This is a list of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n spirits as well as deities found within the

traditional African religions The traditional beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions.Encyclopedia of African Religion (Sage, 2009) Molefi Kete Asante Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptu ...

. It also covers spirits as well as deities found within the Afro-American religions—which is mostly derived from traditional African religions. Additionally, prominent mythic figures including heroes and

legendary creatures A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accounts ...

may also be included in this list.

Akan Akan may refer to: People and languages Akan people, an ethnic group in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire Akan language Akan () is a Central Tano languages, Central Tano language and the principal native language of the Akan people of Ghana, spoken ...

*Abu-Mehsu * Amokye *

Anansi Anansi ( ; literally translates to ''spider'') is an Akan folktale character and the Akan God of Stories, Wisdom, Knowledge, and possibly creation. The form of a spider is the most common depiction of Anansi. He is also, sometimes considered t ...

Asase Ya Asase Ya/Afua (or Asase Yaa, Asaase Yaa, Asaase Afua, Asaase Efua) is the goddess of fertility, love, procreation, peace, truth and the dry and lush earth of the Akan of Ghana and Ivory Coast. She is also Mother of the Dead known as Mother Earth ...

*Aso *Bia *Bobowissi *Bosomtwe *Intikuma *Katarwiri *

Kwase Benefo Kwase Benefo, or Kwasi Benefo, is a mythic hero featured in the mythology of Ashanti people in Ghana. He is well known for his encounter with Amokye, the Ashanti psychopomp, during his journey to the underworld ''(asamando)'' to be reunited with ...

*Kweku Tsin *

Nyame Onyame, Nyankopon (Onyankapon) and Odomankoma are the trinity of the supreme god of the Akan people of Ghana, who is most commonly known as Nyame. His name means "He who knows and sees everything" and "omniscient, omnipotent sky deity" in the Ak ...

* Owuo * Tano

Alur

* Jok Odudu

Bambara

* Bemba * Chiwara *Duga *Faro *Kontron *Muso Koroni *Ndomadyiri * Ninimini *Sanen *Suruku *Teliko

Baganda The Ganda people, or Baganda (endonym: ''Baganda''; singular ''Muganda''), are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are officiall ...

* Katonda *

Ggulu Ggulu is a character in the Gandan creation myth. He is the creator of all things in heaven. The legend In the legend, two of Ggulu's daughters discover Kintu, the first human being according to Gandan myth. When Kintu declines to follow the daug ...

* Kibuka *Kitaka *Kiwanuka *

Mukasa Mukasa is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Adolphus Ludigo-Mukasa (1861–1886), Ugandan Roman Catholic martyred for his faith *Mukasa Mbidde (born 1973), Ugandan lawyer, human-rights activist, politician * Ashe Mukasa (born 195 ...

*Musisi *

Nambi Nambi is a pastoral lease and sheep station located about north east of Leonora and south east of Leinster in the Goldfields of Western Australia. The station was established in 1899. The property was owned by the Leonora Pastoral compan ...

Warumbe Walumbe is a character in the Ganda creation myth, The Legend of Kintu. He is the son of Ggulu and the brother of Nambi. His name is translated from Lugandan as "disease" or "death" and he is responsible for death on Earth according to Gandan myt ...

*Wanema *

Wanga The Wanga kingdom is a Bantu kingdom within Kenya, consisting of the Wanga (Abawanga) tribe of the Luhya people (Abaluyia). At its peak the kingdom covered an expansive area from Jinja in west to Naivasha in the East African Rift. The Wanga ki ...

Bahumono The Bahumono (Ehumono, Kohumono) people are the ethnic group in Nigeria located primarily in the Abi local government area of Cross River State. They are the largest ethnic group in the region. They speak the Kohumono language. History The E ...

*Owazi

Boloki Loki (Boloki), or Ruki, is a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is very close to Lingala Lingala (Ngala) (Lingala: ''Lingála'') is a Bantu language spoken in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Co ...

Libanza Libanza is a legendary figure in Boloki and Upoto mythologies. In Boloki mythology, Libanza is a heroic character who is depicted as the first man, while in Upoto mythology, Libanza is a supreme god worshipped for creating the universe. In Boloki ...

