Epics, Sagas, Fantasies, Mythos, Legends, Nations.

[HoneyBadger]

Shona's a real possibility. My own theory is that they're meant to be Ashanti.

HoneyBadger said:
By the way, I understand that Machaka is supposedly based on the Zulu, but I'd like to contest that a bit: First of all, the Ashanti (from Ghana--the word "Ghana" means "Warrior-King", by the way--bordering the Ivory Coast, in West Africa, as opposed to KwaZulu-Natal, the home of the Zulu, in South Africa) are the people from whom stories of Anansi (the trickster spider-god) comes from. His father, Nyame, is their chief god. Other stories come from the Gold Coast, and Surinam; where Anansi-Tori (spider stories) are involved in burial rites (the stories are understood to be told *to the Dead*), which seem to tie in to the idea of a spider "death-god".

Zulu mythology, conversely, seems to involve a good deal of sky and nature. They have their own interesting myths and archetypes, including the tiny, fairy-like Abatwa who are very sensitive about their size. Insulting them or stepping on them evokes a death-sentence via poison arrow.

Another being is the draconic Inkanyamba, a terrifying water-serpent-who can also fly on the backs of storm-clouds. Both of these beings seem to have originated with the Bushman culture (The Bushmen worshipped and drew cave-paintings of a water-serpent who was their protector), which has mostly been displaced by the Zulu.

Zulu myth also contains the Intulo, a lizard-man, and omen of death/doom that some people have connected (a bit dubiously, in my opinion) with the "Reptilian Alien" UFO meme.

They could also concievably be Maasai, or based on Great Zimbabwe.

I'd love to see nations based on the Zulu, the Maasai, Zimbabwe/Great Zimbabwe/the Shona, the Lemba (with their Jewish heritage and possible connection to the Ark of the Covenant, the Nubian kingdoms (maybe once a colony of C'tis and then Ermor, and influenced by them, but with their own culture and take on things), the Pygmis/the Congo (African Pangaea? or a very unusual Hoburg nation? Both?), Aja/Fon/Dahomey/Benin (perhaps a blood nation not unlike Machaka?), The San of the Kalahari (perhaps centered on the Tsodilo site? Maybe something similar to MA Agartha, only with giant stone paintings, instead of giant stone statues, coming to life, in combination with sacred undead and spirits?). The Malagasy (and other tribes) of Madagascar (Lost World, anyone?), and Sheba/Zanzibar/Ethiopia (for an African themed nation that gradually becomes more Arabic, and then more Judeo/Christian-giving us a strong, relatively good nation in LA, and/or is influenced by the Kingdom of Prester John stories.)