Abonsam is a malevolent spirit from the Gold Coast region of West Africa, blamed for causing accidents and disease. Local shamans drive him into the sea using rituals involving prolonged silence and loud noises. His feared presence underscores the cultural significance of spiritual evil in Ghanaian folklore.

Abonsam

The Adze is a vampiric being from Ewe folklore in Togo and Ghana. It primarily appears as a firefly before transforming into a human form upon capture. This creature possesses the ability to control humans, draining their blood and causing misfortune in its wake.

Adze (folklore)

Agadzagadza is a trickster figure from the Bura mythology of Nigeria, depicted as a male agama lizard. He plays a crucial role in explaining the origin of death in his culture. His cunning and deceptive nature embodies the archetypal trickster in West African folklore.

Agadzagadza

Agemo is a chameleon serving as the divine messenger in Yoruba mythology. He faithfully carries messages for Olorun, the head of the Yoruba pantheon. His unique form embodies the connection between the divine and mortal realms.

Agemo (deity)

Amadioha is the Igbo god of thunder and lightning, revered as a divine enforcer of justice. He strikes down oppressors on behalf of the oppressed. His worship remains culturally significant despite the rise of Christianity.

Amadioha

Ayida-Weddo is a powerful Vodou loa spirit revered as the Rainbow Serpent, governing fertility and elemental forces. She plays a crucial role in creation and cosmic stability. Her benevolence and teachings foster a profound connection between the body and spirit.

Ayida-Weddo

The Aziza are a beneficent supernatural race from West African folklore, known as diminutive, fairy-like beings residing in forests. They impart both practical and spiritual knowledge, including the secrets of using fire, to hunters and local communities. In some traditions, they are revered as deities, with rare accounts even describing a winged variant.

Aziza (mythology)

The Boo Hag is a fearsome and malevolent creature from Gullah folklore. It is known for shedding its skin and attacking unsuspecting victims at night to drain their life force. This unique figure embodies a syncretic blend of African spiritual traditions and local superstitions.

Boo hag

Damballa is a revered loa spirit in West African Vodun and Haitian Vodou traditions, traditionally depicted as a great serpent and sometimes as a rainbow. He embodies creation, fertility, and wisdom, serving as a vital link between the physical and spiritual realms. Originating from Wedo in modern-day Benin, his mystical presence has inspired generations of devotees.

Damballa

Egbere is a malevolent spirit from Yoruba mythology, known for its constant crying and association with a small mat of wealth. It is described as short in stature and roams the woods at night. The spirit embodies the paradox of misfortune and potential fortune within Yoruba folklore.

Egbere

Hevioso is an African voodoo deity revered as the god of thunder, lightning, and rain. He is known for his righteous judgment and his ability to mete out punishment via violent thunderbolts. Depicted as a formidable man wielding a ritual axe, he bridges historical legacy with divine power.

Hevioso

The Hira is a legendary monster from Songhai and Bozo folklore, depicted as a formidable buffalo possessing incredible physical strength and brutality. It terrorizes the countryside along the Niger River. This beast is ultimately overcome through a unique magical vulnerability involving its own tail hairs.

Hira (mythical monster)

Ikenga is a horned deity in Igbo tradition symbolizing personal strength, achievement, and destiny. It is a revered cultural artifact maintained in personal altars and shrines among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. Synonymous with Christian Angel Michael, Ikenga embodies both spiritual empowerment and martial prowess.

Ikenga

The Jumbee is a malevolent spirit or demon from Caribbean folklore, particularly prevalent in Colombia and Venezuela. It is depicted as a dark, shadowy figure that haunts the living. This entity is believed to be the cursed soul of a person who lived wickedly in life.

Jumbee

La Diablesse, also known as Ladjablès, is a diabolic figure in Caribbean folklore whose origin lies in the tragic fate of an enslaved African woman. She made a fateful pact with Le Diable, trading her soul for eternal beauty and transforming into a demi-demon. Her legend serves as both a cautionary tale against vanity and a reflection of the cultural syncretism of the Caribbean.

La Diablesse

Lwa are spiritual entities in Haitian Vodou that act as intermediaries between humans and the divine. They are renowned for their distinct personalities and associated ritual symbols, including specific colours and objects. During ceremonies, they possess practitioners to offer guidance, healing, and divinatory insights.

Madam Koi Koi is a vengeful ghost from Nigerian urban legend that haunts boarding schools. She is typically depicted wearing a pair of red heels or a single red heel, which has become her signature. Her presence is a popular cautionary tale used to warn students against irregular attendance practices.

Madam Koi Koi

Madre de aguas is a colossal, immortal water serpent from Cuban folklore renowned for her impenetrable, scale-armoured body and formidable strength. She dwells in rivers and lakes that never dry up, embodying the eternal essence of water. Known by several names including Magí, Mama Glo, and Mami Wata, she is a potent symbol in both Caribbean and West African diasporic traditions.

Madre de aguas

Mama D'Leau is a revered water spirit in Caribbean folklore. She is depicted as a beautiful woman with a human upper body and a serpentine lower half, complete with long hair, a forked tongue, and a golden comb. As the protector and healer of river animals, she embodies the nurturing and mystical aspects of freshwater ecosystems.

Mama D'Leau

Mami Wata is a captivating water spirit and goddess from African folklore, renowned for her mermaid form and mastery over aquatic realms. Her image, influenced by European mermaids and Hindu iconography, embodies a blend of cultural narratives. Both revered and feared, she symbolizes the dual nature of water as a source of sustenance and mystery.

West African Creatures

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