God of Justice and Righteousness and the Elements-gctid108920

[Mani Kongo]

Ntôndele bèni mpângi âme. I first told him that the Dikenga (either drawn, painted, printed, kwk) was a good first step in my opinion and that a Nkisi statue was too but that he would need a real Ngânga for that. But your answer helps me alot and I'm pretty sure it will help him too.
I talk to you later.
Toma dîata.

[Malongo]

@ManiKongo. The Dikenga is the basis for Life as we all know. The Righteous life will take us through all 4 stages and each time we start at Kala, it will be in another plane of existence. As Tata Fu-Kiao explained, the ever evolving life of an elder passing through the Dikenga will resemble a spiral continously opening its orbit through space and time. You were right to tell him that. You've just given me a great idea. Thank you Mpangi. [ATTACH=CONFIG]8074[/ATTACH]
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[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Nganga Fu-Kiâu also taught me mpeve as wind. The link isn't surprising as the word for wind/air and spirit is often the same cf. Yorùbá ẹ̀mí - breath/spirit; Akan honhom - breath/spirit. Even when you look at the etymology of the word spirit, you'll find that it has the same origins as respiration, inspire, kwk.

Malongo;111976 wrote: Forgive me brother for not responding. I was not able to connect to the internet for a few weeks. I appreciate the time you have taken to investigate this for me.

"Nzambi A Mpungu A Longi" is easy enough to understand and they way you broken it down makes a lot of sense. What I'm trying to capture with the "God of Righteousness" is the resolution to recite this with complete firmness and unwavering devotion to stay on the path of Justice and Righteousness as a way to draw oneself closer to Bakulu, Minkisi, Kimpungulu, and ultimately, Nzambi Mpungo.

As far as the four elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Air/Wind, I'm looking for their literal translation so they can be honored. Example:

Nzambi ya Maza
Nzambi ya Tiya,
Nzambi ya Ntoto
Nzambi ya Tembwa (which I believe means air or wind, I've also heard the word nkili mentioned but I'm really not sure)

I find it interesting that you listed the ku mpeve as I have been researching the word Mpeve lately and a translation for "spirit" (another term and concept which is important to me. I've come across "Mpeve za wonsono" which I believe means "all spirits". Let me know what you think. I'm hoping that I would be able to respond more promptly. Ntondele Mpangi. Once again, this means a lot to me.

[Mani Kongo]

Malongo;112206 wrote: @ManiKongo. The Dikenga is the basis for Life as we all know. The Righteous life will take us through all 4 stages and each time we start at Kala, it will be in another plane of existence. As Tata Fu-Kiao explained, the ever evolving life of an elder passing through the Dikenga will resemble a spiral continously opening its orbit through space and time. You were right to tell him that. You've just given me a great idea. Thank you Mpangi. [ATTACH=CONFIG]8074[/ATTACH]

Eh, you said the perfect word: spiral. Nice picture too.

Obadele Kambon;112222 wrote: Nganga Fu-Kiâu also taught me mpeve as wind. The link isn't surprising as the word for wind/air and spirit is often the same cf. Yorùbá ẹ̀mí - breath/spirit; Akan honhom - breath/spirit. Even when you look at the etymology of the word spirit, you'll find that it has the same origins as respiration, inspire, kwk.

Ntôndele bèni Ngânga Obadele Kambon! The word spiral is part of theses words too. Just like looking/searching in different languages from the Kongo basin will help us strengthen our study of Kikôngo, what you wrote makes us realize that we should think more often about looking into other Kmtyw languages in order to find common ideas/definitions/concepts so that we have a better view/understanding of whatever it is that we studying/researching. It will also help to reveal the truth being that Kmtyws are one people with one culture expressed differently depending on the region/group.

[Mani Kongo]

Malongo;111976 wrote: Forgive me brother for not responding. I was not able to connect to the internet for a few weeks. I appreciate the time you have taken to investigate this for me.

"Nzambi A Mpungu A Longi" is easy enough to understand and they way you broken it down makes a lot of sense. What I'm trying to capture with the "God of Righteousness" is the resolution to recite this with complete firmness and unwavering devotion to stay on the path of Justice and Righteousness as a way to draw oneself closer to Bakulu, Minkisi, Kimpungulu, and ultimately, Nzambi Mpungo.

As far as the four elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Air/Wind, I'm looking for their literal translation so they can be honored. Example:

Nzambi ya Maza
Nzambi ya Tiya,
Nzambi ya Ntoto
Nzambi ya Tembwa (which I believe means air or wind, I've also heard the word nkili mentioned but I'm really not sure)

I find it interesting that you listed the ku mpeve as I have been researching the word Mpeve lately and a translation for "spirit" (another term and concept which is important to me. I've come across "Mpeve za wonsono" which I believe means "all spirits". Let me know what you think. I'm hoping that I would be able to respond more promptly. Ntondele Mpangi. Once again, this means a lot to me.

I couldn't find the info you're looking for and didn't get any responses neither but I will look into the writings of the BDK (Bundu dia Kongo) maybe I'll find something there.
Did you read "Sîmba Sîmbi" by Baba Fu-Kiau ? I find it really interesting and in connection with what you asked.

[Mani Kongo]

Malongo;109250 wrote: Malembe Mpangi,

Thanks for the input. I have researched Dr. Fu-Kiau's Kmtyw Cosmology of the Bantu Kongo and have yet to make any inroads into the actual translation. The word Righteousness would probably be more important of the two as its meaning, to me at least, embodies the journey we make around the Yowa or Dikenga. I'm of the opinion that living through the righteousness of Nzambi Mpungo and the Bakulu is the most empowering element we can employ in our lives. Now there are people who believe that I'm stupid for believing that but after seeing Dr. Fu-Kiau speak in person, that is what I believed his message to represent. That coupled with teachings of another Elder have greatly influenced me. Perhaps the translation would be "Nzambi ya Nsongi", but perhaps it's not that easy.

Yènge mpângi,
Did you read Self-Healing Power and Therapy from Ngânga Fu-Kiau ?

The Part III, chapters 6-7 directly speak to what you're interested in. It's called Kinenga Kianzîngila (Balance of Life), here's what it says :
"In a perfect kinenga there are always two equal forces, ngolo zatalana ("opposite forces"). These forces are termed positive and negative[...]. Bântu use of positive/negative (kala/luvèmba) representation is fundamentally a linear or spiral concept. It is not a notion of good/bad or good/evil, but of differentness in relationships, i.e., of distance from the didi ("center") which is the musoni, "the purifying power." (p. 66-67)

 "Keeping one's kinenga is to be in good health. And being in good health is keeping one's actions in the kala level, or in the periphery of musoni, the core of perfection. In other words, one must not move oneself far from the center of vitality (didi dia ngolo zanzîngila)." (p.81)

[Malongo]

Mpangi this is invaluable information. I do not have the book but I am going to see if I can get it soon. I am extremely interested in the concept of Kinenga Kianzingila. Matondo.

[Mani Kongo]

Malongo;144530 wrote: Mpangi this is invaluable information. I do not have the book but I am going to see if I can get it soon. I am extremely interested in the concept of Kinenga Kianzingila. Matondo.

Indeed, I knew it would interest you since it reminded me of some of the things talked about in this thread when I've read it. Once you read this book you will never see the Dikenga in the same way! Ka diâmbu ko.