The 10 best African legends (and their explanation)

Africa is the cradle of humanity, the place where the first hominids evolved and from which species like ours started, Homo sapiens, to colonize the rest of the world. A land of great wealth and history that, however, today is the one with the highest levels of poverty and hunger in the world.

There are many countries that are part of this continent, many tribes and many stories that all of them have been telling since ancient times to explain their world. That is why throughout this article we will see this cultural wealth, making a small selection of ten African myths and legends from different regions and tribes.

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A dozen great African legends

Then we leave you with a series of ten of the stories, myths and legends that we can find throughout the extensive African geography, many of them referring to elements of nature, the stars and geographical elements.

1. The creation of the world

Almost every culture on earth has ever imagined some possible explanation based on their beliefs that

try to make sense of how the world appeared. The different cultures present in Africa are no exception. In fact, there are many legends that different tribes and local cultures have been developing in this regard, among which in this article we are going to see one: that of the Boshongo.

Legend has it that at first there was only darkness and water, in addition to the creator god Bumba. The latter was in the strictest solitude. One day the god noticed a great pain in his stomach and considerable nausea, after which he vomited. This vomit was the Sun, and from it arose the light. Also from its heat arose areas of dry land. The great Bumba was nauseated again, this time expelling the moon and stars. In a third malaise He vomited the leopard, the crocodile, the thunderbolt, the heron, the kid, the beetle, the turtle, the eagle, the fish and the human being.

After that, the Gods who were born to Bumba and him undertook to finish the work of his father, helping to shape the rest of the things of the universe. Only the lightning bolt was problematic and erratic, something that made the deity decide to lock it up and send it to heaven. Since the lack of it left the human being unable to make a fire, the god himself taught mankind to generate it through the use of wood.

2. The appearance of man at the hands of Mukulu

The human being has often wondered how the world in which he lives appeared, but he has also wondered more specifically how he got to it. In this sense there are legends that speak more specifically about the creation of it, in a way that actually reminds us in some sense of our evolution. This is the case of the myth or legend of Muluku, god of the Makua and the Banayi, and the creation of man.

Legend has it that the great god Muluku, After creating the world, he decided to create a species that could enjoy and care for his work. The deity dug two holes in the earth, from which the first man and the first woman would eventually be born. Muluku being also a god of agriculture, he taught them to cultivate and take care of the fields so that they could feed themselves and live independently. But although they initially followed the god's directions, the couple ended up ignoring them and abandoning the care of the world.

Little by little the plants were dying, to the point that the fields became deserted. Thoughtful, the god called a couple of monkeys and gave them the same knowledge. While the first pair of humans had been wasting their time, the apes took care of and built a house and a sown field.

Given this, the god made a decision: to remove the tails from the monkeys to put it on the couple, who would transform into apes. In turn, the monkeys, now tailless, would turn human. And it is from the latter of whom the rest of humanity are descendants.

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3. The legend of Lake Antañavo

A third African legend, this time from the ancient Antankarana of Madagascar, tells us about how one of the lakes of their region, the Antañavo, appeared, which is considered sacred and whose waters should never touch the body.

Legend has it that at first Lake Antañavo did not exist, but instead there was a prosperous town. In that place lived a couple who a few months ago had had a baby. One day at nightfall the baby began to cry inconsolably. His mother tried by all means to calm him down, but nothing had any effect. She finally decided to go out for a walk with the child, reaching a tree under which the women were grinding rice during the day. Once seated and under the night breeze, the baby calmed down and fell asleep.

The woman tried to return home with the child, but on the way the little one began to cry again. The mother returned to the same place as before, under the tree, and again her son calmed down again. When trying to go home again, the same situation was repeated. And this happened several more times. Finally the tired young mother she made the decision to sleep under the tree. But just when he was about to do it suddenly the whole town disappeared, sinking in the waters all the land to where the mother and her baby were.

After that the mother ran to tell what happened to the neighboring towns, which they began to consider the place as sacred. They say that the crocodiles that populate Lake Antañavo are the souls of the ancient inhabitants of the town.

4. The legend of Seetetelané

Another traditional African story is that of Seetetelané, which is a small story that offers us a moral that indicates the need to respect others and the contributions they make to our lifetime. It is also a warning to avoid drunkenness and in order to avoid throwing away all that we have achieved out of mere arrogance.

