Sasabonsam

{{short description|Vampire-like folkloric being from the Akan people}}

The Sasabonsam, or sometimes Asanbosam,{{cite book

| last =Konstantinos

| author-link =Konstantinos

| title =Vampires: The Occult Truth

| publisher =Llewellyn Worldwide

| date =1996

| pages =27

| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=RzQ-2u9ESBUC&pg=PA27

| isbn =1-56718-380-8 }}

is a vampire-like folkloric being from the Akan people. It belongs to the folklore of the Akan of southern Ghana, as well as Côte d'Ivoire, Togo{{cite book |last=Bunson |first=Matthew |title=The Vampire Encyclopedia |year=1993 |page=11 |publisher=Thames & Hudson |location=London |isbn=0-500-27748-6}} and 18th century Jamaica from enslaved Akan.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QLw_AAAAcAAJ&q=edward%20long%20coromantee&pg=PA446 |first=Edward |last=Long |title=The History of Jamaica Or, A General Survey of the Ancient and Modern State of that Island: With Reflexions on Its Situation, Settlements, Inhabitants, Climate, Products, Commerce, Laws, and Government |volume=2 |year=1774 |number= 3/4 |pages= 445–475}} It is said to have iron teeth, pink skin, long red hair and iron hooks for feet and lives in trees, attacking from above. In the forests of West Africa, there were rules of renewal, and the Sasabonsam would enforce these rules. They take up territory in the trees in the forests, where they live and feed on people that wander into their home. It becomes a territorial aspect for them.{{Cite web|last=Cellania •|first=Miss|title=Sasabonsam Enforced the Rules of Renewal in West African Forests|url=https://www.neatorama.com/2020/10/30/Sasabonsam-Enforced-the-Rules-of-Renewal-in-West-African-Forests/|access-date=2021-11-09|website=Neatorama|date=30 October 2020 |language=en}} While being humanoid, these creatures have bat-like features, including wings which can be nearly 20 feet wide.{{Cite web|last=Holiday|date=2010-01-12|title=Asanbosam and Sasabonsam|url=https://www.vampires.com/asanbosam-and-sasabonsam/|access-date=2021-11-09|website=Vampires|language=en-US}} A good representation can be seen from The British Museum with the Sasabonsam figure they have in their collection. It is carved out of wood and estimated to have been made in 1935.{{Cite web|title=figure {{!}} British Museum|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1935-1212-1|access-date=2021-11-09|website=The British Museum|language=en}}

In mythology, it is usually portrayed as an archetypical ogre; according to A Dictionary of World Mythology:

...the hairy Sasabonsam has large blood-shot eyes, long legs, and feet pointing both ways. Its favourite trick is to sit on the high branches of a tree and dangle its legs so as to entangle the unwary hunter.

Both the ogre and vampire versions have iron teeth.