Helen Nde
@hm-nde.bsky.social
Pinned
If you were raised Christian like me, your head probably threatens to explode at the idea of more than one version of a creation myth. In this episode of the Mythological Africans podcast, we take a break from stories to put some context around variations in mythological and folkloric accounts.
If you were raised Christian like me, your head probably threatens to explode at the idea of more than one version of a creation myth. In this episode of the Mythological Africans podcast, we take a break from stories to put some context around variations in mythological and folkloric accounts.
November 22, 2025 at 6:31 PM
If you were raised Christian like me, your head probably threatens to explode at the idea of more than one version of a creation myth. In this episode of the Mythological Africans podcast, we take a break from stories to put some context around variations in mythological and folkloric accounts.
Underground emergence creation myths might reference historical memory of our cave dwelling past. They may also be symbolic, referencing an understanding of life emerging from buried seed, cocoon or womb. In this week's episode of the MA podcast, we hear some African perspectives on this myth type.
November 16, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Underground emergence creation myths might reference historical memory of our cave dwelling past. They may also be symbolic, referencing an understanding of life emerging from buried seed, cocoon or womb. In this week's episode of the MA podcast, we hear some African perspectives on this myth type.
For the month of November on the Mythological Africans podcast, we will be taking a closer look at African creation myths. We’ll also probe, lightly as always, at what they reveal about what the people who believe in them understand about the forces and processes that move and organize their world.
November 8, 2025 at 4:23 PM
For the month of November on the Mythological Africans podcast, we will be taking a closer look at African creation myths. We’ll also probe, lightly as always, at what they reveal about what the people who believe in them understand about the forces and processes that move and organize their world.
The Maasai struggle to retain access to their ancestral lands is known, though perhaps not as much as their iconic imagery. In this week’s MA podcast episode, we hear some stories the Maasai tell of their land and examine what they reveal about their relationship with the place they call home.
November 1, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The Maasai struggle to retain access to their ancestral lands is known, though perhaps not as much as their iconic imagery. In this week’s MA podcast episode, we hear some stories the Maasai tell of their land and examine what they reveal about their relationship with the place they call home.
Ghana's fishermen sing to thank the ocean for a bountiful catch, to encourage each other, and to comfort themselves as they brave the unpredictable waters. This week on the MA podcast, we examine how traditional coastal Ghanaian beliefs inform fishing practices.
October 26, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Ghana's fishermen sing to thank the ocean for a bountiful catch, to encourage each other, and to comfort themselves as they brave the unpredictable waters. This week on the MA podcast, we examine how traditional coastal Ghanaian beliefs inform fishing practices.
In the MA September retrospective, I reflect on the commonalities in how storytellers, seers, healers and other keepers of the mysteries in traditional African societies use myths and folklore to mold personal and communal narratives, excavate hidden desires and intentions, and orchestrate change.
October 18, 2025 at 3:43 PM
In the MA September retrospective, I reflect on the commonalities in how storytellers, seers, healers and other keepers of the mysteries in traditional African societies use myths and folklore to mold personal and communal narratives, excavate hidden desires and intentions, and orchestrate change.
The MA Podcast has spent most of 2025 on African geomyths and their impact on culture. When I read this story of how the Chonyi (Kenya) successfully safeguarded the integrity of their ancestral caves, I knew I had to produce an episode about it!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/saving-the...
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/saving-the...
Saving the Kilifi Caves
When culture and heritage wins
mythologicalafricans.substack.com
October 11, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The MA Podcast has spent most of 2025 on African geomyths and their impact on culture. When I read this story of how the Chonyi (Kenya) successfully safeguarded the integrity of their ancestral caves, I knew I had to produce an episode about it!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/saving-the...
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/saving-the...
Hi friends! Back from a small social media break with MA September updates. We took a break from landscapes to explore mindscapes. Mythology and folklore have a long history with psychology. After the intro episode, this September series focused on three phenomena which occur across the continent.
October 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Hi friends! Back from a small social media break with MA September updates. We took a break from landscapes to explore mindscapes. Mythology and folklore have a long history with psychology. After the intro episode, this September series focused on three phenomena which occur across the continent.
