What does the monkey symbolize in Africa?

A MONKEY

By all accounts, monkeys guarded human settlements from the spirits of dead people, preventing them from entering there. The statue in the picture belongs to the Baul, the people who inhabited the Ivory Coast. This statue depicts the monkey god Gbekre, brother of the buffalo spirit Guli. They were both sons of the heavenly god Nya-me. Gbekre had to watch the actions of evil otherworldly forces. In addition, he was also revered as the god of agriculture, in connection with which sacrificial offerings were often brought to his statues.

Among all other monkeys, chimpanzees were of particular importance. Because of their external similarity to humans, these monkeys were often viewed by Africans as a mixture of humans and apes. In many myths, monkeys were considered descended from humans. In addition, chimpanzees were considered protectors of people, and therefore killing these monkeys was considered unacceptable.

Gorillas, on the other hand, were viewed as an independent human race that lives deep in the jungle and, according to Ethiopian mythology, also descended from Adam and Eve. The size and strength of these monkeys earned the respect of the Africans. In the myths and epic traditions of Africans, it is often said about some kind of agreement that exists between humans and: gorillas.

Source: "Symbols of Africa" ​​Heike Ovuzu