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class="mw-page-title-main">Bantu religion</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. 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interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitologia_bantu" title="Mitologia bantu – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Mitologia bantu" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tum mw-list-item"><a href="https://tum.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikhulupililo_vyachi_Bantu" title="Vikhulupililo vyachi Bantu – Tumbuka" lang="tum" hreflang="tum" data-title="Vikhulupililo vyachi Bantu" data-language-autonym="ChiTumbuka" data-language-local-name="Tumbuka" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ChiTumbuka</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitolog%C3%ADa_bant%C3%BA" title="Mitología bantú – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Mitología bantú" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_erlijioa" title="Bantu erlijioa – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Bantu erlijioa" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythologie_bantoue" title="Mythologie bantoue – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Mythologie bantoue" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitologi_Bantu" title="Mitologi Bantu – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Mitologi Bantu" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitologia_bantu" title="Mitologia bantu – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Mitologia bantu" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mk mw-list-item"><a href="https://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%83_%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0" title="Банту митологија – Macedonian" lang="mk" hreflang="mk" data-title="Банту митологија" data-language-autonym="Македонски" data-language-local-name="Macedonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Македонски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitologia_banta" title="Mitologia banta – 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.sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Traditional_African_religions" title="Category:Traditional African religions">a series</a> on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle"><a href="/wiki/Traditional_African_religions" title="Traditional African religions">Traditional African religions</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="A traditional Kanaga mask"><img alt="A traditional Kanaga mask" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg/100px-COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg" decoding="async" width="100" height="155" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg/150px-COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg/200px-COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Houten_masker_TMnr_6372-2.jpg 2x" data-file-width="451" data-file-height="700" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Religions</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Akan_religion" title="Akan religion">Akan</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Bantu</a> <ul><li><small><a href="/wiki/Baluba_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Baluba mythology">Baluba</a></small></li> <li><small><a href="/wiki/Bushongo_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Bushongo mythology">Bushongo</a></small></li> <li><small><a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">Kongo</a></small></li> <li><small><a href="/wiki/Lozi_mythology" title="Lozi mythology">Lozi</a></small></li> <li><small><a href="/wiki/Dini_Ya_Msambwa" title="Dini Ya Msambwa">Luhya</a></small></li> <li><small><a href="/wiki/Tumbuka_mythology" title="Tumbuka mythology">Tumbuka</a></small></li> <li><small><a href="/wiki/Zulu_traditional_religion" title="Zulu traditional religion">Zulu</a></small></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dinka_religion" title="Dinka religion">Dinka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dogon_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Dogon religion">Dogon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Efik_mythology" title="Efik mythology">Efik</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dahomean_religion" title="Dahomean religion">Gbe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hausa_animism" title="Hausa animism">Hausa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kushite_religion" title="Kushite religion">Nubia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lotuko_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Lotuko mythology">Lotuko</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lugbara_mythology" title="Lugbara mythology">Lugbara</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maasai_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Maasai mythology">Maasai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mbuti_mythology" title="Mbuti mythology">Mbuti</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Odinala" title="Odinala">Odinala</a> (Igbo)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/San_religion" title="San religion">San</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Serer_religion" title="Serer religion">Serer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/West_African_Vodun" class="mw-redirect" title="West African Vodun">Vodun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Waaqeffanna" title="Waaqeffanna">Waaqeffanna</a> (Oromo)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yoruba_religion" title="Yoruba religion">Yoruba</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Doctrines</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Divination" title="Divination">Divination</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/African_divination" title="African divination">African divination</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sirius#Dogon" title="Sirius">Dogon astronomy (the star Sirius)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nommo" title="Nommo">Dogon astronomy (Nommo)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:African_mythology" title="Category:African mythology">Index of African mythology and creation narratives</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/African_philosophy" title="African philosophy">Philosophy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sirius#Serer_spirituality" title="Sirius">Serer astronomy (the star Sirius)</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Deities</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:African_deities" title="Category:African deities">Index of African deities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_African_mythological_figures" class="mw-redirect" title="List of African mythological figures">List of African deities and mythical figures</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Sacred places</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bandiagara_Escarpment" title="Bandiagara Escarpment">Bandiagara Escarpment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Benin_City" title="Benin City">Benin City</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dahomey" title="Dahomey">Dahomey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fatick" title="Fatick">Fatick</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/If%E1%BA%B9" title="Ifẹ">Ifẹ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Igbo-Ukwu" title="Igbo-Ukwu">Igbo-Ukwu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kanem%E2%80%93Bornu_Empire" title="Kanem–Bornu Empire">Kanem–Bornu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mount_Hombori" title="Mount Hombori">Mount Hombori</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nri-Igbo" title="Nri-Igbo">Nri-Igbo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nsukka" title="Nsukka">Nsukka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ouidah" title="Ouidah">Ouidah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oyo,_Oyo" class="mw-redirect" title="Oyo, Oyo">Oyo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Point_of_Sangomar" title="Point of Sangomar">Point of Sangomar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sangha,_Mali" title="Sangha, Mali">Sangha</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sangha_Ogol_Leye" title="Sangha Ogol Leye">Sangha Ogol Leye</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Sine" title="Kingdom of Sine">Sine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sine_River" title="Sine River">Sine River</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Somb" title="Somb">Somb</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tattaguine" title="Tattaguine">Tattaguine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tukar" title="Tukar">Tukar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yaboyabo" title="Yaboyabo">Yaboyabo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Youga_Dogorou" title="Youga Dogorou">Youga Dogorou</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Education</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ndut_initiation_rite" title="Ndut initiation rite">Ndut</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Okuyi" title="Okuyi">Okuyi</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Priesthood</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hogon" title="Hogon">Hogon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Houngan" class="mw-redirect" title="Houngan">Houngan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mambo_(Vodou)" class="mw-redirect" title="Mambo (Vodou)">Mambo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saltigue" title="Saltigue">Saltigue</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="border-top:solid 1px #aaaaaa;color: var(--color-base)">Relation with other religions</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/African_diaspora_religions" title="African diaspora religions">African diaspora religions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Persecution_of_traditional_African_religions" title="Persecution of traditional African religions">Persecution</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Religious_persecution#Persecution_of_Dogons" title="Religious persecution">Persecution of Dogons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religious_persecution#Persecution_of_Serers" title="Religious persecution">Persecution of Serers</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Traditional_African_religion_and_other_religions" title="Traditional African religion and other religions">Traditional African religion and other religions</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <div class="hlist"><ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:Traditional_African_religions" title="Category:Traditional African religions"><b>Category</b></a></li><li><span class="nowrap"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg/12px-Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg" decoding="async" width="12" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg/18px-Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg/24px-Brooklyn_Museum_1989.51.39_Nommo_Figure_with_Raised_Arms.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1152" data-file-height="1536" /></a></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Traditional_African_religions" title="Portal:Traditional African religions">Portal</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Traditional_African_religions" title="Template:Traditional African religions"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Traditional_African_religions" title="Template talk:Traditional African religions"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Traditional_African_religions" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Traditional African religions"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Shona_witch_doctor_(Zimbabwe).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Shona_witch_doctor_%28Zimbabwe%29.jpg/220px-Shona_witch_doctor_%28Zimbabwe%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="322" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Shona_witch_doctor_%28Zimbabwe%29.jpg/330px-Shona_witch_doctor_%28Zimbabwe%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Shona_witch_doctor_%28Zimbabwe%29.jpg/440px-Shona_witch_doctor_%28Zimbabwe%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1642" data-file-height="2400" /></a><figcaption>A <a href="/wiki/Shona_people" title="Shona people">Shona</a> <a href="/wiki/Nganga" title="Nganga"><i>n'anga</i></a> - a shaman and medicine man.</figcaption></figure> <p><b>Bantu religion</b> is the system of <a href="/wiki/Belief" title="Belief">beliefs</a> and <a href="/wiki/Legend" title="Legend">legends</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Bantu_people" class="mw-redirect" title="Bantu people">Bantu people</a> of <a href="/wiki/Africa" title="Africa">Africa</a>. Although Bantu peoples account for several hundred different <a href="/wiki/Ethnic_group" class="mw-redirect" title="Ethnic group">ethnic groups</a>, there is a high degree of homogeneity in Bantu cultures and customs, just as in <a href="/wiki/Bantu_languages" title="Bantu languages">Bantu languages</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Many Bantu cultures traditionally believed in a supreme god whose name is a variation of <a href="/wiki/Nyambe" title="Nyambe">Nyambe/Nzambe</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The phrase "Bantu tradition" usually refers to the common, recurring themes that are found in all, or most, Bantu cultures across <a href="/wiki/Africa" title="Africa">Africa</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Traditional_beliefs">Traditional beliefs</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Traditional beliefs"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Nyambe" title="Nyambe">Nyambe</a></div> <p>The traditional beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse beliefs that include various <a href="/wiki/Ethnic_religion" title="Ethnic religion">ethnic religions</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Generally, these traditions are <a href="/wiki/Oral_tradition" title="Oral tradition">oral</a> rather than <a href="/wiki/Religious_text" title="Religious text">scriptural</a> and passed down from one generation to another through folk tales, songs, and festivals,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator or force, belief in spirits, <a href="/wiki/Veneration_of_the_dead" title="Veneration of the dead">veneration of the dead</a>, use of <a href="/wiki/Magic_(supernatural)" title="Magic (supernatural)">magic</a> and <a href="/wiki/Traditional_African_medicine" title="Traditional African medicine">traditional African medicine</a>. Most religions can be described as <a href="/wiki/Animism" title="Animism">animistic</a><sup id="cite_ref-Kimmerle_15_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kimmerle_15-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with various <a href="/wiki/Polytheistic" class="mw-redirect" title="Polytheistic">polytheistic</a> and <a href="/wiki/Pantheistic" class="mw-redirect" title="Pantheistic">pantheistic</a> aspects.