Tiana Diaga 
Folklores are indisputably the anchor that binds societies to the rich cultural heritage of a community. Whether it is a scary myth told at night to scare children, a method of instilling discipline, a traditional way of bonding, or just mere stories to entertain, folklores always carry a powerful message that serves as moral lessons to govern social behaviors. It is the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed down through various generations by oral history or word of mouth. Folklores can take the form of poetry, tales, legends, odes, myths, music, and sometimes art and other forms of oral traditions. So hitch a fun ride as we serve you a hot dish of eight fascinating folklores around the world, their moral lessons, and a brief history behind the whispers!
The famous ‘ANANSE’ stories of the Ghanaian people
“Ananse” meaning spider in the Ghanian Twi language, has always been a favorite name in Ghanaian homes when it comes to folktales. The numerous tales about the popular Ananse, has been the best stories told to children as they go through life processes, and has been immensely helpful in impacting morals and disciple in children and young adults. In these popular tales, Ananse, the spider is portrayed in numerous limelight in general as a character used anthropomorphically to represent jealousy, greed, laziness, craftiness, sly, procrastination, anger, disrespect, folly, and in rare cases, bravery. Ananse, the spider is a trickster figure in many of these folktales.
In one of the stories, Ananse, the spider is a lazy member of the community, who refuses to participate in communal labor. He is slothful and reluctant and depends on his sly ways for survival. Though able to fool most people to help him, his craftiness runs out of luck when he fakes his own death and asks to be buried with cooking pots and other kitchen equipment when he learns the news of an impending famine. As the community works hard on their farms to gather what they can, Ananse, the spider successfully fakes his death and gets his burial wish. However, soon enough, the town members start to realize that their crops go missing each night and a mouth-watering scent of scrumptious meals wafts through their nostrils in their sleep late at night.
Eventually, curiosity and anger lead the town folks to the burial site of Ananse one dawn, where he gets caught in a trap set for the night crop thief. Apprehended with evidence of hot pot ready for some foodstuff, Ananse is sent to the town chief and punished with hard labor on the farms for many years. Exciting and gripping as these Ananse tales are, the hardcore moral significance always drive-home.
Though the history cannot be traced to one individual, Ananse stories originate from the Ashanti communities in Ghana and has existed for many decades. Though there are numerous folklores with animals as characters, they always teach essential lessons of hard work, patience, peace, unity, love and many more.
The gripping story of ‘La Llorona’, a Mexican folklore
Traced back to the 1550s, La Llorona is translated ‘the crying woman’ or ‘the weeping woman’ and sometimes ‘the wailer’ is a story about a vengeful ghost, who roams the banks of river bodies, mourning her children whom she drowned in a fit of rage after discovering her husband’s infidelity. She eventually dies of sorrow, pain, anger and much bitterness towards her husband and his mistress, the bitterness a virus that eventually grows and spread towards the community and beyond.
La Llorona is said to only appear at night near river bodies, in her long white gown and veil, wailing tears of blood. Some say, if you hear her cry, run the other way as it is believed that those who encounter her don’t live long to share the tale. Others who have been fortunate to survive, carry the curse of pain, sorrow and madness. It is said that, merely hearing her wails brings bad luck and great misfortune. Though not proven true, the folklore holds such powerful impact on hearers. It is believed that the story is meant to keep wanderers and people away from river bodies at night, since such places are not safe.
Whether it not being safe due to darkness and possible drowning or crimes committed by river bodies in the dusk of night, this folklore has served it purpose by instilling fear in people, so much that they avoid the waters at night. Aside fear, this tale throws light on the traditional belief in ghosts and phantom figures. It also tells the pain and hurt that comes with betrayal and beckons to people to be faithful to their partners. It also highlights the essence of patience and the regret that comes with making hasty decisions. Today, La Llorona has gained global audience and has been adapted into movies, theater drama, novels and many more.
The Indian tale: ‘the wedding of the mouse’
Folklore breaks all barriers of impossibilities, blending magic and reality into one fine cloth. In this Indian Folklore, magic is expressed in a form that keeps listeners rapt and attentive. In this tale, a hermit once saved the life of a mouse after discovering it near-death and turns her into a beautiful girl with his divine powers. Years go by and the girl eventually grows to a marriageable age. Seeking a worthy groom for her, the hermit goes to extreme lengths to find suitors. The mighty sun, the vast cloud, the brisk wind, tall mountain and comforting rain were all worthy suitors, however, the girl rejects them all. Finally, the hermit approached a mouse as he had the strength to pierce through the mountain. The girl then chose the mouse and accepted his proposal. The hermit turned the girl back into a mouse and arranged for the marriage.
The moral significance of the story is that it is hard to change the in-born characteristics of someone. It teaches that our innermost true self will always surface when faced with tough decisions as the girl in the end chose the mouse above all the worthy competitors.
The Japanese folklore: ‘YUKI-ONNA’
Japanese culture treads on mystery and prefectures. In this legendary folklore, Yuki-onna is a mysterious woman of otherworldly beauty dark straight long hair that could slice a fruit open, icy eyes and blue lips that is both terrifying and mesmerizing, and an overall body shape that seems to be the highest beauty standard.
Yuki-onna is one of the most famous ghostly yokai (a Japanese word for phantom figures) who appears during snowy nights in the mountains. Her skin is so pale she is almost translucent. Tales say, she is sometimes helpful to people who encounter her and other times, she is evil. On the evil side, she’d appear to unsuspecting travelers trapped in snowstorms and uses her icy breath to leave them frozen in place as frost-coated corpses. Other legends say she sometimes just leave these travelers astray to die of cold exposure. Though some describe her as having no feet and floating in space, others say she has fine legs and on her good days, can lead lost travelers to the right path.
