The Sacred Pythons of the East

                       Sacred Python of the East

A Rock Python

                                                                     @sharonmccutcheon

Wild animals especially the reptilian kind are always avoided by humans. Crocodiles, turtles,lizards and skinks are just some of them. The snake however is another of the repilian group generally avioded by man. The good book blames it for man travails and it is not helped by its anatomy, lack  of visible arms and legs and offcourse it’s beady cold looks. That it is cold to touch makes it all the more distatedul to touch and feel. The Python one of the kind of snakes with no poison but packing some serious muscle is found on the African,Asia, Australia and the South African Continent. Some of them grow to be as long as an electric pole while some are just a few feet in length. What they do appear to have in common is thier taste for warm blood and hatred by man. 

How ever in the South Eastern Part of Nigeria, specifically amongst the Idemili Clan of the Igbo Tribes ,it is considers Sacred and the protector of the people, believed to be a message of the gods and is allowed to roam freely in the community. It is a taboo to harm it ,killing it is a major cultural issue with the killer having to make some sacrifices to appease the gods and holding a funeral ceremony for the dead reptile.

They are found roaming the bushes around the village and atimes seen moving about in the rafters of the building in the community. Surprisingly they are benign in behaviour and some even allow themselves to be handled. That they may constitute pest feeding on chickens and Thier eggs is not allowed as children are empowered to chase them away from feeding on the local livestock. 

It is amazing that an animal which is considered dangerous with records of some human fatality will be given free rein is almost unbelievable but then this is Africa animals, especially the reptilian kind are always avoided by humans. Frogs, salamanders,lizards and skinks. The snake however, is another of the reptilian group generally avioded by man. The good book blames it for man's travails and it is not helped by its look, lack of visible arms and legs and off-course it's beady cold looks. That it is cold to touch makes it all the more distasteful to touch and feel. The Python,one of the specie of snakes with no poison but packing some serious muscle is found on the African,Asia, Australia n and the South African Continent. Some of them grow to be as long as an electric pole while some are just a few feet. What they do have in common is Thier taste for warm blood and hatred by man.

Read about The Bird of Death

Surprisingly, in the South Eastern Part of Nigeria, especially amongst the Idemili Clan of the Igbo Tribes ,it is considered sacred and the protector of the people. It is believed to be a message of the gods and may roam freely in the community. It is a taboo to harm it, killing it is a major cultural issue with the killer having to make some sacrifices to appease the gods and holding a funeral ceremony for the dead reptile.

They are found roaming the bushes around the village and atimes seen moving about in the rafters of the building in the community. Surprisingly they are benign in behaviour and some even allow themselves to be handled. That they may constitute pest feeding on chickens and thier eggs is not allowed as children are empowered to chase them away from feeding on the local livestock.

It is amazing that an animal which is considered dangerous with records of some human fatality will be given free rein is almost unbelievable but then this is Africa

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