East African mythologies: from the Great Lakes to the Nile
45 spirits documented in the Kunda Codex
From the Swahili coast to the Great Lakes kingdoms and the White Nile pastures, East Africa weaves a mosaic of traditions. Buganda tells of Kintu, the first man; the Dinka and Nuer think the world through Nhialic; Swahili imagination blends Bantu spirits with ocean djinns. The entries below document them with sources.
SpiritallyKATONDA
Supreme god, creator
Baganda — Ouganda
Creator Spirit
SpiritallyGGULU
Sky, supreme deity
Baganda — Ouganda
Creator Spirit
WaterallyMUKASA
Waters, prosperity, fishing
Baganda — Ouganda (Lac Victoria)
Spirit of the Waters
SpiritallyKIBUKA
War, protection
Baganda — Ouganda
Warrior Spirit
SpiritallyNHIALIC
Sky, creator
Dinka — Soudan du Sud
Creator Spirit
SpiritallyABUK
First woman, agriculture
Dinka — Soudan du Sud
Spirit of the Earth
SpiritallyWAAQ / NGAI
Sky god, rain
Oromo / Kikuyu — Éthiopie / Kenya
Creator Spirit
SoulallySHIDA
Misfortune, wandering spirit
Swahili — Tanzanie / Kenya
Ancestral Spirit
WaterallyNYARAI
Justice, beauty
Afrique de l’Est — Kenya / Tanzanie
Spirit of the Waters
EarthallyADROA
God
Lugbara — Lugbara
Deity
SpiritallyAJOK
God
Lotuko — Lotuko
Deity
WaterallyCANDIT
Goddess
Dinka — Dinka
Goddess
WaterallyDENG
God
Nuer — Nuer
Deity
SpiritallyDIANG
Goddess
Shilluk — Shilluk
Goddess
SoulneutralDJOK
Spirit
Alur — Alur
Spirit
EarthallyDUNGU
God
Buganda — Buganda
Deity
SpiritallyEDEKE
God
Teso — Teso
Deity
SpiritallyGARANG
Hero
Dinka — Dinka
Hero Spirit
SpiritallyHABYARIMANA
God
Banyarwanda — Banyarwanda
Deity
SpiritneutralHIRA
Monster
Shilluk — Shilluk
Monstrous Spirit
SpiritneutralIBILISI
Demon
Swahili — Swahili
Demon Spirit
SpiritallyIMANA
God
Banyarwanda — Banyarwanda
Deity
SpiritallyINTARE
Hero
Burundi — Burundi
Hero Spirit
FireallyIRUVA
God
Chaga/Meru — Chaga/Meru
Deity
SpiritallyJOK
God
Alur — Alur
Deity
SpiritallyJUOK
God
Shilluk — Shilluk
Deity
SpiritallyKAIKARA
Goddess
Bayoro — Bayoro
Goddess
SpiritallyLISA
God
Swahili — Swahili
Deity
SpiritallyLOMA
God
Bongo — Bongo
Deity
SpiritneutralLONGAR
Animal/Hero
Dinka — Dinka
Animal / Hero Spirit
SpiritallyLUBANGA
God
Bunyoro — Bunyoro
Deity
SoulallyMACARDIT
God
Dinka — Dinka
Deity
SoulallyMAINA
Hero
Luyia — Luyia
Hero Spirit
EarthallyMBALE
God
Baganda — Baganda
Deity
FireallyMISEKE
Hero
Banyarwanda — Banyarwanda
Hero Spirit
SoulneutralNDULI MTWAA ROHO
Spirit
Swahili — Swahili
Spirit
SpiritneutralNGOMA
Spirit
Kiluyu — Kiluyu
Spirit
SpiritallyNYIKANG
Hero
Afrique de l'Est — Afrique de l'Est
Hero Spirit
EarthallyRANG
God
Soudan — Soudan
Deity
EarthallyRUHANGA
God
Banyoro — Banyoro
Deity
SpiritallyRUWA
God
Chagga — Chagga
Deity
SoulallyRYANGOMBE
God
Rwanda — Rwanda
Deity
SpiritallyTAMIKUJEN
God
Didinga — Didinga
Deity
SpiritallyWELE
God
Abaluyia — Abaluyia
Deity
SpiritallyWERE
God
Luo — Luo
Deity