Mythological Africans
Mythological Africans Podcast
Ndòwé Skylore
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Ndòwé Skylore

The Ndòwé people are found in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. They are also referred to as the Benga people or the Playeros (Beach People).

We read the story of the Sun (Vyoyi or Joba), the Moon (Ngande), Evening Star (Konde a Ngande i.e. Moon's favorite wife) and her twin sister Morning Star (Nyalangwa), and how they all got exiled to the sky, blown away by the Wind (Ngunga). We also met other celestial bodies in Ndowe folklore such as:

  • Jupiter - Monanga a Tongolongo or Nyeteti a Ndongolongo i.e. Big Imposing Star

  • Sirius - Monanga a Madolo or Mononga a Etyenda or Ngunye i.e. Brightest Star, Star of a Journey

  • Polaris - Monanga a Nyatanyata i.e. Ever Shining

Benga people
Ndòwé (Benga) Women

Enènge A'Bodjedi, the author of our source text, provides copious notes which explain words, ideas and concepts in Ndòwé thought. The author also provides rich cultural perspectives, tracing Ndòwé peoples all the way back to Ancient Egypt.1

We also talked about sun, moon and star lore from different African peoples, which is always a fun topic. If you've not watched it already, we have an MA Deep Dive Episode on this!

Fun Fact: American Actor and Producer Samuel L. Jackson traces his ancestry back to the Ndòwé people.

Story Source:

Ndòwé Tales by Enènge A'Bodjedi

1

The veracity of the connection between different African peoples and Ancient Egypt has been questioned and in some cases disproven. In the case of the Ndòwé, I have not looked to see if there are any controversies.

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Mythological Africans
Mythological Africans Podcast
The Mythological Africans Podcast features live recordings of the Mythological Africans Twitter Spaces Storytime sessions, public talks, and episodes of the Mythological Africans Deep Dive series which you can watch on YouTube. Join us to delve into the rich diversity of oral traditions and worldviews from the African continent, and discover the intricate and textured African mythic imagination.