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Sasabonsam

The Asanbosam is a vampiric creature from the folklore of the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast. The name Asanbosam translates to "Legs-Together" in the Akan language, referring to its distinctive appearance. In Akan mythology, the Asanbosam is often depicted as a humanoid creature with iron teeth and hooks for legs, which it uses to snare its prey. It is known for its predatory nature, lurking in forests and attacking humans who venture into its territory. The Asanbosam is also associated with the sacred groves and is sometimes considered a guardian spirit of the forest. In other African cultures, similar creatures are known by different names, such as the Adze in Ewe mythology and the Impundulu in Zulu tradition. There is no direct translation for "Asanbosam" in Hebrew, as it is a specific term from Akan folklore.

Wikipedia Information
Sasabonsam
Vampire-like folkloric being from the Akan people
The Sasabonsam, or sometimes Asanbosam, or asasabonsam, is a vampire-like folkloric being from the Akan people. It belongs to the folklore of the Akan of southern Ghana, as well as Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and 18th century Jamaica from enslaved Akan. It is said to have iron teeth, pink skin, long red hair and iron hooks for feet and lives in trees, attacking from above. In the forests of West Africa, there were rules of renewal, and the Sasabonsam would enforce these rules. They take up territory in the trees in the forests, where they live and feed on people that wander into their home. It becomes a territorial aspect for them. While being humanoid, these creatures have bat-like features, including wings which can be nearly 20 feet wide. A good representation can be seen from The British Museum with the Sasabonsam figure they have in their collection. It is carved out of wood and estimated to have been made in 1935.
Last modified: 2025-08-17T14:39:46ZView full article on Wikipedia