Calebasses anthropophages et dévoreurs africains

Abstract

The corpus of the myths of the "Devouring Calabash" is here enriched and complemented, as well as that of the diluvial myths, not uncommon in Africa contrary to a widespread opinion. Phylomemetics show that the distribution of the African versions of the Devourer is best explained by assuming the existence of two groups, and areal studies suggest that a Eurasian version would have been introduced in East Africa and that it would have spread by enriching itself with the strictly African development according to which an anthropomorphic Devourer is killed and burned, but resurrects in the form of a monstrous calabash growing on the ashes; then this fruit also begins to devour everyone, and it is therefore necessary to kill anew the Devourer thus "reincarnated". This new variant would have spread to the West and South, giving birth to stories in which there is only the calabash, and these new versions would have been more particularly implanted in the West and enriched by a new motive: the one according to which the winner of this vegetal Devourer is no longer a human, but an animal, and more particularly a ram.

Keywords

• mythology
• devouring calabash
• folktales
• phylomemetics
• areal studies