FENDA MARIA
allyHero
Ngana Fenda Maria is the heroine of a Kimbundu tale collected by the missionary Heli Chatelain in Folk-Tales of Angola (1894), where she opens the collection. The narrative follows a young woman who sets out to free a man struck by a curse of eternal sleep. Having reached him, she asks a servant for help, but when the man awakes, the servant claims the rescue for herself and passes herself off as Fenda Maria. Handed down in the Kimbundu language of Angola, the tale exists in two versions and illustrates motifs of cunning, injustice and deferred recognition frequent in the Angolan oral tradition. Fenda Maria is a tale figure, not a deity of a pantheon.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Bearer of the laughter that frees. FENDA outwits certainties and provokes movement when everything freezes. Bound to the Angola pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of sacred wood, old metal and black stone, engraved with symbols of journey, embodiment of the power of Fenda Maria
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Is Fenda Maria a goddess?
No. She is a character of the Angolan oral tale, not a deity of a pantheon.
Where does her story come from?
From the collection Folk-Tales of Angola by the missionary Heli Chatelain (1894), where she opens the collection in the Kimbundu language.
What is the tale about?
A young woman who sets out to free a bewitched man. A servant steals her merit by passing herself off as her.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Heli Chatelain, Folk-Tales of Angola, American Folk-Lore Society (1894)