Female supreme being in the religion of the Fon people and the Ewe people
Nana Buluku
Nanã as pictured in Candomblé.
Venerated in
West African Vodun based religions (Candomblé, Louisiana Voodoo, Haitian Vodou) and Dahomean religion
Personal information
Children
Mawu and Lisa
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).[1][2][3] She is one of the most influential deities in West African theology, and 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 people but described differently, with some actively worshiping her while some do not worship her and worship the gods originating from her.[1][4]
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. She is the primary creator, Mawu-Lisa the secondary creator, and the theology based on these is called Vodun, Voodoo or Vodoun.[5]
According to Maya Deren, some Vodouwizan believe that Nanan-bouclou is both male and female.[6]
^ abTeresa N. Washington (2005). Our Mothers, Our Powers, Our Texts: Manifestations of Àjé in Africana Literature. Indiana University Press. pp. 63–64. ISBN 0-253-00319-9.
^Greene, Sandra E. (1996). "Religion, History and the Supreme Gods of Africa: a Contribution To the Debate". Journal of Religion in Africa. 26 (2). Brill Academic Publishers: 122–138. doi:10.1163/157006696x00037.
^Toyin Falola; Nana Akua Amponsah (2012). Women's Roles in Sub-Saharan Africa. ABC-CLIO. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-313-38545-2.
^Geoffrey Parrinder (2014). West African Religion: A Study of the Beliefs and Practices of Akan, Ewe, Yoruba, Ibo, and Kindred Peoples. Wipf & Stock. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-1-4982-0492-7.
^Molefi Kete Asante; Ama Mazama (2009). Encyclopedia of African Religion. SAGE Publications. pp. 270–273. ISBN 978-1-4129-3636-1.
^Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti by Maya Deren, page 55
NanaBuluku, 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...
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(Norse deity), goddess associated with the god Baldr in Norse mythology NanaBuluku, Fon/Dahomey androgynous deity creator of the universe Nanna Bryndís...
as Nana, the Armenian goddess of war, wisdom, and motherhood NanaBuluku, the supreme goddess of the Fon people of Benin Jnana, also spelled ñana, the...
the Abrahamic God as Chukwu. NanaBuluku is the female supreme being in West African Vodun. In Dahomey mythology, NanaBuluku is the mother supreme creator...
polytheistic. The Fon people have a concept of a female Supreme Being called NanaBuluku, who gave birth to the Mawu-Lisa and created the universe. After giving...
to the male god Lisa. Mawu (Mahu, Mau) and Lisa are the children of NanaBuluku, and are the parents of Oba Koso (Shango), known as Hebioso among the...
claimed that this god took over the world that was created by their mother Nana-Buluku. Mawu-Lisa governs the sky and is the highest pantheon of gods, but other...
peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Dahomey mythology has deities like NanaBuluku, Gleti, Mawu, Asase Yaa, Naa Nyonmo and Xevioso. In Baltic mythology...
Part of a series on Haitian Vodou Mythology Gede Guinea Lwa NanaBuluku Petro loa Rada loa Practice Bokor Drumming Hounfour Houngan/Mambo Paquet congo...
Mawu-Lisa, the sun/moon being who is both male and female. In others, NanaBuluku is the ultimate creator, an androgynous deity who gave birth to the female...
or transgender (with changing gender). Other androgynous gods include NanaBuluku, the "Great mother" that gave birth to Lisa and Mawa and created the...
from the Caribbean; the text connects her to several lwas, including NanaBuluku, Simbi-La-Source, and Gede. Hadriana's sexuality is also given significant...
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