Chineke et Chukwu sont-ils la même divinité ?

Oui. Chineke est un des noms du dieu suprême igbo, aussi appelé Chukwu, "le grand esprit". Chineke insiste sur sa fonction de créateur, tandis que Chukwu souligne sa grandeur.

Que signifie le nom Chineke ?

Il vient de "Chi na eke", que l'on traduit par "l'esprit qui crée" ou "le dieu qui crée". Le mot chi désigne l'esprit ou la part divine, et eke la création.

Pourquoi les chrétiens igbo emploient-ils ce nom ?

Parce que la croyance igbo en un créateur unique était proche du Dieu biblique, les traducteurs ont retenu Chineke pour désigner le Dieu suprême, en réservant chi aux divinités mineures.

Back to the Codex

CHINEKE

ally

God

☥ SpiritIgbo →Igbo — IgboElder

Gender: MasculineSign: création

Chineke, a contraction of "Chi na eke", "the spirit that creates", is one of the names of the supreme god of the Igbo of south-eastern Nigeria, in the spiritual system called Odinani. The term stresses the creative function: Chineke is the source of nature, in its material and spiritual dimensions, and the origin of all the other powers. It is most often used as a synonym of Chukwu, "the great spirit". In Igbo thought, each person receives a chi, a personal share of the divine that accompanies their destiny, and Chineke is the root of these individual chi. Transcendent and yet present in all things, he delegates to the minor deities, the alusi, the care of natural phenomena and of the moral order. With the arrival of Christianity, the closeness between the Igbo belief in a single creator and the biblical God led the translators to adopt Chineke to designate the supreme God, while chi served for the secondary deities. The name remains in common use today, religious as well as everyday, among Igbo speakers.

Powers & Attributes

creation

Role in the ROHO universe

Founding presence. CHINEKE stands at the root of the world and sustains the weave since before the beginning. Bound to the Igbo pantheon.

Sacred Mask

An ancient ritual mask of sacred wood, old metal and black stone, engraved with symbols of creation, embodiment of the power of Chineke

Era

Ancient cycle

Frequently asked questions

Are Chineke and Chukwu the same deity?

Yes. Chineke is one of the names of the Igbo supreme god, also called Chukwu, "the great spirit". Chineke stresses his function as creator, while Chukwu underlines his greatness.

What does the name Chineke mean?

It comes from "Chi na eke", translated as "the spirit that creates" or "the god that creates". The word chi designates the spirit or divine share, and eke creation.

Why do Igbo Christians use this name?

Because the Igbo belief in a single creator was close to the biblical God, the translators adopted Chineke to designate the supreme God, reserving chi for the minor deities.

Related spirits

CHI CHUKU IKENGA IGWE

Sources and references

Donatus Ibe Nwoga, The Supreme God as Stranger in Igbo Religious Thought, Mbaise, Hawk Press (1984)
Victor C. Uchendu, The Igbo of Southeast Nigeria, New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston (1965)