The Asanbosam
In Akan folklore, a forest creature with iron teeth and hooks for feet hangs from the treetops, waiting for hunters to pass below.
What was reported
The asanbosam, also called sasabonsam, is a creature of the forests of Ghana and its neighbours in Akan folklore. It's described as hairy, with iron teeth, long legs and hook-like feet, which it uses to hang from high branches.
Hunters were told to be careful in the deep forest, where the asanbosam might dangle down and snatch them up into the trees.
Explanations offered
It's a legendary creature, often compared to the vampires of European folklore, though it has its own character. Folklorists see it as a story about the real dangers of the deep forest. It appears in modern Ghanaian art and literature.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Ashanti region, Ghana
- Witnesses
- Akan 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.
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