Everything you need to know about African Mythology
African mythology is rapidly gaining global recognition, influencing everything from blockbuster films to bestselling novels. In recent years, stories rooted in African spiritual traditions have appeared in popular works like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, American Gods, The Woman King, Star Trek, Iyanu, and Children of Blood and Bone. But African mythology is far more than a creative backdrop—it's a powerful system of beliefs, stories, and cultural wisdom that has helped communities across the continent explain the origins of the world, human existence, and moral values.
Unlike a single unified mythology, Africa's spiritual narratives are as diverse as its people, with unique myths emerging from regions like West Africa, Central Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Southern Bantu nations. This article explores the key themes, gods, mythical creatures, and cultural significance of African mythology—and how these timeless stories are shaping modern entertainment and identity today.
Prominent African Gods
A major theme in African mythology is deity worship. There are hundreds of deities, across Africa with specific powers and attributes. Whereas some, like Olorun (aka Olodumare), Baal Hammon and Tannit, are revered as supreme gods in West and North Africa respectively. Others like Mbaba Mwana Waresa in Southern Africa are worshipped as the goddess of agriculture, fertility and rain.
Other mythological themes in Africa include ancestral worship (where dead relatives are venerated and implored for assistance), spirits, mythical creatures, tricksters, shapeshifting and more. Before the widespread incursion of Christianity and Islam across the continent, Africa had its gods and goddesses, which drew worship from millions of adherents. Some of these gods are common among regional neighbours, we’ve highlighted some below:
Tiurakh (Théourakh, Thiorak or Tulrakh)
Like most humans, the Serer people, with links in Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania, desire wealth, prosperity and success in their endeavours. The deity the Serer people beseech for their material desires is Tiurakh, the god of wealth and prosperity. Tiruakh is believed to reside in the forest, and worshippers seeking his blessings troop to the tallest trees in forests around them to offer sacrifices in supplication.
Mami Wata
Renowned for its fair-complexioned alluring beauty and long hair, Mami wata draws adherents from across Africa, the Caribbean and even Asia. Its name means “mother of water”, and it is believed to have snake-charming powers and an ability to appear in mermaid and masculine and feminine forms. Some devotees believe Mami wata is a pantheon of water spirits all over the world, and faithful worshippers can expect children, good fortune, and other blessings from it. For a deeper dive into African deities, check out our article on 10 African Gods to Know.
Mami Wata
Who are the Tricksters in African Mythology?
Where Africans look to their deities for spiritual and material blessings, protection, and guidance, they turn to tricksters for moral and behavioural lessons. In African mythology, tricksters are associated with mischief, shiftiness, boundary testing, cunningness, and wisdom. Although each region has its trickster, some regions have tricksters in common.
Anansi
Anansi the Spider holds a legendary status among the Akan-Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa. It is famed for having the ability to shift shape between human and spider forms, and many tales depict it as a small yet extremely wise and cunning animal.
Anansi
Hare
A widely known trickster among the Bantu peoples in Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, and Zambia, is the Hare. It is believed to be cunning, highly adaptable, and through its mischievous escapades, passes on moral lessons to the young and old.
Kaagen
Kaagen playing a dual role as supreme god and trickster is Kaagen, a god among the San Bushmen of Southern Africa. Kaagen manifests in different forms as a praying mantis, bull eland, snake, caterpillar and louse. Legend describes Kaagen to have a dichotomous nature; it can create and it can also destroy what it creates. Most of its mischief is said to be carried out in its mantis form.
Kaagen
How African Creation Myths Explain the Beginning of the World
Kikuyu Creation Story
In exploring different creation stories, we look first to the Kikuyu people of Kenya, East Africa. The Kikuyu regard Ngai as the Supreme God who put the first man, Kikuyu, and first woman, Mumbi, on earth. Soon enough, the couple were blessed with nine daughters who produced the nine tribes of Kikuyu and through whom other tribes on earth arose.
The Efé Creation Story
The creation story of the Efé people of DR Congo bears a close resemblance to the Genesis creation story of the Bible. Tore is recognised as the supreme god who created the first man, Baatsi, out of clay and later gave a woman to him. He then instructed the couple to procreate and fill the earth while warning them not to eat from the Tahu tree.
Mythical Creatures & Folktales, unique beasts and moral stories
Did you know that there are mythical femme fatales? Yes, Aicha Kandicha, a mythical creature in Moroccan mythology, is one example. Reputed to have lived in 16th Century Morocco, she is described as a resistance fighter who supported the Moroccans in their fight against Portuguese invasion. Her ploy involved attracting the invaders with her beauty and charm, after which her fellow soldiers killed the hapless victims. A reprisal attack by the Portuguese led to the extermination of her family and fiancé, upon which she became more vengeful. Her anger continues to boil even in death as her spirit is said to roam near water bodies across Morocco, killing men she comes across and rendering pregnant women childless.
Aicha Kandicha