Yumboes are supernatural beings in the
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...
of the
Wolof people
The Wolof people () are a West African ethnic group found in northwestern Senegal, the Gambia, and southwestern coastal Mauritania. In Senegal, the Wolof are the largest ethnic group (~43.3%), while elsewhere they are a minority. They refer to ...
(most likely
Lebou
The Lebu (Lebou, ''Lébou'') are an ethnic group of Senegal, West Africa, living on the peninsula of Cap-Vert. The Lebu are primarily a fishing community, but they have a substantial business in construction supplies and real estate.Keese, Alexa ...
) of
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
,
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...
. Their alternatively used name Bakhna Rakhna literally means ''good people.
[Keightley, Thomas. "The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries", George Bell and Sons (1892), pp. 495-49]
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41006/41006-h/41006-h.htm]
Description
Yumboes are the spirits of the dead and, like many supernatural beings in African beliefs, they are completely of a pearly-white colour. They are sometimes said to have silver hair. They stand about two feet tall.
The Yumboes live beneath the
Breast-shaped hill, Paps hills and come out to dance in the moonlight. They feast on large tables, waited on by servants who are invisible except for their hands and feet. Yumboes eat corn (which they steal from the humans) and fish (which they catch on their own). They invite both natives and foreigners to their feasts.
Background
The known sources for the yumboes are Natasha Bowen's Skin of the sea
Thomas Keightley
Thomas Keightley (17 October 1789 – 4 November 1872) was an Irish writer known for his works on mythology and folklore, particularly ''Fairy Mythology'' (1828), later reprinted as ''The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves, and Other Little ...
's book ''The Fairy Mythology.'' Keightley received his account from a woman who had lived on
Goree Island, off the coast of Senegal, when she was a child. She had heard about the yumboes from a Wolof maid. Keightley remarked on the yumboes’ resemblance to European fairies. However, they are also examples of the ancestral ghosts described in many African countries.
In popular culture
On
Pottermore
Wizarding World Digital is the digital publishing, e-commerce, entertainment and news company. It offers news, features, and articles as well as new and previously unreleased writing by J. K. Rowling regarding the Wizarding World. The site featu ...
, yumboes appeared as African house elves and the mascots of Senegal's national quidditch team.
One of the adventure gamebooks based on the television series ''
Knightmare
''Knightmare'' is a British children's adventure game show, created by Tim Child, and broadcast over eight series on CITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994. The general format of the show is of a team of four children – one who tak ...
'' features yumboes as savage, flesh-eating creatures. Alighting on their island causes them to attack the player.
In the 2021 novel ''
Skin of the Sea'' by Nigerian Welsh writer
Natasha Bowen, Yumboes are featured as African fairies.
In the 2021 bizarro novella Not Seeing Is A Flower by Urhobo writer Erhu Kome, Yumboes are small creatures who assist in the running of the Dharma/Cupid organization.
References
Wolof mythology
West African legendary creatures
{{Africa-myth-stub
Mythic humanoids