NANA BULUKU
Nana
Buluku,
also known as Nana Buruku, Nana Buku or Nanan-bouclou,
is the female Supreme Being in the West African traditional religion of
the Fon people (Benin, Dahomey)
and the Ewe people (Togo).
She is the most influential deity in West African theology, one shared by many
ethnic groups other than the Fon people, albeit with variations. For example,
she is called the Nana Bukuu among the Yoruba people and the Olisabuluwa among Igbo peoplebut described
differently, with some actively worshipping her, while some do not worship her
and worship the gods originating from her.
In Dahomey
mythology, Nana Buluku is the mother Supreme Creator who gave birth
to the moon spirit Mawu, the sun spirit Lisa and
all of the Universe. After giving birth to these, she retired and left the
matters of the world to Mawu-Lisa, according to the Fon mythology. She is the
primary creator, Mawu-Lisa the secondary creator and the theology based on
these is called Vodun, Voodoo or Vodoun
The
Vodoun religion of the Fon people has four overlapping elements: public gods,
personal or private gods, ancestral spirits, and magic or charms. In this
traditional religion of West Africa, creation starts with a female Supreme
Being called Nana Buluku, who gave birth to the Mawu, Lisa and created the
universe. After giving birth, the mother Supreme retired, and left
everything to Mawu-Lisa (Moon-Sun, female-male) deities, spirits and inert
universe. Mawu-Lisa created numerous minor imperfect deities. In Fon belief,
the feminine deity Mawu had to work with trickster Legba and the snake Aido
Hwedo to create living beings, a method of creation that imbued the good, the
bad and a destiny for every creature including human beings. Only by appeasing
lesser deities and Legba, in Fon theology, can one change that destiny. This
appeasing requires rituals and offerings to the lesser gods and ancestral
spirits, who are believed to have ability to do favors to human beings.
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