Myths and Legends of the Bantu A Treasury of Incredible Tales from South Africa by Alice Werner


Myths and Legends of the Bantu A Treasury of Incredible Tales from South Africa
Title : Myths and Legends of the Bantu A Treasury of Incredible Tales from South Africa
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : -
Language : English
Format Type : Kindle Edition
Number of Pages : -
Publication : First published March 29, 1968

THERE is at the present day a widespread and growing interest in the customs, institutions, and folklore of more or less 'primitive' peoples, even among persons who are still a little shy of the word 'anthropology.' This interest is of comparatively recent growth; but when one looks back over the nineteenth century it seems almost incredible that Moffat could write) in 1842, that "a description of the manners and customs of the Bechuanas would be neither very instructive nor very edifying." Twenty years earlier James Campbell, whom one suspects of a secret and shamefaced interest in the subject, apologizes for presenting to the notice of his readers the "absurd and ridiculous fictions" of the same tribe.

Myths and Legends of the Bantu A Treasury of Incredible Tales from South Africa Reviews

  • Becky Dale

    Outdated language aside, this is a great collection of myths and fairy tales from the African continent. I do wish the author had refrained from attempting to rationalise certain actions taken by the characters. In myths, not everything needs an explanation. I would love to see a more modern rendering of this but as a collection à la Aesop, Grimm, Mother Goose, et al. The stories themselves are brilliant even with piglet the anthropological notes.

  • Edward Butler

    The book is from the 1930s, so obviously it's full of racist and colonialist nonsense. But the myths are recounted in pretty straightforward fashion, and their sources reasonably well documented, so it's not that bad as a first source, so long as one follows it up with more recent scholarship. The Kindle edition isn't pretty, completely devoid of formatting, but someone at least put the footnotes into brackets to distinguish them from the rest of the text.

  • Chronics

    Not particularly informative of east and southern African stories with today's knowledge but helpful in understanding the European mindset of the time towards Africa, its people, history and traditions.

  • Philip

    This is an Africana classic and fascinating collection of stories and tales from throughout Africa. I am now the proud owner of a first edition.