West african folktales history

When slaves arrived in the new world from africa in the 1700s and 1800s, they brought with them a vast oral tradition. Many stories feature the spiderman anansi, a clever but devious character who usually comes to a bad end. The tortoise and the elephant, another version of the story where the tortoise captures the elephant. Most of the stories or fables have a clever moral, or tell how some aspect of the. If your preference is to get these wonderful stories in hard copy and share them then below you will find some of these books on sale on ebay.

In the olden days, goes the tale, all stories were only about nyankupon the chief of gods. It looked like a good source since the arabs had the earliest recorded contact with west africa but i suspected it may be a difficult book to read. Anansi, the trickster spider, is one of the most important characters in west african folktales and folklore. African fables, folktales, and stories africa for kids. Distribute an article that details the various types of african folk tales and gives. Return from african folktales to african traditions. His stories also arise in the caribbean, south america and north america among african diaspora populations. Despite becoming a powerful islamic state, takrur could never shake the control of its powerful neighbors, first being under the thumb of the ghana empire, and later, conquered by the mali empire. The first story in this book tells of how the anansi tales originated. Black then a west african folktale of the story of oshuns. How have west african folktales become a part of the. Aug 24, 2018 they are approached with both awe and apprehension. The story lines of these folktales have been extracted from the storytelling.

Anansi is a west african god who often takes the form of a spider. Anansi became the king of all stories after proving to nyame that he could trick a jaguar, hornets and a fairy. It is a product of the diverse populations that today inhabit the continent of africa and the african diaspora. Africa is the second largest continent in the world. In west africa folktales are important because they bring families and friends closer together, they are a form of entertainment, and they are a fun way of passing down history. Playful and sly, they teem with talking animals and shapeshifting tricksters, with pacts and promises made and broken, and with impossible deeds done through chicanery.

From the djenne mosque in mali to the nkruhma memorial in ghana, the region has. West african folktales 6 looking tree, he began to climb. The deamon, the woman and the bird african fairy tale from senegal duration. They were mostly brought by slaves who were taken to the americas. The people from africa included unique characteristics in their folklore, showing their way of life and the animals and plants that surround them. In west african communities, people rely on folktales for passing down history. Translated by jack berry, edited and with an introduction by richard spears. They are interstitial beings, a kind of interface symbolizing all that is opposing, yet interrelated, in the cosmological fabric of most west african societies. The story is a classic justso story about the friendship of sun, moon, and water at a time when.

African american folktales are the storytelling and oral history of african american slaves during the 17001900s. African culture is expressed in its arts and crafts, folklore and religion, clothing, cuisine, music and languages. Why are folktales important in west african communities. African folktales, like anansi and turtle, help kids learn about other parts of the world. The history of west africa at a glance cultures of west africa.

Very interesting story selections, formatting, and prose style. Side by side, whether identical or fraternal, twins share a sole and unique social space and time. Many stories feature the spiderman anansi, a clever but devious. Heritage history west african folktales by william h.

History of west african dance, different type of dance and the drum west african dance reached the americas during the slave trade. This is a delightful collection of stories and fables from west africa, collected by a missionary. A folk tale about a young woman and a foolish promise she made. And for african americans, folklore has played a particularly important part in documenting history too. The heavy pot, hanging in front of him, made hi s ascent almost impossible. The term west africa is also often used to refer to this part of the continent. One day two greedy jungle cats discover a large piece of cheese. Next chapter this is a delightful collection of stories and fables from west africa, collected by a missionary. One of the best ways to teach our children about other cultures is through books, and in honor of black history month, i have. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. West african dance mande dancing paddy cassidy plays solo for a dancer at a circumcision in bamako, mali. West african folktales and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Either way, the most important thing is to share and keep on sharing these stories so that traditions will live on. How have west african folktales become a part of the culture.

Africanamerican folktales are a storytelling tradition based in africa containing a rich oral tradition. They stand together, bound and powerful, as if a living, breathing microcosm of the greater yoruban cosmological model. The elephant tusk read and hear myth benin kings crown read and hear myth, nigeria african fables and folktales. One of the most important animal tricksters of west african legends is anansi, who acts on behalf of the sky god, nyame. Inspired by the sounds and rhythms of the west african forest, dylan pritchett weaves a tale that reveals the music we all have inside us. Background information distribute an article that details the various types of african folk tales and gives examples of them. Its a short 5 minute geared towards understanding how you use this site. He is the son of the sky god, nayame, and the earth goddess, asase ya. Sep 07, 2018 it would be easy to draw from this picture, and from the lack of slave rebellions in west african history, that slaves were welltreated.

