The story of Mwindo is a traditional epic
of the Nyanga people of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo that has been passed
down through oral performance. Mwindo’s
miraculous powers include both invincible
strength and the ability to see into the future.His adventures involve a long rivalry with his
own father, and during the course of the epic,
Mwindo travels to the Underworld, where he
displays his strength, and also to the sky,
where he learns
new wisdom.Mwindo
CENTRAL AFRICAMWINDO’S BIRTH
Mwindo was the son of Shemwindo, the chief of Tubondo, and
his favourite wife. From birth, he possessed powers of prophecy,
the ability to destroy evil, and the means to move with equal
ease whether on land, underwater, in the air, or underground.
But Shemwindo did not want a son, especially such a powerful
one, as he feared that a younger man would challenge his
authority. He planned to kill Mwindo, but was unsuccessful
thanks to his son’s miraculous powers. Shemwindo therefore
told his councillors to seal Mwindo inside
a drum and to throw the drum into the
river to dispose of his rival. The
councillors did so, but the drum
found its way to Shemwindo’s
sister, who rescued Mwindo.I AM MWINDO, THE
ONE BORN WALKING,
THE ONE BORN TALKING.O MY FATHER, YOU
TRY TO KILL ME...
BUT WHAT CAN YOU
DO AGAINST ME?
Aaron Shepard, The Magic Flyswatter: A Superhero Tale of Africa, 2008Sealed inside a log
In some versions of the myth, Shemwindo’s
accomplices sealed the young Mwindo inside
a hollow log and floated him down the river
to what they thought would be certain death.Mwindo’s flyswatter
Mwindo carried a flyswatter with magical powers.
When someone threw a spear at him, he could deflect
the weapon by waving the flyswatter in the air.Mwindo
A typical mythical
“wonder child” born
with the ability to walk
and talk, Mwindo had
such superhuman
strength that not even
the greatest fighter
could defeat or kill him.126