The Story of the Wasp's Waist: An Akan Teaching on Discord, Unity, & Healing

Every culture carries stories meant to outlive their tellers — stories that hold wisdom too important to be forgotten. In this week's episode of Mensimah's Round Table, I share one of these stories from my Akan tradition: the tale of why the wasp has a thin, curved waist. It's an old story. But if you've felt the world feeling especially divided and heavy lately, I promise — it's exactly the story you need right now.

The Story: Envy, Discord, and Unintended Destruction

The story centers on Ananse, a farmer who is ashamed that he must rely on his hardworking neighbors to support his family. Rather than change his own habits, Ananse lets envy take root. He asks each neighbor — the ant, the hen, the hawk, the hunter, the snake, the stick, the fire, the water, and the sun — to help him clear a field and promises to arrange for them to arrive at different times so they never cross paths.

He did not follow through on this promise and all the neighbors show up at once. Standing side by side, a single small act — the hen starts pecking the ant — sets off a devastating chain reaction that ends with the sun scorching away the very water meant to douse the fire. Everything is destroyed. The wasp, arriving just after the destruction, is so overcome with grief that he strikes his own body — and his waist has remained thin and curved ever since.

What the Story Teaches Us

This isn't just a folktale explaining a physical trait in nature. It's a teaching about the interconnectedness of community, and how quickly discord — even discord we didn't start — can spread when left unchecked. As Dr. Danquah writes in The Akan Doctrine of God, good morals within a community are what enhance and facilitate healing. The story of the wasp shows us the cost of the opposite: what happens when discord, confusion, or unspoken tension are allowed to simmer instead of being named and resolved.

A Reflection for You

In the episode, I lead listeners through a short guided reflection built around one question: "In what ways do I contribute to harmony or discord around me?" This isn't about guilt. It's about noticing — really noticing — where you might be carrying tension you didn't create, or contributing, even unintentionally, to disharmony in your relationships and community.

Healing Starts With Awareness

The beauty of this story is that it points both ways. Just as one small act can unravel a community, one small act of clarity, kindness, or unity can begin to heal it — and that healing can ripple out for generations.

I invite you to listen to the full episode and sit with the reflection for yourself.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: [link]

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