#knowledge god

Here’s my redesign of my Anansi! I hope you like it!

Another Anansi redesign! I actually really like this one so hopefully I don’t get the itch to redo him again lol

Anansi, the eight legged trickster. Anansi was born between the union of his mother Asase Yaa and Nyame’s the creator. Anansi was a crafty and cunning deity, the embodiment of knowledge, preferring to use strategy and deception over brute strength. With his father, Anansi sculpted the Human body, with Nyame providing the breath of life, and Asase Yaa giving them their blood.

Anansi lived among the humans, noticing that their lives were dull and held no laughter and excitement. So Anansi spun a thread to the highest heaven and climbed up to meet with his father. Anansi asked Nyame for ownership of the endless cache of stories that Nyame held. Amused by his son’s brashness, Nyame offered Anansi an impossible test, to capture the four most elusive beasts on earth, Onini the python, the Mmoboro hornets, Osebo the leopard, and the forest spirit Mmoatia. Anansi accepts the challenge and consults with his wife Aso formulating a plan to trap each of his targets. He tricked Onini into being wrapped up with a branch, he caught the Mmoboro by having them seek refuge in his cabalash, he ambushed Osebo with a pitfall trap, and the spirit Mmoatia became stuck to a doll Anansi covered in sticky sap. The spider gleefully brought his bounty to his father. Nyame was delighted by his son’s accomplishment, keeping to his word Nyame gave Anansi the endless stories he once held, however Nyame went further and bestowed Anansi as the Lord of Stories. Anansi ventured back down to earth and shared his stories among humanity, bringing joy and happiness to the people.

But later on, Anansi felt that humans had misused the knowledge he gave, deciding that he’d take back all knowledge and hoard it for himself. He gathered every last bit of wisdom and stored it in his calabash, planning to hide it at the top of the tallest tree. Anansi held onto the gourd as he climbed, however his son advised him that he should tie it to his back as he climbed. Anansi disregarded his son’s advice and continued to climb until, because of the cabalash, he lost his grip and plummeted to the ground. The cabalash shattered, with Anansi shouting profanities in frustration. But as he calmed down he realized that despite him gathering all the world’s knowledge, his son still tried to put him on the right track. Coming to the conclusion that his knowledge should be shared and not hoarded, Anansi and his son blew the knowledge into the wind, spreading wisdom into all living things.

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These stories, called Anansi stories, are incredibly prolific among west Africa, and even Africa itself. Anansi narratives are incredibly varried, from him fighting the embodiment of Jealousy, to him becoming bald. Anansi can play the role of the protagonist and the Antagonist of the narrative.

According to some Akan beliefs, Anansi is viewed as being one and the same as Nyame others say that he’s the reincarnation of Nyame or the manifestation of Nyame’s Emanation Odomankoma, However in some beliefs Anansi isn’t connected to Nyame at all.

Some tales elaborate on his family, describing his children as Ntikuma his firstborn son, Anansewa his beautiful daughter, Nankonwhea his gangly son, and Afudohwedohwe his last born son.

Anansi is the epitome of the trickster god. This archetype of the trickster connects him with many a god and mortal across the world, such as the Irish Lugh, the Anishinaabe Nanabozho, the Polynesian Maui, the Australian Wahn and the Norse Loki among innumerable others. The trickster is an integral part of the numerous african mythologies, Anansi’s counterparts include the Vodun Papa Legba, the Yoruba Eshu, the Egyptian Set, the Dogon Ogo, and the San Kaggen. Anansi himself has given rise to other traditions as well, his stories being brought to the new world from the shackles of the slave trade. Slaves would tell his stories and inspire those who listened to rebel against their captors. Such stories intermingled and exchanged with other enslaved cultures, giving rise to the Bantu Br’er rabbit, in Haiti anansi was revered under the name Guede but in other cultures his personality splits into Ti Malice and Bouki.

Anansi’s name is an ever changing one, in his homeland his was called “Kwaku Anansi” with his name being rendered as “Ananse” and “Anancy”, in the Americas his names were “Kompa Nanzi” “Nancy” “Aunt Nancy” “Sis’ Nancy” and “Ba Anansi”.

Ogma, Warrior god of language and intelligence. He forms a trinity with his brother the Dagda and Lugh to form the ‘three gods of skill’. Ogma is responsible for the creation of Ogham, the ancient writing system used by the Irish. Wielding a club, Ogma fought in the Tuatha Dé’s battle against the Firbolg, the first humans. However when both the Tuatha Dé and Firbolg were enslaved by the Fomorians Ogma was forced to carry firewood endlessly. When the two factions finally had enough they gathered to discuss a rebellion, the meeting was interrupted by the arrival of the god Lugh who wished to join. Ogma tested him by throwing a giant boulder over the horizon, Lugh responded by catching the stone before throwing it right back to Ogma. In the battle against the Fomorians Ogma slayed a third of their army. After the war Ogma, the Dagda, and Lugh went on a journey to take back the Dagda’s stolen harp.