A twist in the tale of creation myths from across Africa
The book cover.
What you need to know:
- The African creation myths are eerily similar to Bible Stories.
- I guffawed as I read some stories and shook my head in wonder at some.
- Be ready to be simultaneously befuddled and entertained by all the stories.
Title: The Origin of Life and Death, African Creation Myths
Edited by: Ulli Beier
Published: 1966
Reviewed by: Faith Oneya
I shrieked in delight when I came across this little book (it’s only 65 pages long) at a bookshop in Embakasi, Nairobi. I’m obsessed with folklore and to have a book capturing stories of death and creation from all over Africa seemed like a rare find. Of course, I soon found out that the book is still in print and stocked in major local bookshops, so I won’t be auctioning it for thousands of shillings. But that’s on a lighter note.
The African creation myths are eerily similar to Bible Stories but have much more dramatic flair and colour. Picture a woman whose magic spell causes heads to dismember themselves from bodies, go high up in the sky and then come back to reconnect with the bodies. Think of an Afrosinema movie without the soundtracks. That’s how reading it felt like.
The African creation myths have much dramatic flair and colour.
The book’s blurb explains that “some ideas will be new and startling to people reared on the Muslim and Christian traditions: all are exciting and stimulating because they throw new light on man’s relationship to God and on his attempt to come to terms with the supernatural and the inevitable.”
The editor must have anticipated a reaction like mine. I guffawed as I read some stories, shook my head in wonder at some and nodded in my head in agreement in some instances.
If I was forced to pick a favourite story, it would be the one titled ‘The Plant of Life’ starring Shida Matunda from Tanzania who, when his favourite wife died, he buried her in a hut which remained at her grave, watering it every day until a plant grew. You might already know how this script goes. One day, he left the grave unattended and one of the jealous wives cut down the plant with a hoe. And that’s when the unthinkable happened. Just know that a lot of blood was involved. But be ready to be simultaneously befuddled and entertained by all the stories.
