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Togo officially the Togolese Republic is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. The country extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its capital Lomé is located. Togo covers 57,000 square kilometres (22,008 square miles), making it one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of approximately 8 million, 9  as well as one of the narrowest countries in the world with a width of less than 115 km (71 mi) between Ghana and its slightly larger eastern neighbor, Benin

 

 

From the 11th to the 16th centuries, various ethnic groups settled the Togo region.  Various tribes moved into the country from all sides - the Ewe from Benin, and the Mina and the Guin from Ghana. These three groups settled along the coast.

 

when Portuguese explorers arrived in 1471, there are signs of Ewe settlement for several centuries before their arrival. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the coastal region became a major slave trading center and the surrounding region  took on the name of "The Slave Coast." For during these 200 years, the coastal region was a major trading center for Europeans in search of slaves. Established by the Portuguese.

 

The German Empire established the protectorate of Togoland (in what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana) in 1884 during the period generally known as the "Scramble for Africa".

At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 the colony was drawn into the conflict. It was invaded and quickly overrun by British and French forces during the Togoland campaign and placed under military rule. In 1916 the territory was divided into separate British and French administrative zones, and this was formalized in 1922 with the creation of British Togoland and French Togoland.

The Country gained independence in 1960 but was placed under a hard-handed single-family rule. Since 2007, the country along a gradual path to democratic reform. Togo has since held multiple presidential and legislative elections deemed generally free and fair by international observers.

Chief of State

President Faure GNASSINGBE

Head of Government

Prime Minister Komi KLASSOU

Government Type

presidential republic

Capital

Lome

Legislature

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee

Nationale (91 seats)

Judiciary

Supreme Court (organized

into criminal and administrative chambers,

each with a chamber president and advisors);

Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges,

including the court president)

GEOGRAPHY Area Total: 56,785 sq km Land: 54,385 sq km Water: 2,400 sq km Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north Natural Resources phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

 

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Population

8.6 million (July 2020 est.)

Population Growth

2.56% (2020 est.)

Ethnicity

Adja-Ewe/Mina 42.4%,

Kabye/Tem 25.9%, ParaGourma/Akan 17.1%, Akposso/Akebu 4.1%, Ana-Ife 3.2%, other

Togolese 1.7%, foreigners 5.2%, no response .4% (2013-14 est.)

Language

French (official, the language of commerce), Dagomba, Ewe,

Kabye, Mina

Religion

Christian 43.7%, folk 35.6%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <.1%, Buddhist

<.1%, Jewish <.1%, other .5%, none 6.2% (2010 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 42.8% of total population (2020)

rate of urbanization: 3.76% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Literacy

63.7% (2015

 

ECONOMY

Economic Overview

steady economic growth fueled by political stability and

government efforts to modernize commercial infrastructure;

depends heavily on commercial and subsistence agriculture;

among the world's largest producers of phosphate

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

$12.97 billion (2017 est.)

GDP per capita (Purchasing Power Parity)

$1,700 (2017 est.)

Exports

$1.05 billion (2017 est.)

partners: Benin 16.7%, Burkina Faso 15.2%, Niger 8.9%, India

7.3%, Mali 6.7%, Ghana 5.5%, Cote dIvoire 5.4%, Nigeria 4.1%

(2017)

Imports

$2 billion (2017 est.)

partners: China 27.5%, France 9.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, Japan 4.3%




With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. 




Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast. Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the United States began sending freed


enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the United States, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa’s first republic.

Geography

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

 

Area

total: 111,369 sq km

 

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Population

5.1 million (July 2020 est.)

Population Growth


2.71% (2020 est.)

Ethnicity

Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa

13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio

8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, other 29.3% (2008 est.)

