Africa is neither more nor less than the continent of the origin of humanity, where the first hominids emerged and is currently a continent that is home to multiple countries and tribes that have lived there for centuries, revealing all kinds of traditions and legends.
The different cultures that come together in it make it one with great cultural richness. Without a doubt there is much that we must learn from Africa and its people.
Today, Only One introduces you to some of the most amazing legends of Africa.
The legend of the baobab
The shape of the baobabs has generated a multitude of theories about their mythical origin. The most widespread version is the one that says that it was planted upside down, with the roots facing the sky.
This legend tells that a long time ago, the baobab was the most beautiful tree among all the trees in Africa. Even the gods marveled at her beauty, so much so that they even gave her enormous life expectancy.
Everyone was captivated by its strong branches, soft bark, and flowers, which were beautiful in color. The baobab took advantage of this to grow taller and become stronger. But this caused its branches to cover the sun and the rest of the trees to grow in the dark.
He said that in no time he would catch up with the gods themselves. They were enraged at the vanity and arrogance of the vegetable and punished him. From that moment this tree grew upside down, with the flowers facing downwards and the roots towards the sky. Which explains its strange shape.
Cheetah spots
Legend has it that a cheetah mother returned from catching prey for her cubs, but a hunter made her believe that they had been captured, so she released the prey and went looking for them.
The unsuccessful search brought him back. He realized that the prey he had hunted for food was not there either. Then he cried so much that his tears created stains on his skin. Little by little the cubs returned and the hunter was punished by other humans for having done wrong.
From that moment the spots on the cheetah remained as a reminder that the sacred traditions of hunting must prevail and above all be respected. And this is how the cheetah became a symbol of love and respect.
The origin of death
This Zulu legend relates that after the creation of man, he did not know if his life was going to end or not. The creative deity Unkulunkulo originally decided to grant him immortality. The great chameleon Unawabu, became in charge of carrying the news that humanity would not die. However, this being, on its way, stopped to eat and took longer than expected to make the delivery.
The deity expected the human being to thank him for the gift he had just given them, but having not yet received the message, the humans did nothing. Not knowing what the cause and thinking that humanity was ungrateful, the god changed his mind: from then on the human being would be mortal. That is why we are mortal and we are destined to die.
The creation of the world
The legend of the Boshongo people tells that at first there was only darkness and water, the only existing being was the creator god Bumba, he was in the strictest solitude. He felt a great pain in his stomach and considerable nausea, after which he vomited. From this vomit came the Sun, and from it the light. From its heat arose areas of dry land.
Luwgo The great Bumba nauseated again, this time expelling the moon and stars. In a third discomfort he vomited the leopard, the crocodile, the thunderbolt, the heron, the kid, the beetle, the turtle, the eagle, the fish and the human being.
After this, Bumba’s children promised to finish their father’s work, helping to shape the rest of the things in the universe.
Only the lightning bolt was problematic and erratic, something that made the deity decide to lock it up and send it to heaven. Leaving the human without fire, but then the deity taught them to remove it from the wood.
Crocodile skin
This story comes from Namibia and tells that many years ago, crocodile skin was smooth and golden. These reptiles spent under the water all day and only came out at night, when they came out of the water, the moon reflected on their skin and all the animals were surprised to see such beauty. They, proud of their skin, also began to go out during the day to be even more admired.
But then it happened that the sun began to dry out the crocodile skin and it got uglier every day. The other animals stopped admiring their skin and the crocodiles ended up with wrinkled and unsightly skin.
