idargi, Argizagi or Goikoa. Her name means "light of the dead" (hil argia) as she lits the ghosts of the deceased. She is intimately linked to them, and them to her. Thus, to die when the moon was close to the first quarter was considered as a good omen for the afterwards life, because the soul of the departed would grow with the orb. The Moon has also a great influence on plants and trees, and some should or should not be cut or collected, depending on Ilazki's phase.