African Deities A-G

Abassi
The Efik sky god who set the first human couple on earth on the advice of Atai, his constort.

Abonsam
A malevolent spirit of West Africa near the Gold Coast.

Abora
The supreme god of the heavens of the Canary Islanders on the island of Palma - is both good and evil, and considered the creator of heaven and earth. .

Acoran
The supreme god of the Canary Islanders on the island of Gran Canaria.

Adaheli
The Surinam's sun god.

Adro
The Tutelary god of the Lugbara; he is the immanent aspect of the sky god Adroa.

Adroa
The sky god of the Lugbara. He is the creator of heaven and earth and both good and evil and is remote to earthly and human affairs.

Agbe-Naete
The son of Mawu-Lisa who rules the waters of the earth.

Age
The god of barren wastes and animals.

Ajalamo
The Yoruba god of unborn children.

Ajok
The principle god of the Lotuko of Sudan.

Akonadi
The supreme creator god of the Ngombe of Congo. It is believed he once lived with humans but disappeared into the forest once people proved too fractious. There is another version in which humans lived with him in heaven, and were then placed on earth.

Akuj
The supreme god of the Turkana people of Kenya.

Alatangana
The Kono creator god. (West Africa)

Amma
The supreme Dogon god who created the sun and the moon. The myth of Dogon is used to justify female circumcision as it is practiced in many parts of Africa. It is said that he tried to procreate with the earth (female) except his passage was blocked by a "red termite hill" that had to be cut away before he could mate with the earth. (Mali)

Anansi
The Ashanti spider trickster deity. This god was the representative of the supreme god until he was replaced by the chameleon.

Aondo
The Central Nigerian creator god.

Apap
The Ugandan creator god.

Apedemak
The Sudanese war god who was depicted with a lion's head and human body. Elephants and cattle were sacred to him.

Arebati
The sky god of the Bambuti of the Congo who created the first man from clay.

Arom
Kafir god of contractual agreements.

Asis
The sun god of Kenya and Uganda Suk and Pokot.

Astar
An Ethiopian sky god.

Ataa Naa Nyongmo
The Gan creator god of Ghana.

Ataokoloinona
The son of the supreme god of Madagascar.

Avrikiti
The Fon god of fishermen.

Balubaale
The Bagandan gods of earth, death, lightning, plague, and the rainbow.

Bandara
A group of Singhalese gods superior to the Yaksas.

Banga
The Ngbandi of northern Zaire god of clear waters.

Behanzin
The fish god of Fon in Dahomey. He was invoked by fishermen to ensure a bountiful catch.

Beher
An Ethiopian sea god.

Bo
A god of the Ewe in Benin; a protector of warriors.

Buadza
The Gan god of the wind. (West Africa)

Buku
A West African sky god.

Bumba
The creator and supreme god of the Boshongo. With horrible stomach pain, he vomited up the earth, sun, moon, and all living createures; the last being mankind. (sounthern Africa)

Cagn
The supreme god and creator of the Kalahari Bushmen of southern Africa.

Cghene
The Creator and supreme god of the Isoko of souther Nigeria. This god is remote to human affairs and is little celebrated. He has no temples or priests.

Chango
The Yoruban orisha of thunder, rain, lightning, fire, and masculine fertility. He is a smooth-talking con-artist and symbolises the element fire, truth, intelligence, and courage. Animals sacred to this orisha are the quail, tortoise, and black cat.

Chikara
A sky god of teh Korekore people of norther Zimbabwe. Nosenga is his son.

Chiuke
Also called Chuku he is the sky and creator god of the Ibo of Nigeria. He is seen as the source of all that is good.

Chiuta
The supreme sky god of the Tumbuka in Malawi who is responsible for the life-giving rains.

Chwezi
The hero gods of the Nyoro of North Uganda.

Col
A Nuer rain god.

Danh
The snake god of the Fon people who's 3,500 coils above and below the earth supported creation by his parent Mawu-Lisa. This concept of the serpent is seen in both the Fon and Yoruba mythology.

Deng
An African sky god who is assoicted with rain, fertility, and birth. He is the creator of the Dinka people of the Sudan.

Dugbo
The main god of the earth in Sierra Leone.

Dxui
A creator god of the Bushmen of south Central Africa.

Emeli-hin
The Tuareg name for god.

En-Kai
A Maasai rain god.

Eranoranhan
The protector god of the Canary Islands.

Esu
Yoruban god of watchfulness who judges men and records their actions and then reports them to Olorun.

Eshu
The Trickster god and divine messenger of the Yoruba and a major Oshira. He is related to Legba of the Benin of Dalhomey. In recent times he is seen as a very young and handsome mulatto man who has three tribal scares on his cheeks ot represent him and his children on earth. His sacred days are Sunday and Monday, his feast days are the 1st January, 13th June, and 2nd November. The numbers associated with him are three and twenty one. He enjoys hard candies, coconuts, tobacco, hard liquor, and cigars and his favourite animal sacrifices are white and black hens and she goats. All crossroads are sacred to him and were his presence can be felt. He also lurks in dark shadows and plays pranks on non-believers and those who offend his mysteris. His alter is kept behind the front door of the home or outside drectly to the left side fo the door, must be kept at ground level, and never over a human's height.

Fa
A Benin god of destiny.

Famien
A god of fertility in Guinea.

Faro
The Bambara of West Afica sky and water god.

Fidi Mukullu
The creator god of Bena Lulua in Zaire.

Garang and Abuk
This couple was the first man and woman in Dinka mythology and Garange is also seen as a divine influence on human live. Abuk, who was made fully formed but very small, was popped into a pot of water by the creator god where she swelled up to full human size. They were only given one grain ot eat a day but Abuk ground it to make a paste and planted the next grain. That planted grain became the source of all grain. A little snake represents her, all women, and gardens.

Ge
The Moon god of Benin.

Geni
The main deity or masked spirit of the Poro people of West Africa.

Gu
The Fon's of West Africa god of smiths and war.

Gua
The thunder-god of the Ga of West Africa.

Gulu
The Buganda king of heaven.

Gunab -
The Hottentot god of evil.

Guruhi
The Gambia god of evil.

Gurzil
The bull-god of Tripolitania.

Gwalu
The Yoruba rain god.

Last updated: December 31, 1969

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