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Animism" title="Animism">Animism</a> builds the core concept of the Bantu religious traditions, similar to other traditional African religions. This includes the worship of <a href="/wiki/Tutelary_deity" title="Tutelary deity">tutelary deities</a>, <a href="/wiki/Nature_worship" title="Nature worship">nature worship</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ancestor_worship" class="mw-redirect" title="Ancestor worship">ancestor worship</a> and the belief in an <a href="/wiki/Afterlife" title="Afterlife">afterlife</a>. While some religions adopted a <a href="/wiki/Pantheism" title="Pantheism">pantheistic</a> worldview, most follow a <a href="/wiki/Polytheistic" class="mw-redirect" title="Polytheistic">polytheistic</a> system with various gods, spirits and other <a href="/wiki/Deity" title="Deity">supernatural beings</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Kimmerle_15_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kimmerle_15-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Traditional African religions also have elements of <a href="/wiki/Fetishism" title="Fetishism">fetishism</a>, <a href="/wiki/Shamanism" title="Shamanism">shamanism</a> and <a href="/wiki/Veneration_of_relics" class="mw-redirect" title="Veneration of relics">veneration of relics</a>, and have a high complexity, comparable to Japanese <a href="/wiki/Shinto" title="Shinto">Shinto</a> or <a href="/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hinduism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>It is suggested that most ancient traditional African religions, like most other indigenous <a href="/wiki/Folk_religion" title="Folk religion">folk religions</a> around the world, were strictly <a href="/wiki/Polytheistic" class="mw-redirect" title="Polytheistic">polytheistic</a> and lacked the belief in monotheistic concepts, such as a single supreme creator god. Native African religions are centered on <a href="/wiki/Ancestor_veneration" class="mw-redirect" title="Ancestor veneration">ancestor veneration</a>, the belief in a <a href="/wiki/Spirit_world_(Spiritualism)" title="Spirit world (Spiritualism)">spirit world</a>, <a href="/wiki/Deity" title="Deity">supernatural beings</a> and <a href="/wiki/Free_will" title="Free will">free will</a> (unlike the later developed concept of <a href="/wiki/Faith" title="Faith">faith</a>). Deceased humans (and animals or important objects) still exist in the spirit world and can influence or interact with the physical world. <a href="/wiki/Polytheism" title="Polytheism">Polytheism</a> was widespreaded in most of ancient African and other regions of the world, before the introduction of Islam, Christianity, and <a href="/wiki/Judaism" title="Judaism">Judaism</a>. High gods, along with other more specialized deities, ancestor spirits, territorial spirits, and beings, are a common theme among traditional African religions, highlighting the complex and advanced culture of ancient Africa.<sup id="cite_ref-Okwu_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Okwu-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_(_Chamanisme)_(2).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_%28_Chamanisme%29_%282%29.jpg/220px-Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_%28_Chamanisme%29_%282%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="261" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_%28_Chamanisme%29_%282%29.jpg/330px-Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_%28_Chamanisme%29_%282%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_%28_Chamanisme%29_%282%29.jpg/440px-Swaziland-_la_cuisine_du_Shaman_Zoulou_%28_Chamanisme%29_%282%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1174" data-file-height="1393" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Zulu_people" title="Zulu people">Zulu</a> shaman and medicine women. Traditional African medicine is comparable with <a href="/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_medicine" title="Traditional Chinese medicine">Traditional Chinese medicine</a>, although much knowledge got lost after the introduction of Islam and Christianity.</figcaption></figure> <p><a href="/wiki/Jacob_Olupona" class="mw-redirect" title="Jacob Olupona">Jacob Olupona</a>, professor of indigenous African religions at <a href="/wiki/Harvard_University" title="Harvard University">Harvard University</a>, described the Bantu mythology to be part of the many traditional African traditions, which are complex <a href="/wiki/Animism" title="Animism">animistic</a> religious traditions and beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. <a href="/wiki/Ancestor_worship" class="mw-redirect" title="Ancestor worship">Ancestor veneration</a> has always played a significant part in the traditional African cultures and may be considered as central to the African worldview. Ancestors (ancestral ghosts/spirits) are an integral part of reality. The ancestors are generally believed to reside in an ancestral realm (spiritworld), while some believe that the ancestors became equal in power to deities found in African traditions.<sup id="cite_ref-The_spirituality_of_Africa_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-The_spirituality_of_Africa-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style></p><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>The defining line between deities and ancestors is often contested, but overall, ancestors are believed to occupy a higher level of existence than living human beings and are believed to be able to bestow either blessings or illness upon their living descendants. Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living dependents, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. A belief in ancestors also testifies to the inclusive nature of traditional African spirituality by positing that deceased progenitors still play a role in the lives of their living descendants.</p></blockquote><p>Olupona rejects the western/Islamic definition of <a href="/wiki/Monotheism" title="Monotheism">Monotheism</a> and says that such concepts could not reflect the complex African traditions and are too simplistic. While some traditions have a supreme being (next to other deities), others have not. Monotheism does not reflect the multiplicity of ways that the traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. He summarizes that traditional African religions are not only religions, but a worldview, a way of life.<sup id="cite_ref-The_spirituality_of_Africa_15-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-The_spirituality_of_Africa-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The traditional ways of Bantu belief systems has been modified, to various degrees and in various ways, by the advent of <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a> (or <a href="/wiki/Islam" title="Islam">Islam</a>), as the God of Christians and Muslims has been equated to the Bantu supreme deity.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Deities">Deities</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Deities"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The nature of the supreme and highest God of all gods and deities is often only vaguely defined or even lacking, although he may be associated with the <a href="/wiki/Sun" title="Sun">Sun</a>, or the <a href="/wiki/Veneration_of_the_dead" title="Veneration of the dead">oldest of all ancestors</a>, or have other specifications. Most names of various deities include the Bantu particle <i>ng</i> (<i>nk</i>); some examples are <i><a href="/wiki/Nyambe" title="Nyambe">Nyambe</a></i> (Bantu), <i><a href="/wiki/Nzambi_a_Mpungu" title="Nzambi a Mpungu">Nzambi Mpungu</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Bakongo_people" class="mw-redirect" title="Bakongo people">Bakongo</a>), <i><a href="/wiki/Nzambici" title="Nzambici">Nzambici</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Bakongo_people" class="mw-redirect" title="Bakongo people">Bakongo</a>), <i><a href="/wiki/Mulungu" title="Mulungu">Mulungu</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Yao_people_(East_Africa)" title="Yao people (East Africa)">Wayao</a>, <a href="/wiki/Chewa_people" title="Chewa people">Chewa</a>, <a href="/wiki/Kamba_people" title="Kamba people">Akamba</a>, <a href="/wiki/Embu_people" title="Embu people">Embu</a> and others), <i><a href="/wiki/UThixo" title="UThixo">uThixo</a> or <a href="/wiki/Qamata" title="Qamata">Qamata</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Xhosa_people" title="Xhosa people">AmaXhosa</a>), <i><a href="/wiki/Unkulunkulu" title="Unkulunkulu">Unkulunkulu</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Zulu_people" title="Zulu people">AmaZulu</a>), <i>Gulu</i> (<a href="/wiki/Baganda" title="Baganda">Baganda</a>), <i>Muluku</i> (<a href="/wiki/Makua_people" title="Makua people">Makua</a>), <i>Mungu</i> (<a href="/wiki/Swahili_people" title="Swahili people">WaSwahili</a>), <i><a href="/wiki/Mukuru_(deity)" title="Mukuru (deity)">Mukuru</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Herero_people" title="Herero people">OvaHerero</a> and <a href="/wiki/Himba_people" title="Himba people">OvaHimba</a>), <i>Kibumba</i> (<a href="/wiki/Busoga" title="Busoga">Basoga</a>), <i>Imana</i> (<a href="/wiki/Banyarwanda" title="Banyarwanda">Banyarwanda</a> and <a href="/wiki/Kirundi" title="Kirundi">Barundi</a>), <i><a href="/wiki/Modimo" title="Modimo">Modimo</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Sotho_people" title="Sotho people">Basotho</a> and <a href="/wiki/Tswana_people" title="Tswana people">Batswana</a>), <i><a href="/wiki/Ruhanga" title="Ruhanga">Ruhanga</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Nyoro_people" title="Nyoro people">Banyoro</a> and <a href="/wiki/Nkole_people" title="Nkole people">Banyankole</a>), and <i><a href="/wiki/Ngai" title="Ngai">Ngai</a></i> (Akamba, Agikuyu, Aembu and other groups),(<a href="/wiki/Umbundu" title="Umbundu">Umbundu</a>),(<a href="/w/index.php?title=Kioko,_Bajokwe,_Chibokwe,_Kibokwe,_Ciokwe,_Cokwe_or_Badjok&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Kioko, Bajokwe, Chibokwe, Kibokwe, Ciokwe, Cokwe or Badjok (page does not exist)">Kioko, Bajokwe, Chibokwe, Kibokwe, Ciokwe, Cokwe or Badjok</a>), (<a href="/w/index.php?title=The_other_groups_are_Kavango_people,_also_known_as_the_vaKavango_or_haKavango,_are_a_Bantu_ethnic_group_which_is_divided_into_five_kingdoms_(Kwangali,_Mbunza,_Shambyu,_Gciriku_and_Mbukushu&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="The other groups are Kavango people, also known as the vaKavango or haKavango, are a Bantu ethnic group which is divided into five kingdoms (Kwangali, Mbunza, Shambyu, Gciriku and Mbukushu (page does not exist)">the other groups are Kavango people, also known as the vaKavango or haKavango, are a Bantu ethnic group which is divided into five kingdoms (Kwangali, Mbunza, Shambyu, Gciriku and Mbukushu</a>). In many traditions the gods are supposed to live in the skies; there are also traditions that locate them on some high mountain, for example the <a href="/wiki/Kirinyaga_District" title="Kirinyaga District">Kirinyaga</a> mountain - Mt. Kenya, for <a href="/wiki/Kikuyu_people" title="Kikuyu people">Kikuyu</a>, <a href="/wiki/Embu_people" title="Embu people">Embu</a> people, which is comparable to other traditional religions around the world.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Beliefs_by_country">Beliefs by country</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Beliefs by country"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Cameroon">Cameroon</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Cameroon"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Among the Sawa ethnic groups of Cameroon, particularly the <a href="/wiki/Duala_people" title="Duala people">Duala</a>, <a href="/wiki/Kwe_people" title="Kwe people">Bakweri</a>, <a href="/wiki/Limba_people_(Cameroon)" title="Limba people (Cameroon)">Malimba</a>, Batanga, <a href="/wiki/Bakoko_people" title="Bakoko people">Bakoko</a>, <a href="/wiki/Oroko_people" title="Oroko people">Oroko</a> people and related Sawa peoples, <a href="/wiki/Jengu" title="Jengu">jengu</a> (plural miengu) is a water spirit, among the Bakweri, the name is liengu (plural: maengu). In Bakoko, they are referred to as Bisima. Miengu are similar to <a href="/wiki/Mami_Wata" title="Mami Wata">Mami Wata</a> spirits. The miengu's appearance differs from people to people, but they are typically said to be beautiful, <a href="/wiki/Mermaid" title="Mermaid">mermaid</a>-like figures with long hair and beautiful gap-teeth. They live in rivers and the sea, and bring good fortune to those who worship them. They can also cure diseases and act as intermediaries between worshippers and the world of spirits. A Jengu cult is usually setup for worship of the Miengu.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Kongo">Kongo</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Kongo"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">Kongo religion</a></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png/257px-Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png" decoding="async" width="257" height="214" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png/386px-Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png/514px-Kongo_Cosmogram_3.