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In traditional Bantu cultures

Origin, diffusion, and etymology

The original early-Bantu name for the highest God of gods, creator and father of all gods, was probably Nyàmbé, possibly from the verb root -àmb-, "to begin".^[1] With the diversification of Bantu cultures, other names came about, with "Mulungu" emerging in the ancient Southern-Kaskazi group (about 6000 BC). The etymology of the name is disputed.^[2] One hypothesis is that the name is derived from a verb root -ng-, meaning "to be rectified", "to become right"; in this case, the original concept of Mulungu is that of a creator god that established the original, right order on the world.^[1]

Description

All traditional Bantu cultures have a notion of a "creator god", a concept which was already established in the Niger–Congo cultures.^[1] This creator god is usually seen as a remote deity, far and detached from men and living beings; in some cases, it is more of an impersonal "creating force" or a primum movens than a "God" in the usual sense of the word.^[1]^[2] Even when described as a personal god, the Creator is believed to be far and detached from men and living beings; this detachment is the subject of a number of Bantu myths describing how the creator left the Earth, moving to the sky, as a consequence of him being upset with men or annoyed by their activities. It is thus a common trait of Bantu religions that no prayers, and usually no worship, is actually directed to the creator;^[1] men interact with lower-levels gods and spirits that are closer and more interested in human affairs. These general lines are common to traditional concepts of Mulungu as found in Kikuyu, Ruvu, and other cultures.^[1] A Nyamwezi myth about the departure of Mulungu from the Earth involves Mulungu being upset of the fires set by men to the landscape, and asking the spider to weave a web for him to climb up to the sky.^[3]

Modern uses

With the advent of either Islam or Christianity, the word "Mulungu" was usually adopted to mean the Christian or Islamic God. Over thirty translations of the Bible in African languages use the word Mulungu to refer to the Father.^[2] As another example, Jesus Christ is referred to as mwana wa Mulungu ("child of Mulungu") in modern religious songs in Chichewa language (Malawi). The word was also used in Swahili Islamic literature before the derivative name "Mungu" became more common.

Southern Africa

In Mozambique nowadays Mulungo in CiSena language is seen as the Almighty God directly related to Christianity as Father of Jesus Christ. Mulungu wanga which means My God.

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Gonzales, cap. 3
^ ^a ^b ^c Bleeker and Windengreen (1971), p. 556
^ Mulungu on Myth Encyclopedia

References

Bleeker, C. J. and G. Widengreen (1971), Historia Religionum, Brill. (On GoogleBooks)
Ehret, Christopher (1998), An African Classical Age.
Frankl, P. J. L. (1990), The word for "God" in Swahili, «Journal of Religion in Africa» XX (3) (Estratto su JStor)
Gonzales, Rhonda, Societies, Religions, and History: Central East Tanzanians and the World They Created, c. 200 BCE to 1800 CE. Online text
Nurse, Derek and Thomas J. Hinnebusch. Swahili and Sabaki: A Linguistic History. University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1993.

