TANGALIMLIBO
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Tangalimlibo is the heroine of a Xhosa tale of southern Africa, recorded at the end of the nineteenth century by George McCall Theal in his collection of folklore. The daughter of a chief, she is dragged into the waters of a river by a river spirit. The narrative tells that she is then brought back each night to the water's edge to nurse her child, before the river, whose water turns to blood, carries her off definitively. The tale illustrates a Xhosa belief reported by Theal: drowning is there seen as the work of a spirit that pulls the victim under the water and sometimes accepts an ox as ransom. Very widespread, this narrative belongs to popular folklore more than to a structured divine pantheon.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Weaver of the currents. TANGALIMLIBO watches over the flow of the waters and the fluid memory that binds the worlds within the Mabioni. Bound to the Xhosa pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of polished ebony, mother-of-pearl and shells, engraved with symbols of water, embodiment of the power of Tangalimlibo
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Who is Tangalimlibo?
She is the heroine of a Xhosa tale of southern Africa. The daughter of a chief, she is carried off under the waters by a river spirit, according to a narrative collected by George McCall Theal.
What does her story symbolise?
The tale illustrates a Xhosa belief about drowning: a spirit of the waters is said to pull the victim under the surface, and sometimes to accept an ox offered as ransom to release them.
Is she a deity?
No. Tangalimlibo belongs to Xhosa popular folklore, as a tale character, and not to a clearly defined pantheon of deities.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- George McCall Theal, Kaffir Folk-Lore (1882), The Story of Tangalimlibo