ABONSAM
neutralSpirit
Abonsam is, in the Akan folklore of the Gold Coast and Ghana, a malevolent spirit held responsible for accidents, diseases and various misfortunes. It is described as a presence that can settle in a house or a community to sow misfortune there. When the diviners judge it to be the cause, a purification ritual aims to drive it toward the sea: it begins with several weeks of silence, then the dwellings are emptied of their furniture, the walls struck with sticks, and a great din — shouts and gunfire — is raised to expel the spirit. This driving-out ceremony, often annual, meant to rid the villages of the spirit, was reported by European observers as early as the nineteenth century in the studies of the customs of the Gold Coast.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Voice of the forest. ABONSAM watches the spirits of the woods and negotiates with the hunters the respect of the places. Bound to the Gold Coast pantheon. Its alignment depends on the invoker's protocol.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of sacred wood, old metal and black stone, engraved with symbols of disease, embodiment of the power of Abonsam
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
What does Abonsam represent?
A malevolent spirit of Akan folklore, held responsible for accidents, diseases and misfortunes that strike a house or a village.
How is Abonsam driven out?
By a ritual that begins with a period of silence, followed by the emptying of the houses and a great uproar — shouts and gunfire — meant to push the spirit toward the sea.
Is this belief documented?
Yes. The custom of driving out Abonsam with noise was reported by observers as early as the nineteenth century and figures in several studies of the customs of the Gold Coast.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abonsam
- R. Austin Freeman, Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman (1898)
- Leith Mullings, Therapy, Ideology, and Social Change: Mental Healing in Urban Ghana (1984)