A web quest for Hyde Park High School mythology students

1. African mythology
A webquest for Hyde Park High
School mythology students

2. TRIBES
Hundreds of Tribes
Each has its own
pantheon
There are 193 gods
with 122 name
variations.

3. Dahomy tribe – Dan
Encircles the universe
Supporting the world
on its coils
Ashanti tribe – Aidophedo
Encircles the world
biting his own tail
(like Jormangander)
World Serpent

4. Bumba
Follow the link and read
about the creation myth
involving Bumba.

5. Olorun
Follow this link to read
about the Yoruba tribe’s
creation myth
Find out about Oshiras

6. Mawu-Lisa
Here is the Dahomy
creation myth of the twins
Manwu-Lisa
Visit the
Myth Encyclopedia link
and read the part about
twins in African mythology

7. Shango
God of thunder,
drums, and dance
- Yoruba tribe
Read about Shango.

8. A.K.A. Nyame
Creator
Supreme god of
The Ashanti tribe.
And lots of others
under
Lots of names.

9. Ancestors
Ancestors have power
over matters that concern
the society. Through the
mask the ancestor is
believed to inhabit the
worshipper Take a look at
some masks and find out
more.

10. The Elephant –
Kamba tribe
A very poor man heard of lvonya-Ngia, 'He
that feeds the Poor'. He decided to go and
find Ivonya-Ngia but it was a long journey.
When he finally arrived, he saw
uncounted cattle and sheep, and there,
amidst green pastures, was the mansion
of Ivonya-Ngia, who received the poor
man kindly, perceived his need and
ordered his men to give him a hundred
sheep and a hundred cows. 'No', said the
poor man, 'I want no charity, I want the
secret of how to become rich.' Ivonya-
Ngia reflected for a while, then took a
flask of ointment and gave it to the poor
man, saying: 'Rub this on your wife's
pointed teeth in her upper jaw, wait until
they have grown, then sell them.' The
poor man carried out the strange
instructions, promising his wife that they
would become very rich.

11. The Elephant (Continued)
After some weeks, the canine teeth began to grow and when they had
grown into tusks as long as his arm the man persuaded his wife to let
him pull them out. He took them to the market and sold them for a
flock of goats. After a few weeks the wife's canine teeth had grown
again, becoming even longer than the previous pair, but she would not
let her husband touch them.
Not only her teeth, but her whole body became bigger and heavier,
her skin thick and grey. At last she burst out of the door and walked
into the forest, where she lived from then on. She gave birth to her son
there, who was also an elephant.
From time to time her husband visited her in the forest, but she would
not be persuaded to come back, although she did have more healthy
children, all elephants. It was the origin of elephants and it explains
why elephants are as intelligent as people.

12. Listen to storytellers
Anansi and the Pot of Beans How the zebra got his stripes
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