In part 2 of the MA August African Urban Legend Series, we go to my hometown Buea, 🇨🇲. What happens when a world famous racing event takes over the home of a territorial mountain god?
Listen now on Substack and everywhere else you get your podcasts!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/efasa-moto...
Listen now on Substack and everywhere else you get your podcasts!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/efasa-moto...
Efasa Moto and the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope
We’re discovering African urban legends this month on the Mythological Africans podcast.
mythologicalafricans.substack.com
August 30, 2025 at 2:59 PM
In part 2 of the MA August African Urban Legend Series, we go to my hometown Buea, 🇨🇲. What happens when a world famous racing event takes over the home of a territorial mountain god?
Listen now on Substack and everywhere else you get your podcasts!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/efasa-moto...
Listen now on Substack and everywhere else you get your podcasts!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/efasa-moto...
For the month of August, the Mythological Africans podcast will focus urban legends about African geographical landforms. We start with what might be the most popular African urban legend of all time: the story of Nyaminyami and the construction of the Kariba Dam.
August 17, 2025 at 7:08 PM
For the month of August, the Mythological Africans podcast will focus urban legends about African geographical landforms. We start with what might be the most popular African urban legend of all time: the story of Nyaminyami and the construction of the Kariba Dam.
This was such a lovely conversation with Mandile Mpofu! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! The featured Wahungwe (Zimbabwe) creation myth is one of my favorites!
www.landlockedmag.com/stories/the-...
www.landlockedmag.com/stories/the-...
The Enchanting Worlds of African Folklore, Revived | Landlocked
Drawing largely from accounts by European researchers and missionaries, Helen Nde retells folktales from across the continent. Among them, a creation myth from the Makoni district.
www.landlockedmag.com
August 13, 2025 at 2:54 AM
This was such a lovely conversation with Mandile Mpofu! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! The featured Wahungwe (Zimbabwe) creation myth is one of my favorites!
www.landlockedmag.com/stories/the-...
www.landlockedmag.com/stories/the-...
In the final episode of the Mythological Africans podcast Lake Victoria series, we discover the stories of women who come from the lake, and then round things up with some lake-related sayings and proverbs.
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/the-endles...
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/the-endles...
The Endless Waters
Hello Friends!
mythologicalafricans.substack.com
August 9, 2025 at 2:52 PM
In the final episode of the Mythological Africans podcast Lake Victoria series, we discover the stories of women who come from the lake, and then round things up with some lake-related sayings and proverbs.
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/the-endles...
mythologicalafricans.substack.com/p/the-endles...
July on the MA Podcast is focused on the folklore of Lake Victoria. Discover the fascinating stories of strangers who come from the lake to change communities for ever!
August 2, 2025 at 5:21 PM
July on the MA Podcast is focused on the folklore of Lake Victoria. Discover the fascinating stories of strangers who come from the lake to change communities for ever!
Hello friends! On MA this week, we sauntered into July with a reflection on Nėku, the Mende (Sierra Leone) conception of the emergence, pathway toward, and the eventual culmination of the admirable. Enjoy!
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Nėku
Beauty as a process in July
substack.com
July 12, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Hello friends! On MA this week, we sauntered into July with a reflection on Nėku, the Mende (Sierra Leone) conception of the emergence, pathway toward, and the eventual culmination of the admirable. Enjoy!
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
MA’s second quarterly essay for 2025 is a reflection on the joys and frustrations of curating African folklore.
July 5, 2025 at 5:52 PM
MA’s second quarterly essay for 2025 is a reflection on the joys and frustrations of curating African folklore.
ICYMI
Midnight skin, fiery vertical eyes, long tails, donkey legs, big ears, and an insatiable taste for palm dates and little children. The Aman Doger is the stuff of Nubian nightmares. But what is it exactly? Find out in this week’s episode of the Mythological Africans podcast.
June 22, 2025 at 11:31 PM
ICYMI
Reposted by Helen Nde
June 18, 2025 at 11:47 AM
All caught up? Join us this June as we sail up the Nile, learning the lore of this great river from the various peoples whose lands it runs through.