Her hot-cold character in these legends is not clearly comprehended, however, the tale of yuki-onna serves to teach the need to know when to travel and how to not blindly trust strangers no matter how beautiful they may appear. Some also belief that the significance is to ward off people from travelling during winter and rather enjoy bonding time with family at home.
The African legend of ‘Madam Koi Koi’.
Yet another folklore that will leave you looking over your shoulders and adhering to rules is the urban legend of Madam koi koi. This tale originates from the urban communities in Nigeria but has since spread to many African countries telling the same tale. The story is about a stylish high school teacher, known for her elegant dressing and infamous red heels. As a teacher in one of the community high schools, she was strict and unbending, dealing harshly with the students and keeping a sharp distance from her other staff colleagues. Her attitude earned her many enemies amongst the community and student body.
One faithful night, the notorious school boys gang orchestrated a vile plan to punish her for her harsh attitude. The plan was to take turns raping her and leave her in the bushes to suffer the cold night, however, it backfired when she was able to make out the faces of the students behind the masks after struggling with them. Succeeding in raping her and leaving her brutally batted and bleeding, the boys run back to their dormitories, keeping their crimes a secret. Madam Koi Koi, as called due to the sound her red heels made, did not survive the brutality, dying with so much hate for high school students. She turns into a vengeful ghost who haunts various high school dormitories, hallways, and toilets at night, seeking revenge and atonement.
In other African countries like Ghana, she is called ‘madam moke’, a name obtained from her signature red heels. The story is widespread, and with time, the accounts has been altered, with others saying she was a good mistress and fell into the unfortunate hands of town boys who raped and murdered her. What ever the case, the original account is still trending and leaves listeners shaken.
The moral significance of the story is to teach that violence is not a way to express displeasure and also, as humans, we should be humble and maintain a cordial relationship with others. It also signifies that, sometimes, the crime of a few can cause many to suffer the consequences.
‘A monkey and a turtle’, A Philippine folklore
For Filipinos, the tale about the monkey and the turtle is a famous one. One day, a monkey and a turtle came across a banana tree floating on a river. Pulling it out, the duo decides to split it into two. Feeling like the bigger and stronger one, the Monkey bullies his way into taking the bigger part of the crown; the part with the bright leaves, believing it will soon grow some fruits because it already had leaves. Shoving the ugly root to the timid-looking turtle, the monkey goes on his merry way to plant the crown.
Laughing to have outwitted the monkey, the turtle plants his portion which soon grows into a bigger tree, bearing many bananas. The monkey’s portion soon dies, leaving him with nothing.
The significance of the story as stated by José Rizal in his adapted version of the tale is ‘in this story, there’s a great deal of morality. It is the eternal fight between the weak and the powerful’. Though true, other moral values like the need for unity, humility, patience and smartness is highlighted as portrayed by the turtle.
‘Momotaro’: A Japanese Folklore.
Once upon a time, there lived an elderly couple who had no children. One day, while washing clothes by the river, the old woman saw a giant peach floating downstream. She brought it home, thinking it would make a wonderful meal. When her husband cut the peach open, a baby boy emerged to their surprise! They named him Momotaro, meaning peach boy. Momotaro grew up strong, kind, and brave. One day, he left home to fight the oni (demons) terrorizing nearby villages. His parents packed him millet dumplings, which he carried on his journey. Along the way, he met a dog, a monkey, and a peasant. Each agreed to help Momotaro after he shared a dumpling with them. Together, the group traveled to oni island. After a fierce battle, Momotaro and his companions defeated the oni and brought treasures to the village. The couple and their community celebrated his victory, and Momotaro lived happily with his parents, always remembered as a hero who valued kindness and teamwork.
In this lore, the cultural resonance regarding filial piety and community is the emphasis on respect and love for one’s parent and the need for community harmony, teamwork, kindness, and loyalty as depicted in the story highlights the importance of working together as unity is strength. Also, there’s a theme of good triumphing over evil central to Japanese values of justice and morality.
‘Songs of Sorrow’, an Ode by Kofi Awoonor
Dzogbese Lisa has treated me thus
It has led me among the sharps of the forest
Returning is not possible
And going forward is a great difficulty
The affairs of this world are like the chameleon feces
Into which I have stepped
When I clean, it cannot go
I am on the world’s extreme corner,
I am not sitting in the row with the eminent
But those who are lucky
Sit in the middle and forget
I am on the world’s extreme corner
I can only go beyond and forget
My people, I have been somewhere
If I turn here, the rain beats me
If I turn there, the sun burns me
The firewood of this world
Is for only those who can take heart
That is why not all can gather it.
The world is not good for anybody
But you are so happy with your fate;
Alas! The travelers are back
All covered with debt.
This ode is a powerful message by the writer to his people. He expresses his worries and sadness in stunningly direct words about what it is to be enslaved. The suffering and unjust treatment of enslaved African Americans during the period of slavery in the United States (1619-1865). Themes of clash of culture, cultural alienation, loss of Indigenous identity, imposition of beliefs, destruction of Indigenous religion, and many more are conveyed in melodies and lyrics of sadness, a call to rise for ourselves or lie down and accept death. The writer is a hero for his poetries and has inspired many people worldwide to look at the prospect of slavery in the true light it is; a bondage, a thief of freedom and oppression!
Your biggest book lover,
Tiana Diaga.
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