Ngai (also called Múrungu or Enkai) is the monolithic Supreme God in the spirituality of the

Kikuyu Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) mostly refers to an ethnic group in Kenya or its associated language. It may also refer to: *Kikuyu people, a majority ethnic group in Kenya * Kikuyu language, the language of Kikuyu people *Kikuyu, Kenya, a town in Cen ...

(or Gikuyu) and the closely related

Embu Embu may refer to: Places ; in Brazil * Embu das Artes * Embu-Guaçu ; in Kenya * Embu, Kenya * Embu County Other

*Embu people of Kenya *Embu language, the Bantu language spoken by them {{Disamb, geo ...

, Meru and

Kamba Kamba may refer to: *Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, a collection of eco-luxury lodges in the Republic of Congo *Kamba people of Kenya *Bena-Kamba, a community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo *Khampa, also spelled Kamba, Tibetan peop ...

groups of

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

, and the Maasai of Kenya and

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

. Ngai is the creator of the universe and all in it. Regarded as the

omnipotent Omnipotence is the property of possessing maximal power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence only to the deity of their faith. In the monotheistic religious philosophy of Abrahamic religions, omnipotence is often listed as ...

God,Middleton, John; Kershaw, Greet; ''The Kikuyu and Kamba of Kenya: East Central Africa, Part 5,''

Routledge Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...

(reprint, 2017), p. 128,

(Retrieved 5 April 2019) the Kikuyu, Embu, Meru, Kamba and the Maasai of Kenya worshiped Ngai facing the Mt. Kirinyaga (

Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Meru people, Meru: ''Kĩrĩmaara,'' Kikuyu people, Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba language, Kamba: ''Ki nyaa'', Embu language, Embu: ''Kĩ nyaga'') is an extinct volcano in Kenya and the Highest mountain peaks of Africa, second-highe ...

) while prayers and goat sacrificial rituals were performed under the sacred Mugumo tree (a fig tree species). Occasions which may warrant

sacrifice Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Gree ...

libation A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an Sacrifice, offering to a deity or spirit, or in Veneration of the dead, memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of Ancient history, antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures t ...

include times of

drought A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, ...

; epidemics; during

planting Sowing is the process of planting seeds. An area that has had seeds planted in it will be described as a sowed or sown area. Plants which are usually sown Among the major field crops, oats, wheat, and rye are sown, grasses and legumes are ...

and

harvest Harvesting is the process of collecting plants, animals, or fish (as well as fungi) as food, especially the process of gathering mature crops, and "the harvest" also refers to the collected crops. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulses fo ...

ing; and human life stages such as birth, marriage and death.

Ngai in Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and Kamba Worship

Ngai was often referred to as "Mwene Nyaga", meaning "Owner of the Dazzling Light". Kenyan

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

, later

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

, Jomo Kenyatta notes that: "In prayers and sacrifices Ngai is addressed by the Gikuyu as Mwene-Nyaga (possessor of brightness)." He went on to write that: "This name is associated with Kĩrĩ-Nyaga (the Gikuyu name for Mount Kenya), which means: That which possesses brightness, or mountain of brightness." According to Kikuyu

creation myth A creation myth or cosmogonic myth is a type of cosmogony, a symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it., "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Cre ...

, Ngai created

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

ity, the first man called Gĩkũyũ, and the first woman called Mũmbi. Ngai created a mountain "As his resting place when on inspection tour and as a sign of his wonders." Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi bore nine daughters who became the origins of 9 clans of Kikuyu people. "The names of the main clans are: (1) Aceera (Anjeri); (2) Agacikũ; (3) Agathĩgia (also known as Airimũ); (4) Ambũi; (5) Angarĩ (aka Aithekahuno); (6) Anjirũ; (7) Angũi (aka Aĩthiegeni); (8) Ethaga (aka Akiũrũ, Ambura); (9) Angeci (aka Aithĩrandũ)."

Ngai in Maasai Worship

For the Maasai, Ngai (also called ''Engai'' or ''Enkai'') is the androgynous Supreme Creator, possessing both masculine and feminine principles. The Maasai refer to Ngai's primordial dwelling as "Ol Doinyo Lengai" which literally means "The Mountain of God", which they believe is in Northern Tanzania. Asante, Molefi Kete; Mazama, Ama; ''Encyclopedia of African Religion, Volume 1'', SAGE (2009), . 427, (retrieved March 18, 2020

/ref> Ngai or Enkai's name is synonymous to "

rain Rain is a form of precipitation where water drop (liquid), droplets that have condensation, condensed from Water vapor#In Earth's atmosphere, atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is res ...

." In the Maasai religion, the ''Laibon'' (plural: ''Laiboni'') intercedes between the world of the living and the Creator. They are the Maasai's high priests and diviners. In addition to organizing and presiding over religious ceremonies—including sacrifice and libation, they also heal the living, physically and spiritually.Asante, Molefi Kete; Mazama, Ama; ''Encyclopedia of African Religion, Volume 1'', SAGE (2009), . 428, (retrieved March 18, 2020

/ref>

References

Bibliography

* Kenyatta, Jomo, ''Facing Mount Kenya'', (introduction by B. Malinowski) originally published by Martin Secker & Warburg LTD, (1938), n South African History Online, pp. 22–23, 41, 233-234

(Retrieved 5 April 2019) * Yosef Ben-Jochannan, Ben-Jochannan, Yosef, ''African Origins of the Major "Western Religions"'', Black Classic Press (reprint, 1991), pp. 42–49,

(Retrieved 5 April 2019) *Middleton, John; Kershaw, Greet; ''The Kikuyu and Kamba of Kenya: East Central Africa, Part 5,''

(reprint, 2017), p. 128,

(Retrieved 5 April 2019) *Kenyatta, Jomo (1965). ''Facing Mt. Kenya'' (2nd ed.). Vintage Books. p. 175 *Olney, James, ''Tell Me Africa: An Approach to African Literature'',

Princeton University Press Princeton University Press is an independent publisher with close connections to Princeton University. Its mission is to disseminate scholarship within academia and society at large. The press was founded by Whitney Darrow, with the financial ...

(2015), p. 88,

Retrieved 5 April 2019)

External links

Ngai, The High God of the Kikuyu
{{Names of God African gods Bantu religion Creator gods Creation myths Names of God Religion in Kenya Solar gods Maasai deities Names of God in African traditional religions

Ngai in Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and Kamba Worship

Ngai in Maasai Worship

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links