When Richard Nevis quit the rat race, being pursued to the Owl House in Nieu Bethesda by an assassin with a books fetish was not what he had in mind. The trouble started while Richard was volunteering at a shelter for mistreated tokoloshes. There he befriended Lun, one of these often misunderstood creatures. But Richard and Lun come to the unwelcome a_ ention of both a brutal villain and Cape Town’s most dangerous criminal mastermind. Teaming up with a potent duo of midwives, who are members of a secret order equally adept at delivering infants and performing martial arts, Richard and Lun have to race across the Karoo in a quest to open an ancient metal box to stay alive. Delightfully entertaining and funny, Tokoloshe Song is Andrew Salomon’s fantasy debut.
Tijdens de roerige nadagen van het apartheidsbewind is een klein meisje op een afgelegen boerderij in Noord-Transvaal er getuige van hoe haar moeder na het vertrek van haar man ten onder gaat aan depressie en waanzin.
Who, these days, still believes in goblins? Well surprisingly, millions of people do, right the way across the countries of southern Africa, where such creatures are known as tokoloshes. Little known in the West, these entities - hairy little men with gigantic magical penises and the ability to turn themselves invisible through the aid of an enchanted pebble - are a matter of everyday belief in nations such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho. In this, the first ever full-length book to be published upon the topic in the West, the consequences of this bizarre belief are explored in immense detail. It is not just that poltergeist-hauntings and UFO-sightings are blamed upon the activities of this nefarious little imp; so are everyday misfortunes such as a person's lack of success in love or business. Rather more outlandishly, tokoloshes are also held responsible for supposedly raping innocent women in their beds at night and then impregnating them with goblin-children; court cases have arisen in which people have been accused of murdering such unfortunate infants whilst under the genuine impression that they were evil tokoloshe-babies. But this is not all - tokoloshes have also been linked with witchcraft, zombies, paranormal stone-showers, murder, ancient Trickster-gods, sightings of unknown animals and outbreaks of mass hysteria. In no other book can you read about topics as diverse and strange as haunted toilets, killer one-eyed Cyclops-men made from porridge, severed penises being used as magical batteries and a deformed baby goat born with the head of Homer Simpson. All this, and the full uncensored tale of the man who claimed to have been molested in the night by a big gay hippo-monster ... Lavishly illustrated and all fully-referenced, this book is not only filled with dozens of unusual, amusing and hitherto-unexamined real-life stories, it also tries to place prevailing contemporary southern African belief in the tokoloshe into some kind of plausible social context. The tokoloshe may not be a genuinely real creature, but it certainly occupies a position of social reality in the minds of those who believe in it - with truly wide-ranging and often unexpected consequences.
Many ancient legends in circulation, either through verbal story-telling, ancient script or paintings, have assisted the human race in understanding the complex world we live in, even if they have been embellished over the years. They have helped us form societies and have given people reason to live, they are the blocks that when linked together can help us find the answers we as a human race have been searching for. Myths and Legends gathers together the principal mythologies, legends and folklore of ancient and modern cultures and explores the relationship that they have with their people and with the major religions of the world. Contents : Creation; male and female relationships; natural disaster; survival; death and the afterlife. Principal myths and legends of the world: Greek, Roman, Celtic; pagan; Arthurian; Greenman, Norse, Voodoo; Caribbean folk heroes; giants, dragons and unicorns; Maori gods rangi and papa (sky and earth); dream-time of the indigenous Australians; Bon of Tibet; Chinese mythology; Native American tribal stories; mythology and religion: Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Taoism.
Unleash your imagination and embark on a thrilling journey through the world of mythical creatures! "100+ Mythical Creatures for Curious People" is a groundbreaking non-fiction page-turner that delves into the fascinating world of mythical beings. Written by Luke Marsh, a renowned mythologist and storyteller, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of over a hundred mythical creatures from various cultures and periods that will ignite your curiosity and broaden your understanding of mythology. In this captivating guide, Luke Marsh draws on extensive research and a lifelong passion for mythology to provide detailed descriptions, intriguing origins, and cultural significance of each creature. With "100+ Mythical Creatures for Curious People", readers will: - Gain a deep understanding of the rich tapestry of mythical beings. - Discover the enduring legacy of ancient, European, Asian, African, American, Oceanic, and hybrid mythical creatures. -Explore the role of mythical creatures in modern culture and media. -Unravel the major themes and findings in mythical narratives. - Understand the impact of mythical creatures on society and culture. "100+ Mythical Creatures for Curious People" is perfect for mythology enthusiasts, fantasy lovers, and curious minds looking to delve into the enchanting world of mythical creatures. With its detailed descriptions, compelling storytelling, and comprehensive coverage, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to expand their knowledge and understanding of mythology. Don't miss the opportunity to embark on a thrilling journey through the world of mythical creatures with the help of "100+ Mythical Creatures for Curious People". Order your copy today and start exploring the fascinating world of mythology!
Although the manifestation of what is taken to be indigenous knowledge could presumably be traced back roughly to the origins of humankind, the idea of indigenous knowledge is a fairly recent phenomenon. It has arguably gained conceptual and discursive currency only over the past half century, with a veritable slew of conferences, workshops, special journal editions, and anthologies devoted to the topic. Yet, there has been no treatise that offers a comprehensive, critical examination of this notion. Accounts of indigenous knowledge usually focus on explanations of “indigenous,” “local,” “traditional,” “African” and the like – but to date not a single defense of indigenous knowledge has bothered to explain the particular understanding of “knowledge” the authors are working with. Indigenous Knowledge: Philosophical and Educational Considerations’s critique of the idea of indigenous knowledge should in no way be understood as an endorsement of the evils of colonial conquest and (ongoing) exploitation, oppression, and subjugation. Nor should it be taken as an indication of a failure on the part of the Kai Horsthemke to sympathize with the struggle of indigenous peoples the world over for a dignified and sustainable way of life, for personal and communal space, and for self-determination. The aim of the book is to provide especially “indigenous” educators with theoretical tools for critical reflection and interrogation of their own and others’ preconceptions, assumptions, and epistemic practices and customs.
Arthur Goldstuck made the world of South African urban legends his own with four best-sellers during the 1990s. Now he returns to this landscape, but from a very different angle: looking at the extent to which ghost stories are really urban legends - stories spread by word of mouth (and the media) as absolute truth, but falling short on evidence and reality. In exploring ghost stories as urban legends, Goldstuck makes a fascinating discovery: the ghostly beliefs of each culture across South Africa have had a profound impact on the supernatural beliefs of every other cultural group in the country over the past four centuries. The result is the story of the South African ghost: a unique and complex character that reflects a turbulent history and a harsh existence and sheds a fascinating light on the nature of supernatural experience throughout the world. For instance, what do the Flying Dutchman and the Uniondale Ghost have in common? Why do the ghosts of so many of the country's fallen soldiers wander the earth seeking their forbidden lovers? How do our religious beliefs affect the way we see ghosts? How many ghosts of Daisy de Melker are really out there? Arthur Goldstuck has some of the answers in a book that challenges much conventional thinking about the supernatural.