* Njambe

Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. Dahomey developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a regio ...

Agé Agé (or AgeSherman, Josepha, ''Storytelling: An Encyclopedia of Mythology and Folklore'', Routledge (2015), p.500/ref>) is a god in the mythology of the Fon people The Fon people, also called Fon nu, Agadja or Dahomey, are a Gbe ethnic group.

*Ayaba *Da *

Gbadu Gbadu is a god in the Dahomey mythology of the Fon people, who are now based in Benin, Nigeria, and Togo. She is one of Mawu-Lisa’s daughters, and just like her parents, consists of both a female and male aspect though she is mostly referred to w ...

* Gleti *Gu *

Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer * Lisa Komine (born 1978), ...

*Loko *

Mawu Mawu-Lisa (alternately: Mahu) is a creator goddess, associated with the Sun and Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its p ...

Nana Buluku Nana Buluku, also known as Nana Buruku, Nana Buku or Nanan-bouclou, is the female supreme being in the West African traditional religion of the Fon people (Benin, Dahomey) and the Ewe people (Togo). She is one of the most influential deities in We ...

*Salosteles * Sakpata * Xevioso *Zinsi *Zinsu

Dinka The Dinka people ( din, Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ) are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan with a sizable diaspora population abroad. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Jonglei to Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile (two out of ...

Abuk Abuk is the first woman in the myths of the Dinka people of South Sudan and the Nuer of South Sudan and Ethiopia, who call her Buk or Acol. She is the only well-known female deity of the Dinka. She is also the patron goddess of women as well a ...

* Aiwel * Deng * Kejok * Nhialic

Efik Efik may refer to: * Efik people, an ethnic group located primarily in southeastern Nigeria * Efik language, the language of the Efik people Efik mythology, the mythological beliefs of the Efik people Efik religion, the traditional religion of t ...

* Abassi *Atai

Fang A fang is a long, pointed tooth. In mammals, a fang is a modified maxillary tooth, used for biting and tearing flesh. In snakes, it is a specialized tooth that is associated with a venom gland (see snake venom). Spiders also have external fan ...

* Mebege * Nzame

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...

*Baa-Wamnde *Bâgoumâwel *Bocoonde *Buytoorin *Celi *Dandi *Dumunna *Foroforondu *Ga *Gorko-mawɗo *Guéno *Haɓɓana-koel *Hammadi *Kaidara *Kiikala *Koumbasara *Koumen *Lewru *Naagara *Naange *Ndurbeele *Neɗɗo *Neɗɗo-mawɗo *Njeddo Dewal *Nounfayiri *Rongo *Silé Sadio *Sitti *Tongo *Tooke *Tyanaba

Gikuyu

Ngai Ngai (also called Múrungu or Enkai) is the monolithic Supreme God in the spirituality of the Kikuyu (or Gikuyu) and the closely related Embu, Meru and Kamba groups of Kenya, and the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. Ngai is creator of the univer ...

Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also ...

* Bayajida * Gizo

Igbo

* Aha Njoku * Ala *

Amadioha Amadioha is the Arusi or Agbara of thunder and lightning of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. He is amongst the most popular of Igbo deities and in some parts of Igboland Igboland (Standard ), also known as Southeastern Nigeria (but e ...

* Agwu *

Anyanwu Anyanwu (''anyaanwū'', meaning "eye of the sun" in Igbo) is an Igbo solar deity and a surname given to people of the Igbo people of Nigeria. Anyanwu is also the name given to a major character in the Octavia E. Butler's '' Patternist serie ...

Ekwensu Ekwensu is a trickster of the Igbo people, a trickster spirit of confusion,that serves as the Alusi (god) of bargains and the tortoise.Crafty at trade and negotiations. He is often invoked for guidance in difficult mercantile situations. He is pe ...

Ikenga Ikenga ( Igbo literal meaning "strength of movement") is a horned Alusi found among the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria. It is one of the most powerful symbols of the Igbo people and the most common cultural artifact. Ikenga is mostly mainta ...

