So… What Exactly Is a Tokoloshe (And Why Are They So Damn Hot)?

L N Bokete
May 30
3 min read

Updated: Jun 2

Let’s get this out of the way: if you came here looking for traditional South African folklore about the Tokoloshe—you know, the short, hairy creature that bites your toes off and makes you stack bricks under your bed—you’re in the wrong bush.

Because my Tokoloshe?

They’re tall. They’re terrifying. They’re hot enough to ruin your entire five-year plan.

Yes, I said what I said.

Where It Started

The real-life Tokoloshe folklore has always fascinated me. These mysterious creatures that lurk at night, born of dark magic, mischief, and ancestral warning. But the way the stories were told—always from a place of fear, superstition, and silence—I couldn’t help but wonder… what if we rewrote the story?

What if the Tokoloshe weren’t monsters?

What if they were misunderstood guardians?

What if they were protectors shaped by pain, duty, and blood magic? What if they were fine?

Thus, my Tokoloshe were born. They have power, yes. But they also have trauma, honour codes, shapeshifting abilities, and loyalty that can kill. They are the elite soldiers of a hidden world. They carry ancestral magic like a burden and a blessing. And each of them is battling something bigger than themselves—whether it’s legacy, grief, madness, or forbidden love.

Tokoloshe and men — Shosova's against the Vagavaga Troop

So… Why Are They So Damn Hot?

Okay, okay. Let’s get to the good part.

Physically, yes, they’re hot. Because if I’m building a fantasy world, I’m not wasting my time with dusty trolls or emotionally unavailable vampires in skinny jeans. My Tokoloshe have muscles, presence, and that jaw-clenchy intensity that says, “I will burn down a kingdom for you but also expect you to hold your own sword.”

But what makes them really hot is deeper than abs and Alpha energy.

It’s honour. Even the broken ones.

It’s sacrifice. They bleed for the people they protect.

It’s devotion. Mates are sacred. Bonding isn’t casual—it’s cosmic.

It’s the fact that they’re just as likely to hand you a weapon as they are to wrap you in a blanket after battle. They are wild and gentle, monstrous and soft. And that duality? Whew. Somebody pass me a fan.

They’re also flawed. My Tokoloshe mess up. Badly. They push people away. They grieve out loud. They lie to protect. They bottle things up until the trauma claws at their skin. But still—they fight. They choose. And in a world trying to break them, they find ways to love anyway.

But Are They Real?

If you’re asking if these specific fictional creatures exist in our world—no. But are they real in the sense that they represent our fears, our rage, our desire to protect, and our craving for belonging? Absolutely.

I’ve just wrapped those truths in abs, leather, and ancestral war paint.

You’re welcome.

The end for now...

So yes, I took a terrifying figure from African folklore and gave him a makeover. But more than that, I gave him a story. One that blends fear and fire, softness and survival. Because sometimes, the monsters we were taught to fear are just warriors who never had a voice.

And if they happen to look like Dej Desi while doing it?

Well… blame the ancestors.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon and discover more

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/L.-N.-Bokete/author/B0BST533VN?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Enjoy this Episode of Tokoloshe 2;