Unkulunkulu

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Unkulunkulu is the creator god in the language of the Zulu people.

In classical, pre-colonial Zulu myth, uNkulunkulu brought human beings and cattle from an area of reeds. He created everything, from land and water to man and the animals. He is considered the first man as well as the parent of all people. He taught the Zulu how to hunt, how to make fire, and how to grow food.[1]

In the isiZulu language, the name means "the very great/high one".

With the arrival of Christian missionaries, Unkulunkulu became the name for the Christian supreme being.[2] For Christian people, the name simply means "God". Other names include uMdali "Creator", uMvelinqandi "Before everything", analogous to uMvelinqangi in the isiXhosa language.

Notes

  1. ↑ Leeming & Leeming 2009 - entry "Zulu Creation" . Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  2. ↑ The Library of His Excellency Sir George Grey, KCB: A catalogue Compiled by W H I Bleek, Sir George Grey and J Cameron Vol 4, London and Cape Town 1867

References

  • Leeming, David Adams; Leeming, Margaret Adams (2009). A Dictionary of Creation Myths (Oxford Reference Online ed.). Oxford University Press. 
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