These African Creation Myths were found at The Mining Company
The Ancient One, known as Unkulunkulu, is the
Zulu creator. He came from the reeds (uthlanga, means source)
and from them he brought forth the people and the cattle. He created
everything that is: mountains,streams, snakes, etc.
He taught the Zulu how to hunt, how to make fire, and how to grow
food. He is considered to be the First Man and is in everything
that he created.
In the beginning there was only darkness, water,
and the great god Bumba. One day Bumba, in pain from a stomach
ache, vomited up the sun. The sun dried up some of the water,
leaving land. Still
in pain, Bumba vomited up the moon, the stars, and then some animals:
the leopard, the crocodile, the turtle, and, finally, some men,
one of whom, Yoko Lima was white like Bumba.
The creator, Abassi, created two humans and then decided to not allow them to live on earth. His wife, Atai, persuaded him to let them do so. In order to control the humans, Abassi insisted that they eat all their meals with him, thereby keeping them from growing or hunting food. He also forbade them to procreate. Soon, though, the woman began growing food in the earth, and they stopped showing up to eat with Abassi. Then the man joined his wife in the fields, and before long there were children also. Abassi blamed his wife for the way things had turned out, but she told him she would handle it. She sent to earth death and discord to keep the people in their place.
In the beginning there were two gods, Obassi
Osaw and Obassi Nsi. The two gods created everything together.
Then Obassi Osaw decided to live in the sky and Obassi Nsi decided
to live on the earth. The god in the sky gives light and moisture,
but also brings drought and storms.
The god of the earth nurtures, and takes the people back to him
when they die. One day long ago Obassi Osaw made a man and a woman,
and placed them upon the earth. They knew nothing so Obassi Nsi
taught them about planting and hunting to get food.
In the beginning there was nothing but Nzame. This god is really three: Nzame, Mebere, and Nkwa. It was the Nzame part of the god that created the universe and the earth, and brought life to it. Whle the three parts of Nzame were admiring this creation, it was decided to create a ruler for the earth. So was created the elephant, the leopard, and the monkey, but it was decided that something better had to be created. Between the three of them they made a new creature in their image, and called him Fam (power), and told him to rule the earth. Before long, Fam grew arrogant, he mistreated the animals and stopped worshipping Nzame. Nzame, angered, brought forth thunder and lightning and destroyed everything that was, except Fam, who had been promised immortality. Nzame, in his three aspects, decided to renew the earth and try again. He applied a new layer of earth to the planet, and a tree grew upon it. The tree dropped seeds which grew into more trees. Leaves that dropped from them into the water became fish, those that dropped on land became animals. The old parched earth still lies below this new one, and if one digs deep enough it can be found in the form of coal. Nzame made a new man, one who would know death, and called him Sekume.
Sekume fashioned a woman, Mbongwe, from a tree. These people were made with both Gnoul (body) and Nissim (soul). Nissim gives life to Gnoul. When Gnoul dies, Nissim lives on. They produced many children and prospered.