Language

English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of

which can be written or used in correspondence

Religion

Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%,

none 1.5% (2008 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 52.1% of total population (2020)

rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Literacy

 

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

 

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

 

Elevation

highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m

 

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

 

Natural resources

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower


 Żmij/Zmey – Dragons of Slavic Mythology – Slavic Saturday


  Art by Przemek Świszcz After last week’s post about the Dragon of Wawel Hill, we’re continuing our series of dragons this #SlavicSaturday with the Żmij (also known as Zmey/Змей, Zmei, Zmaj/Змај, Zmiy Змій), a popular form of the beasts from Slavic folktales and mythology. In other posts we’ll go into more details about named Żmije from across folktales, but for now, we’ll focus on Żmije in general. Note: As we near June’s release of A Dagger in the Winds, the first book in my Slavic fantasy series called The Frostmarked Chronicles, you can pre-order the book as well as join my monthly newsletter for updates and free novellas (such as the recently released prequel, The Rider in the Night) set in the world of the series. Links in post in bio. Our dragons are different? Whenever the topic of Slavic dragons is raised, people often ask how they are any different than the dragons found throughout most European myths. It’s a good question, as at first, it appears that the Żmije are just the massive, winged, fire-breathing serpents that have been made popular in folklore and fantasy. And it’s not wrong to claim they’re those beasts, but Żmije are in fact different. It’s important to understand the etymology of the term Żmij or Zmey when looking at these dragons. Quite literally translating to “viper,” the Żmij represents perhaps peak of the serpent in Slavic myth. Serpents are incredibly important due to their connection to the god of the lowlands, magic, and the underworld: Weles/Veles. Weles is often represented as a serpent or dragon in his battle against the god of thunder, Perun. Though Weles is often considered a trickster and deceiver, he is not considered evil, and this is important to remember when discussing the dragons and serpents connected to him. “Evil” was rarely considered to be as black and white in Slavic myths as it is in modern-day and many western European folktales.

Ghana Cia Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first Sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its


independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana’s presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy.

 

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo


 

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

 

Map references

Africa

 

Area

total: 238,533 sq km

 

land: 227,533 sq km

 

water: 11,000 sq km

 

country comparison to the world: 82


Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

 

Land boundaries

total: 2,420 km

 

border countries (3): Burkina Faso 602 km, Cote d'Ivoire 720 km, Togo 1098 km

 

Coastline

539 km

 

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

 

contiguous zone: 24 nm

 

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

 

continental shelf: 200 nm

 

Climate

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north.

 

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

 

Elevation

highest point: Mount Afadjato 885 m

 

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

 

mean elevation: 190 m

 

Natural resources

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone.

 

Population distribution

population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations being on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map

 

Natural hazards

dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts

 

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

 

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

 

People and Society

Population

32,372,889 (July 2021 est.)

 

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

 

country comparison to the world: 44

Nationality noun: Ghanaian(s)

Ethnic groups

Akan 47.5%, Mole-Dagbon 16.6%, Ewe 13.9%, Ga-Dangme 7.4%, Gurma 5.7%, Guan 3.7%, Grusi 2.5%, Mande 1.1%, other 1.4% (2010 est.)

 

Languages

English is the official language

Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.)

 

note:

 

Religions

Christian 71.2% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 28.3%, Protestant 18.4%, Catholic 13.1%, other 11.4%), Muslim 17.6%, traditional 5.2%, other 0.8%, none 5.2% (2010 est.)

 

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana

 

conventional short form: Ghana

 

former: Gold Coast

 

etymology: named for the medieval West African kingdom of the same name but whose location was actually further north than the modern country

 

Government type

presidential republic

 

Capital

name: Accra

 

geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W

 

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

 

etymology: the name derives from the Akan word "nkran" meaning "ants," and refers to the numerous anthills in the area around the capital

 

Administrative divisions

16 regions; Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, Western North

 

National symbol(s)

black star, golden eagle; national colors: red, yellow, green, black

 

National anthem

name: God Bless Our Homeland Ghana

al GDP (purchasing power parity)

$164.64 billion (2019 est.)

 

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Ghana Armed Forces consists of approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2020)

 

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the Ghana Armed Forces is a mix of Russian, Chinese, and Western equipment; since 2010, it has received armaments from a variety of suppliers, led by

China, Germany, Russia, and Spain (2020)


Benin CIA Facts

 

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a West African kingdom that rose to prominence in about 1500.

 

It rpresented a portion of a very prosperous area known as the Gold Coast.

The Empire resisted extensive attacks from European colonial powers.

 

The French Empire gained control of the region in 1892.

 

Imposing European religion and supplanting tribal independence and expression.

French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975.

