Edition #5: Anansi, the King of Stories.

How a trickster spider tricked the Sky God himself.

Hey folks,

Welcome to my latest post. In this edition, I will delve into the world of West African folktales, by telling the story of Anansi, the focal point of all Ashanti Mythology. Get ready to read the story and explore the history, meaning and cultural significance of Anansi the Spider. I hope you enjoy the read and as always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback in the comments section. Let's begin with the story itself.

Story

Anansi, the trickster spider, was always looking for ways to gain more power and prestige. One day, he heard that all the stories in the world belonged to Nyame, the Great Sky God. He pondered how come all the stories belong to Nyame. Anansi knew that he had to get all the stories of the world. Therefore, he set out to find Nyame and ask for it. So Anansi climbed to the top of the tallest tree and spoke to the sky god directly. He asked the benevolent god to bless him with all the stories of the world, and promised he would take proper care of it. Nyame, however, was not easily convinced. As he looked down, he saw the arrogant spider and laughed to himself. He was so sure that a puny insect such as Anansi didn't deserve all the stories of the world. So, he set Anansi a series of impossible tasks to complete. He asked Anansi to bring him Onini the python, Osebo the leopard, and the Mmoboro hornets. Anansi knew these would be difficult tasks, but he was determined to succeed. And he set off on his eight legs to catch the python, the leopard, and the hornets. For the first task, he wandered through the forest. He looked around for a long straight stick. He found one and laid it on the ground outside the door of the Python's house. When Onini returned home, he saw Anansi staring at this stick outside his home. Onini was bewildered by this strange act. Anansi then told him about a wager he had with Nyame, whether the stick would be longer than Onini's body. As it happened, Onini was proud of his long python body, and he was happy to stretch out on the stick and show that he was longer. He did not expect that Anansi, quick as a flash, would spin thread around him and tie him to the stick. Now he was trapped and could not move. All he could do was protest with his long, silvery tongue. He took the snake to Nyame, and even the Sky God was surprised. But he was sure that even Anansi would not be able to catch Osebo the leopard. But the trickster had other tricks up his sleeves, or rather his hairy legs.

He sewed up his left eye so that he couldn’t see anything with it. The one-eyed spider paid a visit to the tree where Osebo the leopard lived. The big spotted cat dangled a powerful paw down from the branch he was using as a couch. When Osebo asked him about his eye, Anansi claimed that Nyame had stitched it up for him and now he can see the most wonderful things with it - worlds, stars and the whole universe - just like gods see. The leopard was excited beyond belief and asked for his own eye to be sewn. Anansi used the opportunity to sew both his eyes, and gently led the big cat to the mighty Nyame. Nyame was so surprised that he almost fell off his throne. But he was too quick to judge that the Mmoboro hornets couldn't be captured by anyone. And so Anansi journeyed to the place where the Mmoboro hornets kept their nest, and he brought with him a large jar. The hornets swarmed around, buzzing. He asked if the hornets would be kind enough to settle a dispute between himself and Nyame. The sky god told him they couldn't fly into it. This enraged the small beasts, and they flew straight into the jar. Anansi, quick to the moment, closed it up and took it back to Nyame. Having completed all the tasks, Nyame was impressed with Anansi's determination and wit, and he kept his promise, giving Anansi all the stories in the world. Anansi declared himself the king of stories. He created a court of storytellers, who would tell stories to the people, spreading the wisdom and entertainment they held. Nyame, realizing what Anansi had done, was not pleased. However, he saw the benefits the stories brought to the people, so he decided to let Anansi keep the stories and let him be the king of stories. From then on, Anansi was known as the King of Stories and people would come to him whenever they needed entertainment or wisdom.

Insights

The Ashanti people venerate Anansi the spider in West African and Caribbean folklore. He is known for his trickster ways and is often featured in folktales as a clever and cunning character. The Anansi stories were brought to the Caribbean by West African slaves and were passed down through generations.

In West African folklore, Anansi is seen as a symbol of wisdom and the importance of storytelling. The stories featuring Anansi often contain moral lessons, teaching about the importance of intelligence, wisdom, and resourcefulness. Particularly in Ghana, where this particular story originated.

In the Caribbean, Anansi is also seen as a symbol of resistance against slavery and oppression. The clever and cunning character of Anansi was often used by enslaved people to express their struggles against their oppressors. In these stories, Anansi is portrayed as a symbol of resilience and the ability to outsmart one's oppressors.

The Anansi stories also have a strong connection to the oral tradition, and have helped to preserve the culture, language and history of West Africa and the Caribbean. Overall, Anansi the spider is a significant figure in West African and Caribbean folklore, known for his trickster ways, wisdom, and cultural and historical significance.

It was very rewarding for me personally to dive into West African folklore, as I didn't know much about that culture. Additionally, it served as a break from exams. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. To keep you thinking, here's a quote until next time.

Bye!

Give advice; If people don't listen, let adversity teach them.

- An Ethiopian Proverb