ladykrampus reblogged
Venda mythology
An African mythology reality from Venda, South Africa: http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/Features/The-lake-of-vanishing-spirits-20120922
ladykrampus reblogged
Asasabonsam
I was doing research on black vampires and I came across this vampire figure from the Ashanti people of Ghana:
The Asasabonsam or asanbosam [also Sasabonsam] is an African vampire from Ghana lore. They can take the shape of a man, woman or child. They are described as having hooks instead of feet which are used like traps. For example, the asasabonsam hangs in a tree and when a animal or human passes it grabs the victim with its sharp hook feet and eats it alive with its iron teeth. When attacking humans, it aims for a very unusual place, the thumb.
ladykrampus reblogged
Sun Birds
Origin Shona (Zimbabwe)
Dzivaguru goddes of light, darkness and rain clouds, owned to golden swallows of light. she would release them to bring warmth and light to the people and sealing them away to bring back the night and cool air.
Nosenga son of the sky god caught the sun birds and releasing them to the world. Without having Dzivaguru to seal them away the golden birds flew fast, high and low often causing droughts.
ladykrampus reblogged
Osain (also known as Ozain or Osanyin)
Orisha of wild plants, healing and magic. He is a powerful wizard, master of all spell craft and is found out in the wild, untamed areas of nature. Without Osain, none of the ceremonies in the religion can happen; it is his magic that is used to conjure the shrines of the orishas. Osain is commonly understood to be Shango’s godfather who taught him how to spit fire and throw lightning. Osain’s magic is so powerful that no one can unravel his spells. Consequently he is petitioned for any purpose where unconquerable magic is required.
Osain is often depicted as an extremely disfigured, impish man. He has one eye, one hand, one foot, one tiny ear that can hear even a pin drop, and one ear larger than his head that hears nothing. He keeps all of his magic in a calabash that he hangs high in a tree, out of reach.
ladykrampus reblogged
The Nyami Nyami, otherwise known as the Zambezi River God or Zambezi spirit snake
Origins -Tonga tribe of Zimbabwe and Zambia
is one of the most important gods of Tonga . Nyami Nyami is believed to protect the Tonga people and give them sustenance in difficult times. The River God is usually portrayed as male.
Variously described as having the body of a snake and the head of a fish, a whirlpool or a river dragon, the Nyami Nyami is seen as the god of Zambezi Valley and the river before the creation of the Kariba Dam. The Nyami Nyami is regularly depicted as a snake-like being and can be found as pendants on jewellery, usually carved out of wood, stone or bone, occasionally ivory, silver or gold both as a fashion accessory and as a good luck charm
ladykrampus reblogged
Yemoja (also known as Yemaya and Iemanja)
The queen of the Earth, owner of all waters, and the orish of motherhood. She is the mother of all living things and lives in the sea. Her name is a contraction of the Yoruba saying “iyá omó eyá” meaning “mother whose children are the fish.” and mer-people are Yemoja sacred offspring. She is the older sister of Oshun.
Yemoja wears seven panels skirts to represent the seven seas of which she rules over. She carries a black haired horse tail fly-whisk, a sabre, or a machete with which she defends her children. When she spins, the rippling edges of her dress are the tempestuous waves of the stormy sea.