African Food and Art

Thank you to our latest donor, David . We were able to purchase 50 seedlings for our food forest to continue our planting, cooking and teaching heritage.

One Do Wrong All Get Punished Short African Folktale

One Do Wrong All Get Punished Short African Folktale

African folktales teach the right words for justice are vital. African folklore brings people together, read and study more folktales, and short stories from the African continent.

Three things to remember when reading African Folklore stories.
❤ ❤ ❤

Folklore storytelling is the most ancient art form of the African Community.

Time and effort must be given to becoming an African folklore storyteller, just as any artist must give time and effort to developing their skill.

African folklore is as old as Africa herself with a deep appreciation for antiquity expressed in artistic form.


African folklore storytelling as a form of teaching.

African folklore storytelling has long been accepted as a form of teaching to be defined as a series of events told in such a way that it moves the emotions and the intellect. African folklore storytelling is a spiritual legacy passed down from one generation to another. 


Just as someone expresses their ideas and the form of music, painting, dance and sculpture folklore takes the ideas of an ancient story and creates with words a picture that enchants the listener with a rich auditory environment.

Many African people are born storytellers and spend many long hours practicing their art. Not everyone can acquire the art of folklore storytelling imagery, but for the beginner one should think of folklore storytelling as a heritage passed on from traditional storytellers and dig deep within the ancient storyteller that lies within us all.

African folklore storytelling can turn a shy awkward self-conscious boy or girl into storytellers who captivates and win’s the heart of their listeners. African folklore storytelling can help those afraid of public speaking by relating the value of the story and discover the roots within themselves on how to tell a story like a skilled crafts person.

The folklore story of One Do Wrong All Get Punished, mouse learns a hard lesson that when you do a bad deed and do not own up to it, the entire community is punished even though they are innocent and you are the guilty one.



Evil little mouse
Evil little mouse


One Do Wrong All Get Punished Short African Folktale.


One day, as the ancestors say, the Mouse cut to pieces the clothes of Mongueno the tailor. Mongueno went to the great judge, the Baboon, and accused the mouse of the deed.

With these words Mongueno said, "In this manner I come to you great Baboon, the Mouse has torn my clothes, but denies it and accuses the Cat; the Cat protests likewise her innocence, and says the Dog must have done it; but the Dog denies it also, and declares the Wood has done it; and the Wood throws the blame on the Fire, and says, 'The Fire did it;' the Fire says, I have not, the Water did it;' the Water says, 'The Elephant tore the clothes;' and the Elephant says, 'The Ant tore them.

A great dispute has arisen among them. Therefore, I, Mongueno, come to you for help great Baboon. The Baboon thought a while and said “Assemble the people for a trial and try them, in order beginning with the mouse." But during the trial, they made the same excuses which had been mentioned by Mongueno, each one putting the blame upon the other.

So the Baboon did not see any other way of punishing them, but through making them punish each other; he, therefore, said, "Mouse, pay Mongueno for the destroyed clothes." The Mouse, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Baboon said, "Cat, bite the Mouse." She did so.

He then put the same question to the Cat, and when she pleads not guilty, the Baboon called to the Dog and said: "Here, bite the Cat."

In this manner, the Baboon questioned them all, one after the other, but they each denied the charge. Then he addressed the following words to them all, "Wood, beat the Dog. Fire, burn the Wood. Water, put out the Fire. Elephant drink the Water. Ant, bite the Elephant in his most tender parts." They did so, and since that day, they cannot any longer agree with each other.

Through this judgment, Mongueno was happy, and addressed the Baboon saying "Yes! Now I am satisfied and with all my heart I thank you, Baboon, because you argued on my behalf, and gave me payment through justice."


Folklore storytelling is the most ancient art form of the African Community.

Time and effort must be given to becoming an African folklore storyteller, just as any artist must give time and effort to developing their skill.

African folklore is as old as Africa herself with a deep appreciation for antiquity expressed in artistic form.


More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.
  1. Why the bunny rabbit has wiggly slits for a nose
  2. Love Takes No Less Than Everything Marriage Folklore
  3. Hunters Attack Cowards Tell the Story
  4. One Do Wrong All Get Punished
  5. Mighty Little Hedgehog
  6. Blackman and White Snake Folklore Story

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

What is the difference between ugali and fufu

Image
How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali ...
Learn More About Africa

Boxing Day South African Cookies

Image
Boxing Day South African Cookies Recipe and History of Boxing Day Listen to the Boxing Day South African Cookie Recipe and the History of Boxing Day. Boxing Day is observed as a public holiday in many Southern African countries. Boxing Day historically held deep significance as a rare day of recognition and appreciation for hard work.   While Christmas Day was often spent serving the households of wealthier families, Boxing Day provided an opportunity to receive small tokens of gratitude, known as Christmas boxes.  In households that observed Boxing Day traditions, servants were often granted a lighter workload or even a day off to visit family or enjoy the holiday. Today, Boxing Day is associated with relaxation and shopping.   Thumbprint Cookies with South African Sweet Chutney Ingredients 1 cup unsalted room-temperature butter 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large chicken egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup South African sweet c...
Learn More About Africa

Camel Caravans Created the Internet

Image
Thanks to camel caravans facilitating trade and cultural exchange across Northern Africa, they laid the foundation for global connectivity, which eventually evolved into the internet driven world we know today.  Raising camels When business partners in Northern Africa started using camels, it changed how goods were traded. Before the domestication of camels, it was hard to cross much less carry things across the hot, dry desert. Camels could travel long distances without needing much water, so they made it easier to move valuable items like gold, salt, and cloth from one end of the African deserts to the other. Camel caravans helped people get things they could not find in their own neighborhoods and allowed them to trade to more people. Camels were kind of like how the internet and technology connect us today. Why were camels chosen for caravans across Africa?  Camels were less prone to diseases common in tropical regions, increasing their longevity and utility. Horses and do...
Learn More About Africa

Krampus Favorite Dessert is Black Forest Cake

Image
With a sinister horned head, shaggy black and gray frightening features, of course Krampus favorite dessert is rich dark Black Forest Cake with red jam.  The Krampus is a somewhat playfully sinister traditional holiday mythical creature in German folklore. It serves as a moral lesson for children, emphasizing good behavior just as many African folktales do. The Krampus is a horned, shaggy black and gray figure with a sinister appearance of raggedy chains, teeth, long fangs, claws, and giant goat horns. With all of these outlandish features, of course Krampus favorite dessert is rich dark Black Forest Cake.  Krampus  is a counterpart to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus. While Saint Nicholas rewards good children with gifts, or a lump of coal, the Krampus punishes naughty children by carrying sacks to take them away. Namibia is a former German colony that retains many German cultural traditions, including the Krampus holiday custom.   Krampusnacht or Krampus Night occurs ...
Learn More About Africa