Once upon a time there was a man of great poverty who had to hunt mice to survive and who had practically no of everything, being his clothes woven from the skins of the animals he hunted and often being cold and hunger. He had neither family nor partner, and he spent his time hunting or drinking.

One day, while he was hunting mice, he found a huge ostrich egg that he thought about eating later. He took it to his house and hid it there before going back for more food. When he returned, having gotten only two rodents, he found something truly unexpected: he had a table set and prepared with mutton and bread. The man, seeing the food, wondered if he had married without knowing it.

At that moment from the ostrich egg came a beautiful woman, who introduced herself as Seetetelané. The woman indicated that she would remain with him as her wife, but she warned him that she would never call her daughter of the ostrich egg or she would vanish never to return. The hunter promised never to drink again to avoid calling her that way.

The days passed happily together, until one day the woman asked him if she would like to be a tribal chief and possess all kinds of wealth, slaves and animals. The hunter asked him if he could provide them, to which Seetetelané laughed and with a thump of his foot opened the ground, leaving it a large caravan with all kinds of goods, servants, slaves and animals.

In addition, the woman made him see that he had become young that his clothes were warm and valuable. The house had also been transformed into another, from a hut to a stone hearth full of furs.

Time passed and the hunter led his people for a time, until in a celebration the man began to drink. Because of this he began to behave aggressively, to which Seetetelané tried to calm him down. But he pushed her and insulted her, calling her the daughter of an ostrich egg.

That same night, the hunter felt cold, and when he woke up he saw that there was nothing left but his old hut. He was no longer a leader, he had no animals or servants, nor were his clothes warm. And he no longer had Seetetelané. The man regretted what he had done and said. A few days later, partly because he had become accustomed to a better standard of living, the man fell ill and died.

5. The legend of the tree of history

Some of the African legends tell us about events such as disappearances, sometimes attributed to time travel. We have an example in Tanzania, where the Chagga tell the legend of the tree of history.

Legend has it that once a young woman set out with her friends in order to collect herbs. Trying to access an area where there seemed to be a lot, the girl fell into an area full of mud, in which she ended up completely sinking despite the attempts of her companions to get her out of there. After that, they ran to the village in order to bring the news to the parents.

These, desperate, asked the rest of the town for help, all going to the place where the young woman had disappeared. There they followed the recommendation of a wise old man who recommended that they sacrifice a sheep and a cow. This resulted in everyone being able to hear the girl's voice, growing farther and farther, until they could no longer hear it.

Time after, in that same place a large tree would begin to grow, which was often used by livestock keepers to protect themselves from the sun's heat. Two young men climbed that same tree one day, and before disappearing they shouted to their companions that it was taking them to a world before the present. That is why the tree is known as the Tree of History.

6. The legend about Anansi and the expansion of wisdom

Knowledge and experience have been deeply respected elements in most cultures that are linked to leadership and respect, as well as knowing what to do in times of need. In this sense, there is a legendary character named Anansi, who is responsible for the fact that wisdom is part of everyone and that no one has it in their entirety.

The legend says that once upon a time there was a sage in the form of a spider who observed that humanity was at least irresponsible and cruel. Seeing this, the sage made the decision to gather all the wisdom in a single jar and keep it in a safe place. For this he decided to enclose this knowledge in the top of the highest tree in the world. However, the climb was very difficult as the being had to hold the jug while advancing through the tree.

Anansi was getting more and more frustrated, unable to climb the tree with the jug on his head as it got in his way. However, his son, seeing his situation, asked him why she was not carrying him tied on her back. Anansi realized that his son was right, and in surprise to find more wisdom than he had accumulated he dropped the jar. It crashed and smashed to the ground from which a storm spread it to the rest of the world.

Wisdom then spread throughout the world, reaching all of humanity. That is why no one is capable of having absolute wisdom, but all of us have capacities to recognize and exercise it.

7. Ayana legend and the tree spirit

The people who have left us have been and are of great importance in our lives, marking us hard. Some cultures establish the possibility of contacting those who have already passed away. An example of this is found in the legend of Ayana and the spirit of the tree.

Legend has it that there once was a young girl named Ayana who had lost her mother, and that Despite being sweet and good, she only had for company an absent father and a stalking stepmother. The girl came every day to the cemetery to talk to her with her mother, to whom she listened softly. One day, next to the grave of her mother, he saw a small tree, which with the passage of time grew until it bore fruit. Her mother's voice sounded at that moment, indicating that she should eat them.

