Unkulunkulu

In Zulu mythology, Unkulunkulu (in Zulu ancestor, but also the greatest of the great or the most powerful of lo poderoso (the almighty)) is the supreme divinity, creator of humanity. He is considered the defender and protector of the warrior nation and an active divinity despite his respectable age. Another name for Unkulunkulu is uThixo.

Myths

Unkulunkulu is believed to have grown on a reed in the mythical bog of Uhlanga, the swamp from which humanity was born. And when he got heavy enough, he fell to the ground.

According to the Zulu creation myth, Unkulunkulu emerged from the void and created the first man from the grass, while with the arrival of death on earth, the Zulus, like many other African populations, use the myth of the messenger: He sent a chameleon to announce to humanity that they were immortal. However, the messenger stopped to eat near a bush and was delayed. Unkulunkulu, who had expected some sign of gratitude for his magnanimity, was disappointed. So he sent a lizard to announce that they were deadly. The lizard did not stop and managed to convey his message, thus deciding, forever, the fate of men.

Despite this action, Unkulunkulu is considered a kind God, because as a counterpart to the misfortune of inevitable death he offered the institution of marriage, which allows the brave Zulu warriors to have children, in addition to giving men medicines to diseases, fire for cooking and a home for the dead; The Zulus, in the same way as the Bushmen, believe that the stars are actually the eyes of the deceased who watch over the world.

Clarifications

The god is in fact a genderless deity, although Biblical translations of the god by Christian missionaries from South Africa incorrectly labeled Unkulunkulu as specifically male. Unkulunkulu is often confused with Umvelinqangi (He who was at the beginning), the creator and omnipresent god, who manifests himself in the form of thunder and earthquakes and creator of the first reeds from which the god emerged supreme Unkulunkulu.