The Bantu people and many others are united around the sacredness of water, and I know of no Bantu culture where water does not play a central role.( This original water symbol around the base of the carving and also the Uthini? Board symbolizes how water unites us all like a rope tying us together - Don ) " Bantu" is not an ethnicity but a language group. Originating in the Nok region of Nigeria probably 2,500 years ago, the Bantu were never what is dismissively called a "primitive" culture. Likely by way of Nubia and the Sahel Corridor, presumably ultimately from Egypt, they spread the working of iron and the beauty and complexity of their worldview over rather a large section of Central, South and East Africa from Cameroon to Kenya, from the Cape of Good Hope to Uganda. There are many Bantu languages and many Bantu cultures, and at the same time, they make a fairly coherent whole. - complete text by Michael Ortiz Hill

The tokiloshe was originally a water sprite and is commonly described as a brown, hairy dwarf that is invisible to adults. The creature is mischievious, but only malevolent when controlled by an evil sorcerer. (we might call him the boogy man). There is a widely held myth in Southern Africa that says the Africans raise their beds on bricks to avoid being attacked by the Tokiloshe.

Chameleon - source Myths & Legends of Southern Africa by Penny Miller
The Koi people and several other African groups share a common story that makes them despise the chameleon. The chameleon was given the message by the gods to carry to all man; "As I die, and dying live, so you shall also die, and dying live". He was so slow that the message was then also given to a hare. The hare traveled fast and spread the message to the chiefs who had to accept it. Unfortunately being hare brained he scrambled it; " As I die and dying perish, in the same manner shall you die and perish and come wholly to an end" and so from that day mankind has lived and died.

The Toktokkie beetle – One of the hardiest beetles in Southern Africa. It is known as the Doctor of the road. He is a fertility symbol and always features in the wedding songs of the Xhosa people.

Hyenas - Myths about hyenas originated from confusion about their sexual activity. Male and female mate just as other mammals do, but male and female genitalia are quite similar in appearance. One theory holds that the female has a large amount of male hormones to increase her aggressiveness. Whatever the biological reason, the confusion inspired claims that hyenas could change sex at will. This notion led to accusations of witchcraft and the belief that witches can turn themselves into hyenas.


The Nsibidi Unity Symbol in the writing of the Ejagham people of Nigeria