African+Mythology

=__ African Mythology __= **//__Relavent Sources__//**
 * http://www.sff.net/people/Karawynn/justso/leopard.htp
 * http://library.dcsdk12.org/cataloging/servlet/handlebasicsearchform.do
 * http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/A-Am/African-Mythology.html

Intro

//**Summary**// Our myth’s purpose was to explain how leopards got their spots. In the story, there is a leopard who is best friends with fire. Every morning he would go to see fire. The leopard was very happy with his life. One day, when the leopard got home his wife started taunting him and telling him that fire wasn’t a true friend. “If Fire was a good friend, he would come to see you every once in a while instead of always making you go there.” she jeers. Finally, the leopard goes to see fire and tells him to come over to his house. “Oh no” says the fire, I don’t really travel much. He used every excuse he could think of until the leopard convinced him to come. “Fine” he said reluctantly. “I will come." So the leopard leaves a path of dry leaves going from Fire's house to his. When he got home and told his wife, she started to prepare a feast. As they were preparing dinner, they heard a loud crackling noise. The leopard opened the door and saw fire going up the side of his house. Soon the whole house was ablaze, leopard and his wife ran out the door and rolled in the grass to put the flames out. They were lucky to be alive, but they were covered in black spots in all the places where fire’s fingers had touched them.






 * How**+the+**Leopard**+**Got**+**Its**+**Spots**+Cover+ ... 226 x 320 pixels - 22948 K [|kmillustration.blogspot.com]

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 * AFRICA **



[|www.ct.gov] 578 x 550 pixels - 30792 K [|amrwaly1994.wetpaint.com]
 * fire**.jpg 378 x 504 pixels - 31741 K
 * africa**_**map**.gif

In the story about how the leopard got its spots it reflects the environment, beliefs, and culture of the African people. When the African people talk about how the leopard got its spots they believed that they were a sign of ritual power. This is also seen in the leopards athletic ability, being a great tree climber, and swimmer. When the African people use fire its for warmth, and the cooking of food. They also believe that it was a gift from the creator, so they could use it for all of their nesecities.
 * //Culture Analysis//**

Different cultures have different myths, but all of most myths will have some of the same attributes and qualities of other myths. African myths relate to Greek and roman myths first off because they each have one thing, a purpose. Every myth will usually have a purpose telling why that myth was wrote/told. It is usually to explain why things are what they are today. Greek and Roman words are also used in different African myths and languages such as Swahili. This might be because some African languages were formed from words in Greek and Roman. The Greeks, Romans, and Africans could also have shared myths and stories with each other. Some African myths could really be Greek or Roman or vise versa. Greek and Roman myths relate to African myths and without them, African myths may have not been what they are today. 448 x 288 - 3k - gif instruct1.cit.cornell.edu
 * //Culture Comparison//**
 * GREEK**_**FLAG**_BIG.gif

Image:**Flag** of the Holy **Roman** Empire **...** 800 x 533 - 3k commons.wikimedia.org

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 * //Story Analysis//**


 * //Conclusion//**

//**Sources**//
__African myths & Legends__  Lynch, Patricia Ann. "leopards in African culture and mythology." //African Mythology A to Z//, Mythology A to Z. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. //Ancient and Medieval History Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE49&iPin=AMAZ147&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 23, 2008).
 * Text Citation:**

Atsma, Aaron. "PYGMAIOI." 2000 - 2008 28 Sep 2008 .

Khamis, Said A M. "Signs of New Features in the Swahili Novel1." Research in African Literatures. 01 Apr 2005. 91. eLibrary. Proquest CSA. CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL. 24 Sep 2008. < [|http://elibrary.bigchalk.com>] ;.

Page, Willie F., and R. Hunt Davis, eds. "leopards in African culture and mythology." //Encyclopedia of African History and Culture: Ancient Africa (Prehistory to 500 CE)//, vol. 1. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. //Ancient and Medieval History Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE49&iPin=AHCI0335&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 28, 2008).