In the West African oral literature In oral tales and myths in West Africa, the enfant terrible can be a single character or one of a set of twins. It can appear as both a boy or girl. It is always characterized by a peculiar birth, it may be a twin (often the younger of the two) or simply a child prodigy whose gestation has been unordinary.Chevrier (2005) p. 54 In some stories, the enfant terrible has all his teeth at birth, is immediately able to talk and walk and in some stories is able to give themselves a name. In societies practicing circumcision and/or excision, the enfant terrible is also characterized as uncircumcised. In Bambara traditions, the enfant terrible carry recognizable attributes of clothing such as shells or bracelets and they are attached to the world of the bush where they are considered protected by spirits. In some stories, the history of enfant terrible are connected to the myths of the land. The child will sometimes metamorphose into lightning or rain to ascend to heaven. In others, they become ultimately beneficial ; slaying a dragon that devastated the region or defeating a bird that stole the Sun . Stories which include an enfant terrible, include Mwindo from the Congolese oral epic, Akoma Mba the hero of a story from the Fang clan of the Beti-Pahuin peoples and Deng a Sudanese and Malawian rain god. Analysis Jacques Chevrier emphasizes the singularity of such 'terrible children' in West Africa culture, despite what the phrase "enfant terrible" can evoke among European readers. He explores the fact how initially the enfant terrible although seen as a destructive and benevolent figure can often become the savior. This paradox is explained by the fact that the enfant terrible are from the non-human or divine world , and that their actions, no matter how absurd, must be interpreted as signs of superior knowledge. Category: African mytholog
In the West African oral literature In oral tales and myths in West Africa, the enfant terrible can be a single character or one of a set of twins. It can appear as both a boy or girl. It is always characterized by a peculiar birth, it may be a twin (often the younger of the two) or simply a child prodigy whose gestation has been unordinary.Chevrier (2005) p. 54 In some stories, the enfant terrible has all his teeth at birth, is immediately able to talk and walk and in some stories is able to give themselves a name. In societies practicing circumcision and/or excision, the enfant terrible is also characterized as uncircumcised. In Bambara traditions, the enfant terrible carry recognizable attributes of clothing such as shells or bracelets and they are attached to the world of the bush where they are considered protected by spirits. In some stories, the history of enfant terrible are connected to the myths of the land. The child will sometimes metamorphose into lightning or rain to ascend to heaven. In others, they become ultimately beneficial , slaying a dragon that devastated the region or defeating a bird that stole the sun . Stories which include an enfant terrible, include Mwindo from the Congolese oral epic, Akoma Mba the hero of a story from the Fang clan of the Beti-Pahuin peoples and Deng a Sudanese and Malawian rain god. Analysis Jacques Chevrier emphasizes the singularity of such "terrible children" in West Africa culture, despite what the phrase "enfant terrible" can evoke among European readers. He explores the fact how initially the enfant terrible although seen as a destructive and benevolent figure can often become the savior. This paradox is explained by the fact that the enfant terrible are from the non-human or divine world and that their actions, no matter how absurd, must be interpreted as signs of superior knowledge. Category: Mandé mytholog
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'terrible children'
"terrible children"
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