 

A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent, who won a second five-year term in March 2011. Patrice TALON, a wealthy businessman, took office in 2016 after campaigning to restore public confidence in the government.

 

Nationality

noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

 

adjective: Beninese

 

Ethnic groups

Fon and related 38.4%, Adja and related 15.1%, Yoruba and related 12%, Bariba and related 9.6%, Fulani and related 8.6%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4.3%, Dendi and related 2.9%, other 0.9%, foreigner 1.9% (2013 est.)

 

Languages

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

 

Religions

Muslim 27.7%, Roman Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7%, Methodist 3.4%, other Protestant 3.4%), Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8% (2013 est.)

 

Economic overview

The free market economy of Benin has grown consecutively for four years, though growth slowed in 2017, as its close trade links to Nigeria expose Benin to risks from volatile commodity prices. Cotton is a key export commodity, with export earnings significantly impacted by the price of cotton in the broader market. The economy began deflating in 2017, with the consumer price index falling 0.8%.

 

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 37,305

 

 

 

country comparison to the world: 164

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 10,905,559

 

 

 

 

Internet Country Code is .bj

 

Internet users 2.403.596 (20% of the population


Randga, called the Dancing witch.

Origin

Balinese Mythology

 

A fierce sorceress Queen of Balinese myth. Randa which means widow is depicted as near naked with long hair and nails. Her immortal opponent is the King Barong. The combat between Rangdo and Barong acted out in bellany's dance always ends with the wrong vanquishing rangda. Rangdum may have originated in Notorious 11th century Queen of Bali.

 

Rangda is the demon queen of the leyaks in Bali, according to traditional Balinese mythology. Terrifying to behold, the child-eating Rangda leads an army of evil witches against the leader of the forces of good, Barong.

 

It is suggested that Rangda may be derived from the 11th century Javan queen Mahendradatta who was exiled by the king, Dharmodayana, for allegedly practicing witchcraft. The tale surrounding this is that she proceeded to take her revenge by killing off half the kingdom, which by then belonged to her and Dharmodayana's son Erlangga, with plague before being overcome by a holy man. The name Rangda itself means "widow" in old Javanese and Balinese language. It may also be associated with the legend of a demon queen named Calon Arang, who wreaked havoc in late 10th century Java, during the reign of Airlangga.

 

Rangda is important in Balinese culture, and performances depicting her struggles with Barong or with Airlangga in that tale are popular tourist attractions as well as tradition. She is depicted as a mostly nude old woman, with long and unkempt hair, pendulous breasts and claws. Her face is traditionally a horrifying fanged and goggle-eyed mask, with a long, protruding tongue.

 

It has been suggested that Rangda may be closely associated with the Hindu warrior mother goddess Durga, or the black goddess of destruction Kali, given that Bali is a Hindu island. While Rangda is mainly seen as fearsome and a personification of evil, she is also seen as a protective figure in some parts of Bali. The colors associated with Rangda are red, black and white, and these colors are also associated with Kali, and her iconography is also similar to Kali. Mahendradatta, the queen Rangda might be based on, was known for her devotion to the cult of Durga in Bali.



Nirvana is a Sanskrit word for the goal of the Buddhist path: enlightenment or awakening. In Pali, the language of some of the earliest Buddhist texts, the word is nibbana; in both languages it means literally “extinction” (like a lamp or flame) or “cessation.” It refers to the extinction of greed, ill will, and delusion in the mind, the three poisons that perpetuate suffering. Nirvana is what the Buddha achieved on the night of his enlightenment: he became completely free from the three poisons. Everything he taught for the rest of his life was aimed at helping others to arrive at that same freedom.

Nirvana in Buddhism the state attained by one who has become enlightened and ceased to accumulate karma and hence has won release from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, with its attendant endless human suffering. The blissful state of undifferentiated being or pure illumination lies beyond object if description. Its clarity has been likened in Buddhism to the brilliance of the full moon revealed by the parting clouds.

 

moksha

(in Hinduism and Jainism) release from the cycle of rebirth impelled by the law of karma.

the transcendent state attained as a result of being released from the cycle of rebirth.

 

Nirvāṇa     Nirvana literally "blown out", as in an oil lamp is a concept in Indian religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism) that represents the ultimate state of soteriological release, the liberation from repeated rebirth.

