African mythology

Artemis

Member
This is most interesting. I have never read anything about African Mythology, but I rather think they might be closer to Egyptian gods and goddesses. I will have to read more about these. Thanks.
 

Chintai

Member
Thanks for the excellent resource. I don't know much about African mythology either so it's a good read. I wish they had grouped them by country though, as it's such a vast area.
 

Rhonda Tharp

Active Member
Here are a few by tribe:

African Deities
Deity People and Region Role
Ala Ibo, Nigeria mother goddess, ruler of the underworld, goddess of fertility
Amma Dogon, Mali supreme god
Cagn Bushmen, Southwestern Africa creator god
Eshu Yoruba, Nigeria trickster and messenger god
Katonda Buganda, East Africa creator god, father of the gods, king and judge of the universe
Kibuka Buganda, East Africa war god
Leza Bantu, Central and South Africa creator and sky god
Mujaji Lovedu, South Africa rain goddess
Nyame Ashanti and Akan, Ghana creator god associated with the sun and moon
Ogun Yoruba, West Africa god of war and iron
Olorun Yoruba, West Africa sky god and supreme deity

Read more: African Mythology - Myth Encyclopedia - god, story, legend, ancient, animal, snake, war, world, flower, creation, represent, life, hero, king, people, creatures, evil, culture, fire, warrior http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/A-Am/African-Mythology.html#ixzz16lStCIWY
 

TheReaper

New Member
Oooo, that's a great link, Rhonda - thank you! I am new to mythology so whenever I think of it I always think of Roman and Greek. I realize that's a very narrow minded newb approach though and I am really enjoying researching all the different cultures and stories.
 

Alejandro

Active Member
Anyone got something detailed about the deities of ancient Abyssinia (what is today called Ethiopia)? Volume II of UNESCO's General History of Africa>> Ancient Civilizations of Africa and also wikipedia.org have some scanty information about these deities who were apparently imported to Africa from Arabia, but nothing nearly as interesting as the information available, e.g., about the gods of West Africa, some of whom Rhonda has mentioned above. So far what I've gathered is the following.

On one side of the southern shore of the Red Sea was the kingdom of Aksum in Abyssinia, on the other side was the kingdom of Himyar in Yemen, and there was often one king who claimed to rule both kingdoms, styling himself "King of Kings." In both places, it seems, the war-god Mahrem (or Maher) was the chief god and the royal deity, from whom the people of Aksum, especially the king, believed they were descended, referring to him in Greek as Ares the Unvanquished. He seemed to have maintained this status right up until Christianity was brought to the region in the 4th century. Mahrem was the son of Astar (or Ashtar), the morning star, originally a Canaanite god called Athtar (or Attar), who in this pantheon was identified with the Greek Zeus. There appear to have been several moon-gods, or maybe one who was called by various names including Almaqah (otherwise Almuqah, Ilmaqah or Ilmuqah), Hawbas and Gad. The kingdom of Saba' in Yemen held Almaqah in pretty much the same esteem as was extended to Mahrem by the Askumites and the Himyarites, and the royalty of Saba' also claimed descent from this moon-god. The sea-god Bar (otherwise Bahar, Baher or Behēr) was identified with the Greek Poseidon, and also worshipped in Aksum, together with another chthonic god named Meder, as the god of the earth.

But aren't there any surviving stories about them? I.e., is there any actual mythology on these Afro-Arabian gods? Or any other deities in the pantheon(s)?
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
I can't tell you much, but there is a good book called The Oxford Companion to World Mythology by David Leeming. I find it to be a great resource, as it provides a brief background for almost everything in worldwide mythology.
 
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