African Folklore & Symbolism

This piece is an homage to the tradition of storytelling through nature. Each animal and detail was researched for its cultural significance, ecological role, and symbolic weight. While the
animals depicted don’t all originate from a single region of Africa, the composition strives for thematic unity—showing how stories, like ecosystems, are interconnected.

The goal is to encourage slow looking—to offer something new each time the viewer returns. From bold central figures to tiny hidden insects, every detail contributes to a living, breathing story that honors biodiversity, myth, and the unspoken language of rhythm.

Animals & Celestial Figures:

• Hare – A clever and cunning trickster in many African folk traditions, the hare symbolizes adaptability, intelligence, and the use of wit over strength. Stories about the hare exist in both West and Southern African oral traditions, often teaching moral lessons through mischief and consequence.
• Tortoise – Revered across Central and West African stories as a wise but sometimes sly character, the tortoise embodies patience, longevity, and strategy. In many fables, the tortoise outsmarts larger creatures, reinforcing the value of foresight and humility.
• Ants – Represent community, cooperation, and strength in unity. Ants appear in several folk stories as tireless workers who accomplish great things together—symbolizing how storytelling itself is often a communal act.
• Giraffe – A creature of grace and elevated perspective. While not traditionally central to folklore, the giraffe’s unique physiology represents insight, calm observation, and the ability to see across time—like the storyteller who remembers and retells.
• Killifish – Native to West and Central Africa, this vibrant fish references the lesser-known fauna of African rivers. It nods to the quieter, flowing parts of the story—the ones carried by whispers, water, and memory.
• Bat – A liminal figure across various African cultures, often associated with night, transformation, or communication between worlds. Here, the bat evokes mystery and the storyteller’s ability to traverse the seen and unseen.
• Spider (hidden in the tree) – A tribute to the iconic West African trickster and god of stories. Anansi, often portrayed as a spider or spider-man hybrid, embodies the essence of storytelling as a force for wisdom, resistance, and survival. His tales have traveled far through the African diaspora.
• Elephant – A symbol of strength, wisdom, and deep memory across Sub-Saharan Africa. Elephants are frequently mentioned in proverbs and serve as cultural touchstones in both oral and ceremonial traditions.
• Lepidoptera butterfly – A symbol of transformation, cycles, and impermanence. While not central to folklore, butterflies honor the storyteller’s ability to adapt stories to new times and listeners.
• Lion – Revered in Eastern and Northern African traditions as a symbol of kingship, courage, and authority. The lion is often used in folktales as both adversary and noble guardian—anchoring the narrative with presence and power.
• Beetles – Spotted beetle, Horned beetle, Longhorn beetle, Darkling beetle. These beetles—hidden throughout the piece—celebrate Africa’s vast ecological diversity and its symbolic use of insects in tales that teach resourcefulness, defense, or industriousness. Their small size reminds viewers that even the most overlooked creatures play essential roles in the narrative of life.
• Celestial Elements – stars, constellations, and transitions from sun to moon—act as narrative threads, connecting the figures like a myth unfolding across time and space. These elements symbolize ancestral guidance, divine protection, and the cyclic nature of life.

Botanical & Cultural Symbolism

• Gazania rigens (African Daisy / Treasure Flower)
  Bright and resilient, the African daisy—commonly known as the Treasure Flower—is native to Southern Africa and is renowned for its sun-seeking behavior, opening only in light. In the context of the painting, the Gazania serves as a symbol of hope, tenacity, and joy emerging from struggle. Its radiant face mirrors the dawn after hardship. It honors the
  beauty found in perseverance and the sacred value of life’s smallest treasures.
• Adenium multiflorum (Impala Lily)
  Also native to Southern Africa, the Impala Lily is a succulent known for its dramatic, trumpet-like blooms and poisonous sap. Traditionally used in rituals and hunting, it holds dual meaning—beauty and danger, transformation and caution. Within the painting, it
  symbolizes the duality of power: the potential for destruction or healing, depending on intention. Its blooming during dry seasons also speaks to spiritual resilience—thriving when conditions seem least favorable.
• The Pyramids of Meroë in Sudan, a powerful symbol of Africa’s ancient civilizations.
  Built by the Kingdom of Kush between 300 BCE and 350 CE, these pyramids outnumber those of Egypt and stand as enduring testaments to innovation, spirituality, and cultural
  strength. Their presence in the mural honors Africa’s deep history and reminds us that the continent has long been a center of knowledge, creativity, and human achievement.