[Gonzales-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Gonzales, cap. 3

[Bleeker-2] Bleeker and Windengreen (1971), p. 556

[3] Mulungu on Myth Encyclopedia

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|Bantu deity}}
 {{for|the Brazilian medicinal plant|Erythrina mulungu}}
-'''Mulungu''' is a common name of the [[creator deity]] in a number of [[Bantu languages]] and cultures over [[East Africa|East]], [[Central Africa|Central]] and [[Southern Africa]].<ref>Derek e Hinnebusch (1993), p. 620, and Ehret (1998), pp. 166.167</ref><ref name="Gonzales">Gonzales, cap. 3</ref><ref name="blackwell">[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631181392_chunk_g978063118139214_ss1-123 Mlondolozi], ''A new dictionary of Religions'', [http://www.blackwellreference.com/Blackwell Reference Online]</ref>  This includes [[Yao people (East Africa)|Yao]], [[Nyamwezi people|Nyamwezi]], [[Shambaa people|Shambaa]], [[Kamba people|Kamba]], [[Sukuma people|Sukuma]], [[Rufiji people|Rufiji]], [[Turu people|Turu]], [[Ameru people|Ameru]] and [[Kikuyu people|Kikuyu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mythologydictionary.com/african-mythology.html|title=MythDict, African Mythology|website=mythologydictionary.com|language=en}}</ref>
 ==In traditional Bantu cultures==
 ===Origin, diffusion, and etymology===
-The original early-Bantu name for the highest God of gods, creator and father of all gods, was probably ''Nyàmbé'', possibly from the verb root ''-àmb-'', "to begin".<ref name="Gonzales"/>  With the diversification of Bantu cultures, other names came about, with "Mulungu" emerging in the ancient [[Kaskazi|Southern-Kaskazi]] group (about 6000 BC).  The etymology of the name is disputed.<ref name="Bleeker"/>  One hypothesis is that the name is derived from a verb root ''-ng-'', meaning "to be rectified", "to become right"; in this case, the original concept of Mulungu is that of a creator god that established the original, right order on the world.<ref name="Gonzales"/>
+The original early-Bantu name for the highest God of gods, creator and father of all gods, was probably ''Nyàmbé'', possibly from the verb root ''-àmb-'', "to begin".<ref name="Gonzales">Gonzales, cap. 3</ref>  With the diversification of Bantu cultures, other names came about, with "Mulungu" emerging in the ancient [[Kaskazi|Southern-Kaskazi]] group (about 6000 BC).  The etymology of the name is disputed.<ref name="Bleeker"/>  One hypothesis is that the name is derived from a verb root ''-ng-'', meaning "to be rectified", "to become right"; in this case, the original concept of Mulungu is that of a creator god that established the original, right order on the world.<ref name="Gonzales"/>
 ===Description===
-All traditional Bantu cultures have a notion of a "creator god", a concept which was already established in the [[Niger-Congo]] cultures.<ref name="Gonzales"/>  This creator god is usually seen as a remote deity, far and detached from men and living beings; in some cases, it is more of an impersonal "creating force" or a ''[[primum movens]]'' than a "God" in the usual sense of the word.<ref name="Gonzales"/><ref name="Bleeker"/>  Even when described as a personal god, the Creator is believed to be far and detached from men and living beings; this detachment is the subject of a number of [[Bantu mythology|Bantu myths]] describing how the creator left the Earth, moving to the sky, as a consequence of him being upset with men or annoyed by their activities.  It is thus a common trait of Bantu religions that no prayers, and usually no worship, is actually directed to the creator;<ref name="Gonzales"/> men interact with lower-levels gods and spirits that are closer and more interested in human affairs.  These general lines are common to traditional concepts of Mulungu as found in Kikuyu, Ruvu, and other cultures.<ref name="Gonzales"/>  A Nyamwezi myth about the departure of Mulungu from the Earth involves Mulungu being upset of the fires set by men to the landscape, and asking the [[spider]] to weave a web for him to climb up to the sky.<ref>[http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Mi-Ni/Mulungu.html Mulungu] on Myth Encyclopedia</ref>
+All traditional Bantu cultures have a notion of a "creator god", a concept which was already established in the [[Niger–Congo]] cultures.<ref name="Gonzales"/>  This creator god is usually seen as a remote deity, far and detached from men and living beings; in some cases, it is more of an impersonal "creating force" or a ''[[primum movens]]'' than a "God" in the usual sense of the word.<ref name="Gonzales"/><ref name="Bleeker"/>  Even when described as a personal god, the Creator is believed to be far and detached from men and living beings; this detachment is the subject of a number of [[Bantu mythology|Bantu myths]] describing how the creator left the Earth, moving to the sky, as a consequence of him being upset with men or annoyed by their activities.  It is thus a common trait of Bantu religions that no prayers, and usually no worship, is actually directed to the creator;<ref name="Gonzales"/> men interact with lower-levels gods and spirits that are closer and more interested in human affairs.  These general lines are common to traditional concepts of Mulungu as found in Kikuyu, Ruvu, and other cultures.<ref name="Gonzales"/>  A Nyamwezi myth about the departure of Mulungu from the Earth involves Mulungu being upset of the fires set by men to the landscape, and asking the [[spider]] to weave a web for him to climb up to the sky.<ref>[http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Mi-Ni/Mulungu.html Mulungu] on Myth Encyclopedia</ref>
 ==Modern uses==
 With the advent of either [[Islam]] or [[Christianity]], the word "Mulungu" was usually adopted to mean the Christian or Islamic God.  Over thirty translations of the [[Holy Bible|Bible]] in African languages use the word Mulungu to refer to the Father.<ref name="Bleeker">Bleeker and Windengreen (1971), p. 556</ref>  As another example, [[Jesus Christ]] is referred to as ''mwana wa Mulungu'' ("child of Mulungu") in modern religious songs in [[Chichewa language]] ([[Malawi]]).  The word was also used in Swahili Islamic literature before the derivative name "Mungu" became more common.
+'''Southern Africa'''
+In Mozambique nowadays Mulungo in CiSena language is seen as the Almighty God directly related to Christianity as Father of Jesus Christ. ''Mulungu wanga'' which means My God.
 ==See also==
@@ Line 27: / Line 30: @@
 * Gonzales, Rhonda, ''Societies, Religions, and History: Central East Tanzanians and the World They Created, c. 200 BCE to 1800 CE.'' [http://www.gutenberg-e.org/gonzales/chapter3.html#txt5 Online text]
 * Nurse, Derek and Thomas J. Hinnebusch. ''Swahili and Sabaki: A Linguistic History''. University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1993.
+{{Names of God}}
-[[Category:Bantu mythology]]
+[[Category:Bantu religion]]
 [[Category:African gods]]
 [[Category:Thunder gods]]