Water Deities
   HOME



picture info

Water Deities
A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important. Another important focus of worship of water deities has been springs or holy wells. As a form of animal worship, whales and snakes (hence dragons) have been regarded as godly deities throughout the world (as are other animals such as turtles, fish, crabs, and sharks). In Asian lore, whales and dragons sometimes have connections. Serpents are also common as a symbol or as serpentine deities, sharing many similarities with dragons. Africa Akan * Bosompo, primordial embodiment of the oceans * Abena Mansa, sea goddess associated with gold * Ashiakle, goddess of the treasures at the bottom of the ocean *Tano (Ta Kora), god of the Tano river *Bia, god of the Bia river *Birim, goddess of the Birim river *Bosomtwe, antelope god of the Bos ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Gaziantep Zeugma Museum Water Gods Mosaic 8199
Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally #Name, called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean Region. It is located approximately east of Adana, Turkey, Adana and north of Aleppo, Syria and situated on the Sajur River. The city is thought to be located on the site of ancient Antiochia ad Taurum and is near ancient Zeugma (Commagene), Zeugma. Sometime after the Byzantine Empire, Byzantine-ruled city came under the Seljuk Empire, the region was administered by Armenians, Armenian warlords. In 1098, it became part of the County of Edessa, a Crusader states, Crusader state, though it continued to be administered by Armenians, such as Kogh Vasil. Aintab rose to prominence in the 14th century as the fortress became a settlement, hotly contested by the Mamluk Sultanate, Dulkadirids, and the I ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Simbi
A Simbi (also Cymbee, Sim'bi, pl. Bisimbi) is a Central African water and nature spirit in traditional Kongo religion, as well as in African diaspora spiritual traditions, such as Hoodoo in the southern United States and Palo in Cuba. Simbi have been historically identified as water people, or mermaids, pottery, snakes, gourds, and fire. Due to the forced removal of Bantu peoples from Africa to the Americas, the veneration of simbi exists today in countries, such as the United States, Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti. Etymology While there is little written historical record of the word ''simbi'', there is consensus that it originated within Bantu-speaking and Kongo-speaking communities and almost certainly began as a means for them to understand the spiritual nature of the world around them. Some believe the word ''simbi'' derives from ''simba'', a Kikongo word that means "to hold, keep, preserve. The similar phrase, ''isimba ia nsi'', which translates to "a distinguished person ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Tonga People (Zambia And Zimbabwe)
The Tonga people of Zambia and Zimbabwe are a Bantu ethnic group of southern Zambia and neighbouring northern Zimbabwe, and to a lesser extent, in Mozambique. They are related to the Batoka who are part of the Tokaleya people in the same area, but not to the Tonga people of Malawi who belong to a larger Tumbuka people group who speak a dialect of Chitumbuka, called Chitonga. In southern Zambia, they are patrons of the Kafue Twa. The Tonga of Zimbabwe The Tonga people of Zimbabwe are found in and around the Binga District, the Kariba area, and other parts of Matabeleland. They number up to 300,000 and are mostly subsistence farmers. ln Zimbabwe, the language of the Tonga people is called ''tchitonga''. The Tonga People were settled along Lake Kariba after the construction of the Kariba Dam wall. They stretch from Chirundu, Kariba town, Mola, Binga to Victoria Falls. In the 1800s, during the reign of Mzilikazi and Lobengula, the Tonga people were regarded by the Nd ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Nyami Nyami
The Nyami Nyami, otherwise known as the Zambezi River God or Zambezi Snake Spirit, is one of the most important gods of the people living along the Zambezi River. The Nyami Nyami is believed to protect the people and give them sustenance in difficult times. The River God is usually portrayed as male. Variously described as having the body of a snake and the head of a fish, a whirlpool or a river dragon, the Nyami Nyami is seen as the god of Zambezi Valley and the river before the creation of the Kariba Dam. He is regularly depicted as a snake-like being or dragon-like creature with a snake's torso and the head of a fish. It can be found as pendants on jewelry, usually carved out of wood, stone or bone, occasionally ivory, silver or gold both as a fashion accessory and as a good luck charm similar to the wearing of a St Christopher medallion. Elaborate traditionally carved walking sticks depicting the Nyami Nyami and its relationship with the valley's inhabitants were popula ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Kongo Religion
Kongo religion (Kongo language, Kikongo: Bukongo or Bakongo) encompasses the traditional beliefs of the Kongo people, Bakongo people. Due to the highly centralized position of the Kingdom of Kongo, its leaders were able to influence much of the traditional religious practices across the Congo Basin. As a result, many other ethnic groups and kingdoms in Central Africa, West-Central Africa, like the Chokwe people, Chokwe and Ambundu, Mbundu, adopted elements of Bakongo spirituality. The spirituality is based on a complex Animism, animistic system and a Pantheon (religion), pantheon of spirits. The principle Creator God of the world is Nzambi a Mpungu, Nzambi Mpungu, the sovereign master, and his female counterpart, Nzambici. While Nzambi Mpungu, who gave birth to the universe and the spirits who inhabit it, is vital to the spirituality, Veneration of the dead, ancestor veneration is the core principle. The Bakongo cosmos is split between two worlds: the top half representing the ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Bantu Peoples
