Asanbosam
Encyclopedia
The Sasabonsam ) is a vampire
-like folkloric being from West Africa
. It belongs to the folklore of the Ashanti of southern Ghana
, as well as Côte d'Ivoire
and Togo
. It is said to have iron
teeth and iron hooks for feet and to live in trees, attacking from above.
In mythology, it is usually portrayed as an archetypical ogre: according to A Dictionary of World Mythology,
Both Ogre and Vampire version have iron teeth.
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
-like folkloric being from West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. It belongs to the folklore of the Ashanti of southern Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, as well as Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
and Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
. It is said to have iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
teeth and iron hooks for feet and to live in trees, attacking from above.
In mythology, it is usually portrayed as an archetypical ogre: according to A Dictionary of World Mythology,
...the hairy Sasabonsam has large blood-shot eyes, long legs, and feet pointing both ways. Its favourite trick is to sit on the high branches of a tree and dangle its legs so as to entangle the unwary hunter.
Both Ogre and Vampire version have iron teeth.