The Mwindo Epic Analysis

Spanning both sides of the equator and encompassing a diverse collection of geographical zones is the world’s second largest continent, Africa. With over 500 different ethnic groups, the people of Africa are perhaps even more diverse than the land in which they reside. Each group has its own unique customs, languages, political systems, and more. Despite all of the groups’ differences, many share a common understanding of the world. This African Worldview is wonderfully unique, and has concepts that are both familiar and foreign to those in other parts of the globe. There is perhaps no text that displays the different aspects of this view of the world better than the Nyanga tale, The Mwindo Epic. Through the use of tradition, moral lessons, and ceremony, The Mwindo Epic is the perfect introduction to the African worldview.
So what is the African worldview? To start, it is a collection of ideas, traditions, and beliefs that all contribute to a unique understanding of the world in how it functions and …show more content…
Of the ceremonies shown in The Mwindo Epic, one that can be highlighted before Mwindo is even born is the tradition of marriage and the wedding ceremony. In African tradition, women can be married to spirits. The prominent example of this in The Mwindo Epic is Mwindo’s aunt, Iyangura. Iyangura is married to the spirit Mukiti. This marriage, which is described before Mwindo is introduced, also gives readers a look into the process of getting married in African tradition. Marriage involves first asking permission, then giving gifts to person giving away the bride. In return, gifts are given after the wedding. This is shown when Mukiti asks chief Shemwindo to marry his sister Iyangura. Shemwindo agrees, but only after the proper offerings have been given. There are several other aspects to marriage in African tradition, but these few shed light on a marital tradition that predates both Christianity and