Anansi the Spider
June 11, 2020 12:17 PM Subscribe
Anansi, the trickster god of the Ashanti of West Africa, takes the shape of a spider who goes to the sky god to buy his stories to share with the world. He once enjoyed his life as a man. Nyame (N'-ya-mae), his father, changed his mischievous son into a spider. As a
spider-man, Anansi continued his pranks.
Homer Simpson voice: Spider god, spider god, doing what a spider god can
posted by otherchaz at 12:51 PM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by otherchaz at 12:51 PM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
hmm . . .
posted by anansi at 1:14 PM on June 11, 2020 [10 favorites]
posted by anansi at 1:14 PM on June 11, 2020 [10 favorites]
Three months ago I had never heard of Anansi, but a few months ago I came across that exact same book you linked to ChuraChura, in an old box of my sister-in-law's childhood books. It has been a big hit with my five-year old.
posted by skewed at 1:40 PM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by skewed at 1:40 PM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Side note: Unabridged Anansi Boys (gaiman) is on audible.
posted by j_curiouser at 2:08 PM on June 11, 2020 [8 favorites]
posted by j_curiouser at 2:08 PM on June 11, 2020 [8 favorites]
Hmm indeed...
posted by ananci at 2:46 PM on June 11, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by ananci at 2:46 PM on June 11, 2020 [7 favorites]
hmm . . .
posted by anansi
Hmm indeed...
posted by ananci
Is this a trick?
posted by 445supermag at 3:18 PM on June 11, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by anansi
Hmm indeed...
posted by ananci
Is this a trick?
posted by 445supermag at 3:18 PM on June 11, 2020 [5 favorites]
Orlando Jones did an incredible job as Anansi in American Gods. Like, clearly a higher effort and performance than literally any of the other gods we see at any point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eybZjacAS2o
posted by GoblinHoney at 3:37 PM on June 11, 2020 [9 favorites]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eybZjacAS2o
posted by GoblinHoney at 3:37 PM on June 11, 2020 [9 favorites]
Orlando Jones kills it as anansi in american gods
The story of Black People
Snatched
CW: strong language, depictions of violence & slavery, ultra-righteous anger
posted by lalochezia at 3:38 PM on June 11, 2020 [5 favorites]
The story of Black People
Snatched
CW: strong language, depictions of violence & slavery, ultra-righteous anger
posted by lalochezia at 3:38 PM on June 11, 2020 [5 favorites]
Anansi the Spider
I remember seeing the movie of the story of Anansi in elementary school in the late 1970s. I think it was this one but can't be 100% sure.
posted by chavenet at 4:18 PM on June 11, 2020
I remember seeing the movie of the story of Anansi in elementary school in the late 1970s. I think it was this one but can't be 100% sure.
posted by chavenet at 4:18 PM on June 11, 2020
Jinx, goblinhoney!
posted by lalochezia at 4:59 PM on June 11, 2020
posted by lalochezia at 4:59 PM on June 11, 2020
Yeah, I was in elementary school in the late '80s and there was a lot of Anansi material. Stories and videos and stuff.
posted by penduluum at 5:07 PM on June 11, 2020
posted by penduluum at 5:07 PM on June 11, 2020
Unabridged Anansi Boys (gaiman) is on audible.
That is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks. The Lenny Henry one.
Top 10.
posted by MtDewd at 6:01 PM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
That is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks. The Lenny Henry one.
Top 10.
posted by MtDewd at 6:01 PM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
The superhero Spiderman is IMO also the wittiest of the major classic comic superheroes, the most vulnerable (at least through his family), and the most likely to use his enemies' strength against them. I don't think there's an actual connection, but it's fun to imagine there might be one.
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:17 PM on June 11, 2020
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:17 PM on June 11, 2020
My son was so obsessed with McDermott's Anansi the Spider (see ChuraChura's link) between 2 and 6 that an artist friend of ours painted a picture of Anansi in the style of one of the early Ditko Amazing Spider-Man covers (sorry I'm not sure which) as a birthday gift when he was 4. I think I likely read that book close to a million times, maybe not, but we read it so many times that binding on the book disintegrated.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:55 PM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:55 PM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
So.... I met a woman from Ghana a while ago. She said she liked to read and I asked what she was reading. She told me she was reading a compilation of the tales of Ananzi.
"Oh, the trickster god?" I said.
She paused a minute out of surprise (I don't look like I should know about more than guns, beer, and BBQ), and we delved int o a discussion of the fact that every culture older than 1000 years seems to have a trickster god. Raven, Loki, Anansi. (I'm sure the Greeks and Romans had one or more, I just can't remember their names.)
There's something in people that wants to assign bad luck to a cruel plot.
posted by JustAnotherPerson at 12:13 AM on June 13, 2020
"Oh, the trickster god?" I said.
She paused a minute out of surprise (I don't look like I should know about more than guns, beer, and BBQ), and we delved int o a discussion of the fact that every culture older than 1000 years seems to have a trickster god. Raven, Loki, Anansi. (I'm sure the Greeks and Romans had one or more, I just can't remember their names.)
There's something in people that wants to assign bad luck to a cruel plot.
posted by JustAnotherPerson at 12:13 AM on June 13, 2020
It was a crime that they dropped Orlando from American Gods , especially at this particular point in history.
posted by boilermonster at 12:47 AM on June 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by boilermonster at 12:47 AM on June 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by ChuraChura at 12:40 PM on June 11, 2020 [4 favorites]