fuckyeahafricanmythology:

(Children possesed by the demon being healed)

Abiku

Demonic/Forest Dewller

Origins- Yoruba/Dahomey/Fon/West Africa

 Abiku refers to the spirits of children who die before reaching puberty; a child who dies before twelve years of age being called an Abiku, and the spirit, or spirits, who caused the death being also called Abiku. The Abiku posses the minds and bodies of children and babies, drawing away their life until the child dies. They kill the child by eating and drinking everything that the child is giving, no matter how much food and drink the child has the hunger is never satisfied as the Abiku consumes everything. Once the child dies the spirits go on to find another victim.

The only known ways to protect a child or baby is to adorn it with bells,dedicate the child to a god or goddess, rub red peeper into the child’s wounds, to mark the child as a undesriable host body. Sometimes a child in chains by iron ankles and bells to ward an Abiku before it has a chance to posses a child.

Artist Setsuna22 OC of a Abiku female, Aziza.  http://setsuna22.tumblr.com/post/5773535608/my-oc-aziza-print-for-fanime-d

(via raehex)