COGAZ
allyHero
Cogaz is, in the mythology of the San — also called Bushmen — of southern Africa, one of the sons of Cagn, the demiurge and trickster hero often identified with the praying mantis and known also under the name ǀKaggen. His mother is Coti, Cagn's wife. Cogaz appears above all in a few narratives collected in the nineteenth century. In one of them, sent by his father to cut sticks to make bows, he is killed by the baboons who mock him, then brought back to life by Cagn's magic. In another, Cogaz and his brother Gewi inadvertently kill the eland that Cagn cherished — an episode from which, out of the animal's blood, many creatures are born. These narratives come in large part from the testimonies recorded in 1874 by the magistrate Joseph Millerd Orpen among San of the region of present-day Lesotho. A secondary figure of a mythological ensemble itself fragmentary, Cogaz remains very little documented and appears only through his father's deeds.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Voice of its pantheon. COGAZ carries the memory of its tradition and weaves a thread into the Mabioni. Bound to the Khoisan pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of sacred wood, old metal and black stone, engraved with symbols of culture, embodiment of the power of Cogaz
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Who is Cogaz in San mythology?
Cogaz is one of the sons of Cagn, the demiurge and trickster hero of the San of southern Africa, often identified with the praying mantis and also named ǀKaggen. His mother is Coti. Cogaz appears only through a few narratives bound to his father.
What is the principal myth associated with Cogaz?
In a narrative collected in the nineteenth century, Cogaz is sent by Cagn to cut wood to make bows. The baboons kill him while mocking him, then Cagn brings him back to life through his magic.
Where do the narratives about Cogaz come from?
They come above all from the testimonies of San collected in 1874 by the magistrate Joseph Millerd Orpen in the region of present-day Lesotho. Cogaz is a secondary figure there, which explains his very thin documentation.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Joseph Millerd Orpen, A Glimpse into the Mythology of the Maluti Bushmen, Cape Monthly Magazine, 1874
- Wilhelm Bleek et Lucy Lloyd, Specimens of Bushman Folklore, 1911