Why Anansi's name comes before every story (Anansi Masters)

Why Anansi's name comes before every story
One upon a time all stories begun with God's name. One day Ananse asked god: Would it not be better to start a story with the name of an ordinary man like me? God answered that if he could bring him a blind ghost, a cobra and a colony of bees, that from that day on all stories would start with his name. Anansi made up a trick to catch them and bring them to God. From that day on all stories started with Ananse's name.

The storyteller
Kojo Anim, Ghana
More from this storyteller: Interview with storyteller Kojo Anim (b)

Why Anansi's name comes before every story (Twi)
One upon a time all stories begun with God's name. One day Ananse asked god: Would it not be better to start a story with the name of an ordinary man like me? God answered that if he could bring him a blind ghost, a cobra and a colony of bees, that from that day on all stories would start with his name. Anansi made up a trick to catch them and bring them to God. From that day on all stories started with Ananse's name.
Story type: Story



Duration: 7'58
Keywords: hero; bee; story; stories; cobra; God; Ananse; ghost; Anansi; explanation; name; cheeky; bees; heroic deed; trick
Copyright video recording: © Foundation Vista Far Reaching Visual
www.anansimasters.net

Related videos: Interview with storyteller Kojo Anim (b), Why the spoon became a ladle (s)

The Anansi Masters project is a digital platform developed by Vista Far Reaching Visuals and partners. At the website http://www.anansimasters.net you can find information about the story character of Anansi or Nanzi and especially many stories. The stories originated in Africa and were exported to other parts of the world through slave trade and migration where they developed independently. In Anansi Masters, the similarities and differences between the stories and storytellers can be found. Anansi Masters initiates different activities all over the world where stories from this oral tradition can be found. Anansi Masters collaborates with writers, theatre makers, filmmakers, researchers, schools and of course with many many storytellers. Discover all the results on the Anansi Masters website!

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