African Mythology

Myth

Geography

People and Culture

The Queen of Ethiopia Continued

• The Zulu are the largest tribe in South Africa.
• Cultural activities are centered on femily and ethnic groups.
• Art, music and oral lit. serve to reinforce social patterns.
• They pour libation to honor and the creator.
• It can also be used to deploy a curse.

He replied: 'I am David of Ethiopia I have come to ask you for half of your kingdom, and here is the ring which you gave my mother.' Solomon embraced him when he saw his ring, and spoke: 'So be it. I will give you Africa, which is half my kingdom.' According to the legend, the King was in his right to do so for God had given him the whole world as his realm. No one knew at that time how big Africa really was.

To the north of Africa is a Sahara. The Equatorial area is a tropical rainforest. It includes rivers such as Nile and Niger. The south has areas of grassy flat highlands. Africa is the second largest continent. It borders two oceans: the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Algeria is the largest country in Africa while Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point (located in Tanzania). The lowest point is Lake Assal in Djibouti. Lake Victoria is the largest lake.

The Queen of Ethiopia

Practices and Rituals

The queen of Ethiopia at the time had a dream that she held a child in her hand and when she woke up, she was pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl who had one human foot and one goat foot. When the queen died, the Princess succeeded her, since she had no other children. One day she heard of King Solomon and his great wisdom, so she wrote him a letter announcing her arrival at his court. She was hoping that his great knowledge might enable him to cure her foot but she did not mention that. The King, however, always knew what was going to happen, so, in front of his new palace he had a large pool dug, so that all his visitors had to rinse their feet before arriving. In the pond was a piece of ironwood which was placed there on the King's orders. When the queen's foot touched it, she was cured. Solomon fell in love with her but she wanted to go home after achieving her purpose. Solomon proposed marriage to her but she also refused. He gave orders to his servants and an hour later the cook served a very spicy meal. That night the Queen felt very thirsty but there was no water in the palace. The pond had been drained and the servants told her that only the King had water, so she had to go and beg Solomon for water in his bedroom.

• Kenya-Maasi circumcise women to prevent sexual activities
• Pokots-(Uganda/Kenya) Constantly move or kill each other for cattle
• Ethiopia-Suri men have to fight and win before they can get married
• A man can have up to 4 wives
• Women get whipped before they get married signify they have already gone through the ritual
• Zulu teenagers have to go through circumcision
• Nigerian men have to beat up their opponents in a fight
• Himbas never leave a baby on its own or put it down
• Woodabe do not name a child before its 12th birthday
• Masquerades reinforce social values
• Children are given special names to ward off untimely death

The Queen of Ethiopia Continued

she had agreed to marry King Solomon only if she took something vital from him.She went into his bedroom, hoping to find water without waking him. But, Solomon was wide awake. As she was drinking from his water jar, she felt his hand holding hers in the dark, while the King's voice asked: 'Is water not vital, my dear Queen?' She had to agree to marry him then, but the next day she insisted on going home. Solomon gave her a ring, saying: 'When you have a son, send him to me when he is grown up, and I will give him half my kingdom.' The Queen of Ethiopia took the ring and went back home. She gave birth to a son she called David. When he came of age, his mother sent him to King Solomon. When David entered Solomon's court, he noticed an empty chair next to the King's and sat down on it. Solomon asked him: 'What have you come for, handsome young man?'

African Mythology

Nadia Padi