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="1000" /></a><figcaption>The Yowa/Dikenga Cosmogram</figcaption></figure> <p>According to researcher <a href="/wiki/Molefi_Kete_Asante" title="Molefi Kete Asante">Molefi Kete Asante</a>, "Another important characteristic of Bakongo cosmology is the sun and its movements. The rising, peaking, setting, and absence of the sun provide the essential pattern for Bakongo religious culture. These "four moments of the sun" equate with the four stages of life: conception, birth, maturity, and death. For the Bakongo, everything transitions through these stages: planets, plants, animals, people, societies, and even ideas. This vital cycle is depicted by a circle with a cross inside. In this cosmogram or dikenga, the meeting point of the two lines of the cross is the most powerful point and where the person stands."<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Bakongo believe that in the beginning, there was only a circular void, called <i>mbûngi</i>, with no life.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Nzambi_a_Mpungu" title="Nzambi a Mpungu">Nzambi Mpungu</a> summoned a spark of fire, or <i>Kalûnga</i>, that grew until it filled the <i>mbûngi</i>. When it grew too large, Kalûnga became a great force of energy and unleashed heated elements across space, forming the universe with the sun, stars, planets, etc. Because of this, kalûnga is seen as the origin of life and a force of motion. The Bakongo believe that life requires constant change and perpetual motion. Nzambi Mpunga is also referred to as Kalûnga, the God of change.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Similarities between the Bakongo belief of Kalûnga and the <a href="/wiki/Big_Bang" title="Big Bang">Big Bang Theory</a> have been studied.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p> The nature of Kalûnga is also spiritual. As Kalûnga filled mbûngi, it created an invisible line that divided the circle in half. The top half represents the physical world, or <i>Ku Nseke</i>, while the bottom half represents the spiritual world of the ancestors, known as <i>Ku Mpèmba</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <i><a href="/wiki/Kalunga_line" class="mw-redirect" title="Kalunga line">Kalûnga Line</a></i> separates these two worlds, and all living things exists on one side or another. After creation, the line became like a river, carrying people between the worlds at birth and death. Then the process repeats and a person is reborn. Together, Kalûnga and the mbûngi circle form the <i>Yowa</i> or <i>Dikenga</i> Cross.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The four corners of the cross are believed to represent the four moments of the sun: <i>Musoni Time</i>, when the Kalûnga begot the universe; <i>Kala Time</i>, when biological life began; <i>Tukula Time</i>, when animals were created on Earth; and <i>Luvemba Time</i> when Manhûga, the ancestor of all humans, lived on Earth.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"></p><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks hlist"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title" style="background:#ccccff;"><a href="/wiki/Myth" title="Myth">Mythology</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/List_of_mythologies" title="List of mythologies">Mythologies</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Albanian_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Albanian mythology">Albanian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arabian_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Arabian mythology">Arabian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Armenian_mythology" title="Armenian mythology">Armenian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_religion_and_mythology" title="Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology">Aboriginal Australian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Traditional_Berber_religion" title="Traditional Berber religion">Berber</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baltic_mythology" title="Baltic mythology">Baltic</a> (<a href="/wiki/Latvian_mythology" title="Latvian mythology">Latvian</a> - <a href="/wiki/Lithuanian_mythology" title="Lithuanian mythology">Lithuanian</a> - <a href="/wiki/Prussian_mythology" title="Prussian mythology">Prussian</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Basque_mythology" title="Basque mythology">Basque</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bantu_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Bantu mythology">Bantu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brazilian_mythology" title="Brazilian mythology">Brazilian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Buddhist_mythology" title="Buddhist mythology">Buddhist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catalan_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Catalan mythology">Catalan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cantabrian_mythology" title="Cantabrian mythology">Cantabrian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Celtic_mythology" title="Celtic mythology">Celtic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Breton_mythology" title="Breton mythology">Breton</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cornish_mythology" title="Cornish mythology">Cornish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Irish_mythology" title="Irish mythology">Irish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_mythology" title="Scottish mythology">Scottish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Welsh_mythology" title="Welsh mythology">Welsh</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chinese_mythology" title="Chinese mythology">Chinese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Efik_mythology" title="Efik mythology">Efik</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Egyptian_mythology" title="Egyptian mythology">Egyptian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/English_mythology" title="English mythology">English</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Estonian_mythology" title="Estonian mythology">Estonian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Etruscan_religion" title="Etruscan religion">Etruscan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Finnish_mythology" title="Finnish mythology">Finnish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mythology_in_France" title="Mythology in France">French</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Georgian_mythology" title="Georgian mythology">Georgian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Germanic_mythology" title="Germanic mythology">Germanic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Frankish_paganism" title="Frankish paganism">Frankish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Continental_Germanic_mythology" title="Continental Germanic mythology">Continental Germanic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Norse_mythology" title="Norse mythology">Norse</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_paganism" title="Anglo-Saxon paganism">Anglo-Saxon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gothic_paganism" title="Gothic paganism">Gothic</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Greek_mythology" title="Greek mythology">Greek</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Guanches#Religion_and_mythology" title="Guanches">Guanche</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hindu_mythology" title="Hindu mythology">Hindu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hittite_mythology_and_religion" title="Hittite mythology and religion">Hittite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hungarian_mythology" title="Hungarian mythology">Hungarian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mythology_of_Indonesia" title="Mythology of Indonesia">Indonesian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mythology_of_Italy" title="Mythology of Italy">Italian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Japanese_mythology" title="Japanese mythology">Japanese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">Kongo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Korean_mythology" title="Korean mythology">Korean</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lugbara_mythology" title="Lugbara mythology">Lugbara</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lusitanian_mythology" title="Lusitanian mythology">Lusitanian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maasai_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Maasai mythology">Maasai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malagasy_mythology" title="Malagasy mythology">Malagasy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/M%C4%81ori_mythology" title="Māori mythology">Māori</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mbuti_mythology" title="Mbuti mythology">Mbuti</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Meitei_mythology" title="Meitei mythology">Meitei</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Melanesian_mythology" title="Melanesian mythology">Melanesian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mesopotamian_mythology" title="Mesopotamian mythology">Mesopotamian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Micronesian_mythology" title="Micronesian mythology">Micronesian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mongol_mythology" title="Mongol mythology">Mongol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Native_American_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Native American mythology">Native American</a> <ul><li>Algonquian <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abenaki_mythology" title="Abenaki mythology">Abenaki</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Blackfoot_mythology" title="Blackfoot mythology">Blackfoot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lenape_mythology" title="Lenape mythology">Lenape</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aztec_mythology" title="Aztec mythology">Aztec</a></li> <li>Californian <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Miwok_mythology" title="Miwok mythology">Miwok</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ohlone_mythology" title="Ohlone mythology">Ohlone</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chan%C3%A1_mythology" title="Chaná mythology">Chaná</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chilote_mythology" title="Chilote mythology">Chilote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Choctaw_mythology" title="Choctaw mythology">Choctaw</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Creek_mythology" title="Creek mythology">Creek</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Guarani_mythology" title="Guarani mythology">Guarani</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Haida_mythology" title="Haida mythology">Haida</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Inca_mythology" title="Inca mythology">Inca</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Inuit_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Inuit mythology">Inuit</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Iroquois_mythology" title="Iroquois mythology">Iroquois</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maya_mythology" title="Maya mythology">Maya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Muisca_mythology" title="Muisca mythology">Muisca</a></li> <li>Pacific Northwest <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kwakwaka%CA%BCwakw_mythology" title="Kwakwakaʼwakw mythology">Kwakwakaʼwakw</a></li></ul></li> <li>Plains Indians <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ho-Chunk_mythology" title="Ho-Chunk mythology">Ho-Chunk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lakota_mythology" title="Lakota mythology">Lakota</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pawnee_mythology" title="Pawnee mythology">Pawnee</a></li></ul></li> <li>Puebloan <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hopi_mythology" title="Hopi mythology">Hopi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zuni_mythology" title="Zuni mythology">Zuni</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Selk%27nam_mythology" title="Selk'nam mythology">Selk'nam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Talamancan_mythology" title="Talamancan mythology">Talamancan</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ossetian_mythology" title="Ossetian mythology">Ossetian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Papuan_mythology" title="Papuan mythology">Papuan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Persian_mythology" title="Persian mythology">Persian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Philippine_mythology" title="Philippine mythology">Philippine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polynesian_mythology" title="Polynesian mythology">Polynesian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_mythology" title="Proto-Indo-European mythology">Proto-Indo-European</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proto-Uralic_religion" title="Proto-Uralic religion">Proto-Uralic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roman_mythology" title="Roman mythology">Roman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romanian_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Romanian mythology">Romanian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/S%C3%A1mi_shamanism" title="Sámi shamanism">Sámi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slavic_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Slavic mythology">Slavic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Somali_mythology" title="Somali mythology">Somali</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Talysh_mythology" title="Talysh mythology">Talysh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tai_folk_religion" title="Tai folk religion">Tai</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thai_folklore" title="Thai folklore">Thai</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tibetan_mythology" title="Tibetan