Njambe is the supreme

creator god A creator deity or creator god is a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe in human religion and mythology. In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator. A number of monolatristic traditions separate a ...

figure in the traditional religion of the Loki or Boloki people, who are primarily based in the

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

. According to anthropologist John H. Weeks, Njambe is also used to refer to a deity associated with sickness and

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

He is prominent in Boloki myths regarding the

origin of death Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...

Representation

According to Weeks, Njambe is one of the names used to refer to the supreme god-figure worshipped by the Boloki people. In total, Weeks found that there were four commonly used names to refer to a supreme god figure, which may be represented by different or same deities: #

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 ...

, described as the creator of all things. Libanza is also the mythic hero figure of the Boloki people. # Nzakomba, described as the mythological figure responsible for determining the thoughts and hearts of humans and animals. The people of Lulanga in Malwai also use this name to refer to god. # Kombu, described as a creator god of people with

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

and

disabilities Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physica ...

. # Njambe, described as a god responsible for sickness and death. The word may be a variant of the word Nzambi or Nyambi, which is used by the people of Bobangi in reference to a supreme deity. The name Njambe is also used by the

Kuba people The Kuba Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of the Bakuba or Bushongo, is a traditional kingdom in Central Africa. The Kuba Kingdom flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries in the region bordered by the Sankuru, Lulua, and Kasai rivers ...

of the Democratic Republic of Congo to describe their supreme creator figure.

Legends

Origin of death

It is said that Njambe once took a form of a small man and appeared in front of a human. The human is a villager who was working in the forest. When Njambe encountered the villager, he offered two bundles that the villager can choose to take home. The first bundle is large and contained trinkets such as knives, beads, and mirrors. The second bundle is much smaller and had immortal life inside. The villager, who did not know who Njambe was, told him that he could not make the decision himself. So, he brought the two bundles home to his village and asked for the other villagers’ opinions. The female villagers saw and tried out the trinkets in the larger first bundle. Later, they chose to leave the second bundle. Thus, Njambe took the bundle carrying the immortal life away, and death became a state experienced by all humans.

References

{{Bantu, state=collapsed African deities African gods African mythology Bantu deities Bantu religion Creator deities Creator gods Death deities Death gods Names of God in African traditional religions

Representation

Legends

Origin of death

See also

References