A Most Majestic Fly Whisk

  from A Dictionary of Sandawe: The Lexicon and Culture of a Khoesan People of Tanzania , compiled by Chris and Patricia Ehret from Eric ten Raa's field notes Really out here doing anything and everything to avoid finishing almost-done posts.  A couple of hours ago, I came across an extremely interesting entry in A Dictionary of Sandawe (shown above) while looking for another word. It was v. striking to see the mantis come up in this way, bc - as those even a little familiar with the religion of the San* peoples prob know - the mantis (and The Mantis) is really important in the worldview of Southern Africa's autochthons. There's been mentions of a special role for mantids in Sandawe thinking that I've seen before, but tbh it was just the kind of passing mention that I didn't credit with much beyond over-excited folks seeing a relationship where there might not be any; there's very little outside of these notes from ten Raa on what exactly that role was, frex.  ...