eternal life. When one carried the ankh, it was
supposed to protect the wearer from all harm and
danger. Alongside the ankh was the Khepri, the
scarab beetle, which served as the amulet meaning
transformation or becoming. Having originated in
Africa, the ankh and the scarab are now found
throughout the world.
Examples of clothes decorated with amulets
such as the batakari shirts of Ghana abound in
West Africa where leather amulets are said to have
powers to prevent the wearer from being harmed
in case of warfare. Some people have believed that
the amulets would protect them from bullets.
There are tragic cases of many Africans being
killed when relying on this idea. Nevertheless,
there is evidence to suggest that people have found
amulets to be useful in their own sense of personal
safety and protection. But one is not just protected
from supernatural forces by amulets, but from
other people as well. Soldiers in African armies
have traditionally worn amulets.
Amulets are also seen as means to attract per-
sonal affection, love, and prosperity, as well as
means to protect against greed, envy, and disgrace.
Those who sought the favor of the ancestors often
carried around something that came from the
ancestors’ home. Therefore, a person might carry
around a special tool, piece of fabric, instrument,
or piece of jewelry that came from an ancestor.
This was done to bring the power of the ancestor
to bear on all conditions surrounding the living.
There is also the amulet used for healing pur-
poses. It might be a medicine that is carried in a
belt, on a chain, or connected to the body of the
person with leather or string. Such a healing or
medicinal amulet is usually organic and is made of
plants or animal parts. African priests or priestesses
who devote their energy and time to the descrip-
tion, development, and explanation of natural and
supernatural powers are the final arbiters of any
special energies or mysteries surrounding amulets.
Molefi Kete AsanteSee alsoAnimatism; Heka
Further Readings
Delange, J. (1974).The Art and Peoples of Black Art.
New York: Dutton.
Gonzalez-Wippler, M. (2001).Complete Book of
Amulets & Talismans. St. Paul, MN: Lewellyn.
Wilkinson, R. H. (1992).Reading Egyptian Art.
London: Thames and Hudson.ANANSE
Ananse is the name given to an Akan character
who has become famous throughout Africa
because of his insight, intelligence, and wisdom.
One finds the names Ananse, Aunt Nancy,
Anancy, Hapanzi, and Nanzi used for Ananse as
well. He is one of the most important figures in
the pantheon of cultural icons among West
Africans. In actuality, Ananse is the functional
aspect of the almighty creator Nyame and there-
fore may be seen to carry out the will of Nyame
on Earth. He is able to perform many duties that
are often attributed to Nyame. Thus, Ananse can
cause rain to come, flowers to blossom, and maize
to grow; he can prevent disasters from occurring
to the villagers.
Along with his wife, Aso, Ananse can change
form and may be depicted as a human, although
his normal form is a spider. According to the
Asante people, who are part of the larger Akan
culture, Ananse can be a trickster, that is, a per-
sonality who teaches moral, ethical, political, or
social values based on his ability to lead a person
to the truth through example, puzzles, and the
least expected turns and twists of fate.
Often associated in the Americas, especially in
Suriname and the southern United States, with the
spider or rabbit, the folklore surrounding Ananse
appears to be quite extensive in the African com-
munities throughout the Americas. For example,
the Anansesem or Ananse-Tori, stories about
Ananse’s exploits, are at the core of many of the
moral tales told to children in Suriname, much
like the old Brer Rabbit tales were in the African
American community up until the 20th century.
Many of these stories have disappeared and are no
longer remembered in the black communities of
the Americas, but their relevance and value are
undiminished in the Ghanaian context.
There are many narratives of power in the life
of Ananse. He is credited in some stories with cre-
ating the sun, moon, stars, and planets. In others,44 Ananse