Caribbean folklore

Many elements of Caribbean folklore (the orally transmitted beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people) are African in origin, given that slaves brought from Africa's West (or Gold) Coast made up a large majority of those brought to the region.

Very popular in terms of Caribbean story-telling, and a direct transfer from West Africa to the Caribbean are the Anancy Stories (Nancy Stories) told throughout the region. Ananse is the Ashanti word for spider, and the trickster Anancy (also known as Ananci, Ananse, Anansi, Ananci Krokoko, and Brer Nancy), with his quick-witted intelligence and his knack for surviving the odds, often through trickery, is the most popular of this genre of African-Caribbean folk-tale characters, although there are other West African influences, in folk story characters, including the hare (chief character in the Yoruba folktales) and the tortoise, which features in the stories of the Ibo people.

In addition to these stories, African religious figures also comprise a significant part of Caribbean folklore, many of the supernatural folklore figures possessing characteristics which are identical with those of African deities, and include:

"Papa Bois", who appears in many different forms, sometimes as a deer, or in old ragged clothes, sometimes hairy and though very old, extremely strong and muscular, with cloven hoofs and leaves growing out of his beard. As the guardian of the animals and the custodian of the trees, he is known to sound a cow's horn to warn his friends of the approach of hunters. He doesn't tolerate killing for killing's sake, and the wanton destruction of the forest.

"La Diablesse", the devil woman, is sometimes personified as an old crone, who steps forth with her cloven hoof from behind a tree on a lonely road, the sound of chains mingling with the rustle of her petticoat. Sometimes she takes the form of a beautiful woman, to lure some unsuspecting passerby to his death or perhaps to madness. Although she may appear young, she will be dressed in the ancient costume of these islands: a brilliant madras turban, chemise with half sleeves and much embroidery and lace, zepingue tremblant ("trembling pins of gold"), and all the finery of the by-gone days. Even when she appears beautiful, there is something that betrays her - she often has one hoof and a normal human foot or two hooves which she uses her long, flowing gown to hide.

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