tradition

illustration of a king taking oath before sacred drum, Burundian folktale scene.

The King and the Sacred Drum Oath

Burundian Folktales·East African Folktales

There was a time when a king’s authority was not secured by wealth, armies, or the praise of his people alone, but by something far greater and more enduring. In those days, the power to rule came from a sacred connection between the living, the ancestors, and the unseen forces that watched over the land. At the center of this

A traditional African blacksmith shaping iron at a glowing forge

Burkinabe Folktales·West African Folktales

The Blacksmith Lineage and the First Iron Secret

Among the communities of the Bwa and Mossi regions, there existed a lineage set apart from others. This family was not known for farming or trade, but for a craft that carried both practical value and spiritual weight. They were blacksmiths. Their work shaped tools, weapons, and objects that supported