The young woman enjoyed the taste, and decided to take some of it to her father and stepmother. The latter demanded to know where she had obtained the fruit of her, since she wanted it for herself. Ayana carried her, but the tree was pulling its branches away from the woman and only allowing the girl to touch it. This prompted the stepmother to order her husband to cut down the tree.

After that, the girl continued to see the grave of her mother, from which she another day she saw a pumpkin grow with an impressive flavor. She this she possessed a nectar that reminded Ayana of her mother's affection. But one day the stepmother saw her and followed her, and After tasting the nectar and understanding why the girl was so happy in the last few days, she decided to destroy her.

Another day and once she had discovered the destruction of the pumpkin, Ayana discovered the presence of a stream with similar characteristics. This time the stepmother covered the river with dirt. The girl decided to move away from the grave thereafter, for fear that the stepmother would destroy her.

Years passed and the girl became a woman, with whom she fell in love with another young man to whom she corresponded. However, the stepmother demanded that the young man prove himself worthy of Ayana, for which she had him hunt twelve buffalo.

Ayana told the story to her boyfriend, who decided to go see the tree, and there after seeing the remains of the cut tree. She asked Araya's mother for permission to marry, something that she was granted and that the young man noticed as a feeling of satisfaction and well-being when picking up the wood: the approval of the mother of his future wife.

From the wood of the tree the young man made a bow, which helped him kill the twelve animals. Thus, Araya and her husband were able to get married regardless of the opinion of the stepmother.

8. The legend of the baobab

Pride and arrogance is a quality that can be expensive, and this is also true in the mentality of some African peoples. It is because of that there is an African legend that refers to the effects of arrogance and gives an explanation in the shape of one of the most famous African trees: the baobab.

Legend has it that the baobab tree was considered the most beautiful on the planet, to the point that all beings admired it. Even the gods marveled at her beauty, so much so that they even gave her enormous life expectancy.

With the passage of time, the tree grew more and more proud of itself, blocking the sunlight for other trees and beings. He said that in no time he would catch up with the gods themselves. These, once the branches of the tree were close to their home, were enraged at the vanity and arrogance of the vegetable. Furious, they condemned the tree to grow in reverse: its flower would grow underground, while only its roots would give into the air. That is why these trees now look so special and unusual compared to the rest.

9. The origin of death

Not only are there legends related to life and creation, but African peoples also have legends related to destruction and death. An example of them is found in the following Zulu legend.

Legend has it that after the creation of man, he did not know if his life was going to end or not. The creative deity Unkulunkulo originally decided to grant him immortality. To bring the news to the man he sent the great chameleon Unawabu, which he carried the news that mankind would not die. However, this being, on his way, stopped to eat and began to take longer than expected to deliver the message.

The deity hoped that the human being would thank him for the gift of immortality that she had just given them, but having not received the message from her yet, the humans did nothing. Not knowing that the cause was ignorance and thinking that humanity was ungrateful, the god changed his mind: from then on the human being would be mortal and eventually die. She sent the lizard Intulo to carry the message, which acted swiftly to fulfill her mission. That is why we are mortal and destined to die.

10. The legend of Bamako

The last of the African legends explained here will be directed to the legend that explains the origin of the Moon.

The legend says that at the beginning of time the Earth was accompanied only by the Sun, which when hiding left the world in absolute darkness, something that favored pillage. One day, in the village where the beautiful and gentle Bamako lived, there was an attack on her village during the night taking advantage of the darkness.

The villagers tried to defend themselves, but they did not see and little by little they began to fall in the successive attacks. Bamako was deeply concerned about this situation.

One day the god N’Togini appeared to him in her dreams. He indicated to Bamako that hers, her son, Djambé had been in love with her for a long time., and she promised him that if she agreed to marry him he would take her to heaven and she could light up the night to avoid attacks like the one that happened. The woman accepted and asked for instructions. The god told her that at sunset she should climb the largest rock that was next to the river and jump into this, in addition to assuring her that she should not have since her future husband would be there to raise her to the Heavens.

Bamako fulfilled her mission, and just as she had promised her husband, the Sun, she raised her in the heavens with him and would transform her into the Moon. Thanks to her the villagers were able to fight and defeat their attackers

Bibliographic references:

• Lynch, P.A. & Roberts, J. (2010). African Mythology A to Z. Chelsea House Publishers.
• Yosvany, V. (2016). Myths, tales and legends of Africa. Editorial Verbum