Mythologis
African Mythology: The Complete Guide to Yoruba Orishas, Anansi, Mami Wata, and the Sacred Stories of Sub-Saharan Africa

African Mythology

African Mythology: The Complete Guide to Yoruba Orishas, Anansi, Mami Wata, and the Sacred Stories of Sub-Saharan Africa

From the Yoruba Pantheon to the Spider's Web

Eleven chapters on the gods, heroes, and spirits of Africa south of the Sahara: Eshu, Shango, Oshun, Anansi, Mami Wata, Nyame, the Dogon Nommo, and Unkulunkulu, drawn from oral tradition and ethnographic record.

150 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Inline citations to original texts
  • Designed for print quality
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  1. 01The Shape of African Cosmology
  2. 02Olorun and the Yoruba Pantheon
  3. 03Eshu, Shango, and Oshun: The Orishas in Action
  4. 04Anansi and the Akan Spider Cycle
  5. 05Nyame, Asase Yaa, and the Akan Cosmos
  6. 06Mami Wata: The Water Mother Across Cultures
  7. 07The Dogon Nommo and Sirius
  8. 08Unkulunkulu and the Bantu Creation
  9. 09Zulu and Khoikhoi Figures: Inkosazana and Heitsi-Eibib
  10. 10Oral Tradition, Ethnography, and the Written Record
  11. 11Survival and Transformation in the Diaspora

About this book

About this African mythology guide

The Orishas, the spider, the water mother, and the gods of a continent Western audiences are only beginning to know.

The mythology of sub-Saharan Africa is a continent-wide conversation among hundreds of peoples. This book focuses on the traditions Western readers encounter most often: the Yoruba Orishas (Eshu the messenger, Shango of thunder, Oshun of the rivers, Olorun the supreme), Anansi the spider trickster of the Akan, Mami Wata the water mother, Nyame the Akan creator, the amphibious Nommo of the Dogon, the Bantu Unkulunkulu, the Zulu Inkosazana, and the Khoikhoi Heitsi-Eibib. Each chapter cites the oral sources, the colonial ethnographies, and the modern retellings that preserve these stories.

You will learn how Eshu opens and closes every ritual, why Anansi owns all stories, what Mami Wata demands from her devotees, and how the Nommo descended from Sirius. The book explains the differences between pantheons, the role of ancestors, and the survival of these traditions in the diaspora. Inline citations guide you to the Ifa divination verses, the Akan proverbs, and the ethnographic collections.

A paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What you will discover inside

  • How Eshu the trickster opens every door and closes every ritual in Yoruba tradition
  • Why Anansi the spider owns all the stories of the Akan people
  • What Mami Wata demands from her devotees in exchange for wealth and beauty
  • The Dogon account of the Nommo descending from the star Sirius
  • How Unkulunkulu emerged from the reeds to create the Bantu world
  • Why these traditions survived the Middle Passage and shaped diaspora religion

African mythology book at a glance

TraditionAfrican mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length150 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Keep exploring African mythology

Prefer to read before you buy? These free, fully sourced guides cover the same gods, myths and sources you will meet in the book.

Read the complete African mythology guide

Questions about the African mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Is this book based on primary sources?

The book cites the Ifa divination corpus (Yoruba oral tradition), the Akan proverb collections recorded by Rattray and Christaller, the Dogon cosmology documented by Griaule, the Zulu oral histories collected by Callaway, and the ethnographic surveys of Parrinder and Mbiti. Each chapter includes references to the standard published collections so you can read further.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 150 pages depending on the final layout. Designed to be read in evenings or in one long sitting.

Is this book for beginners or specialists?

Beginners welcome. The book explains every name, place, and concept from scratch. Specialists will find the source citations and translation notes useful for further reading.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

Why focus on these traditions and not others?

Sub-Saharan Africa contains thousands of distinct mythologies. This book covers the traditions most often encountered in Western scholarship and diaspora practice: Yoruba, Akan, Dogon, Bantu, Zulu, and Khoikhoi. Each chapter acknowledges regional variation and points to further reading for neighboring peoples.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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