May, on the MA Podcast, was a strenuous but exciting trek north through the Saharan desert, charting the North African mythical landscape.
June 8, 2025 at 4:14 PM
All caught up? Join us this June as we sail up the Nile, learning the lore of this great river from the various peoples whose lands it runs through.
May, on the MA Podcast, was a strenuous but exciting trek north through the Saharan desert, charting the North African mythical landscape.
June 2, 2025 at 1:13 AM
May, on the MA Podcast, was a strenuous but exciting trek north through the Saharan desert, charting the North African mythical landscape.
Time for a break, friends. You can sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on MA Podcast episodes ✨
substack.com/@mythologica...
substack.com/@mythologica...
Mythological Africans | Substack
Exploring African mythologies, spiritualities and cultures
substack.com
May 1, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Time for a break, friends. You can sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on MA Podcast episodes ✨
substack.com/@mythologica...
substack.com/@mythologica...
Hey Everyone, quick update to say The Watkins Book of African Folklore is now available in South Africa 😊
You can order from Takealot. It will be shipped from the US, though.
Buy here: www.takealot.com/the-watkins-...
You can order from Takealot. It will be shipped from the US, though.
Buy here: www.takealot.com/the-watkins-...
April 30, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Hey Everyone, quick update to say The Watkins Book of African Folklore is now available in South Africa 😊
You can order from Takealot. It will be shipped from the US, though.
Buy here: www.takealot.com/the-watkins-...
You can order from Takealot. It will be shipped from the US, though.
Buy here: www.takealot.com/the-watkins-...
New Episode 🚨
Around 9:30 pm on the night of Thursday August 21st 1986, a muted roaring sound arose near Lake Nyos in Cameroon’s North West region. In its aftermath there was a strange eerie silence.
When dawn came, almost every living creature in the area lay on the ground. Dead.
What happened?
Around 9:30 pm on the night of Thursday August 21st 1986, a muted roaring sound arose near Lake Nyos in Cameroon’s North West region. In its aftermath there was a strange eerie silence.
When dawn came, almost every living creature in the area lay on the ground. Dead.
What happened?
April 28, 2025 at 10:17 PM
New Episode 🚨
Around 9:30 pm on the night of Thursday August 21st 1986, a muted roaring sound arose near Lake Nyos in Cameroon’s North West region. In its aftermath there was a strange eerie silence.
When dawn came, almost every living creature in the area lay on the ground. Dead.
What happened?
Around 9:30 pm on the night of Thursday August 21st 1986, a muted roaring sound arose near Lake Nyos in Cameroon’s North West region. In its aftermath there was a strange eerie silence.
When dawn came, almost every living creature in the area lay on the ground. Dead.
What happened?
In “Legends of the Earth: Their Geologic Origins”, Geologist Dorothy Vitaliano asserts that the lack of widespread catastrophic flood myths from the African continent is one reason why people who study such things question the plausibility of a global flood as described in the biblical account.
April 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
In “Legends of the Earth: Their Geologic Origins”, Geologist Dorothy Vitaliano asserts that the lack of widespread catastrophic flood myths from the African continent is one reason why people who study such things question the plausibility of a global flood as described in the biblical account.
Reposted by Helen Nde
But they won’t end up translating in parliament, they will sell trinkets on the beach and get laid quite a bit to be fair. African potential is wasted because we value things only accessible to those who already have them and not the talent among those who don’t.
April 18, 2025 at 11:55 AM
But they won’t end up translating in parliament, they will sell trinkets on the beach and get laid quite a bit to be fair. African potential is wasted because we value things only accessible to those who already have them and not the talent among those who don’t.
Reposted by Helen Nde
It affected how potential is judged, what criteria should I apply for employment etc in a mostly under educated informal space where valuable Human Resources go to waste. I know several illiterate people who can speak three African and three European languages flawlessly.
April 18, 2025 at 11:53 AM
It affected how potential is judged, what criteria should I apply for employment etc in a mostly under educated informal space where valuable Human Resources go to waste. I know several illiterate people who can speak three African and three European languages flawlessly.