mythology">Tibetan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turkic_mythology" title="Turkic mythology">Turkic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vietnamese_mythology" title="Vietnamese mythology">Vietnamese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/West_African_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="West African religion">West African</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yoruba_religion" title="Yoruba religion">Yoruba</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Types</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Creation_myth" title="Creation myth">Creation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flood_myth" title="Flood myth">Flood</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_myth" title="National myth">National</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Origin_myth" title="Origin myth">Origin</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Lists</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_creation_myths" title="List of creation myths">Creations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_legendary_creatures" title="Lists of legendary creatures">Creatures</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_deities" title="Lists of deities">Deities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_fictional_feral_children" title="List of fictional feral children">Feral children</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_flood_myths" title="List of flood myths">Floods</a></li> <li>Heroes <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_culture_heroes" title="List of culture heroes">Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_folk_heroes" title="List of folk heroes">Folk</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_mythological_objects" title="List of mythological objects">Objects</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_mythological_pairs" title="List of mythological pairs">Pairs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_mythological_places" title="List of mythological places">Places</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_mythology_books_and_sources" title="List of mythology books and sources">Sources</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Related concepts</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Deity" title="Deity">Deity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legendary_creature" title="Legendary creature">Legendary creature</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_legendary_creatures_by_type" title="List of legendary creatures by type">Type</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legendary_progenitor" title="Legendary progenitor">Legendary progenitor</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twins_in_mythology" title="Twins in mythology">Twins</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Culture_hero" title="Culture hero">Culture hero</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Folk_hero" title="Folk hero">Folk hero</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">See also</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Comparative_mythology" title="Comparative mythology">Comparative mythology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparative_religion" title="Comparative religion">Comparative religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Euhemerism" title="Euhemerism">Euhemerism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Folklore" title="Folklore">Folklore</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_world_folk-epics" title="List of world folk-epics">Epics</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lower_mythology" title="Lower mythology">Lower mythology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pseudo-mythology" title="Pseudo-mythology">Pseudo-mythology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religion_and_mythology" title="Religion and mythology">Religion and mythology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Symbol" title="Symbol">Symbolism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Theology" title="Theology">Theology</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Mythology" title="Template:Mythology"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Mythology" title="Template talk:Mythology"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Mythology" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Mythology"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Relating to the creation of a Bakongo person, or <i>muntu</i>, the four moments of the sun also play a role in their development.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Musoni is the time when a muntu is conceived both in the spiritual realm and in the womb of a Bakongo woman. Kala is the time when a muntu is born into the physical world. This time is also seen as the rise of the sun. Tukula is the time of maturity, where a muntu learns to master all aspects of life from spirituality to purpose to personality. The last time is Luvemba, when a muntu physically dies and enters the spiritual world, or Nu Mpémba, with the ancestors, or <i>bakulu</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Because Bakongo people have a "dual soul-mind," or <i>mwèla-ngindu</i>, they are able to exist and live in both realms during the different moments of their lives. Even while in Nu Mpémba, a muntu still lives a full life as they prepare for Kala time once again.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Namibia">Namibia</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Namibia"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In some Bantu myths, the <a href="/wiki/List_of_first_men_or_women_in_mythology_and_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="List of first men or women in mythology and religion">first man</a> was born from a <a href="/wiki/Plant" title="Plant">plant</a>: for example, he came from phragmites reeds in, and from a "Omumborombonga" tree in <a href="/wiki/Herero_people" title="Herero people">Herero</a> mythology. Other traditions have the first men came out of a <a href="/wiki/Cave" title="Cave">cave</a> or a hole in the ground.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>It can be noted that, as is the case with many mythologies, Bantu mythologies about the creation of man are often limited to describing their own origins, rather than those of all of humanity. For example, most Bantu peoples that coexist with <a href="/wiki/Bushmen" class="mw-redirect" title="Bushmen">bushmen</a> do not include these in their creation myths (i.e., bushmen, animals and the rest of humanity, to be a part of the eternal universe rather than a part of the specific group or people).<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Death">Death</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Death"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg/220px-Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg/330px-Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg/440px-Madagascar-Chameleon.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2304" data-file-height="1728" /></a><figcaption>The chameleon is a <a href="/wiki/Herald" title="Herald">herald</a> of <a href="/wiki/Immortality" title="Immortality">eternal life</a> in many Bantu mythologies</figcaption></figure> <p>Most Bantu cultures have legends and myths about the <a href="/wiki/Origin_of_death" title="Origin of death">origin of death</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to one myth, a chameleon was sent to announce to men that they would never die. The chameleon went on his mission, but he walked slowly and stopped along the way to eat. Some time after the chameleon had left, a <a href="/wiki/Lizard" title="Lizard">lizard</a> went to announce to men that they <i>would</i> die. Being much quicker than the chameleon, the lizard arrived first, thus establishing the mortal nature of man. The Baganda in central Uganda believe that Walumbe—one of the three sons of the god of heaven, who escaped heaven and was thrown into an abyss by his brother—still takes the souls of the Baganda.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>Traditional African religions generally believe in an <a href="/wiki/Afterlife" title="Afterlife">afterlife</a> seen in the way most of the tribes conduct their burials. Practices like burying the dead at midday so they could make it to the other world before night were common but have been left majorly to the rural areas. Some tribes carried out ceremonies where they would send the dead with messages to the other world.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>Ancestors were believed to be in direct communication with the gods and sacrifices were made to them to plead on behalf of the people. Ancient Bantu religious beliefs have been left to undeveloped or rural areas. In some countries medicine men, the priests of ancient Africa, are looked at with scorn. This is attributed to the influence of religions like Islam and Christianity that prohibit witchcraft.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Ancestor_worship" class="mw-redirect" title="Ancestor worship">Ancestor worship</a> is an important basic concept in most African religions. Some African religions adopted different views through the influence of religions like Christianity and Islam.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Spirits">Spirits</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Spirits"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In most African cultures, including Bantu cultures, <a href="/wiki/Veneration_of_the_dead" title="Veneration of the dead">veneration of the dead</a> plays a prominent role. The spirits of the dead are believed to linger around and influence the world of the living. This spiritual existence is usually not considered eternal; the spirits of the dead live on as long as there is someone who remembers them. As a consequence, kings and heroes, who are celebrated by <a href="/wiki/Oral_tradition" title="Oral tradition">oral tradition</a>, live for centuries, while the spirit of common people may vanish in the turn of a few generations.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>The dead communicate with the living in different ways; for example, they talk to them in <a href="/wiki/Dream" title="Dream">dreams</a>, send <a href="/wiki/Omen" title="Omen">omens</a>, or can be addressed by specially gifted <a href="/wiki/Divination" title="Divination">seers</a>. If they take any visible shape, it is often that of some animal (most likely a <a href="/wiki/Snake" title="Snake">snake</a>, a <a href="/wiki/Bird" title="Bird">bird</a> or a <a href="/wiki/Mantis" title="Mantis">mantis</a>).<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>The living, through clairvoyants and seers, may address the dead in order to receive advice or ask for favours. If a spirit takes offence in something done by a living person, he may cause <a href="/wiki/Illness" class="mw-redirect" title="Illness">illness</a> or misfortune to that person; in that case, a clairvoyant may help that person to amend his mistake and pacify the angry dead. <a href="/wiki/Disaster" title="Disaster">Catastrophes</a>, such as <a href="/wiki/Famine" title="Famine">famine</a> or <a href="/wiki/War" title="War">war</a>, may be the consequence of serious misbehavior of the whole community.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>As is the case with other mythologies, Bantu cultures often locate the world of the dead underground. Many Bantu cultures have myths and legends about living people that somehow manages to enter the world of the dead (<i>kuzimu</i> in <a href="/wiki/Swahili_language" title="Swahili language">Swahili</a>); this may happen by chance to someone who is trying to hunt a <a href="/wiki/Old_World_porcupine" title="Old World porcupine">porcupine</a> or other animal inside its <a href="/wiki/Burrow" title="Burrow">burrow</a>. Some legends are about heroes who willingly enter the underground world in some kind of <a href="/wiki/Quest" title="Quest">quest</a>; examples are <a href="/w/index.php?title=Mpobe&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Mpobe (page does not exist)">Mpobe</a> (in <a href="/wiki/Baganda" title="Baganda">Baganda</a> mythology) and <a href="/wiki/Uncama" title="Uncama">Uncama</a> (Zulu mythology).<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>While Bantu cultures also believe in other spirits than those of the dead (for example, spirits of nature such as "Mwenembago", "the lord of the forest", in <a href="/wiki/Zaramo" class="mw-redirect" title="Zaramo">Zaramo</a> mythology), these play a much lesser role. In many cases, they were originally the spirits of dead people.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>One finds here and there traces of belief in a race of Heaven dwellers distinct from ordinary mortals. For instance, they are sometimes said to have tails.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Mythology">Mythology</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Mythology"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Creatures">Creatures</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Creatures"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Bantu mythologies often include <a href="/wiki/Monster" title="Monster">monsters</a>, referred to as <span title="Zulu-language romanization"><i lang="zu-Latn">amazimu</i></span> in <a href="/wiki/Zulu_language" title="Zulu language">isiZulu</a> and <a href="/wiki/Chewa_language" title="Chewa language">Chewa language</a> and <i>madimo</i>, <i>madimu</i>, <i>zimwi</i> in other languages. In <a href="/wiki/English_language" title="English language">English</a> translations of Bantu legends these words are often translated into "<a href="/wiki/Ogre" title="Ogre">ogre</a>" or most commonly "(Spirits)", as one of the most distinctive traits of such monsters is that of being <a href="/wiki/Man-eating_animal" title="Man-eating animal">man-eaters</a>. They can sometimes <a href="/wiki/Shapeshifter" class="mw-redirect" title="Shapeshifter">take on the appearance</a> of men or animals (for example, the <a href="/wiki/Chaga" class="mw-redirect" title="Chaga">Chaga</a> living by the <a href="/wiki/Kilimanjaro" class="mw-redirect" title="Kilimanjaro">Kilimanjaro</a> have tales of a monster with <a href="/wiki/African_leopard" title="African leopard">leopard</a> looks) and sometimes can cast spells on men and transform them into animals. A specific type of monsters is that of raised, mutilated dead (bearing a surface resemblance to western culture's <a href="/wiki/Zombie" title="Zombie">zombies</a>) such as the <i>umkovu</i> of Zulu tradition and the <i>ndondocha</i> of the <a href="/wiki/Yao_people_(East_Africa)" title="Yao people (East Africa)">Yao people</a>.