*Nmuo Mmiri or Nne Mmiri. *

Ogbunabali Ogbunabali ( ig, Ogbúnàbàlị̀, lit= ekills at night) is the traditional Igbo death deity. His name is considered to be a literal description of his character as he is said to kill his victims in the night, these usually being criminals or tho ...

Ijo

* Ozidi *

Woyengi Woyengi is the creator goddess of the Ijo people of Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It ...

Kissi

* Kuino

Khoikhoi Khoekhoen (singular Khoekhoe) (or Khoikhoi in the former orthography; formerly also '' Hottentots''"Hottentot, n. and adj." ''OED Online'', Oxford University Press, March 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/88829. Accessed 13 May 2018. Citing G. S. ...

* Gaunab * Heitsi-eibib * Tsui'goab

Kongo

* Bunzi *Chicamassichinuinji *Dinganga *

Funza Funza () is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Western Savanna Province, of the department of Cundinamarca. Funza is situated on the Bogotá savanna, the southwestern part of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense with the urban centre at an altit ...

*Funzi *

Kalunga The Kalungas are Brazilians that descend from people who freed themselves from slavery, and lived in remote settlements in Goiás state, Brazil. The Kalungas are one group of Quilombola, or people of African origin who live in hinterland s ...

*Kimbazi *Kuitikuiti *Lubangala *Lusiemo *Lusunzi *Makanga *Ma Kiela *Ma Kiela * Mamba Muntu *Mbantilanda *Mbenza *Mboze *Mbumba *Moni-Mambu * Mpulu Bunzi *Ngonda *Ntangu *Na Ngutu * God of river Nzadi *Nzambici *

Nzambi a Mpungu Nzambi a Mpungu is the Kongolese name for a high creator god. The idea of such a god spread from Central Africa into other Kongo related religions. History He is mentioned as the name for God as early as the early sixteenth century by Portugues ...

*Nzazi * Nzumbi * Simbi dia Maza

Krachi

* Owuo * Wulbari

Lotuko

* Ajok

Lugbara Lugbara may refer to: * Lugbara people *Lugbara language Lugbara, or Lugbarati, is the language of the Lugbara people. It is spoken in the West Nile sub-region, West Nile region in northwestern Uganda, as well as the Democratic Republic of the Co ...

Adroa Adroa is the supreme god or spirit of the Lugbara people of central Africa. Adroa is a god they worship, and this aspect of the god was known as ''Adroa 'ba o'bapiri'' ('God the creator of men'). Adroa was said to have created the first man, Gb ...

Adroanzi Adroanzi ('Adro-children') are a group of nature and guardian spirits in Lugbara mythology. The Adroanzi are described as the children of Adroa, God of the Lugbara Lugbara may refer to: * Lugbara people *Lugbara language Lugbara, or Lugbarat ...

Maasai Maasai may refer to: Maasai people Maasai language *Maasai mythology The Maasai mythology or Maasai religion are the traditional beliefs of the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania. In Maasai culture, nature and its elements are important facets ...

* Neiterkob *

Mbundu

*Daughter of Sun and Moon *Daughters of Kalunga-Ngombé *Goddess of Moon *God of Sun * Kabundungulu * Kalunga-Ngombé * Kimanaueze * Kishi *kianda *Musisi * Sudika-Mbambi

Nuer

* Kwoth

Nyanga

*Kahindo *Kasiyembe *Katee *Kentse *Kiruka *Kitundukutu *Kubikubi *Mbura *Mitandi *Mpaca *Mukiti *Muisa *Musoka *Mweri *

Mwindo The ''Mwindo'' epic is an oral tale from the Congo told by the Nyanga people. The origins and creation of the Mwindo epic are mostly unknown since the story is only passed down orally. A version of the story was recorded by Kahombo Mateene and Dan ...

*Nkuba *Ntumba *Nyamurairi *Ongo *Yana

Lunda

* Zombi

Pygmy In anthropology, pygmy peoples are ethnic groups whose average height is unusually short. The term pygmyism is used to describe the phenotype of endemic short stature (as opposed to disproportionate dwarfism occurring in isolated cases in a pop ...

Arebati Arebati is known as the god of creation or supreme god in the mythology of the Efé people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The deity is also worshipped by the Mbuti people, but under a different name, which is Baatsi. In other African Pygm ...

