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Old 01-27-2006, 05:06 PM   #1 (permalink)
DSP
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Spider Man is African :)
When I was little, we learned that the Spider is greater than the lion, momz had a spider(man) story for almost everything..




http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/c...est_africa.htm


Spiders in West Africa

"The wisdom of the spider is greater than that of all of the world together."
A traditional saying from the Akam people of West Africa
Anansi stories

West Africa is the home of Anansi, a folk hero, who is both spider and man. He is a trickster, a provider of wisdom and a keeper of stories. His role is both light hearted and profound, often providing the link between people and the supreme being.
One of the stories is about Anansi's involvement in the creation of the world. Anansi was ordered by the sky god to spin the fabric from which people would be made. Anansi then acted as the messenger between people and gods. Through Anansi's skill as a messenger the sky god gave people day and night, rain and wind.
In another story, Anansi put all wisdom in a pot to keep it safe But the pot was so big he couldn't carry it. When his son wisely suggested that he put the pot on his back, Anansi realised that all wisdom wasn't in the pot. In a fit of temper he tipped the wisdom out of the pot. Now wisdom is available to all people.
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Old 01-27-2006, 05:15 PM   #2 (permalink)
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lol.
those of us that grew up in the Caribbean
are very very very familiar with the ANANCI
stories.....

why u tink ananci_7 chose his name?
lol.
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Old 01-27-2006, 05:20 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by DSP
When I was little, we learned that the Spider is greater than the lion, momz had a spider(man) story for almost everything..




http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/c...est_africa.htm


Spiders in West Africa

"The wisdom of the spider is greater than that of all of the world together."
A traditional saying from the Akam people of West Africa
Anansi stories

West Africa is the home of Anansi, a folk hero, who is both spider and man. He is a trickster, a provider of wisdom and a keeper of stories. His role is both light hearted and profound, often providing the link between people and the supreme being.
One of the stories is about Anansi's involvement in the creation of the world. Anansi was ordered by the sky god to spin the fabric from which people would be made. Anansi then acted as the messenger between people and gods. Through Anansi's skill as a messenger the sky god gave people day and night, rain and wind.
In another story, Anansi put all wisdom in a pot to keep it safe But the pot was so big he couldn't carry it. When his son wisely suggested that he put the pot on his back, Anansi realised that all wisdom wasn't in the pot. In a fit of temper he tipped the wisdom out of the pot. Now wisdom is available to all people.
LOL. I grew up reading Spider stories. He would be the African equivalent of Bro Rabbit or Fox or any other that outwits people (or sometimes gets outwitted by their own mischief)
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Old 01-27-2006, 05:55 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by elq
lol.
those of us that grew up in the Caribbean
are very very very familiar with the ANANCI
stories.....

why u tink ananci_7 chose his name?
lol.
For some these were our first bed time stories oui!

Our Anansi Folk Tales Project

Anansi stories original came to the Caribbean by slaves brought from Africa hundreds of years ago. Stories of Kweku Anansi are still told by the Ashanti people in Ghana. Similar stories with different heroes are told elsewhere around the Caribbean: Rabbit is the main character in the stories in the French West Indies, southern United States, and East Africa; in Nigeria Tortoise is the mischief-maker.
The phrase ‘Anansi story’ is used in the Caribbean today to refer to any sort of folk tale. Sometimes Anansi stories are used to explain why as certain animal is as it is today. For example, a story may explain why spiders (Anansi) live in wood piles, or tigers live in the bush.

The telling of Anansi stories is an important aspect of Caribbean cultures where high value is placed on the ability to use words and the ability to perform. In previous times, most villages had several people who were noted as story-tellers. This was valued in rural villages where there was less access to entertainment and recreation.



Unfortunately this wonderful old tradition is quickly fading away as children even in rural areas or isolated islands are getting access to TV, movies, CD's and computer games. These pages are our attempt to keep some of the stories alive.

We also hope to work with schools in various African countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda and record some of their folk tales too. Perhaps we will be able to see how the stories have changed over time from the original African to the current West Indian version!
http://www.robinsononeil.com/anansi_folk_tales.htm

The spiderman Anansi is an integral part of Jamaica's cultural history


Anansi (a.k.a Anancy) the cunning spiderman came to Jamaica with the slaves from West Africa. So his stories contain lions and tigers and even an ‘asunu’ (elephant) which we certainly don’t have in Jamaica. However, Anansi stories are part of our cultural heritage. Jamaica embraces Anansi to the extent that some people think that his trickster mentality is a national trait. Recently a prominent educator stirred up a storm in a teacup by saying that Anansi stories should be banned from our schools since they encouraged the children to think that ‘trickery’ is the best way to succeed. However, with the advent of round- the- clock televison and cable facilities, and the demise of story time when old folk would entertain by telling and re-telling our folk tales, many Jamaican children now know few, if any, Anansi stories.

