Hello Friends!
Welcome to the Mythological Africans Newsletter where we live the myths, African style!
I am thrilled to be connecting with you all in this format. Writing is my favorite way to share the wild wonderings and wanderings of my spirit. I feel incredibly grateful that you are willing to meander along these paths with me.
I launched Mythological Africans in December 2020 with a prayer to my ancestors and guides, and one intention: to dive headfirst into the deep end of the mythic imagination of African peoples, to swim in those waters, to not come up for air even if my lungs felt like they would implode from the pressure, to fully become a creature of those watery depths. So far, it has been the most rewarding undertaking of my life. I feel like I have learned more about myself and my stock in the last six months than I have in my thirty-three years of life. An exaggeration perhaps, but an honest one.
The stories, philosophies, histories, and practices I have discovered while researching content for Twitter threads, blog posts and other discussions have been an education which I did not receive in nineteen years of education in my home country of Cameroon. The enthusiasm and love from the amazing community of myth and folklore lovers online has been balm on my soul. The connections and opportunities to share what I am discovering about the intricate and textured world of African myths and folklore have been encouragement and validation in ways I did not know I needed. If you have liked, shared, commented on or otherwise engaged the content, all I have to say is Thank You!
Here are ten things you can expect from this one-woman army going forward:
1. A newsletter at the start of each month with a short reflection, poem or flash fiction and an outline of what to expect from Mythological Africans during the month.
2. A monthly YouTube video where I’ll do a 30-45-Minute-deep dive on a topic the Twitter community chooses. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (and keep an eye out for the first video coming very soon)!
3. Weekday Twitter threads and posts. Follow the #MythologyMonday, #FairyTaleTuesday, #WyrdWednesday, #FolkloreThursday and #FaustianFriday hashtags so you don’t miss them! I sometimes drop by #SuperstitionSaturday and plan to participate in #SwampSunday and #ASS (African Spirituality Sunday) when I can.
4. Additions to the African Art Twitter Thread.
5. More Twitter threads exploring different aspects of African Myths, Culture and Spirituality.
6. Twitter Spaces meetups on Wednesdays at 1:00pm ET (US) and Fridays at 6:00pm ET (US) to share discoveries or read folktales from different African peoples.
7. Occasional essays and short stories on the Mythological Africans Medium Blog.
8. Guest talks with collaborators. Click here to sign up for my upcoming talk “Not Quite Child’s Play: Riddles in African Orature” hosted by the lovely folks at Radical Anthropology Group.
9. Research and reference services focused on Africa-related topics.
10. Ways in which you can support my work.
Above all, you can expect a commitment to discovering, exploring, experiencing, loving, and deeply affirming the experiences of African peoples, past and present.
Thank you again for joining me on this adventure!
Helen
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