* Khonvoum

Sawar

Jengu A jengu (plural miengu) is a water spirit in the traditional beliefs of the Sawa ethnic groups of Cameroon, particularly the Duala, Bakweri, Malimba, Batanga, Bakoko, Oroko people and related Sawa peoples. Among the Bakweri, the name is lieng ...

Serer

Roog Roog or Rog (Koox in the Cangin languages) is the Supreme God and creator of the Serer religion of the Senegambia region. Thiaw, Issa Laye, "La Religiosite de Seereer, Avant et pendant leur Islamisation". Ethiopiques no: 54, Revue semestrielle ...

Koox Roog or Rog (Koox in the Cangin languages) is the Supreme God and creator of the Serer religion of the Senegambia region. Thiaw, Issa Laye, "La Religiosite de Seereer, Avant et pendant leur Islamisation". Ethiopiques no: 54, Revue semestrielle ...

* Kopé Tiatie Cac * Kokh Kox *

Takhar Takhar or Taahkarr (in Serer and Cangin) is a demi-god in the Serer religion worshipped by many Serers (an ethnic group found in Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania). "Folk-Lore In The old Testament. Studies In Comparative Religion Legend and ...

Shona Shona often refers to: * Shona people, a Southern African people * Shona language, a Bantu language spoken by Shona people today Shona may also refer to: * ''Shona'' (album), 1994 album by New Zealand singer Shona Laing * Shona (given name) * S ...

Mwari Mwari also known as Musikavanhu, Musiki, Tenzi and Ishe, is the Supreme Creator deity according to Shona traditional religion. It is believed that Mwari is the author of all things and all life and all is in him. The majority of this deity's fol ...

*Nyadenga *

Nyami Nyami The Nyami Nyami, otherwise known as the Zambezi River God or Zambezi Snake Spirit, is one of the most important gods of the Tonga people. Nyami Nyami is believed to protect the Tonga people and give them sustenance in difficult times. The Riv ...

Songhai

*Dongo *Faran Baru Koda *Faran Maka Bote *Fono *Harakoy Dikko *Irikoy *Kyirey *Manda Hausakoy *Moussa Gname *Moussa Nyawri *Nana Miriam *N'Debbi *Nyaberi *Zaberi

Sotho Sotho may refer to: Sotho people (or ''Basotho''), an African ethnic group principally resident in South Africa, Lesotho and southern Botswana Sotho language (''Sesotho'' or ''Southern Sotho''), a Bantu language spoken in southern Africa, an off ...

* Ditaolane * Modimo

Tumbuka

Chiuta The Tumbuka are an ethnic group living in Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania. In Tumbuka mythology, Chiuta (meaning "Great Bow") is the Supreme Creator and is symbolised in the sky by the rainbow. Tumbuka has many myths that constitute part of the Tumbu ...

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba consti ...

* Aganju *

Aja Aja or AJA may refer to: Acronyms *AJ Auxerre, a French football club *Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport's IATA airport code *Al Jazeera America, an American news channel *American Jewish Archives *''American Journal of Archaeology'' *, a Germa ...

Babalu Aye Babalu may refer to: * "Babalú", a 1939 song popularized by Desi Arnaz in the 1940s * ''BaBalu'', a 2001 Michael Bublé album * Babalu, Iran, a village in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * The nickname for mixed martial artist Renato Sobral * Baba ...

Eshu Èṣù is an Òrìṣà/Irúnmọlẹ̀ in the ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion of the Yoruba people. Èṣù is a prominent primordial Divinity (a delegated Irúnmọlẹ̀ sent by the Olódùmarè) who descended from Ìkọ̀lé Ọ̀run, and the Chie ...

* Erinle *

Elegua Elegua (Yoruba: Èṣù-Ẹlẹ́gbára, also spelled Eleggua; known as Eleguá in Latin America and Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands) is an Orisha, a deity of roads in the religions of Santería, Winti, Umbanda, Quimbanda, Holy Infant of Ato ...