 

In Indian religions, nirvana is synonymous with moksha and mukti.  All Indian religions assert it to be a state of perfect quietude, freedom, highest happiness as well as the liberation from or ending of samsara, the repeating cycle of birth, life and death. However, non-Buddhist and Buddhist traditions describe these terms for liberation differently. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union of or the realization of the identity of Atman with Brahman, depending on the Hindu tradition. In Jainism, nirvana is also the soteriological goal, representing the release of a soul from karmic bondage and samsara. In the Buddhist context, nirvana refers to realization of non-self and emptiness, marking the end of rebirth by stilling the fires that keep the process of rebirth going.

 

The ideas of spiritual liberation, with the concept of soul and Brahman, appears in Vedic texts and Upanishads,

 

Nirvāṇa is a term found in the texts of all major Indian religions – Hinduism, Jainism Buddhism, and Sikhism.  It refers to the profound peace of mind that is acquired with moksha, liberation from samsara, or release from a state of suffering, after respective spiritual practice or sadhana.

 

The Saṃsara, the life after death, and what impacts rebirth came to be seen as dependent on karma

Tibetan Buddhism, and other types of Mahayana Buddhism, the state of nirvana is synonymous with becoming a buddha, or realizing one’s innate buddhahood or buddhanature.

 

 

https://youtu.be/-loKNgxIVsM Tir who sees the future Culture Pre-Christian Armenia God of Wisdom

https://youtu.be/nwepLxqt-cQ   NAME: Giza, CONTINENT: Africa, Also known as: Al Giza. COUNTRY: Egypt, PERIOD: Ancient Kemet,

https://youtu.be/DAaoPDriy9M  The Pleiadians. Self-defined as a “collective of multidimensional spirit beings from the Pleiades star system,” the group’s mission is to “assist humanity with the process of spiritual transformation.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Th’uban star.

The traditional name of Alpha Draconis, Th’uban, means "head of the serpent."

Th’uban, designation Alpha Draconis, is a binary star system in the constellation of Draco.  Draco is one of the largest constellations in the sky. Located in the northern celestial hemisphere, the constellation represents Ladon, the dragon that guarded.

 

Thuban is  a relatively inconspicuous star in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere, it is historically significant as having been the north pole star from the 4th to 2nd millennium BCE.

The traditional name Thuban is derived from the Arabic  'large snake'.

Symbolism          the Dragon

Main stars           14

stars      76

Stars with planets            14

Stars brighter than 3.00m             3

Visible at latitudes between +90° and −15°.

Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of July.

Th’uban is located at around 303 light-years / 93 parsecs away from the Sun. The primary component star is both more massive and several times bigger than our Sun.

 

The Pyramids on the Giza Plateau were designed to have one side facing north, with an entrance passage geometrically aligned so that Th’uban would be visible at night.

 

The Egyptians described these stars as "imperishable" or "undying." Khufu expected that when he died, he would join not only with the Sun, but with Thuban as well - maintaining order in the celestial realm, just as he had on Earth.

 

This ties into older Sub Saharan mythologies of the Ogdoad role as the progenitors of the cosmos.

 

There are a number of myths behind the constellation Draco, due to its resemblance to a dragon,

 

In the famous Sumerian Myth Draco is presented as Tiamat, the sea serpent who existed even before the sea and sky had been divided from each other, the dragon of chaos. the wild form that must be tamed before a new order could be established. This group of stars has always been associated with control of the Universe.

the sea serpent who existed even before the sea and sky had been divided from each other, the dragon of chaos.

 

In Greek myth Th’uban represents control of immortality and sacred knowledge.

In three separate tales Hercules, Jason each kill dragon for specific target.

 

Hercules for the Golden Apples that represent immortality, Hera later placed the dragon in the sky as the constellation Draco.

Jason for the Sacred Golden fleece.  

In another legend, Draco represents the dragon killed by Cadmus before founding the city of Thebes, Greece.  Just as Marduk had to kill Tiamat before founding his Kingship.

 

 

The Persians regarded Th’uban as a man-eating serpent called 'Azhdeha'.

