South Africa is a country of stark contrast, the beautiful modern cities shares its space with tribal societies that still practice rituals and believe in legends thousands of years old, and vampire creatures are one of the darker legends. the Asasabonsam belongs to the folklore of the Akan and Ashanti of southern Ghana, as well as Côte d’Ivoire of the areas of the Ivory Coast and Togo.
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.”
The asanbosam is a vampire like creature said to live deep in the forests where it preys mainly upon hunters. It sits on tree tops, and its legs dangle down to the ground. It looks mostly human, except that it has teeth made of iron and its legs are hooks which pick up any one who comes within reach. The Asanbosom is said to drop from the trees at night and drag its victims back into the tree and feast on its victim’s brains and blood.
Similarly is the Sasabonsam. This vampire is very similar to the asanbosam, for they also live in trees and drink the blood of anyone that walks under them. The difference though is in their appearance, while the sasabonsam also looks humaniod, it doesn’t have hooks or iron teeth. Instead, it looks like a mix between a human and bat. Its arms are short and stubby and it has big wings. Some legends say that its wingspan reaches twenty feet.
“In Africa there are any number of folkloric or legendary creatures that subsist on the blood of the living, but these are not truly the undead.”
John L. Vellutini, Editor of the Journal of Vampirology, Interview 2016
Danger Level: Dangerous
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