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Black History Year

Forget Dragons—Meet These 5 West African Mythical Beings [2MBH Vault]

Black History Year

PushBlack

History

4.62.2K Ratings

🗓️ 9 January 2026

⏱️ 3 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

There are countless movies about dragons, unicorns, leprechauns, and sasquatches. But none of them can hold a candle to these five mythical West African creatures that deserve their own fantasy movies.

Original Air Date: September 2023

2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. We exist to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.

The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hear that? It's your big McDonald's hunger calling, because the Big Arch is back, and this time it's here to stay with juicy beef, cheddar cheese and that Big Arch sauce.

0:10.0

Hungry, you are now. Order delivery on the McDonald's app.

0:13.0

Serve from 11am, upcharges and fees apply to delivery orders. Subjects availability, price and participation may vary.

0:30.0

There are countless movies about dragons, unicorns, leprechauns, and Sasquatches,

0:36.0

but none of them can hold a candle to these five mythical West African creatures that deserve their own fantasy movies.

0:38.3

This is Two-Minute Black History, what you didn't learn in school.

0:48.3

This creature may look like a firefly, but Aden's is really a blood-sucking vampire.

1:03.3

It loves children's blood and uses its small size to sneak into houses to drain a household's infants dry.

1:13.6

Ninkinanka is a swamp dragon that looks like a giant reptile, except it spits fire.

1:21.6

Some claim to have seen it in real life, but that's unlikely.

1:25.6

If it doesn't eat you or drag you into the swamp, you're still not safe.

1:31.4

Anyone who sees one promptly dies.

1:34.9

The abata may look like a donkey, but it has two huge horns.

1:41.5

But do not fear, because these horns can heal diseases. And then there's

1:47.3

Jengu. She's a sea-based beauty with a big curly afro and cat teeth, but she's not a mermaid.

1:55.8

She's actually a spirit guy. She moves between the spirit and the human world, helping make our lives easier.

2:03.6

Do you have a friend that hums during meals? That's Rompo.

2:09.6

This bizarre creature, part badger, bear, hair, human and skeleton feeds on human flesh. Humane lectoon as it feasts.

2:19.3

We've had enough of white people's fantasy creatures.

2:33.3

We need more of our own.

2:36.0

Our ability to tell our own stories enables us to continue to survive oppression and hatred.

2:42.0

Let us know when one of you puts one of these African creatures in your book or film.

...

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