African Heroes, Legends and Myths

A long time ago, Anansi the smartest of all creatures and the Baboon were friends. They laughed, played and feasted together. It was said that they were inseparable Anansi enjoyed his friendship with the Baboon as he benefited more from their collaboration, when ever they went out to hunt for food, Anansi would devise ways to cheat the Baboon so he always took the bigger share home. The baboon did not mind, he knew his friend was a glutton One day the duo went out to search for food as usual and came around a banana plant teeming with ripe bananas. The Baboon loved bananas but it is said that in the those days, Anansi loved bananas as much as his friend. On sighting these succulent fruits, Anansi began to scheme. He wanted the banana all to himself While the Baboon wanted to share the bananas equally with his friend, Anansi came up with an idea. He convinced Baboon that one of them should have all the bananas while the other should get the stump of the plant Baboon : why w...

Odomankoma is a creator and with Nyame and Nyankopon forms a triad. Nyame represents the revolving universe; Nyankopon, its Kra, or life-giving power; and Odomankoma, the visible world. Odomankoma is many and is everywhere visible. He alone created the world, working with his mind and his hands: a divine craftsman, some Akan people say that Odomankoma created Earth by carving it from an inert substance that had no kra. He represents creative intelligence, and is venerated as the god of the earth with its mountains, plains, seas, rivers, and trees. In his role as architect or craftsman, he first created water, the primordial ocean. He then created heaven and earth by lifting up the one and setting down the other. Then other creatures followed, mankind and beasts, the thousands of powers, those things that are seen and those that are not, the numerous things in this world, and the seven-day week, each day of which is ruled by a planet. Odomankoma created Death and Deat...