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Folktales">Folktales</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Folktales"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The traditional culture of most Bantu peoples includes several <a href="/wiki/Fable" title="Fable">fables</a> about personified, talking animals.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>The prominent character of Bantu fables is the <a href="/wiki/Hare" title="Hare">hare</a>, a symbol of skill and cunning. Its main <a href="/wiki/Antagonist" title="Antagonist">antagonist</a> is the sneaky and deceptive <a href="/wiki/Hyena" title="Hyena">hyena</a>. <a href="/wiki/Lion" title="Lion">Lion</a> and <a href="/wiki/African_elephant" title="African elephant">elephant</a> usually represent brute force. Even more clever than the hare is the <a href="/wiki/Turtle" title="Turtle">turtle</a>, who beats its enemies with its patience and strong will. This symbology is, of course, subject to local variations. In areas where the hare is unknown (for example, along the <a href="/wiki/Congo_River" title="Congo River">Congo River</a>), its role is often taken by the <a href="/wiki/Antelope" title="Antelope">antelope</a>. In <a href="/wiki/Lesotho" title="Lesotho">Sotho</a> culture the hare is replaced by a <a href="/wiki/Jackal" title="Jackal">jackal</a>, maybe due to the influence of <a href="/wiki/Khoisan" title="Khoisan">Khoisan</a> culture, where the jackal is also a symbol of astuteness while the hare is seen as stupid. Zulus have stories about hares, but in some cases the <a href="/wiki/Ferret" title="Ferret">ferret</a> takes on the role of the smart <a href="/wiki/Protagonist" title="Protagonist">protagonist</a>.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Diaspora_in_the_Americas">Diaspora in the Americas</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Diaspora in the Americas"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Bantu religion, particularly <a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">religion</a> practiced by the Bakongo people, was brought to the Americas via the <a href="/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade" title="Atlantic slave trade">Atlantic slave trade</a>. The spiritual traditions and religions that have preserved Kongo traditions include <a href="/wiki/Hoodoo_(spirituality)" title="Hoodoo (spirituality)">Hoodoo</a>, <a href="/wiki/Palo_(religion)" title="Palo (religion)">Palo Monte</a>, <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbal%C3%BA" class="extiw" title="es:Lumbalú">Lumbalú</a>, <a href="/wiki/Kumina" title="Kumina">Kumina</a>, <a href="/wiki/Haitian_Vodou" title="Haitian Vodou">Haitian Vodou</a>, <a href="/wiki/Umbanda" title="Umbanda">Umbanda</a>, <a href="/wiki/Candombl%C3%A9_Bantu" title="Candomblé Bantu">Candomblé Bantu</a>, and Venezuelan Yuyu.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-VCU_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-VCU-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">Kongo religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maasai_spirituality" class="mw-redirect" title="Maasai spirituality">Maasai religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zulu_traditional_religion" title="Zulu traditional religion">Zulu religion</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Footnotes">Footnotes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Footnotes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See Werner, chapter 1.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFScheub2000" class="citation book cs1">Scheub, Harold (2000). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Dictionary_of_African_Mythology.html?id=6osYAAAAIAAJ"><i>A Dictionary of African Mythology: The Mythmaker as Storyteller</i></a>. Oxford University Press. pp. 108–110, 165–166, 185, 260–261, 288, 379, 430, 464–467, 747–748. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-512456-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-512456-9"><bdi>978-0-19-512456-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Dictionary+of+African+Mythology%3A+The+Mythmaker+as+Storyteller&rft.pages=108-110%2C+165-166%2C+185%2C+260-261%2C+288%2C+379%2C+430%2C+464-467%2C+747-748&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=978-0-19-512456-9&rft.aulast=Scheub&rft.aufirst=Harold&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%2Fabout%2FA_Dictionary_of_African_Mythology.html%3Fid%3D6osYAAAAIAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See Lynch, p. xi.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:0-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAsanteMazama2009" class="citation book cs1">Asante, Molefi Kete; Mazama, Ama (2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Encyclopedia_of_African_Religion.html?id=B667ATiedQkC"><i>Encyclopedia of African Religion</i></a>. SAGE Publications. pp. 120–124, 165–166, 361. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1412936361" title="Special:BookSources/978-1412936361"><bdi>978-1412936361</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Encyclopedia+of+African+Religion&rft.pages=120-124%2C+165-166%2C+361&rft.pub=SAGE+Publications&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-1412936361&rft.aulast=Asante&rft.aufirst=Molefi+Kete&rft.au=Mazama%2C+Ama&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%2Fabout%2FEncyclopedia_of_African_Religion.html%3Fid%3DB667ATiedQkC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFNdlovu1995" class="citation book cs1">Ndlovu, Tommy Matshakayile (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/34114180"><i>Imikhuba lamasiko AmaNdebele</i></a>. Doris Ndlovu, Bekithemba S. Ncube. Gweru,GasiyaZimbabwe: Mambo Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86922-624-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-86922-624-X"><bdi>0-86922-624-X</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/34114180">34114180</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Imikhuba+lamasiko+AmaNdebele&rft.place=Gweru%2CGasiyaZimbabwe&rft.pub=Mambo+Press&rft.date=1995&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F34114180&rft.isbn=0-86922-624-X&rft.aulast=Ndlovu&rft.aufirst=Tommy+Matshakayile&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldcat.org%2Foclc%2F34114180&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Juergensmeyer, Mark (2006). <i>The Oxford Handbook Of Global Religions</i>. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-513798-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-19-513798-1">0-19-513798-1</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">S. Mbiti, John (1991). Introduction to African religion. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-435-94002-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-435-94002-3">0-435-94002-3</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Kimmerle_15-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Kimmerle_15_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kimmerle_15_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKimmerle2006" class="citation journal cs1">Kimmerle, Heinz (2006-04-11). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.4102%2Ftd.v2i2.277">"The world of spirits and the respect for nature: towards a new appreciation of animism"</a>. <i>The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa</i>. <b>2</b> (2): 15. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.4102%2Ftd.v2i2.277">10.4102/td.v2i2.277</a></span>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2415-2005">2415-2005</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Journal+for+Transdisciplinary+Research+in+Southern+Africa&rft.atitle=The+world+of+spirits+and+the+respect+for+nature%3A+towards+a+new+appreciation+of+animism&rft.volume=2&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=15&rft.date=2006-04-11&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.4102%2Ftd.v2i2.277&rft.issn=2415-2005&rft.aulast=Kimmerle&rft.aufirst=Heinz&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.4102%252Ftd.v2i2.277&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVontress2005" class="citation cs2">Vontress, Clemmont E. (2005), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://sk.sagepub.com/books/integrating-traditional-healing-practices-into-counseling-and-psychotherapy/n11.xml">"Animism: Foundation of Traditional Healing in Sub-Saharan Africa"</a>, <i>Integrating Traditional Healing Practices into Counseling and Psychotherapy</i>, SAGE Publications, Inc., pp. 124–137, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.4135%2F9781452231648">10.4135/9781452231648</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780761930471" title="Special:BookSources/9780761930471"><bdi>9780761930471</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">2019-10-31</span></span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Integrating+Traditional+Healing+Practices+into+Counseling+and+Psychotherapy&rft.atitle=Animism%3A+Foundation+of+Traditional+Healing+in+Sub-Saharan+Africa&rft.pages=124-137&rft.date=2005&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.4135%2F9781452231648&rft.isbn=9780761930471&rft.aulast=Vontress&rft.aufirst=Clemmont+E.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fsk.sagepub.com%2Fbooks%2Fintegrating-traditional-healing-practices-into-counseling-and-psychotherapy%2Fn11.xml&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/index_section6.shtml">"The Story of Africa"</a>, <a href="/wiki/BBC_World_Service" title="BBC World Service">BBC World Service</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151102074637/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/index_section6.shtml">Archived</a> November 2, 2015, at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAsukwo2013" class="citation web cs1">Asukwo (2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/afrrev/article/download/91437/80924">"The Need to Re-Conceptualize African Traditional Religion"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Need+to+Re-Conceptualize+African+Traditional+Religion&rft.date=2013&rft.au=Asukwo&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajol.info%2Findex.php%2Fafrrev%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F91437%2F80924&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Okwu-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Okwu_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFOkwu1979" class="citation journal cs1">Okwu AS (1979). "Life, Death, and Traditional Healing in Africa". <i>Issue: A Journal of Opinion</i>. <b>9</b> (3): 19–24. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.2307%2F1166258">10.2307/1166258</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1166258">1166258</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Issue%3A+A+Journal+of+Opinion&rft.atitle=Life%2C+Death%2C+and+Traditional+Healing+in+Africa&rft.volume=9&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=19-24&rft.date=1979&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.2307%2F1166258&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F1166258%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Okwu&rft.aufirst=AS&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFStanton2012" class="citation book cs1">Stanton, Andrea L. (2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=GtCL2OYsH6wC&q=traditional+african+religions+polytheism&pg=RA1-PA185"><i>Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa: An Encyclopedia</i></a>. SAGE. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781412981767" title="Special:BookSources/9781412981767"><bdi>9781412981767</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Cultural+Sociology+of+the+Middle+East%2C+Asia%2C+and+Africa%3A+An+Encyclopedia&rft.pub=SAGE&rft.date=2012&rft.isbn=9781412981767&rft.aulast=Stanton&rft.aufirst=Andrea+L.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DGtCL2OYsH6wC%26q%3Dtraditional%2Bafrican%2Breligions%2Bpolytheism%26pg%3DRA1-PA185&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Baldick, Julian (1997). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=JBzGsr1bw6cC&q=christianity+judaism+islam+afroasiatics">Black God: the Afroasiatic roots of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions</a>. Syracuse University Press:<link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8156-0522-6" title="Special:BookSources/0-8156-0522-6">0-8156-0522-6</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-The_spirituality_of_Africa-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-The_spirituality_of_Africa_15-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-The_spirituality_of_Africa_15-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/10/the-spirituality-of-africa/">"The spirituality of Africa"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Harvard_Gazette" class="mw-redirect" title="Harvard Gazette">Harvard Gazette</a></i>. 2015-10-06<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-11-30</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Harvard+Gazette&rft.atitle=The+spirituality+of+Africa&rft.date=2015-10-06&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.harvard.edu%2Fgazette%2Fstory%2F2015%2F10%2Fthe-spirituality-of-africa%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Mungu</i> is in fact the standard translation of "God" used in <a href="/wiki/Swahili_language" title="Swahili language">Swahili</a>; for example, in Swahili <a href="/wiki/Bible" title="Bible">Bible</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Anthem" title="Anthem">anthem</a> of <a href="/wiki/Tanzania" title="Tanzania">Tanzania</a> is <i><a href="/wiki/Mungu_ibariki_Afrika" title="Mungu ibariki Afrika">Mungu ibariki Afrika</a></i>, "God bless Africa".