Hello Friends! #FaustianFriday takes us to the world of dragons. We’ve hung out with some of the dragons of African peoples before.

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We visited the ancient Kingdom of Wagadou and Bida the Dragon whose taste for delicious virgins got him killed. https://twitter.com/AfroMythHub/status/1369351489643294730?s=20

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We also heard the story of how Mwindo, the Nyanga (DRC) hero got his butt kicked by the gods for killing their friend, Kirimu the Dragon. https://twitter.com/afromythhub/status/1369353135953768456?s=21

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(By the way, #FiresideFriday returns this evening and we're going to be reading this part of the Mwindo Epic. Watch out for the announcement!)

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There are other dragons/serpentine creatures in African myths.

Ayida Weddo, the “Rainbow Serpent”, is the Vodun Loa of fertility, rainbows, wind, water, fire, and snakes. Her husband (sometimes brother) is Dambala Weddo, the “Great White Serpent”.

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Vodun legend says after Ayida Weddo comes up from her underground lair in the forest and stretches across the sky to quench her thirst in the sea, she leaves behind her excrement, the much-prized aggry beads which the Aziza ("fairies") bury for safe keeping.

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Other mythical serpents from folklore on the African continent: https://twitter.com/afromythhub/status/1372936036674854915?s=21

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Back to dragons though! Isa Bere is a Dragon from Guinea’s Fouta Djallon mountains. Legends say he drank all the water in the Niger river and caused a drought across all of West Africa.

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Isa Bere was killed by King Samba who, accompanied by Tafare, his bard, fought the dragon for 8 years and killed him after using 80 swords.
http://discourseondragons.blogspot.com/2016/02/dragon-spotlight-4-isa-bere.html

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The Nanabolele are water-dwelling dragons from Basotho (southern Africa) mythology. Nanabolele are ferocious beasts which give off a fluorescent light and are always surrounded by red smoke. They hunt in packs.

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In a Basotho folktale, Princess Thákane kills a Nanabolele to ensure her family’s honor. Read the story here as told by Jan Knappert in "Myths and Legends of Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland":

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Finally, if you are ever in South Africa, visit the Drakensberg (Dragon) Mountains! No dragons live here, but you will get to see some of the 35,000 - 40,000 works of San rock art. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drakensberg

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In the Zulu the range is known as uKhahlamba, meaning 'barrier of spears'. The name Drakensberg was given by Dutch settlers.

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That's all friends! Thanks for reading and sharing!

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Reposting a link to the story of Princess Thákane and the Nanabolele. https://abookofcreatures.com/2021/04/16/nanabolele/

@ntabe_tseliso @FaustianFriday