 

 

In alien conspiracy theory the Th’uban star is home to the Annunaki who play the role of the reptile overlords who come to Earth as a Galactic Corporate enterprise. They create mankind as a labor force who they seek to exterminate at several points.

 

They are opposed by the benevolent Pleiadeans who aid mankind through education and enlightenment. The Pleiadeans are often synchronized as the Vanir of Norse myth.  

 

The proliferation of Snake deities thought the Hindu belief systems seen as sources of knowledge and medical expertise.

 

Thu'ban  is personified as a demon who was worshiped as a snake god by pagan Arabs, he was also known variously as Hanash, Hayya and Hubab. Habab being another name for Shaytan.  The demon often took the form of serpents, and they were a sacred totem to the Minaeans of Yemen.

In fantasy literature Th’uban leads the great demon army as a Demon King.

This star was one of the first planetary systems Alpha Draconian Lords conquered. The inhabitants are different kinds of Draco/Reptilian life forms, often giant in shape. These races are commonly mentioned as a cruel conqueror race and deeply involved in Earth's history.

 

At every point of reference, the Th’uban star is viewed as a source of knowledge or authority. The defeat its influence was to claim lordship or immortality. Only the Sirius star system has had a more profound impact on the religions mythologies and fictions of Earth.

 

 

https://youtu.be/yvmFzX3MaMs #Oshun

 

https://youtu.be/IZf1JV3yJOs #GOT

 

https://youtu.be/ErFGxElkcv8 #GOT WEstros

 

https://youtu.be/HPFFaklxCXo #GOT

 

https://youtu.be/6kyn-2WNuG4  #Beauty


Agwé

Loa of the Sea, Earth Shaker

Venerated in      Haitian Vodou

Symbols: Shells, fish, blue, white, green, brown, oars, boats, mirrors, telescope, fish hooks, net, sailors uniform

Patronage           Sea, river, fishermen, sailors, sea captains, pirates, Thursday, ships, boats, wind, waves, sea travelers

He is known as the great Admiral and the sovereign King of the sea.

His Kingdom is shared with Laserenia,  she is a beautiful deity who many people associate as his consort.

Although in some mythology she is seen as his daughter.

These two are known as the royalty of the sea Agwe is more than simply King of the waters or the sea god is an old spirit one of the first to manifest on earth.

It is believed that Agwe existed in the primordial waters that covered the earth before life began.

Met Agwe is the loa of direction. His territory is the winds and the currents, waves and depths of the oceans. He helps sailors find their bearings when lost at sea. He provides inspiration and guidance whenever an individual needs them in times of turmoil, loss, or indecision. He lives in a glorious palace under the seas. Patron of sailors, sea travelers, and pirates. ("Master Agwe")

 

 

 

Papa Agwe is envisioned as a handsome African man with green eyes,, often wearing a naval officer's or sailor's uniform. He is considered to be a gentleman who commands respect and embodies several ideals of masculinity including bravery, reserve, and provision.

 

Worship

His colors are blue, white, and occasionally sea-green or brown. His ritual symbol) is a boat with sails. His symbols are painted shells, painted oars, and sea life like the seahorse and starfish. He is syncretized with the Catholic saint Ulrich of Augsburg and occasionally the archangel Raphael, both of whom are depicted holding fish. His holy day is Thursday.

 

He is saluted or signaled with blowing on a conch shell and/or volleys of gunfire. When he possesses a devotee he often pushes himself around the temple on a chair (his boat) with a cane (his oar), shouting naval commands and saluting members of the congregation. His chevals ("horses" or possessed devotees) need to be kept moist with wet sponges or damp towels and have to be kept from running into the sea, where Agwe belongs.

 

Offerings

Small offerings to Agwe are poured or dropped overboard in deep ocean water. Large offerings to Agwe are left on constructed rafts (barques d'Agwe) which are floated or towed out to sea. If the raft sinks, it is accepted; if it returns to shore it is rejected.After the offering is left, the supplicants cannot look back at that place or it will anger Agwe. Chevals must be prevented from falling or leaping into the sea and drowning, as it would offend Agwe. Nothing toxic (lead pipes, cement bags, garbage) must be used to weigh down the raft; if it will hurt or pollute the sea, it will anger Agwe.

