Kikiyaon

Kikiyaon: The Soul-Eater of the West African Forests

Hidden deep within the gloomy rainforests of West Africa, in regions rarely trodden by scientists or travellers, there are whispered legends of creatures that defy classification. These beings are not merely figments of imagination or folklore—they are, to the local tribes and elders, real and dangerous, with the power not only to kill the body but to steal or destroy the soul. Among these feared forest entities, few evoke as much dread as the elusive and terrifying Kikiyaon.

The Creature

Regarded as one of the most fearsome entities in West African lore, the Kikiyaon is as elusive as it is deadly. Sightings are rare, and most who encounter it do not survive long enough to recount their experience. The name “Kikiyaon” itself is enough to strike fear into the hearts of the Bambara people and other forest dwellers—evoking expressions of terror and solemn warnings passed down through generations.

The creature is typically described as a monstrous hybrid, blending the features of a man and an owl. It is said to have a massive, round head like that of a great owl, complete with piercing eyes and a formidable hooked beak capable of tearing through flesh. Its most disturbing feature, however, is its limbs: both arms and legs end in razor-sharp talons, resembling those of the largest birds of prey, and strong enough to shred tree bark or bone.

The Bambara describe the Kikiyaon as having a pair of large, feathered wings that sprout from its back, allowing it to move with uncanny silence through the trees or descend upon prey without warning. At the shoulder joints of these wings are sharp spurs—additional weapons if its talons fail to finish the job. Its body is said to be covered in short greenish-grey hair, giving it a ghostly hue in moonlight, and some witnesses claim it has a short, tufted tail, further emphasizing its animalistic strangeness.

A Fearsome Sound

Though rarely seen, the Kikiyaon is often heard. It is well known to forest villagers that the creature announces its presence through a series of chilling vocalizations that echo across the savannahs and jungle canopy. One of its most common calls is described as a deep-throated, guttural grunt, a sound that can travel for miles on the wind. While some ornithologists have speculated that this could be the cry of the Pel’s Fishing Owl, researcher Owen Burnham, who twice tracked the sound to its source, was unable to spot any bird—raising suspicions of something more sinister.

Even more terrifying is its screaming moan, a cry that begins as a low strangled rasp before rising into a wailing shriek. This eerie noise, drifting on the night air, has been compared to the sound of a man being slowly strangled—a desperate, choking howl that leaves listeners chilled to the bone. These calls are most commonly heard during the rainy season, between July and September, when the forests are at their thickest and the veil between worlds seems thinnest.

Strange Habits

The Kikiyaon is a creature of darkness and shadow, preferring the deepest, most secluded parts of the forest, where sunlight rarely penetrates. It is almost never encountered in open terrain and is said to emerge only at twilight or night, stalking travelers who linger too long on the forest paths. Its preferred victims are solitary individuals—those who, for one reason or another, have not yet made it home before dusk.

Those who claim to have seen it and survived often succumb to illness soon afterwards—sometimes weeks or months later—as if cursed by the encounter. Some suffer from feverish dreams and emotional distress; others die mysteriously without signs of trauma. In local belief, this is due to the Kikiyaon’s ability to attack not only the body, but also the spirit, draining its victim of life force or inflicting spiritual wounds invisible to modern medicine.

What makes the Kikiyaon truly unique among cryptids is its dual existence—both physical and spiritual. Local lore describes it as a creature capable of shifting between worlds, moving seamlessly between the material realm and the spirit plane. In the physical world, it is a swift and deadly predator, able to outrun a man or dive down from the canopy in a deadly strike. In the spiritual realm, it becomes a dream stalker, appearing in nightmares to pursue its prey across surreal landscapes.

Interestingly, some tribal accounts suggest that the dream realm offers a strange kind of safety. While the Kikiyaon can chase and terrify in dreams, it reportedly lacks the ability to smell or fully sense its target there—much like real-world birds of prey, which rely heavily on sight and movement rather than scent. Dreamers often recount fleeing from the creature through vast, dark forests, only to awaken just before being caught.

A Living Myth?

Western science has yet to recognize the Kikiyaon as a legitimate species, relegating it to the realm of myth and folklore. But for the people of West Africa, especially those living close to the forest, the creature is a real and active threat—one to be avoided, feared, and respected. Whether it is a surviving relic of a prehistoric predator, a supernatural guardian of the wild, or a manifestation of the collective human psyche, the Kikiyaon remains one of the most enigmatic and terrifying beings in the folklore of Africa.

To venture into its territory is to risk more than life—it is to walk the threshold between worlds, where even the shadows have wings and the silence can scream.

SOURCE:

*https://www.cryptozoology.fsbusiness.co.uk/topics/kikiyaon/index.html

NOTE:

Edited and revised for the Web by Occult Media, the 2nd of March of the Year 2023. We use British English spelling.