Ibeji Ibeji (known as Ibejí, Ibeyí, or Jimaguas in Latin America) is the name of an Orisha representing a pair of twins in the Yoruba religion of the Yoruba people (originating from Yorubaland, an area in and around present-day Nigeria). In the di ...

Nana Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana ( ...

* Oba * Obatala *

Ogun Ogun or Ogoun (Yoruba: Ògún, Portuguese: Ogum, Gu; also spelled Oggun or Ogou; known as Ogún or Ogum in Latin America) is a spirit that appears in several African religions. He attempted to seize the throne after the demise of Obatala, who ...

Oko OKO ( rus, ОКО, r=, literally means eye, also an abbreviation for Ob'yedinonnyye Kristallom Osnovaniya ( rus, Oбъединённые Кристаллом Oснования, r=, literally means Foundations Bound by a Crystal)) is a complex of ...

Olokun Olokun (Yoruba: Olókun) is an orisha spirit in Yoruba religion. Olokun is believed to be the parent of Aje, the orisha of great wealth and of the bottom of the ocean. Olokun is revered as the ruler of all bodies of water and for the authority ...

* Osanyin *

Oshun Ọṣun, is an orisha, a spirit, a deity, or a goddess that reflects one of the manifestations of the Yorùbá Supreme Being in the Ifá oral tradition and Yoruba-based religions of West Africa. She is one of the most popular and venerated ...

* Oshosi *

Oshumare Oshunmare (known as Ochumaré or Oxumaré in Latin America) is an Orisha. Osumare is the spirit of the rainbow, and Osumare also means rainbow in the Yoruba language Yoruba (, ; Yor. '; Ajami: ) is a language spoken in West Africa, primarily ...

Ori Ori or ORI may refer to: People * Ori (Hebrew), a Hebrew given name, and a list of Israeli people with the name * Ori Kowarsky (born 1970), Canadian filmmaker and lawyer * Ōri Umesaka (1900–1965), Japanese photographer * Amos Ori (born 1956), ...

* Orunmila * Oya *

Shango Shango (Yoruba language: Ṣàngó, also known as Changó or Xangô in Latin America; and as Jakuta or Badé) is an Orisha, a deity in Yoruba religion. Genealogically speaking, Shango is a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third Alaaf ...

* Yemoja *

Osun Ọṣun, is an orisha, a spirit, a deity, or a goddess that reflects one of the manifestations of the Yorùbá Supreme Being in the Ifá oral tradition and Yoruba-based religions of West Africa. She is one of the most popular and venerated ...

Venda Venda () was a Bantustan in northern South Africa, which is fairly close to the South African border with Zimbabwe to the north, while to the south and east, it shared a long border with another black homeland, Gazankulu. It is now part of the ...

* Huveane * Tharu

Xhosa Xhosa may refer to: * Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa * Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people See als ...

Qamata Qamata is the most prominent God among the Xhosa people, Xhosa-speaking people of South-Eastern Africa. Qamata is the creator and protector of heaven and earth. Qamata is the all knowing and omnipresent God in the third dimension. In the second d ...

Zulu

* Hlakanyana * Inkosazana * Mbaba Mwana Waresa *

Unkulunkulu Unkulunkulu (/uɲɠulun'ɠulu/), often formatted as uNkulunkulu,Weir, Jennifer. "Whose Unkulunkulu?" ''Africa (pre-2011)'', vol. 75, no. 2, 2005, pp. 203-219''.'' is the Supreme Creator In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supre ...

Umvelinqangi UMvelinqangi is a Nguni word which translates to "the Most High" or "Divine Consciousness"; that is considered the source of all that has been, that is and all that ever will be. UMvelinqangi, contrary to widespread belief is not personified. Umv ...

Uncama Uncama is a mythical hero in the Zulu traditional religion. He is known for his journey to the underworld and subsequent return upon discovering it. Representation Depiction of Uncama is mainly attributed to his underworld experience, which he ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:African mythological figures Mythological figures Mythological figures Lists of deities Mythological figures Mythological figures

Akan Akan may refer to: People and languages *Akan people, an ethnic group in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire *Akan language Akan () is a Central Tano languages, Central Tano language and the principal native language of the Akan people of Ghana, spoken ...