The Bantu peoples are an Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous ethnolinguistic grouping of approximately 400 distinct native Demographics of Africa, African List of ethnic groups of Africa, ethnic groups who speak Bantu languages. The languages are native to countries spread over a vast area from West Africa, to Central Africa, Southeast Africa and into Southern Africa. Bantu people also inhabit southern areas of Northeast African states. There are several hundred Bantu languages. Depending on the definition of Dialect#Dialect or language, "language" or "dialect", it is estimated that there are between 440 and 680 distinct languages. The total number of speakers is in the hundreds of millions, ranging at roughly 350 million in the mid-2010s (roughly 30% of the demographics of Africa, population of Africa, or roughly 5% of world population, the total world population). About 90 million speakers (2015), divided into some 400 ethnic or tribal groups, are found in the Democratic Re ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Sawabantu Languages
Sawabantu languages are a group of Bantu languages that are spoken in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The group consists mostly of zones A.20 and A.30 of Guthrie's classification, and most likely also part of zone A.10. According to Nurse and Philipps on (2003), the A.20 and A.30 languages, apart from the Bubi language, form a valid node. The most important of these languages is Duala, which is a vehicular language. Etymology The name ''Sawabantu'' is made up of two words: ''sawa'', which means "coast" in Duala, and ''Bantu''. The name was proposed in 1989 by the Cameroonian linguist Carl Ebobissé. Languages Besides the A.20 and A.30 languages, the Oroko dialect cluster of A.10 seems to be clearly connected to the Sawabantu group: : (A.10) Oroko; (A.20) Kpwe (Mokpwe, Bakweri)– Mboko (Bomboko, Wumboko)– Kole (Bakole), Duala (incl. Mungo dialect), Su (Isuwu), Limba (Malimba); (A.30) Tanga (Batanga), Yasa– Kombe, Benga The A.20 languages are spoken ar ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Jengu
A jengu (pl. miengu, also called bisima) is a water spirit in the traditional beliefs of the Sawabantu groups of Cameroon, like the Duala, Bakweri, Malimba, Subu, Bakoko, Oroko people. Among the Bakweri, the term used is liengu (plural: maengu). Miengu are similar to bisimbi (singular: simbi) in the Bakongo spirituality and Mami Wata, who is present in many West and Central African cultures. Described as mermaid-like spirits, they live in rivers and the sea, bringing good fortune to those who worship them. They can also cure disease and act as intermediaries between worshippers and the world of spirits. For this reason, a jengu cult has long enjoyed popularity among the Duala peoples. Among the Bakweri, this cult is also an important part of a young girl's rite of passage into womanhood. The water spirit Appearance The description of miengu varies by ethnic group, but they are typically said to be beautiful, mermaid-like beings with long hair and beautiful gap- ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Bunzi
Bunzi (also Mpulu Bunzi and Phulu Bunzi) is a serpent water spirit and goddess of rain in traditional Kongo religion that was first venerated by the Woyo people of the Kingdom of Ngoyo. Appearance Bunzi is sometimes depicted as a multicolored serpent that rewards those who worship her with an abundant harvest. She also said to appear in the rippling water of the river at sunset. Beliefs According to Kongo oral tradition, Bunzi is the daughter of Mboze, the Great Mother and wife of Kuitikuiti. Bunzi is sometimes depicted as a multicolored serpent, and rewards those who worship her with an abundant harvest. When Mboze gave birth, Bunzi was born in the form of a baby serpent. Upon seeing the child, Mboze's husband Kuitikuiti knew that she had been unfaithful to him. When he learned the biological father of Bunzi was their son Makanga, he killed Mboze for her transgression. Bunzi took on her mother's rain-bringing power. According to legend, when a rainbow appears in the sky ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Densu River
Kojo Antwi, also known as "Mr. Music Man", is a Ghanaian Afro pop, highlife, reggae musical artist and a former Ghamro chairman. Born with the name Julius Kojo Antwi into a family of 13 siblings, he grew up in Darkuman, a suburb of Accra.Considered one of the greatest Ghanaian musicians of all time,He has 22 albums to his name, with "Tom & Jerry" being one of his most popular songs in West Africa Ghana. Career After leaving school, Kojo Antwi started his music career immediately by playing with the band Boomtalents. Later, he became the front-man of Classique Vibes, formerly known as Classique Handles. Eventually, Kojo went solo. His first solo album, ''All I Need is You'', which was released in 1986, became a chartbuster in Ghana. His music is a blend of Ghanaian highlife, Congolese soukous, Caribbean lovers rock, and African American soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is ty ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]