</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060210234138/http://www.bakweri.com/2004/02/the_liengu_cult.html">"bakwerirama: The Liengu Cult (Mermaid Cult)"</a>. 2006-02-10. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bakweri.com/2004/02/the_liengu_cult.html">the original</a> on 2006-02-10<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-11-16</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=bakwerirama%3A+The+Liengu+Cult+%28Mermaid+Cult%29&rft.date=2006-02-10&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bakweri.com%2F2004%2F02%2Fthe_liengu_cult.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060210234220/http://www.bakweri.com/2004/03/man_mouse_ape_a.html">"bakwerirama: Man, Mouse, Ape and Water Spirit"</a>. 2006-02-10. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bakweri.com/2004/03/man_mouse_ape_a.html">the original</a> on 2006-02-10<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-11-16</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=bakwerirama%3A+Man%2C+Mouse%2C+Ape+and+Water+Spirit&rft.date=2006-02-10&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bakweri.com%2F2004%2F03%2Fman_mouse_ape_a.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:1-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLuyaluka2017" class="citation journal cs1">Luyaluka, Kiatezua Lubanzadio (2017). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26174215">"The Spiral as the Basic Semiotic of the Kongo Religion, the Bukongo"</a>. <i>Journal of Black Studies</i>. <b>48</b> (1): 91–112. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0021-9347">0021-9347</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Black+Studies&rft.atitle=The+Spiral+as+the+Basic+Semiotic+of+the+Kongo+Religion%2C+the+Bukongo&rft.volume=48&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=91-112&rft.date=2017&rft.issn=0021-9347&rft.aulast=Luyaluka&rft.aufirst=Kiatezua+Lubanzadio&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F26174215&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWerner1968" class="citation book cs1">Werner, Alice (1968). <i>Myths and Legends of the Bantu</i>. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Myths+and+Legends+of+the+Bantu&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Frank+Cass+%26+Co.+Ltd&rft.date=1968&rft.aulast=Werner&rft.aufirst=Alice&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFParrinder1959" class="citation journal cs1">Parrinder, E. G. (1959). "Islam and West African Indigenous Religion". <i>Numen</i>. <b>6</b> (2): 130–141. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3269310">10.2307/3269310</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0029-5973">0029-5973</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3269310">3269310</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Numen&rft.atitle=Islam+and+West+African+Indigenous+Religion&rft.volume=6&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=130-141&rft.date=1959&rft.issn=0029-5973&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F3269310%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.2307%2F3269310&rft.aulast=Parrinder&rft.aufirst=E.+G.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.meta-religion.com/World_Religions/Other_religions/kongo_religion.htm">"Kongo religion"</a>. <i>meta-religion.com</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=meta-religion.com&rft.atitle=Kongo+religion&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meta-religion.com%2FWorld_Religions%2FOther_religions%2Fkongo_religion.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFThompson1983" class="citation book cs1">Thompson, Robert Farris (1983). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=DzOIY4iHSjAC&q=Flash+of+the+spirit"><i>Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art and Philosophy</i></a>. New York: Vintage Books. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780307874337" title="Special:BookSources/9780307874337"><bdi>9780307874337</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Flash+of+the+Spirit%3A+African+and+Afro-American+Art+and+Philosophy&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Vintage+Books&rft.date=1983&rft.isbn=9780307874337&rft.aulast=Thompson&rft.aufirst=Robert+Farris&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DDzOIY4iHSjAC%26q%3DFlash%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bspirit&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-VCU-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-VCU_24-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMcCurnin" class="citation news cs1">McCurnin, Mary Margaret. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1077&context=etd">"From the Old to the New World: The Transformation of Kongo Minkisi in African American Art"</a>. <i>Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU Scholars Compass)</i>. p. 11<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 July</span> 2021</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Virginia+Commonwealth+University+%28VCU+Scholars+Compass%29&rft.atitle=From+the+Old+to+the+New+World%3A+The+Transformation+of+Kongo+Minkisi+in+African+American+Art&rft.pages=11&rft.aulast=McCurnin&rft.aufirst=Mary+Margaret&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fscholarscompass.vcu.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1077%26context%3Detd&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABantu+religion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bantu_religion&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Patricia Ann Lynch, <i>African Mythology A to Z</i>, Infobase Publishing.</li> <li>Alice Werner, <i>Myths and Legends of the Bantu</i> (1933). Available online here <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/mlb/index.htm">[1]</a>.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output 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dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Bantu_religion_and_folklore" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background: #bdfdfb;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Bantu" title="Template:Bantu"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Bantu" title="Template talk:Bantu"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Bantu" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Bantu"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Bantu_religion_and_folklore" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Bantu religion and folklore</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #bdfdfb;;width:1%;text-align:center;">Main topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bantu_peoples" title="Bantu peoples">Bantu peoples</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bantu_expansion" title="Bantu expansion">Bantu expansion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proto-Bantu_language" title="Proto-Bantu language">Proto-Bantu language</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bantu_languages" title="Bantu languages">Bantu languages</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #bdfdfb;;width:1%;text-align:center;">Religion</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Religions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Bantu religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Badimo" title="Badimo">Badimo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dini_Ya_Msambwa" title="Dini Ya Msambwa">Dini Ya Msambwa</a> (<a href="/wiki/Luhya_people" title="Luhya people">Luhya</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">Kongo religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nyau" title="Nyau">Nyau</a> (<a href="/wiki/Chewa_people" title="Chewa people">Chewa</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indigenous_religion_in_Zimbabwe" title="Indigenous religion in Zimbabwe">Zimbabwean</a> (<a href="/wiki/Northern_Ndebele_people" title="Northern Ndebele people">Ndebele</a> & <a href="/wiki/Shona_people" title="Shona people">Shona</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zulu_traditional_religion" title="Zulu traditional religion">Zulu religion</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Deities</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Akongo" title="Akongo">Akongo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bunzi" title="Bunzi">Bunzi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kalumba" title="Kalumba">Kalumba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kianda" title="Kianda">Kianda</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kibuka_(deity)" title="Kibuka (deity)">Kibuka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mebege" title="Mebege">Mebege</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mukasa_(deity)" title="Mukasa (deity)">Mukasa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Muisa" title="Muisa">Muisa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mwari" title="Mwari">Mwari</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Njambe_(god)" title="Njambe (god)">Njambe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nyambe" title="Nyambe">Nyambe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nzambi_a_Mpungu" title="Nzambi a Mpungu">Nzambi Mpungu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nzambici" title="Nzambici">Nzambici</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nzame" title="Nzame">Nzame</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Spirits</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jengu" title="Jengu">Jengu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mami_Wata" title="Mami Wata">Mami Wata</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nkisi" title="Nkisi">Nkisi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nkondi" title="Nkondi">Nkondi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shetani" title="Shetani">Shetani</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Simbi" title="Simbi">Simbi</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Concepts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kal%C3%BBnga_Line" title="Kalûnga Line">Kalûnga Line</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kongo_cosmogram" title="Kongo cosmogram">Kongo cosmogram</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nkisi" title="Nkisi">Nkisi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nkondi" title="Nkondi">Nkondi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nganga" title="Nganga">Nganga</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Okuyi" title="Okuyi">Okuyi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zebola" title="Zebola">Zebola</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #bdfdfb;;width:1%;text-align:center;">Culture</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Legendary beings</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kimanaueze" title="Kimanaueze">Kimanaueze</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mwindo_epic" title="Mwindo epic">Mwindo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mwuetsi" title="Mwuetsi">Mwuetsi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nambi_(mythology)" title="Nambi (mythology)">Nambi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nyongo_society" title="Nyongo society">Nyongo society</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sudika-mbambi" title="Sudika-mbambi">Sudika-mbambi</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Legendary creatures</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abada_(unicorn)" title="Abada (unicorn)">Abada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eloko" title="Eloko">Eloko</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Koolakamba" title="Koolakamba">Koolakamba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mbwiri" title="Mbwiri">Mbwiri</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mokele-mbembe" title="Mokele-mbembe">Mokele-mbembe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Obambo" title="Obambo">Obambo</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #bdfdfb;;width:1%;text-align:center;">Bantu diaspora</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Religion</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/African_diaspora_religions" title="African diaspora religions">African diaspora religions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Black_cat_bone" title="Black cat bone">Black cat bone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Candombl%C3%A9_Bantu" title="Candomblé Bantu">Candomblé Bantu</a> (<a href="/wiki/Afro-Brazilians" title="Afro-Brazilians">Brazil</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Goofer_dust" title="Goofer dust">Goofer dust</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hoodoo_(spirituality)" title="Hoodoo (spirituality)">Hoodoo</a> (<a href="/wiki/African_Americans" title="African Americans">USA</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hot_foot_powder" title="Hot foot powder">Hot foot powder</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kumbaya" title="Kumbaya">Kumbaya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mojo_(African-American_culture)" title="Mojo (African-American culture)">Mojo bag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ring_shout" title="Ring shout">Ring shout</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background: #d6fefd;;width:1%">Culture</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Boo_hag" title="Boo hag">Boo hag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Congo_Square" title="Congo Square">Congo Square</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gullah_Jack" title="Gullah Jack">Gullah Jack</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_the_Conqueror" title="John the Conqueror">John the Conqueror</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zombie" title="Zombie">Zombie</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background: #bdfdfb;"><div><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <b><a href="/wiki/Category:Bantu_peoples" title="Category:Bantu peoples">Category</a></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Paganism_(and_modern_paganism)" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Paganism" title="Template:Paganism"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Paganism" title="Template