Folk Beliefs and Psychology

In the ever fascinating world of the internet, the word “narcissist” lurks under just about every person’s tongue, waiting to be lobed at any and every one whether or not it is deserved or appropriate. I want to believe most people who use the word know the Greek myth of Narcissus. I might be wrong. Much of what we consider modern psychology and psychiatry are inextricably tied to and have been deeply influenced by mythical, folk, magical, spiritual and other such beliefs. Whether you are talking about an Oedipus complex or a generational curse brought on by dissatisfied ancestral or other spirits, the underlying narratives are what spawn, inform and propagate these beliefs.For the month of September on the Mythological Africans Podcast, we’ll be taking a break from our excavation of Geomythology from the African continent to probe at the way mythology and folklore intersect with psychology.References* Ekoue, Leocadie, et al. “Aze and the Incommensurable.” Evil in Africa: Encounters with the Everyday, edited by William C. Olsenand Walter E. A. Van Beek, Indiana University Press, 2016, pp. 128–39. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt17t75bk.12. Accessed 8 Sept. 2025.* Davies, Owen. “Finding the Folklore in the Annals of Psychiatry.” Folklore 133.1 (2022): 1-24.Can’t Get Enough?Meanwhile…The Watkins Book of African Folklore (…or The Mythological Africans Book) is out!The Watkins Book of African Folklore contains 50 stories, curated from North, South, East, West and Central Africa. The stories are grouped into three sections:* Creation myths and foundation legends* Stories about human relationships and the cultural institutions they created* Animal tales (with a twist…the folktales are about some of the most unlikely animals!)I thoroughly enjoyed digging into the historical and cultural context out of which the stories, their themes, and protagonists emerge. There is something for everybody!Mythological Africans is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Mythological Africans at mythologicalafricans.substack.com/subscribe