Konso Myths, Random Notes

The chief and elders completely agreed with the myths as we had recorded them six years ago. They liked the photo illustrations. They were easily understood.

?Yes, seeing red cattle in a dream meant a good harvest.
Also, dreaming of people sharing raw (red) meat with each other means good harvest. The meat has to be raw. If it is cooked, means bad harvest.
When I asked why so many Konso stories have red, the elder replied, “the top of the sorghum is red when freshly harvested. It looks like raw meat.”

Several mentions of snake dreams. “If a big snake is chasing him when he is in the field, means good harvest.”

Why does the red snake dream mean it will rain?
“When the water goes through the field channel, it’s like a snake. The water is like a snake through the field.”

One story has a tribal chief born from a python.

Three different creation stories. The first two I had heard before and were confirmed by the Busso elders: First Man came from a termite (insect) hill; First man came from a calabash.
One chief mentioned that the first man came from an olive tree. No other elders or chiefs confirmed that story.

Waga is the Konso name for God. “No one has seen God. We don’t know what he looks like.”??