Topic

Anansi

Anansi is a West African spider trickster whose tales teach through cunning and wit. Profiles of Anansi stories, symbolism, and cultural lessons here.

Anansi 6 min

Anansi the Spider: The Akan Trickster Who Owns Every Story

In Akan, a folktale has a name before it has a plot. They are called anansesem — spider stories — and the word does not mean stories about a spider. It means stories that belong to one.

By Tendai