Zulu and Southern African mythologies: spirits and creatures
30 spirits documented in the Kunda Codex
From the hills of KwaZulu to the plateaus of Zimbabwe, the peoples of Southern Africa developed powerful cosmologies where ancestors, storm spirits and shadow creatures coexist. Zulu tradition tells of Unkulunkulu, the first man, but also of the Tokoloshe and Inkanyamba, the storm serpent. The entries below document their major figures with sources.
AirantagonistINKANYAMBA
The Storm Serpent / Ikanyamba
Zoulou — Afrique du Sud
Spirit of the Waters
SpiritantagonistTOKOLOSHE
The Malevolent Dwarf / Tikoloshe
Zoulou — Afrique du Sud
Guardian Spirit
SpiritallyUNKULUNKULU
Ancestor-creator
Zoulou — Afrique du Sud
Creator Spirit
WaterallyNYAMI NYAMI
Waters, protection
Shona / Tonga — Zimbabwe / Zambie
Spirit of the Waters
SpiritallyMBABA MWANA WARESA
Fertility, rainbow, beer
Zoulou — Afrique du Sud
Creator Spirit
SpiritallyHLAKANYANA
Trickster, childhood morality / Uhlakanyana
Zoulou — Afrique du Sud
Ancestral Spirit
SpiritallyLESA
Supreme god, benevolence
Bemba — Zambie
Creator Spirit
WaterallyMAMLAMBO
Waters, wealth
Zoulou — Afrique du Sud
Spirit of the Waters
WaterneutralABANTUBOMLAMBO
Spirit
Transkei — Transkei
Spirit
SpiritneutralABATAWA
Spirit
Zoulou — Zoulou
Spirit
SpiritneutralCHIPFALAMFULA
Monster
Mozambique — Mozambique
Monstrous Spirit
SpiritallyCHIUTA
God
Tumbuka — Tumbuka
Deity
EarthallyDITAOLANE
Hero
Sotho — Sotho
Hero Spirit
SpiritneutralEHLOSE
Spirit
Zoulou — Zoulou
Spirit
SpiritallyHUVEANE
God
Basuto — Basuto
Deity
SpiritneutralIDLOZI
Spirit
Zoulou — Zoulou
Spirit
SpiritneutralILOMBO
Monster
Zambie — Zambie
Monstrous Spirit
SoulneutralIMILOZI
Spirit
Zoulou — Zoulou
Spirit
EarthallyINKOSAZANA
Goddess
Zoulou — Zoulou
Goddess
SpiritneutralINTULO
Spirit
Zoulou — Zoulou
Spirit
SoulneutralITONGO
Spirit
Zoulou — Zoulou
Spirit
SpiritallyMADLEBE
Hero
Swazi — Swazi
Hero Spirit
SpiritallyMAULI
God
Shona — Shona
Deity
SpiritallyMINEPA
God
Zambie — Zambie
Deity
SpiritallyMKULUMNCANDE
God
Swazi — Swazi
Deity
SpiritallyPAMBA
God
Ovambo — Ovambo
Deity
SpiritallyPUKQILI
God
Zoulou — Zoulou
Deity
WaterallyTANGALIMLIBO
Hero
Xhosa — Xhosa
Hero Spirit
AirallyUKQILI
God
Zoulou — Zoulou
Deity
AirallyUMVELINQANGI
God
Zoulou — Zoulou
Deity