#1377: Erzulie and continuity: Benson comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: LeGrace Benson <legracebenson@clarityconnect.com>
"Anaisa" is close to "Anansi" now becoming well known to US children
through some story books. Anansi, which I am told is an Akan name, is the
clever spider, who stole all the stories from tiger. In another version, he
able to do so becasue his even cleverer wife gives him the instructions.
Anansi stories are found throughout the Caribbean, and at least one scholar
says they find their way into Uncle Remus tales as "Miss Nancy and the
gals."  There is painting by Prefete Duffaut of Jacmel which shows a
"Spider Woman" in the same position as the Virgin Mary in a much earlier
work of his.  I offered an analysis of this work in the presence of a noted
houngan who informed me that the spider woman is the lwa Anansi, known to
vodouisants in the Les Cayes-Jacmel area. Later a freind told me his
cousin, living on the plateau central was possessed by "Anansi" from time
to time.

This may be a different lwa, but at least they seem kin?
<legracebenson@clarityconnect.com>