talk:Paganism"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Paganism" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Paganism"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Paganism_(and_modern_paganism)" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">Paganism</a> (and <a href="/wiki/Modern_paganism" title="Modern paganism">modern paganism</a>)</div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Animism" title="Animism">Animism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Panentheism" title="Panentheism">Panentheism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pantheism" title="Pantheism">Pantheism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polytheism" title="Polytheism">Polytheism</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Historical <br /><a href="/wiki/Ethnic_religion" title="Ethnic religion">ethnic religions</a><br /> (existing and <br />extinct)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><div class="navbox-styles"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-label="Navbox" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Asian" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Asian</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ainu_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Ainu religion">Ainu</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Altaic_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Altaic religion (page does not exist)">Altaic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manchu_shamanism" title="Manchu shamanism">Manchu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mongolian_shamanism" title="Mongolian shamanism">Mongolian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tengrism" title="Tengrism">Tengrism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turkic_mythology" title="Turkic mythology">Turkic</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Austroasiatic_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Austroasiatic religion (page does not exist)">Austroasiatic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sarnaism" title="Sarnaism">Sarnaism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vietnamese_folk_religion" title="Vietnamese folk religion">Vietnamese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mythology_of_Indonesia" title="Mythology of Indonesia">Indonesia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parmalim" title="Parmalim">Parmalim</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kaharingan" title="Kaharingan">Kaharingan</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Momolianism" class="mw-redirect" title="Momolianism">Momolianism</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kejaw%C3%A8n" title="Kejawèn">Kejawèn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malaysian_folk_religion" title="Malaysian folk religion">Malay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indigenous_Philippine_folk_religions" title="Indigenous Philippine folk religions">Philippine</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Indigenous_religious_beliefs_of_the_Tagalog_people" class="mw-redirect" title="Indigenous religious beliefs of the Tagalog people">Tagalog</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Marapu" title="Marapu">Marapu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sunda_Wiwitan" title="Sunda Wiwitan">Sunda Wiwitan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion" title="Chinese folk religion">Chinese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hinduism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hindu_mythology" title="Hindu mythology">Hindu mythology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dravidian_folk_religion" title="Dravidian folk religion">Dravidian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Tamil_mythology" title="Tamil mythology">Tamil</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kalash_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Kalash religion">Kalash</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Punjabi_folk_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Punjabi folk religion">Punjabi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Historical_Vedic_religion" title="Historical Vedic religion">Vedic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shinto" title="Shinto">Shinto</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ryukyuan_religion" title="Ryukyuan religion">Ryukyuan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Korean_shamanism" title="Korean shamanism">Korean</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Miao_folk_religion" title="Miao folk religion">Miao</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Tai_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tai religion (page does not exist)">Tai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ahom_religion" title="Ahom religion">Ahom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mo_(religion)" title="Mo (religion)">Mo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tai_folk_religion" title="Tai folk religion">Satsana Phi</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Tibeto-Burman_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tibeto-Burman religion (page does not exist)">Tibeto-Burmese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bathouism" title="Bathouism">Bathouism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Benzhuism" title="Benzhuism">Benzhuism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bimoism" title="Bimoism">Bimoism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bon" title="Bon">Bon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mun_(religion)" title="Mun (religion)">Bongthingism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burmese_folk_religion" title="Burmese folk religion">Burmese</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donyi-Polo" title="Donyi-Polo">Donyi-Polo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Heraka" class="mw-redirect" title="Heraka">Heraka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kirat_Mundhum" title="Kirat Mundhum">Kiratism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qiang_folk_religion" title="Qiang folk religion">Qiang</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sanamahism" title="Sanamahism">Sanamahism</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="European" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">European</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Albanian_folk_beliefs" class="mw-redirect" title="Albanian folk beliefs">Albanian</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Anatolian_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Anatolian religion (page does not exist)">Anatolian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hittite_mythology_and_religion" title="Hittite mythology and religion">Hittite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lydian_religion" title="Lydian religion">Lydian</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Phrygian_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Phrygian religion (page does not exist)">Phrygian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Armenian_mythology" title="Armenian mythology">Armenian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baltic_mythology" title="Baltic mythology">Baltic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Prussian_mythology" title="Prussian mythology">Old Prussian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Latvian_mythology" title="Latvian mythology">Latvian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lithuanian_mythology" title="Lithuanian mythology">Lithuanian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Basque_mythology" title="Basque mythology">Basque</a></li> <li>Caucasian <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Circassian_paganism" title="Circassian paganism">Circassian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Georgian_mythology" title="Georgian mythology">Georgian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ossetian_mythology" title="Ossetian mythology">Ossetian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vainakh_religion" title="Vainakh religion">Vainakh</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Celtic_polytheism" class="mw-redirect" title="Celtic polytheism">Celtic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Irish_mythology" title="Irish mythology">Irish</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Etruscan_religion" title="Etruscan religion">Etruscan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Germanic_paganism" title="Germanic paganism">Germanic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_paganism" title="Anglo-Saxon paganism">Anglo-Saxon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frankish_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Frankish mythology">Frankish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gothic_paganism" title="Gothic paganism">Gothic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Norse_religion" title="Old Norse religion">Norse</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ancient_Greek_religion" title="Ancient Greek religion">Greek</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hellenistic_religion" title="Hellenistic religion">Hellenistic religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Greek_hero_cult" title="Greek hero cult">Hero cult</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Greco-Roman_mysteries" title="Greco-Roman mysteries">Sacred mysteries</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eleusinian_Mysteries" title="Eleusinian Mysteries">Eleusinian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orphism_(religion)" title="Orphism (religion)">Orphic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Samothrace_temple_complex" title="Samothrace temple complex">Samothracian</a></li></ul></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Iberian_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Iberian religion (page does not exist)">Iberian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cantabrian_mythology" title="Cantabrian mythology">Cantabrian</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Castro_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Castro religion (page does not exist)">Castro</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Gallaecian_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Gallaecian religion (page does not exist)">Gallaecian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lusitanian_mythology" title="Lusitanian mythology">Lusitanian</a></li></ul></li> <li>Italic <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Camunni_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Camunni religion (page does not exist)">Camunnian</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ligures_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ligures religion (page does not exist)">Ligurian</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Umbri_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Umbri religion (page does not exist)">Umbrian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Minoan_religion" title="Minoan religion">Minoan</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nuragic_religion&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nuragic religion (page does not exist)">Nuragic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paleo-Balkan_mythology" title="Paleo-Balkan mythology">Paleo-Balkan</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dacian_religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Dacian religion">Dacian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Illyrian_religion" title="Illyrian religion">Illyrian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thracian_religion" title="Thracian religion">Thracian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome" title="Religion in ancient Rome">Roman</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cybele" title="Cybele">Cybele</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gallo-Roman_religion" title="Gallo-Roman religion">Gallo-Roman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roman_imperial_cult" title="Roman imperial cult">Imperial cult</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mithraism" title="Mithraism">Mithraism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mysteries_of_Isis" title="Mysteries of Isis">Mysteries of Isis</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scythian_religion" title="Scythian religion">Scythian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slavic_paganism" title="Slavic paganism">Slavic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Uralic_languages" title="Uralic languages">Uralic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Baltic_Finnic_paganism" title="Baltic Finnic paganism">Baltic Finnic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hungarian_mythology" title="Hungarian mythology">Hungarian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mari_Native_Religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Mari Native Religion">Mari</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sami_shamanism" class="mw-redirect" title="Sami shamanism">Sami</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Middle-Eastern_and_North_African" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Middle-Eastern and North African</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Religions_of_the_ancient_Near_East" title="Religions of the ancient Near East">Ancient Near Eastern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hurrian_religion" title="Hurrian religion">Hurrian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_religion" title="Ancient Egyptian religion">Egyptian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kushite_religion" title="Kushite religion">Nubian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion" title="Ancient Mesopotamian religion">Mesopotamian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Babylonian_religion" title="Babylonian religion">Babylonian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sumerian_religion" title="Sumerian