A Dictionary of African Mythology: The Mythmaker as Storyteller

This dictionary of African Mythology is an excellent resource, with useful appendices listing the material according to grand mythological themes (creation, heroes, etc) or by region/culture. And whilst you might miss the performance of the mythmaker, the art of the story itself is captured in Scheub's retelling of the tales. The book, however, is by its nature discontiguous and it is left very much up to the reader to draw the narratives together in a synergistic whole. But if you are interested in African myths, then this is the perfect addition to your bookshelf.

Unless you are after a simplistic retelling of African Myths for young children, there are not a lot of choices when if comes to traditional African tales. One of the problems is that Africa is roughly three times the size of the US of A and that there are many hundreds of linguistic and ethnic groups, each with there own version of creation myths, the lives of heroes, and the meddling of Gods. Harold Scheub has traveled through Africa for more than a decade researching just such tales, and whilst he would tell you that there is more to African mythology than the simple words – mythmakers tell the story through words and actions, the use of voice, and interaction with the audience – what he has recorded for us in this book is the essence of the story.

There are four hundred short tales, arranged alphabetically according to the name of the main character. This makes it an interesting book to dip into, but if you are interested in grand mythological narratives or regional pantheons, be prepared for a lot of jumping around. Scheub has, at least, provided three excellent appendices which list the material according to themes and systems, but I would much rather have had the book arranged according to one of these to start with, than as a dictionary.

The book is a great resource for students of African history at all levels. From inspiring tales in the classroom, to the linkages which exist between different African cultures and their mythology. There is also an excellent bibliography at the end of the book, and the sources for each tale are also listed at the back.