The Abatwa
Zulu folklore tells of the abatwa, people so small they ride on ants and hide under blades of grass.
What was reported
In Zulu folklore, the abatwa are the smallest people in the world, so tiny that they can hide beneath a single blade of grass and ride on the backs of ants. They live in the grasslands and among anthills, and are said to be easily offended.
Stories say that if you meet one, you should claim to have seen them from far away. Only certain people, such as young children, wizards and pregnant women, are said to be able to see them.
Explanations offered
The abatwa are figures of folklore. Some writers have linked the stories to encounters between farming peoples and the San, who were much smaller in stature, but this is speculation.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Witnesses
- Zulu tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.