Que signifie le nom uKqili ?

uKqili signifie le sage ou l'habile. C'est l'un des nombreux noms de Unkulunkulu, le createur zoulou. Il met en valeur la sagesse et la ruse insondables attribuees a l'etre supreme, dont les desseins sont reputes depasser l'entendement humain.

Pourquoi uKqili est-il associe a la foudre ?

Dans les croyances zouloues, le seigneur du ciel commande le tonnerre et l'eclair. Sous le nom de uKqili, le createur est lie a la foudre: les recits encyclopediques rapportent que, lorsque l'eclair tuait une bete, on disait que uKqili avait faim, et l'animal foudroye devenait une offrande.

uKqili est-il une divinite distincte de Unkulunkulu ?

Non. uKqili est l'un des noms d'Unkulunkulu, non une divinite separee. La tradition zouloue nomme volontiers l'etre supreme par ses attributs: uMdali le createur, uMvelinqangi le premier apparu, uDumakade celui qui tonne depuis toujours, uKqili le sage. Chaque nom eclaire une facette du divin.

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UKQILI

ally

God

💨 AirZoulou →Zoulou — ZoulouElder

Gender: MasculineSign: éclair

uKqili, also spelt Ukqili, is one of the names given to Unkulunkulu, the supreme being and creator of the Zulu tradition. The term means the wise or the skilful one and puts forward the unfathomable wisdom and cunning of the creator, whose ways pass for incomprehensible to humans. Unkulunkulu bears many names that underline one or another of his aspects: uMdali, the creator, uMvelinqangi, the first appeared, uThixo, the almighty, or again uDumakade, the one who thunders from distant times. Under the name of uKqili, the creator is particularly associated with the mastery of lightning. The classic encyclopaedic presentations report that, when lightning struck a beast, it was said that uKqili was hungry, the struck animal then becoming a sacrifice. This figure belongs to a body of Zulu beliefs in which the lord of the sky commands thunder, lightning and storms. The multiple names of Unkulunkulu, including uKqili, illustrate the way the Zulu oral tradition names the divine by its attributes rather than by a fixed identity.

Powers & Attributes

lightning

Role in the ROHO universe

Voice of the thunder. UKQILI calls humankind back to justice through the lightning and marks the beginnings. Bound to the Zulu pantheon.

Sacred Mask

An ancient ritual mask of feathers, carved bone and crystal, engraved with symbols of lightning, embodiment of the power of Ukqili

Era

Ancient cycle

Frequently asked questions

What does the name uKqili mean?

uKqili means the wise or the skilful one. It is one of the many names of Unkulunkulu, the Zulu creator. It puts forward the unfathomable wisdom and cunning attributed to the supreme being, whose designs are reputed to surpass human understanding.

Why is uKqili associated with lightning?

In Zulu beliefs, the lord of the sky commands thunder and lightning. Under the name of uKqili, the creator is bound to lightning: the encyclopaedic accounts report that, when lightning killed a beast, it was said that uKqili was hungry, and the struck animal became an offering.

Is uKqili a deity distinct from Unkulunkulu?

No. uKqili is one of the names of Unkulunkulu, not a separate deity. The Zulu tradition willingly names the supreme being by his attributes: uMdali the creator, uMvelinqangi the first appeared, uDumakade the one who has thundered from all time, uKqili the wise. Each name illuminates a facet of the divine.

Related spirits

UMVELINQANGI IMILOZI ITONGO INKOSAZANA

Sources and references

Henry Callaway, The Religious System of the Amazulu, 1868-1870