3 intriguing myths and cultural beliefs of Fulani people

They have a rich cultural heritage with a lot of interesting and intriguing myths. Here are three myths by the Fulani:

Fulani creation myth

In the beginning, there was a huge drop of milk, after which Doondari, the fearless supreme God, came and created stone. The stone created iron, iron created fire, and the fire created water and water created air. Doondari took these elements and shaped them into man but later on, man became very proud.

So, Doondari created blindness, and blindness went on to defeat man. Then blindness also became proud, and Doondari created sleep to defeat it. Sleep defeated blindness. But sleep also became too proud, and worry was created to defeat it.

Then death was created to defeat worry when it also became too proud. Finally, death defeated worry, but it became proud as well, and Doondari had to descend. He became Gueno, the eternal one, and defeated death.

Garden of Eden

Long ago, there was a mighty flood zone called Walo, which flourished more than the remaining ones. In this flood zone was a paradise called Heli and Yoyo where there was no disease, poverty or lack.

Death was something unusual, and elders were as lively and energetic as young people; wild beasts were tame and would never harm you. According to scholars, the paradise was designed by King Solomon through the labouring of Djinns

The 'Nelbi' walking stick

Ilo’s wife was concerned about a mystery person he visited daily with milk.

She peeped over the wall of Tyanaba’s compound, a hairdresser, to see her husband Ilo urging her. Immediately their eyes met, Tyanaba became huge and left the compound for the Niger River.

Ilo chased after her for days but couldn’t catch up, then Tyananba had pity and told him she couldn’t reside with him anymore. She summoned numerous cattle from the river and told Ilo he could have as many he could touch with his walking stick.

So Ilo tapped cattle in the darkness as the herd followed Tyanaba into the depths of Lake Debo. This incident made Ilo the first shepherd, which is why the Fulani used their trademark 'Nelbi' walking stick.