Games about africa games on the net free video clips. These stories spread in various forms to other countries like the west indies, suriname, the netherland antilles, etc and can be still heard. African culture is expressed in its arts and crafts, folklore and religion, clothing, cuisine, music and. Next day he took a long stick and set out in search of a boaconstrictor.

The myth of how the world was created according to the yorubas in west africa the tortoise and the drum the tortoise receives a special drum from the land of spirits. In an effort to improve this site, we invite you to participate in our first reader survey. Barker 18821929 compiled by an american missionary, west african folk tales by william h barker is a delightful collection of folk tales from nigeria, ghana, mali, mauritania and other countries along the west coast of africa. Dec 07, 2011 inspired by the sounds and rhythms of the west african forest, dylan pritchett weaves a tale that reveals the music we all have inside us. A folktale from west africa story cove cleveland, rob, hoffmire, baird on. The earliest humans we know of are discovered in africa. The history of west africa at a glance cultures of west. As soon as they were safely inside, anansi sealed up the jar and sent it off to nyankupon. This famine had lasted so long that any existing source of food had been completely depleted. The yoruba of nigeria and benin republic refer to them not only as ibeji, doublebirth, but as ejire, the intimate, inseparable two. African history and a fable by jomo kenyatta in search of books on early african history, i came across a corpus of early arab sources for west african history.

West african folk tales is a wonderful read for both young people and older readers alike. May 17, 20 a blog about african history, and heritage, through audio and video files. Black history preserved in african folk tales how to learn. The climate, history, and culture of west africa have combined to make west africa a unique place architecturally. Taking the role of trickster, he is also one of the most important characters of west african, african american. Many are unique to the africanamerican culture, while others are influenced by african, european, and native american tales. West african folk tales west african folk tales jstor. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.

The culture in africa is varied and manifold, consisting of a mixture of countries with various tribes that each have their own unique characteristic from the continent of africa. In west africa, people used folktales to teach their history to young people so they would develop a respect for their elders and pass beliefs, values, and morals to other. These fireside chats dontdidnt only consist of folk tales, but other forms of oral history and interesting facts about africa such as. They talked to their young ones because there was a high degree of oral tradition, and they would teach them things about life based on the folktales from west africa, and it eventually became an integral part of the africanamerican identity in the united states.

Most of the stories or fables have a clever moral, or tell how some aspect of the natural world came to be. As conventionally understood, however, west africa is primarily a political and economic designation and comprises all the areas considered. Traditional dances from the mande region of west africa are some of the most popular african dances studied outside of africa. Slaves were often prohibited from dancing, but africanbased movements found their way into european dance styles, quickly evolving into popular american dances. As a melting pot of cultures, our national literature comes from all over the world. The collection of folktales from africa consists of four books with 88 stories. When he arrived at the place where one lived he began speaking to himself again. No one person can have all the wisdom in the world. But recurrent references to runaway slaves and captives, some even fleeing alone far into the sahara desert where their chances of survival were close to none, show that many found their prospects unbearable.

Folk tales prepare young people for life, as there are many lessons to be learned from the tales. In the african folk tales about the creation myth of the west african yorubas, the earth was originally covered with water. The primitive city of timbuctoo, by horace miner, published for the american philosophical society by princeton university press, 1953. Learn about trickster tales and the origin of anansi the spider through this handson interactive lesson in which the students help retell the book anansi the spider by gerald mcdermont through pictures and movement. An african folktale on gaining recognition, from the timbuktu region and attributed to the berber people of africa through the tuareg kinshiptribalfamily group of west africa. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading west african folktales. A blog about african history, and heritage, through audio and video files. African folklore tales about animal tricksters often describe how helpless creatures manage to outwit fierce animals. This is the story of oshuns flight and how she became the messenger of olodumare. Soon i learned that the ashanti people were from ghana, a country in west africa.