 

His offerings include:

 

Beverages: champagne, naval rum, or anisette. Coffee with sugar and cream.

Items: mirrors, a telescope, toy ships or scale ship models, oars or paddles, sea shells, turquoise beads or jewelry, fish-shaped sculptures or jewelry, fish hooks and nets, nautical uniforms or medals.

Food: Savory exotic foods, melon, boiled cornmeal, rice cooked in coconut milk, rice cooked with lima beans, boiled or fried ripe bananas, white cake, cane syrup, almond oil, olive oil.

Sacrificial Animals: White roosters, male ducks, and white rams or goats whose wool has been dyed with indigo. They are afterwards prepared, cooked, and then placed in serving dishes or on plates as a sacrifice (as king of the seas, he doesn't get hot food at home)

 

Agwey likes songs

 

Takes the form of a Handsome old man

 

He is known for carrying the soul of Africans who died in the Slave trade.

 

Possession, Agwe can summoned for possession, and its described as a benevolent helpful

 

 


Muso Koroni

The pure woman with the primeval soul.

The Knowledgeable One; The Pure Woman with the Primeval Soul

 

Also known as:

Nyalé; Mousso Koroni

 

Origin:

Bamana/Bambara

 

According to myth, Muso Koroni, Leopard Goddess of Mali, is the world’s first female while the first male was a blacksmith. Muso Koroni is among those spirits involved with the magical traditions of smithcraft. Originally a divine Creatrix, she traveled as a whirlwind sparking the process of creation.

She was venerated as  fertility goddess Bambara Mali West Africa.

The mother of all living things she introduced mankind to the principles of farming.

 

 

She is depicted either in human form sometimes with many breasts or as a Panther in later guys she uses her claws to bring on menstrual cramps in  women and to  circumcise both sexes.

prior to circumcision a youth is set to possess an untamed wildness. Muso Koroni is pursued by the sun God Pembo. Who impregnates her in the form of a tree.

 

Color:

Black, associated with fertility and black fertile soil

 

Elements: Fire, air (wind)

 

Offerings:

Smiths traditionally craft metal images of her in the form of candelabra. Her spirit is invoked when the lamp’s cups, filled with shea butter, are lit.


Ahriman Chthonic God of Darkness

Culture Zoroastrian (Farsi-Persian)

Ahriman is the evil spirit in Early Iranian Religion, Zoroastrianism, and Zorvanism, Lord of Darkness and Chaos, and the source of human confusion, disappointment, and strife.

The antagonist of Ahura Mazda, the god of light and his attendant Mithra.

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Is said to have tried to persuade his attendant animals including the scorpion, ant, snake to drink the blood of the bull slain by Mithra in the premiere myth legend of dualistic conflict. If he had succeeded he would have prevented life from forming on earth. In another legend he tried to thwart a horror Mazda by sending a flood to destroy the world. Also recognize in Roman Mithraism. Rituals included animal sacrifice.

 

Book of Jamaspi"Ahriman, like a worm, is so much associated with darkness and old age, that he perishes in the end."[

 

the Zurvanite Ulema-i Islam Ahriman, "being devoid of anything good, does not issue from that which is owing to truth." (62.2)

 

He is the Angra Mainya (evil spirit) while Ahura Mazda is the Spenta Mainya  good or bright spirit)

 

He is the demon of demons, and dwells in an abyss of endless darkness in the north, the traditional home of the demons. Ignorance, harmfulness, and disorder are the characteristics of Ahriman. He can change his outward form and appear as a lizard, a snake, or a youth. His aim is always to destroy the creation of [Ahura Mazda] and to this end he follows behind the creator's work, seeking to spoil it. As Ahura Mazda creates life, Ahriman creates death; for health, he produces disease; for beauty, ugliness. All man's ills are due entirely to Ahriman.

 

The Younger Avesta. Vd. 19.47, Yt. 15.43, and Aogəmadaēca 28 place Angra Mainyu’s sojourn in the nether world, a world of darkness. According to Vd. 19.1 and 44, he dwells in the north, the region of the daēvas.

 

Angra Mainyu is the chief of all the daēvas and is called (Vd. 19.1, 43-44) daēvanąm daēvō “the daēva of daēvas.”


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