Indaba My Children: African Folktales [Paperback]

Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa (Compiler)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 5, 1999

As a young man, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, a Zulu from the South African province of Natal, was determined to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and become a tribal historian in order to keep the rich oral tradition of his culture alive. In this book, begun in response to the injustices against Africans and their culture, he sets these legends down in writing. He begins with the creation myth, when Ninavanhu-Ma, the Great Mother, created the human race. From there, an epic unfolds, an intricate and vivid cultural tapestry populated by gods and mortals, cattle herders and supreme kings, witch doctors, lovers, grave diggers, warriors, and handmaidens. The story continues all the way up to the colonial era, when a Portuguese Kapitanoh and his crew arrive on the African shore. Indaba, My Children is a classic and indispensable resource for anyone interested in the cultural life of Africa and the human experience as it is filtered into myth.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A definitive compendium of African myth and folktale, retold in rich, vibrant prose, Indaba, My Children is a stunning literary and ethnographic achievement.

As a young man, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, a Zulu from the South African province of Natal, was determined to follow in the foot-steps of his grandfather and become a tribal historian in order to keep the rich oral tradition of his culture alive. In this book, begun in response to the injustices against Africans and their culture, he sets these legends down in writing. He begins with the creation myth, when Ninavanhu-Ma, the Great Mother, created the human race. From there, an epic unfolds, an intricate and vivid cultural tapestry populated by gods and mortals, cattle herders and supreme kings, witch doctors, lovers, grave diggers, warriors, and handmaidens. The story continues all the way up to the colonial era, when a Portuguese Kapitanoh and his crew arrive on the African shore. Indaba, My Children is a classic and indispensable resource for anyone interested in the cultural life of Africa and the human experience as it is filtered into myth.

"The narrative of the historian turns into the incantation of the visionary."-The Guardian (London)

"An absorbing collection of legends . . . This interesting and human book deserves a wide circle of readers."-The Times Literary Supplement (London)

"Remarkably well-written."-B.B.C. World Service (UK)

"This book is indeed an epic."-Sunday Tribune (Durban)

Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, whose title means "Awakener of the Zulus," is a historian and practitioner of traditional medicine and a specialist in African art. He lives in Johannesburg.

Product Details

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (February 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802136044
• ISBN-13: 978-0802136046
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #617,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indaba, January 15, 2005

By 

reader (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indaba My Children: African Folktales (Paperback)

This book contains beautifully told traditional legends and history of the Bantu people that goes back to the dawn of human life on Earth. It is an epoch that hints in places of biblical legends but is not derived from the bible by any means at all. In addition to the legends there is some illuminating material about the most sacred places in Africa and about the ancient Ba'ntu language and grand civilization that once covered most of Africa. There is also something about the magical language that is used in Cameroon to communicate with the ancestral spirits which the author believes to have come down from paleolithic times. The last section reveals some of the secret core traditions of African spirituality. Anyone interested in African tradition owes it to themself to read this book. It is deeply moving.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Difinitive work, May 31, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Johannesburg; South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indaba My Children: African Folktales (Paperback)

There is no other book like this one. Any African-America studies student cannot consider his or her training complete without reading this book. It offers profound insight into Sub-Saharan culture, rules, mindset and motivation. Tales are varied, interesting and the book is well written. Thank you Sanusi

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars READ IT, April 17, 2003

By 

"henkboshoff" (Gauteng, South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indaba My Children: African Folktales (Paperback)

Without the infromation in this classic one has no claim to knowledge about Africa and her people.
Credo Mutwa is 'the real deal', and his outpouring of African history flows in the oral tradition to take the reader on a journey of discovery. The book contains incredible facts and insights, sure to alter old perceptions. This book has value for those interested in history, anthropology and archeology, shamanism, sociology, psychology, language, politics and mythology -If you feel any doubt about reading this book -Simply get it and read it.