This is a list of 10 creepy african folktales, that. You can use this resource as a supplemental worksheet when studying african culture, such as during black history month february and for kwanzaa december 26. A cat and her strong friends a house in the sky a sly cat a story about the tongue a tale about a jackal a whip out of the tail of a cow dinner of the lion fool of the king. A village hunter had one day gone farther afield than usual. Most of them are about anansi, the trickster god of the west african people. Established by the tukulor people of the senegal river valley, the kingdom of takrur was the first state in the region to embrace islam. West african influencesbefore the 1940s historical interpretations of slavery suggested that the experience of the long and brutal voyage across the atlantic ocean and the humiliating and dehumanizing effect of enslavement destroyed the enslaved africans identity and severed them from their culture. This seems to be quite at odd with the fact that the dutch textile company vlisco has been installed in africa, more precisely in togo, since 1846. Africanamerican folktales are the storytelling and oral history of african american slaves during the 17001900s. In nigeria, folktales are very popular and perhaps the most popular are tales about anansi. The tales from africa arent just stories, theyre living pieces of history and culture to those who tell them. How african american folklore saved the cultural memory. For several generations, stories from africa have traditionally been passed down by word of mouth. Here i post all things relating to a growing collection of west african folktales as recalled by myself from growing up in nigeria and other willing contributors.

At the end of the story anansi and brah dead, there is a proverb that suggests. The body of african folklore encompasses tales from multiple regions of africa, including fairy tales and folk tales from south africa, nigeria, rhodesia and zanzibar. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the god of all knowledge of stories. Often, after a hard days work, the adults would gather the children together by moonlight, around a village fire and tell stories. Again and again he tried to reach the top of the tree, where he intended to hang the pot. It has been said in the sacred stories of our west african yoruba tradition that oshun sometimes written oshun or osun is the only orisa able to approach olodumare aka olorun directly, carrying prayers from the mouth of humanity to olodumares ears. These 123 tales reflect the rich oral tradition of west african folklore.

From the tentacle tree, with a taste for human cuisine, to the dragons of the west african swamps. He is worshiped as the god of all stories and often takes the form of a spider, which is considered to be very cunning. West african folktales kindle edition by richard spears, jack berry. They talked to their young ones because there was a high degree of oral tradition, and they would teach them things about life based on the folktales from west africa, and it eventually became an integral part of the african american identity in the united states. Tales of wonder african tales can teach zulu tales. History of african fabrics and textiles african heritage. African american folktale, storytelling tradition that evolved among enslaved african americans in the 18th and 19th centuries. This trickster monkey from africa will teach readers the importance of sharing and trustworthiness. An african folktale is an adaptation of a traditional tale told by the efik people of southeastern. African stories sometimes include trickster animals and spirits.

Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. West african folktales in west africa, people used folktales to teach their history to young people so they would develop a respect for their elders and pass beliefs, values, and morals to other. Very often, africans are depicted on old pictures as naked people, walking around without any clothing. African folktales are intended to teach people, particularly the young people, about life lessons and ways they should conduct themselves in order to succeed in life and love. Feb 23, 2012 in the african folk tales about the creation myth of the west african yorubas, the earth was originally covered with water. West african folktales northwestern university press. Apr 10, 2012 the first episode of an upcoming web series. African folklore, myths and legends victoria falls guide. A west african cinderella story about a girl and her wicked step sister. Because of the history of this large continent, which includes the forceful transplanting of the people into slavery on other continents, many of the same folk tales exist in north america, south america, and the west indies. Coming to a part of the forest with which he was unacquainted, he was astonished to hear a voice singing.

A cat and her strong friends a house in the sky a sly cat a story about the tongue a tale about a jackal a whip out of the tail of a cow dinner of the lion fool of the king greedy anansi. Playful and sly, they teem with talking animals and shapeshifting tricksters, with pacts and promises made and broken, and with impossible deeds done through chicanery and magic. In the african folk tales about thecreation myth of the west african yorubas, the earth was originally covered with water. Along with a clear moral of the story, african folktales also commonly use. The year 1619 marked the beginning of african american history, with the arrival of the. There, he thought, wisdom would indeed be beyond the reach of every one but himself. God sent his messenger obatala to help him create the world. These are told with little variation, for the tales were spread by word of mouth and were kept among the african population. The clever monkey is a classic folktale from west africa told by rob cleveland.