Tokoloshe

The Account

Zulu and Xhosa tradition. Raise your bed on bricks so the tokoloshe cannot reach you in the night. He is invisible unless he drinks water.

From the Public Record

In Nguni mythology, the tokoloshe, tikoloshe, tikolosh, tonkolosh, tonkolosi, tokolotshe, thokolosi, or hili is a dwarf-like water spirit. It is a mischievous and evil spirit that can become invisible by drinking water or swallowing a stone. Tokoloshes are called upon by malevolent people to cause trouble for others. At its least harmful, a tokoloshe can be used to scare children, but its power extends to causing illness or even the death of the victim. Protection against them includes traditional methods such as raising beds off the ground and interventions by spiritual figures like pastors with an apostolic calling or traditional healers (sangomas), who are seen to possess the power to banish them. The tokoloshe is often referenced satirically to critique the influence of superstitions on behaviour and society.

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