TYPE: River God
ORIGIN: Bambara [Mali, West Africa]
INFORMATION: Regarded as the deity who brought order to the world at the time of creation. He impregnated himself and gave birth to twins who were the first human beings. He is also the progenitor of fish stocks in the river Niger. His chief adversary is the god of the desert wind, Teliko. Faro is propitiated annually by a Komo society of men in a ritual of dancing. They use a special mask which is created anew each year. According to legend Faro came to earth after a long period of drought during which most of the living things died. He also gave mankind the gift speech.