Nzambi

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Write a review Rate this item: Preview this item Preview this item. Nzambi Mpungu is God, the father god who dwells in the heavens. Nzambici is God the essence, the god on earth, the great princess, the mother of all the animals, the one who promises her daughter to the animal who shall bring her the fire from heaven.

Lightning is made by a blacksmith, Funzi, who lives in the center of Kongo country. Nzassi is thunder, and Lusiemo is lightning. The spirit that dwells in the sea is Chicamassi-chibuinji.

The mystery of the earth, Nzambi, the mother of a beautiful daughter, gives mankind all laws, ordinances, arts, games, and musical instruments. Nzambi settles quarrels between animals, and in the stories giving her decision is embedded an immense amount of Fjort law. The creator is the great god, Nzambi Mpungu, the god who had fire and from whom Nzambi partially stole it; he did not give freely of his boxes of lightning.

Related content in Oxford Reference

Nzambi Mpungu made the earth and sent Nzambi there. Then he came down and married his creation, thereby becoming the father of us all. Nzambi became the great princess who governed all on earth. Some women were busy planting in a country where water was scarce, so they brought their sangas, containing that precious fluid, with them. As they were working, an old woman, carrying a child on her back, passed by them, hesitated for a moment, then walked back to them and asked them to give her child a cup of water.

The women said that they had carried the water from afar, and needed it for themselves, as there was no water just there. The poor old woman passed on, but told them that they would one day regret their want of charity.