| Nzambi Mpungu | |
|---|---|
 "Santu Nzambi" by a Holo artist. Kwango province, Democratic Republic of Congo. | |
| Venerated in | Kongo religion |
| Symbol | Sun |
| Ethnic group | Bakongo |
| Consort | Nzambici |
| Equivalents | |
| Roman | Jupiter • Sol |
| Igbo | Chukwu |
| Nubian | Apedemak |
| Egyptian | Amun • Ra |
| Bantu | Nyambe |
Nzambi a Mpungu (also Nzambi and Nzambi Mpungu) is the Supreme God, eternal Sky Father and God of the Sun (fire) in traditional Kongo spirituality.[1] His female counterpart is Nzambici, the Sky Mother and Goddess of the Moon. Among other Central African Bantu peoples, such as the Chokwe, and in the Kingdom of Ndongo, Nzambi Mpungu was also called Kalunga, the god of fire and change. This may have a connection to an element of Bakongo cosmology called Kalûnga. It was seen as the spark of fire that begot all life in the universe.[1] After Portuguese colonization, Nzambi Mpungu became synonymous with the Christian God and existed chiefly as the Creator God.[2]
- ^ a b Asante, Molefi; Mazama, Ama (2009). Encyclopedia of African Religion, Volume 1. ISBN 9781412936361.
- ^ Brown, Ras Michael (2012). African-Atlantic Cultures and the South Carolina Lowcountry (1st ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. pp. 26, 27, 90–102, 106–110, 119–121, 123. ISBN 978-1-107-66882-9.