| Folklore includes a traditional trickster figure, the | | | | truth teller, a story teller, a transformer. We are |
| subject of many stories in a cycle. Trickster tales are | | | | most accessible to the gifts of the Trickster when |
| in the animal tales genre, with the trickster himself -- | | | | we ourselves are at, or near, boundaries - when we |
| he seems always to be male -- identified with a | | | | are experiencing transition states. As an archetype, |
| particular animal. These include the fox in Japan, | | | | the Trickster, the boundary dweller, finds expression |
| mouse deer in Southeast Asia, the coyote and the | | | | through human imagination and experience.Trickster |
| spider among the Native Americans, the tortoise and | | | | tales are great favourites in many cultures. They |
| spider in West Africa, and the mantis in Southern | | | | represent the underdog who uses skill and cunning to |
| Africa.These tales feature a trickster-hero who may | | | | outwit a superior. West African trickster animals have |
| be regarded as both creator god and innocent fool, | | | | a significant presence in the New World, when they |
| evil destroyer and childlike prankster.Tricksters are | | | | travelled as part of the folklore of enslaved Africans. |
| usually small in size next to the large, strong animals | | | | The rabbit is best known as Br'er Rabbit in the |
| that appear in the same folktales. Tricksters survive | | | | folktales documented by Joel Chandler Harris in the |
| by their wits, but they do more than just survive. | | | | USA. We also find him in his modern avatar, Bugs |
| They constantly play tricks on the animals around | | | | Bunny !The spider is best known as Anansi, and you |
| them, outwitting and mistreating their powerful | | | | find him throughout the former English and French |
| neighbours even when these larger animals haven't | | | | colonies of the West Indies.The role of the slave |
| done anything to deserve it. Occasionally he | | | | trickster tales was an important one giving a sense |
| overreaches himself and finds that he's been too | | | | of pride and hope for the future. They showed that |
| clever for his own good.It's the Trickster who points | | | | the weak could conquer the strong. The tales were |
| out the flaws in our carefully managed societies. He | | | | devices that taught helplessness can triumph over |
| rebels against authority, pokes fun at the overly | | | | virtue and mischievousness is better than malice. For |
| serious, creates complex schemes and generally plays | | | | the slaves, trickster folklore was also a weapon by |
| with the Laws of the Universe. He constantly | | | | which they were able to take subtle revenge on their |
| questions the rules, and causes us to question these | | | | masters.Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief |
| same rules. The Trickster appears when a way of | | | | counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies |
| thinking becomes outmoded, when old ways need to | | | | and Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions, |
| be changed.The Trickster is a creator, a joker, a | | | | and specialises in celebrations for women. |