Summary Of Belcher's African Myths Of Origin

In Belcher’s introduction to his book, African Myths of Origin, he prefaces the reader’s approach to the reading of the African myths he collected with the importance of always remembering to respect the specifics of each tale. The particular details in the stories attached to each culture have much to do with that people groups unique identity. “They are,” Belcher observes “the stories which people tell visitors to explain who they are, and how they differ from their neighbors.” In this excellent compilation, the reader will find six stories with specifics that distinguish Ethiopia as a distinct culture from the other nations of Africa. It was only several decades before the composition of the renown story of Solomon and Makeda, the Queen of Sheba that a political shift in power was taking place in Ethiopia. To re-instill the Ethiopian sense of historical identity, the old tradition was “recorded in the Kebra Negast, the ‘Glory of Kings’, which recounts the origin of the dynasty.” Dedicated followers of any Abrahamic religions naturally will have a distinct interest in the Ethiopic tradition of King Solomon and Makeda. Known for his wisdom and riches - Solomon was the son of David and the third king in Israel’s united monarchy. Throughout ages, the mere mention of the name Solomon has symbolized an era …show more content…
It so happened that a foreigner saw the terrible situation and committed himself to destroying the pernicious snake through feeding it a goat stuffed with poisonous herbs. The grateful locals made him king. After many years the king became old and died. The people of the land made his daughter Makeda queen. This is the Queen of Sheba who is mentioned in the Biblical tradition that had, “heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord” and “came to test him with difficult questions” (1 Kgs