religion">Sumerian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ancient_Semitic_religion" title="Ancient Semitic religion">Semitic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Religion_in_pre-Islamic_Arabia" title="Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia">Arabian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canaanite_religion" title="Canaanite religion">Canaanite</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Iranian_religions" title="Iranian religions">Iranian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Persian_mythology" title="Persian mythology">Persian</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Traditional_Berber_religion" title="Traditional Berber religion">Berber</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Punic_religion" title="Punic religion">Punic</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Oceanian_and_Pacific_Islander" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Oceanian and Pacific Islander</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_religion_and_mythology" title="Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology">Australian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Melanesian_mythology" title="Melanesian mythology">Melanesian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Micronesian_mythology" title="Micronesian mythology">Micronesian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nauruan_indigenous_religion" title="Nauruan indigenous religion">Nauruan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Papuan_mythology" title="Papuan mythology">Papuan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polynesian_mythology" title="Polynesian mythology">Polynesian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cook_Islands_mythology" title="Cook Islands mythology">Cook Islander</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hawaiian_religion" title="Hawaiian religion">Hawaiian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religion_of_M%C4%81ori_people" title="Religion of Māori people">Māori</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rapa_Nui_mythology" title="Rapa Nui mythology">Rapa Nui</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tahiti_and_Society_Islands_mythology" title="Tahiti and Society Islands mythology">Tahitian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tongan_religion" title="Tongan religion">Tongan</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Sub-Saharan_African" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Traditional_African_religions" title="Traditional African religions">Sub-Saharan African</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Akan_religion" title="Akan religion">Akan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bantu_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Bantu mythology">Bantu</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bushongo_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Bushongo mythology">Bushongo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kongo_religion" title="Kongo religion">Kongo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lozi_mythology" title="Lozi mythology">Lozi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zulu_traditional_religion" title="Zulu traditional religion">Zulu</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dahomean_religion" title="Dahomean religion">Dahomean</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dinka_religion" title="Dinka religion">Dinka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Efik_mythology" title="Efik mythology">Efik</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hausa_animism" title="Hausa animism">Hausa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lugbara_mythology" title="Lugbara mythology">Lugbara</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maasai_mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Maasai mythology">Maasai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malagasy_mythology" title="Malagasy mythology">Malagasy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mbuti_mythology" title="Mbuti mythology">Mbuti</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Odinani" class="mw-redirect" title="Odinani">Odinani</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/San_religion" title="San religion">San</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Serer_religion" title="Serer religion">Serer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Somali_mythology" title="Somali mythology">Somali</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_modern_pagan_movements" title="List of modern pagan movements">Modern pagan<br />movements</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><div class="navbox-styles"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-label="Navbox" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Ethnic" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Ethnic_religion" title="Ethnic religion">Ethnic</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>African <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ausar_Auset_Society" title="Ausar Auset Society">Ausar Auset</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Godianism" title="Godianism">Godianism</a></li></ul></li> <li>American <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mexicayotl" title="Mexicayotl">Mexicayotl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Native_American_Church" title="Native American Church">Native American Church</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Armenian_Native_Faith" class="mw-redirect" title="Armenian Native Faith">Armenian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baltic_neopaganism" title="Baltic neopaganism">Baltic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dievtur%C4%ABba" title="Dievturība">Dievturība</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romuva_(religion)" title="Romuva (religion)">Romuva</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caucasian_neopaganism" title="Caucasian neopaganism">Caucasian</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abkhaz_neopaganism" class="mw-redirect" title="Abkhaz neopaganism">Abkhaz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adyghe_Habze" class="mw-redirect" title="Adyghe Habze">Adyghe Habze</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Uatsdin" class="mw-redirect" title="Uatsdin">Uatsdin</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Celtic_Reconstructionist_Paganism" class="mw-redirect" title="Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism">Celtic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_Guanche_People" title="Church of the Guanche People">Canarian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Heathenry_(new_religious_movement)" title="Heathenry (new religious movement)">Heathenry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hellenism_(religion)" class="mw-redirect" title="Hellenism (religion)">Hellenism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hindu_reform_movements" title="Hindu reform movements">Hindu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roman_Polytheistic_Reconstructionism" class="mw-redirect" title="Roman Polytheistic Reconstructionism">Italo-Roman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kemetism" title="Kemetism">Kemetism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zalmoxianism" title="Zalmoxianism">Zalmoxianism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romani_folklore" title="Romani folklore">Romani</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Semitic_neopaganism" title="Semitic neopaganism">Semitic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slavic_Native_Faith" title="Slavic Native Faith">Slavic</a></li> <li>Turko-Mongolic <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Burkhanism" title="Burkhanism">Burkhanism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vattisen_Yaly" title="Vattisen Yaly">Vattisen Yaly</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Uralic_neopaganism" title="Uralic neopaganism">Uralic</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Estonian_neopaganism" title="Estonian neopaganism">Estonian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Finnish_neopaganism" class="mw-redirect" title="Finnish neopaganism">Finnish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hungarian_Native_Faith" title="Hungarian Native Faith">Hungarian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mordvin_Native_Religion" class="mw-redirect" title="Mordvin Native Religion">Mordvin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Udmurt_Vos" title="Udmurt Vos">Udmurt Vos</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Other" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Other</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Neopagan_witchcraft" title="Neopagan witchcraft">Neopagan witchcraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cochrane%27s_Craft" title="Cochrane's Craft">Cochrane's Craft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Feri_Tradition" title="Feri Tradition">Feri Tradition</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stregheria" title="Stregheria">Stregheria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wicca" title="Wicca">Wicca</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Druidry_(modern)" title="Druidry (modern)">Druidry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Congress_of_Ethnic_Religions" title="European Congress of Ethnic Religions">European Congress of Ethnic Religions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Goddess_movement" title="Goddess movement">Goddess movement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Neoshamanism" title="Neoshamanism">Neoshamanism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polytheistic_reconstructionism" title="Polytheistic reconstructionism">Polytheistic reconstructionism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secular_paganism" title="Secular paganism">Secular paganism</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Myth_and_ritual" title="Myth and ritual">Myth and ritual</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Veneration_of_the_dead" title="Veneration of the dead">Veneration of the dead</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bear_worship" title="Bear worship">Bear worship</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bl%C3%B3t" title="Blót">Blót</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tumulus" title="Tumulus">Tumulus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dying_and_rising_deity" class="mw-redirect" title="Dying and rising deity">Dying and rising deity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ethos" title="Ethos">Ethos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Folklore" title="Folklore">Folklore</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Idolatry" title="Idolatry">Idolatry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Magic_and_religion" title="Magic and religion">Magic and religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Megalith" title="Megalith">Megalith</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dolmen" title="Dolmen">Dolmen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Menhir" title="Menhir">Menhir</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stone_row" title="Stone row">Stone row</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Myth" title="Myth">Myth</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Myth_and_ritual" title="Myth and ritual">Myth and ritual</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mythology" class="mw-redirect" title="Mythology">Mythology</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orthopraxy" title="Orthopraxy">Orthopraxy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reincarnation" title="Reincarnation">Reincarnation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religion_and_mythology" title="Religion and mythology">Religion and mythology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ritual" title="Ritual">Ritual</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sacred_grove" title="Sacred grove">Sacred grove</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holy_well" title="Holy well">Holy well</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sacrifice" title="Sacrifice">Sacrifice</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Animal_sacrifice" title="Animal sacrifice">animal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_sacrifice" title="Human sacrifice">human</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Magic_(supernatural)" title="Magic (supernatural)">Supernatural magic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trees_in_mythology" title="Trees in mythology">Trees in mythology</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Tree_of_life" title="Tree of life">Tree of life</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/World_tree" title="World tree">World tree</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Totem" title="Totem">Totem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Virtue" title="Virtue">Virtue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Witchcraft" title="Witchcraft">Witchcraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Animal_worship" title="Animal worship">Animal worship</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christianization" title="Christianization">Christianization</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_and_paganism" title="Christianity and paganism">Christianity and paganism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianization_of_saints_and_feasts" title="Christianization of saints and feasts">Christianization of saints and feasts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constantinian_shift" title="Constantinian shift">Constantinian shift</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Neoplatonism" title="Neoplatonism">Neoplatonism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religio_licita" title="Religio licita">Religio licita</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Virtuous_pagan" title="Virtuous pagan">Virtuous pagan</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    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