African mythology

A webquest for Hyde Park High School mythology students

TRIBESHundreds of Tribes

Each has its own pantheon

There are 193 gods with 122 name variations.

Dahomy tribe – DanEncircles the universeSupporting the worldon its coils

Ashanti tribe – AidophedoEncircles the world biting his own tail (like Jormangander)

World Serpent

BumbaFollow the link and read about the creation myth involving Bumba.

OlorunFollow this link to read about the Yoruba tribe’s creation myth

Find out about Oshiras

Mawu-LisaHere is the Dahomy creation myth of the twins Manwu-Lisa

Visit the Myth Encyclopedia link and read the part about twins in African mythology

ShangoGod of thunder, drums, and dance- Yoruba tribe

Read about Shango.

A.K.A. NyameCreator Supreme god of The Ashanti tribe.

And lots of othersunderLots of names.

AncestorsAncestors have power over matters that concern the society. Through the mask the ancestor is believed to inhabit the worshipper Take a look at some masks and find out more.

The Elephant – Kamba tribe

A very poor man heard of lvonya-Ngia, 'He that feeds the Poor'. He decided to go and find Ivonya-Ngia but it was a long journey. When he finally arrived, he saw uncounted cattle and sheep, and there, amidst green pastures, was the mansion of Ivonya-Ngia, who received the poor man kindly, perceived his need and ordered his men to give him a hundred sheep and a hundred cows. 'No', said the poor man, 'I want no charity, I want the secret of how to become rich.' Ivonya-Ngia reflected for a while, then took a flask of ointment and gave it to the poor man, saying: 'Rub this on your wife's pointed teeth in her upper jaw, wait until they have grown, then sell them.' The poor man carried out the strange instructions, promising his wife that they would become very rich.

The Elephant (Continued)After some weeks, the canine teeth began to grow and when they had

grown into tusks as long as his arm the man persuaded his wife to let him pull them out. He took them to the market and sold them for a flock of goats. After a few weeks the wife's canine teeth had grown again, becoming even longer than the previous pair, but she would not let her husband touch them.

Not only her teeth, but her whole body became bigger and heavier, her skin thick and grey. At last she burst out of the door and walked into the forest, where she lived from then on. She gave birth to her son there, who was also an elephant.

From time to time her husband visited her in the forest, but she would not be persuaded to come back, although she did have more healthy children, all elephants. It was the origin of elephants and it explains why elephants are as intelligent as people.

Listen to storytellers

Anansi and the Pot of Beans How the zebra got his stripes

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