African Genesis: Folk Tales and Myths of Africa

by Leo Frobenius, Douglas C. Fox

An eminent German explorer, ethnologist, and authority on prehistoric art, Leo Frobenius (1873‒1938) startled the world of anthropology with his concept of "continuity of cultures" — proposing, for instance, a link between Egyptian religious symbols and preexisting African mythology. In the course of his anthropological fieldwork, Frobenius and other members of his expeditions collected an abundance of authentic African folklore. This volume presents a rich selection of these fascinating tales, fables, and legends.
Stories range from the Kabyl legends of the early Berbers and ballads of the Fulbe bards of Sahel in the southern Sahara to the comically exaggerated Improbable Tales of the Mande in Sudan and the captivating creation myths of the Wahungwe of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The thematic variations in the tales correspond with their narrators' diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds.
Recounted with engaging simplicity and directness, these frequently amusing, sometimes bizarre stories are illustrated with adaptations of prehistoric rock paintings and portraits of twentieth-century Africans. Of immense value to students of African culture, this book will also appeal to the many devoted readers of folklore and mythology.

Genres: Mythology, Africa, Anthropology, History, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Literature

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1937

About the author

German ethnologist and explorer, whose writings helped shape the culture-historical approach to ethnology.

Reviews

[Jessica Kuzmier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally written in 1937, 'African Genesis' contains several stories of folklore obtained by anthropologist Leo Frobenius on the African content depicted through cave art. Though it may seem dry and irrelevant, at the time this work was controversial and groundbreaking. Anthropologists were discovering that not only was Stone Age humanity capable of intelligence and high art, but that this intelligence also extended to the African peoples.

Frobenius recounts interpretations of mythology and folklore from the Berber, Sudanese and modern-day Zimbabwean (referred in the book as Southern Rhodesia) regions. Much of the literature reflects the tone of several Genesis tales, while others reflect the common need for mythology to explain what is not explainable, which is universal in human nature.

The book is an easy read, and if you like old books and prehistory, this book is definitely for you. Overall, a decent book considering its outdated context.

[Carlos · Rating 1 out of 5]

After a rather racist introduction by Frobenius, upsetting but unsurprising for a book written by a German anthropologist in the 1930s, the collection presents pretty standard tales of animal allegories and creation stories. Perhaps the lack of anything particular about the tales, incredibly similar to creation myths and animal allegories of many cultures worldwide, left the reader experience rather deflated. While of certain anthropological interest, there is not too much for a casual reader in search of novel storylines from cultures other than one’s own.

[Paul W · Rating 1 out of 5]

Africa has a rich cultural history, pre-dating European culture. However as Professor Leo Frobenius writes “the most difficult obstacle to our understanding of culture is our ignorance.”
Originally written in 1937, African Genesis seeks to address European ignorance of African culture by bringing together tales from the Berbers of North Africa, the Soninke and Fulbe of the western Sahel, the Mande of Sudan, the Nupe and Hausaa of Central Sudan, and the Wahungwe of Zimbabwe.
I really wanted to enjoy broadening my understanding of African culture. Unfortunately the tales are more often bizarre than fascinating, which results in a book that is not particularly interesting or engaging, except perhaps to those with an academic interest in African culture.

[Youssouf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though some of the tales are hard to make sense of, such as the Mandingo tales, they opened my mind further on African culture and how the ancestors explained phenomenons around them. My favorite of them all: the Haousa Legend

[Laurie Byro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was trying to read a story called Doncella that inspired a Cuban Classical Spanish guitar tune. I couldn't find it and I guess if you thought you were reading these out of interest for myths of africa, great, I couldn't get through it.

[Erik Empson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizarre and bemusing but at times humorous and charming. An odd bundle of ancient myths of origin and folklore from Africa.