Symbolism of Color

A vibrant full-spectrum palette reinforces the energy of the mural while emphasizing balance
and harmony.

Key symbolic colors include:
● Orange – vitality, social connection, and emotional warmth.
● Green – growth, fertility, nature, and renewal.
● Blue – wisdom, spirituality, and protection.
● Reds, pinks, yellows, and purples—add layers of meaning from life and power (red),
to wealth and fertility (yellow), to mystery and transformation (purple).
The palette echoes the rich visual languages of African textiles and ceremonial art while
maintaining visual unity and emotional depth.

Linework & Symbolic Patterns

The mural’s linework draws from African pattern traditions while avoiding direct reproduction
of sacred or culturally specific symbols. Instead, it incorporates universally resonant motifs
such as:

• Triangles: Triangles represent a variety of concepts in African cultures, including stability, harmony, and spirituality. They are commonly used to construct pyramidal structures and symbolic representations.
• Zigzags: Zigzag patterns evoke a sense of energy and movement. They can be seen in various African art forms, such as textiles, pottery, and architectural elements,
  symbolizing dynamic forces or the journey of life.
• Circles: Circles are universally recognized symbols of unity, eternity, and wholeness. In
  African art, circles are used to represent the cycle of life, celestial bodies, and community connections.
• Stars: Stars represent guidance, protection, and celestial forces. They are commonly used in African art to convey a sense of divinity, destiny, or the presence of ancestors.
• Spirals – Represent growth, evolution, and the unfolding journey of life and story. They
  mirror the structure of oral tradition itself—stories that start small and spiral outward with each retelling, generation after generation.
• Trees: Trees hold immense symbolism in African cultures, representing strength, wisdom, and the interconnectedness of life. Tree patterns in African art convey a sense of rootedness, continuity, and the cycle of growth and rebirth. (Source)

Specific Quotes Referenced

• “However long the night, the dawn will break.” (Source) — This proverb serves as a guiding symbol throughout the work, reinforcing themes of resilience, transformation, and the eventual emergence of light after hardship. It mirrors the structure of many of the stories referenced, where trial gives way to wisdom, renewal, or peace.
• “Ultimately, we are all Africans. Studies of mitochondrial DNA have proven that all
  human beings are descended from a small population (less than a hundred individuals)
  that emerged from Africa about 60,000 years ago. The earliest written religious texts as well as the first documented monotheistic religion also developed in Africa.” (Source)
• “Besides being so visually appealing, I see pattern making in Africa as an innate thing, akin to rhythm: The pounding of maize in a bowl feels the same as the stamping of pigment on fabric….. the weaving of hair braids is the same soft rhythmic exercise as plucking at an mbira.” (Source)
• “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” “This is a famous Zulu quote that translates: “A person is a person through other people.” This emphasizes the belief that no man is an island as none of us come into the world fully formed and that we need one another to engage
  in active learning and living.” (Source)

Specific Stories Referenced

• Myths and Legends of the Bantu
  • The Rainbow
• South African Folk Tales (Source)
  • The Lost Message
  • The Elephant and the Tortoise
• Storytelling from the Congo (Fjort)
  • The Song of Life
  • The Chimp and the Gorilla
  • The Turtle and the Man
  • The Wild Cat and Gazelle
• Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria (Source)
  • The King’s Magic Drum (turtles)
  • Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky
  • Why the Moon Waxes and Wanes
  • Why Worms Live Underground (ants, worms)
  • Why Bats Fly at Night
  • The Wonderful Feather
• Yoruba Legends
  • The Elephant’s Trunk