Afro-Atlantic 002: Jamaica and the Akan

[JulesWinfield]

This is a dope thread. I'm not Jamaican, my roots are in Trinidad, Guyana, and Barbados. We recently found out a large portion of our African ancestry is from the Ivory Coast/Ghana. With traces from Benin/Togo, Congo/Cameroon, and Nigeria.

I'm gonna subscribe to this thread. Looking forward to seeing more posts.

 

[How Sway?]

I didnt know you were Ghanaian.

All day!

 

[Bawon Samedi]

All day!

Never guessed....

 

[BigMan]

Anansi is an African folktale character. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.

He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man.

The Anansi tales originated from the Ashanti people of present-day Ghana. The word Ananse is Akan and means "spider". They later spread to other Akangroups and then to the West Indies, Suriname, Sierra Leone (where they were introduced by Jamaican Maroons) and the Netherlands Antilles. On Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, he is known as Nanzi, and his wife as Shi Maria.

I used to read these as a boy finna get this nikka tatted on me

Written in patois which I can bArely read tho

The transcription of Jamaican patois in these texts may be jarring to modern sensibilities, and occasionally impenetrable. It must be recognized that the purpose of this transcription was to respect the subject matter, and place it in context, rather to trivialize it. This is not a minstrel show. These texts prove that African folklore survived the 'middle passage' of the slave ships. In fact, these oral traditions were the only possessions which survived that harrowing journey, and should be treasured appropriately.

The trickster Anansi, originally a West African spider-god, lives on in these tales. Why is this figure so universal? And why did so many African American folk tales recount his exploits, under one name or another? Anansi is the spirit of rebellion; he is able to overturn the social order; he can marry the Kings' daughter, create wealth out of thin air; baffle the Devil and cheat Death. Even if Anansi loses in one story, you know that he will overcome in the next. For an oppressed people Anansi conveyed a simple message from one generation to the next:--that freedom and dignity are worth fighting for, at any odds.

Jamaica Anansi Stories Index

 

[BigMan]

This is a dope thread. I'm not Jamaican, my roots are in Trinidad, Guyana, and Barbados. We recently found out a large portion of our African ancestry is from the Ivory Coast/Ghana. With traces from Benin/Togo, Congo/Cameroon, and Nigeria.

I'm gonna subscribe to this thread. Looking forward to seeing more posts.

Mad Akan and Igbo in this places . The English were allied with the Fante so a lot of Ashanti POWs were sent to British colonies

 

[Poitier]

Aunt Nancy? I can say without a doubt we learned Anansi as Anansi and even went to the Fox theater where he was presented as Anansi.

 

[How Sway?]

Anansi is an African folktale character. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.

He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man.

The Anansi tales originated from the Ashanti people of present-day Ghana. The word Ananse is Akan and means "spider". They later spread to other Akangroups and then to the West Indies, Suriname, Sierra Leone (where they were introduced by Jamaican Maroons) and the Netherlands Antilles. On Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, he is known as Nanzi, and his wife as Shi Maria.

I used to read these as a boy finna get this nikka tatted on me

Written in patois which I can bArely read tho

Jamaica Anansi Stories Index

Marvel has a character based on anansi

Kwaku Anansi (Character) | WorldofBlackHeroes

 

[Mojo Jojo Morpheus]

Anansi is an African folktale character. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.

He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man.

The Anansi tales originated from the Ashanti people of present-day Ghana. The word Ananse is Akan and means "spider". They later spread to other Akangroups and then to the West Indies, Suriname, Sierra Leone (where they were introduced by Jamaican Maroons) and the Netherlands Antilles. On Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, he is known as Nanzi, and his wife as Shi Maria.

I used to read these as a boy finna get this nikka tatted on me

Written in patois which I can bArely read tho

Jamaica Anansi Stories Index

Anansi is that GOAT character in Akan cultural heritage.
He represents the greatness that can be achieved when you apply your mind to the achievement of one's goals.
But he's also a cautionary tale since many of his stories involve him cheating or otherwise engaging in immoral tactics to get what he wants.
He's Aesop's fables except he's the main character in each one, trolling the rest of the animal kingdom.
He'd fit right in on TheColi, since most of his adventures are narrated by Anansi himself. Which raises the factor by 10.

I think it's so dope how Anansi is Anansi in Ghana 500 years ago, in Jamaica 300 years ago and in Suriname today.
Even in America, where few know his tales are the inspiration for "Nancy Drew" detective stories.

That Gold Coast PIFF

 

[BigMan]

Aunt Nancy? I can say without a doubt we learned Anansi as Anansi and even went to the Fox theater where he was presented as Anansi.

It's wiki

But in the ABC islands he known as Nanzi or Kompa Nanzi

I do notice in the south, a lot of these African mythological creatures are the Aunt or Uncle name

 

[BigMan]

Ghana brehs

Adinkra Symbols

Adinkra

are visual symbols, originally created by the Gyaaman people of Bono, that represent concepts or aphorisms. Adinkra are used extensively in fabrics and pottery. They are incorporated into walls and other architectural features. Fabric adinkra are often made by woodcut sign writing as well as screen printing. Adinkra symbols appear on some traditional Akan goldweights. The symbols are also carved on stools for domestic and ritual use. Tourism has led to new departures in the use of the symbols in such items as T-shirts and jewelry.


Calabash adinkra stamps carved in Ntonso, Ashanti.
The symbols have a decorative function but also represent objects that encapsulate evocative messages that convey traditional wisdom, aspects of life or the environment. There are many different symbols with distinct meanings, often linked with proverbs. In the words of Kwame Anthony Appiah, they were one of the means in a pre-literate society for "supporting the transmission of a complex and nuanced body of practice and belief".

Random homes/buildings

Emancipation Park in Kingston

Adinkra Symbols - Emancipation Park Jamaica



Jamaicans still use these symbols but many are unaware of their origins

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

Great thread. Interested in learning more.

 

[KwamePiesie]

odi odi gi alla den bigi sma dja
"greetings greetings to all the elders in here"

Thanks for creating this thread..

i have a documentary about the strong connection between ghana and suriname.
in it a surinamese man goes to ghana to see with his own eyes how and from where our ancestors were chained and shipped.
a ghanaian man makes the same trip from ghana to suriname. and is greeted in his native tongue kromanti.

the documentary is in part dutch and part english (dutch subtitles) called Katibo Yeye


all the suriname bredren lets connect and try to make this also understandable for our bredren in the US

 

[Kripplestyle]

A really resourceful thread. I've been studying Jonkannu and Tuk of Barbados but I think they're linked to Gelede of the Yoruba. I could be wrong. I'd like to be enlightened

 

[BigMan]

A really resourceful thread. I've been studying Jonkannu and Tuk of Barbados but I think they're linked to Gelede of the Yoruba. I could be wrong. I'd like to be enlightened

Isn't that Igbo

 

[Kripplestyle]

Isn't that Igbo

No Gelede is Yoruba. My sources are my Yoruba colleagues and unesco studies. Tuk may be more igbo as a lot of igbos were brought to Barbados but what gets me is a particular outfit.

this first one is pitchy patchy from Jamaican jonkannu.

this one is shaggy bear in barbados.

and then the Yoruba.

Apologies for my late response .