United States or Slovakia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He varies his name: Anzambi, Anyambi, Nyambi, Nzambi, Anzam, Nyam, Ukuku, Suku, and Nzam, but a better investigation shows that Nzam of the Fans is practically identical with Suku south of the Congo in the Bihe country, and so on. They regard their god as the creator of man, plants, animals, and the earth, and they hold that having made them, he takes no further interest in the affair.
Nyam, like Major Ellis's class I., appoints a subordinate god to do his work: he is truly good, and governs the malevolent spirits.
It is not very easy to believe that Nyam, under all his names, was picked up from the Portuguese, and passed apparently from negroes to Bantu all over West Africa, despite the isolation of the groups, and the resistance of the priesthood among tribes 'uninfluenced by any higher race.
The following was the chant: "I say, broder, you can't go yet." "When de morning star rise, den we put you in a hole." "Den you go in a Africa, you see Fetish dere." "You shall nyam goat dere, wid all your family." "Buccra can't come dere; say, dam rascal, why you no work?" "Buccra can't catch Duppy, no, no."
Nyankupon, I presume = Anzambi, Anyambi, Nyambi, Nzambi, Anzam, Nyam, the Nzam of the Fans, 'and of all Bantu coast races, the creator of man, plants, animals, and the earth; he takes no further interest in the affair. The crowd of spirits take only too much interest; and, therefore, are the lucrative element in religion.
Word Of The Day