AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY

By: Emily BlonigenJennifer GroshekMark Henning

ORIGINS OF AFRICA

Khoi-San were people of southern Africa

Pygmy people were from central Africa

Both represent lines of humankind

Negroid people later migrated to Africa Taller and more

varied body types

ORAL TRADITION

No written language in Africa originally Islam brought written language across

the Mediterranean plain Europeans brought written language

towards Western Africa Also brought Christian missionaries,

shipping agents, and trading companies

WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Writing affected part of the population of Africa

The Koran and the Bible had an impact on people They were used as external influences,

power, and the rise of small groups Oral cultured survived into the

twentieth century

AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY

Many types of African Mythology Myths about

agriculture, fishing, metalworking, and more

Myths may be sacred or secular

Stories have significance to history, origins of creation, and origin of their world

CREATION STORIES

Knowledge of supreme being included in most myths

Contains lesser gods, goddesses, and spirits

Myths explain history of ethnicities Forms a link between

present day and origins of their world

THE IMPORTANCE OF MYTH

Mythological stories are organized into heading, categories, and stories

African Mythology has been around for decades

THE IMPORTANCE OF MYTH

Myths about creation tell many different things: Origins of

civilizations The beginnings of

civilizations How civilizations

lived The world and their

customs

THE IMPORTANCE OF MYTH

There are many different types of categories of Mythological stories

They involve a wide array of heroic characters

Most African myths include animals

WORK CITED

Mythology textbook