Dear Sara,
I have heard that the West African folklore figure Anansi is similar to Coyote in Native American folklore, but obviously there aren’t coyotes in Africa, so who/what is Anansi?
Respectfully yours,
Lorraine C.
Dear Lorraine,
Anansi, like Coyote, is a trickster, with the difference that Anansi is a spider, although he has the ability to think and behave like a human. The stories about him are believed to have originated in Ghana, but they spread throughout Africa and into the Caribbean and the American South during the centuries of the slave trade. His name has a number of variations, including Ananse, Kwaku Ananse and, in the American South, Aunt Nancy. Anansi is credited with bringing stories into the world and of tricking those more powerful than himself to his own advantage. However, sometimes the joke is on Anansi, though in these situations, he learns from his mistakes.
It’s In The Bag,
Sara Bellum, Editor-at-Large Buzzy Mag