Anansi stories invariably show hero Anansi getting the better of his opponents by tricking them into doing what he wants. But, every now and then he gets his come-uppance -meets his match. Quite a few of the stories deal with the problem of famine or shortage of food, but often while others starve, Anansi manages to get a bellyful. In his introduction to “Anancy and Miss Lou” (Miss Lou is the Hon Louise Bennet-Coverley -a famous Jamaican poet and storyteller) Mervyn Morris has this to say:

“In many of these Jamaican stories, Anancy is credited with godlike power. He is the prime cause why pig mout long, why rat live in a hole, why mongoose love chicken meat, why fowl eat cockroach, why dog fight cat, why owls hoot, lizards croak and mosquitoes hiss. - Is Nancy mek it.” He is a past master of using the other animals’ vanities to bring about their downfall.

Miss Lou herself describes Anansi: “the trickify little spiderman who speaks with a lisp and lives by his wits, is both comic and sinister, both hero and villain of Jamaica folk stories. He points up human weaknesses and shows how easily we can be injured by our greed, or stupidity, or by confidence in the wrong people and things.”

Anansi stories are best told in the ‘patois’ spoken by most Jamaicans. Writing and reading them robs them of the richness of the patois and the nuances which can only be communicated orally. Like most stories in the oral tradition, the details of the stories change as they pass from mouth to mouth, so although the main storyline will be recognisable, several versions of a story will exist. Also, depending on the teller, the language will range from standard English to deep patois sometimes even in the same sentence. The story will also be embellished in different ways to suit the particular audience at the time of telling.
http://www.geocities.com/shandycan/culture_notes.html
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Old 01-27-2006, 06:26 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Oooo I loved Ananci stories!!
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Old 01-27-2006, 07:27 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by Otorongo
LOL. I grew up reading Spider stories. He would be the African equivalent of Bro Rabbit or Fox or any other that outwits people (or sometimes gets outwitted by their own mischief)
I thought it was ber
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Old 01-27-2006, 08:09 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by BajanFyah83
I thought it was ber
Some students of animation have traced the origin of the Bugs Bunny character to the tales of African legend which had a couple of characters known as "Zomo" and "Bro Rabbit", which may in turn have evolved into the 1930s Uncle Remus' stories of a bunny who outwitted farmers, known as "Br'er Rabbit";
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Old 01-27-2006, 09:23 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by DSP
When I was little, we learned that the Spider is greater than the lion, momz had a spider(man) story for almost everything..




http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/c...est_africa.htm


Spiders in West Africa

"The wisdom of the spider is greater than that of all of the world together."
A traditional saying from the Akam people of West Africa
Anansi stories

West Africa is the home of Anansi, a folk hero, who is both spider and man. He is a trickster, a provider of wisdom and a keeper of stories. His role is both light hearted and profound, often providing the link between people and the supreme being.
One of the stories is about Anansi's involvement in the creation of the world. Anansi was ordered by the sky god to spin the fabric from which people would be made. Anansi then acted as the messenger between people and gods. Through Anansi's skill as a messenger the sky god gave people day and night, rain and wind.
In another story, Anansi put all wisdom in a pot to keep it safe But the pot was so big he couldn't carry it. When his son wisely suggested that he put the pot on his back, Anansi realised that all wisdom wasn't in the pot. In a fit of temper he tipped the wisdom out of the pot. Now wisdom is available to all people.
Mannnnn, I remember SETTING up at NIGHTS just to hear ANANSI stories.

Back then, the BEST time to TELL ANANSI stories was when the MOON was out.
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Old 01-27-2006, 10:12 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by VINCYPOWA
Mannnnn, I remember SETTING up at NIGHTS just to hear ANANSI stories.

Back then, the BEST time to TELL ANANSI stories was when the MOON was out.


Oh gosh you can say that again!! But, the moon to mean is of a mystical significance and the stars... Oh gosh dem stories from the veranda... *shakes head*
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Old 01-28-2006, 10:54 AM   #10 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by BajanFyah83
I thought it was ber

bre actually.....
blended from the french frere for brother.
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Old 01-28-2006, 06:14 PM   #11 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by Otorongo
LOL. I grew up reading Spider stories. He would be the African equivalent of Bro Rabbit or Fox or any other that outwits people (or sometimes gets outwitted by their own mischief)
The 'Trickster' character is very common to many non-european cultures...even Native American.

It's Brer Rabbit btw...
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Old 01-28-2006, 06:15 PM   #12 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by elq
bre actually.....
blended from the french frere for brother.
Actually "Br'er"...short for the english "brother".
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Old 01-28-2006, 06:24 PM   #13 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by Bake n Shark
Actually "Br'er"...short for the english "brother".
thanks for the correction..
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Old 01-28-2006, 06:53 PM   #14 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by Bake n Shark
The 'Trickster' character is very common to many non-european cultures...even Native American.

It's Brer Rabbit btw...
Yup, like Coyote.

or jaimito
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Old 01-28-2006, 07:32 PM   #15 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by Bake n Shark
Actually "Br'er"...short for the english "brother".
it's one of those damn bros.
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