FARA MAKA
allyHero
Fara Maka, also named Faran Maka or Faran Maka Bote, is a culture hero of the Songhai tradition, along the Niger River, notably around Gao. The narratives make him a giant, fisherman and rice-grower, born of a mortal fisherman, Nisili Bote, and a river spirit named Maka, which confers powers on him. It is told that he fished with his long beard and confronted Zinkibaru, a water spirit, for control of the Niger and its fish — a battle from which he emerged victorious, winning a magic guitar. He is known above all as the father of Nana Miriam, the magician heroine who felled a monstrous hippopotamus threatening the riverside villages. His descendants are linked to the Sorko, fishermen and reciters who perpetuate the Songhai traditions. Hunter, magician and founding figure, he belongs to the epic heritage of West Africa, with versions that vary from tradition to tradition.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Voice of the forest. FARA watches the spirits of the woods and negotiates with the hunters the respect of the places. Bound to the Mali pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of fired clay, bronze and fossilised roots, engraved with symbols of hunting, embodiment of the power of Fara Maka
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
From which tradition does Fara Maka come?
He belongs to the Songhai mythology, along the Niger River, in a region overlapping present-day Mali and its surroundings, bound to the Sorko fishermen.
What is his bond with Nana Miriam?
He is her father. His daughter Nana Miriam, a magician, surpasses him in powers and fells a supernatural hippopotamus that threatened the riverside villages.
Who is Zinkibaru in his story?
Zinkibaru is a water spirit against whom Fara Maka struggles for control of the Niger and its fish. According to the narratives, Fara Maka prevails and wins a magic instrument.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nana_Miriam
- https://brickthology.com/2016/02/29/faran-maka/