Nyasaye (also Nyasae or Nasaye)
is the
Luo Luo may refer to:
Luo peoples and languages
*Luo peoples, an ethno-linguistic group of eastern and central Africa
**Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania or Joluo, an ethnic group in western Kenya, eastern Uganda, and northern Tanzania.
***Luoland, the ...
and
Gusii word for
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
. The same or similar words are also used by speakers of
Luhya Luhya or Abaluyia may refer to:
* Luhya people
* Luhya language
Luhya (; also Luyia, Luhia or Luhiya) is a Bantu language of western Kenya.
Dialects
The various Luhya tribes speak several related languages and dialects, though some of them are ...
languages, but they refer to the same entity.
for the Luo people, Nyasaye means the creator of the beginning, The Luo also called Nyasaye with different names such as Obongo NyaKalaga, Obong'o means one of a kind, while NyaKaldaga means the all powerful everlasting one. Luos are strictly monotheistic.
Some researchers have argued that the word ''Nyasaye'' doesn't mean exactly the same how comes thing for the Luo people as the word ''God'' does in English as a supreme high power, and even if the Luo people understand the concept, it doesn't necessarily carry the same connotations. The fact that English language is used to study religion in this case doesn't help to understand the way that these African populations apprehend the notion of God. However, some of the expressions in Luo languages which are used as prayers to speak about God/Nyasaye are direct translations from the Bible, and they don't have any other equivalents in their language.
For the
Luhya people
The Luhya (also known as ''Abaluyia'' or Luyia) comprise a number of Bantu ethnic groups native to western Kenya. They are divided into 20 culturally and linguistically related tribes.
''Luhya'' refers to both the 20 Luhya clans and their respe ...
, the high god is called ''Wele'' or ''Were'', and he is male-gendered, while other spirits and gods can be of both genders or not gendered. The Christian God, ''Nyasaye'', is also considered to be
male
Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization.
A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...
.
Altered states of consciousness and Nyasaye
Theologist Jim Harries affirms that the way that African people get in touch with Nyasaye is through
altered states of consciousness
An altered state of consciousness (ASC), also called altered state of mind or mind alteration, is any condition which is significantly different from a normal waking state. By 1892, the expression was in use in relation to hypnosis, though there ...
, which are seen as completely natural.
These altered states can cause people in Kenya to dance violently or to see visions. They also believe that worldly wealth and understanding of the world can also be achieved by contacting Nyasaye through these states.
Applications
Further applications of the word include:
*''Omwami'' (the Lord)
*''Omwami Nyasaye'' (the Lord God)
*''Sefwe ouli mwikulu'' (Our Father who art in Heaven)
*''Nyasaye w' tsimbabasi'' (God of Mercy)
*''Nyasaye wobukosia'' (God of Grace)
*''Nyasaye Papa'' (Father God)
*''Nyasaye wokhunyala kosi'' (Almighty God)
*''Nyasaye wa toto'' (the true God).
*''Omwami Yesu'' (Lord Jesus)
*''Nyasaye papa'' (God the Father)
*''Nyasaye Omwana'' (God the Son)
*''Nyasaye Roho Omutakatifu'' (God the Holy Spirit) - God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
References
{{Reflist
Names of God