Name ▲▼ | Origin ▲▼ | Description ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Spirit name "Kangalogba" | Pokot / Suk / Uganda / western Kenya, East Africa | Primordial spirit. The female spirit personified in the dragonfly and also the apotheosis of the sacred river Oubangui. The mother of the creator god TORO.... |
God name "Kazyoba" | Nyamwezi / Tanzania, East Africa | Sun god. Regarded as the tutelary deity and creator of the tribe.... |
God name "Kibuka" | Buganda / Uganda, East Africa | God of war. The brother of the creator god MUKASA, said to reside on the island of Sese. According to tradition, he secured victory in war for the Buganda by taking the form of a cloud which hovered above their enemies and Rained spears and arrows. He apparently enjoyed a succession of temples in the past which housed the hidden statue of the god and his sacred shield.... |
God name "Kyumbe" | Zaramo / Tanzania, East Africa | Creator god. Tradition has it that the earth and sky may have been present before this being emerged. He is, however, perceived as having engendered all living things on earth. He first created animals' bodies without tails. When they had their legs fitted, Kyumbe added tails as an afterthought.... |
God name "Lesa" | southeastern African | Creator god. The name by which the supreme deity is known across a wide area of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Equating to LISA in regions of West Africa. Also regarded as a Rain god. Probably strongly influenced by Islam and, to a lesser extent, by Christianity. Also Leza.... |
God name "Lisa" | Fon / others / Benin, West Africa | Creator god. Probably the equivalent of LESA in parts of East Africa. The supreme deity, whose more or less monotheistic role may have been influenced by the spread of Islam and Christianity.... |
God name "Lubanga" | Bunyoro / Uganda, East Africa | God of health. He is invoked by offerings of beer and his sanctuaries are surrounded by rows of trees.... |
God name "Mugizi" | Bunyoro / Uganda, East Africa | lake god. The guardian deity of lake Albert, invoked with offerings by those wishing to cross the lake in boats.... |
God name "Muhingo" | Bunyoro / Uganda, East Africa | God of war. Invoked specifically by warriors before entering battle.... |
Supreme god name "Mukasa" | Buganda / Uganda, East Africa | Supreme god. A benevolent deity whose main oracular sanctuary was sited on the island of Bubembe, lake Victoria. His first high priest was Semagunga and, by convention, only the tribal leader was permitted to consult with the oracle there. Mukasa provides Rain, food and cattle.... |
Goddess name "Mulindwa" | Bunyoro / Uganda, East Africa | Guardian goddess. The tutelary protector of the tribal chiefs and their families constituting the royal clan.... |
God name "Mulungu" | Africa | A creator God of the Nyamwezi people of Tanzania in eastern Africa. Despite being the creator and protector of the world, he is distant and has little contact with anyone. It is said that he once lived on earth, but when someone set fire to the landscape he asked a spider to spin him a web to climb up into the sky, where he lives today. He is revered now as a sky god, with thunder as his voice. |
God name "Mungu" | Swahili / East Africa | Creator god. The name applied to the notion of a single god in the heavens, influenced by the spread of Christianity. Also Mulungu.... |
God name "Munume" | Bunyoro / Uganda, East Africa | God of weather. Invoked during times of drought or deluge and propitiated by means of sacrifice, usually an ox from the tribal chief and sheep or fowl from the villagers. The blood is sprinkled on the floor of the sanctuary and the flesh is eaten at the door.... |
Goddess name "Muso Koroni (the pure woman with the primeval soul)" | Bambara / Mali, West Africa | Chthonic fertility goddess. The mother of all living things, she introduced mankind to the principles of farming. She has a terrifying appearance, depicted either in human form, sometimes with many breasts (cf. ARTEMIS at Ephesus), or as a panther. In the latter guise she uses her claws to bring on menstruation in women and to cirçúɱcise both sexes. Prior to cirçúɱ cision a youth is said to possess wanzo, an untamed wildness. Muso Koroni is pursued by the Sun god, PEMBA, who impregnates her in the form of a tree (Acacia albida). Also Mousso Coronie.... |
God name "Mw-ene" | Africa | Designates God-meaning the Master, the Chief. The Sagala, East Africa |
God name "Ndaula" | Bunyoro / Uganda, East Africa | Plague god. Particularly åśśociated with smallpox. His shrines are usually situated on the edge of a community and on the frontiers of the tribal land so that he may be invoked to keep the disease in neighboring territory.... |
God name "Ngai" | Africa | The name of the High God. Kikuyu, East Africa |