Chukwu

Chukwu is the infinitely powerful, undefinable, indefinable, absolute supreme deity encompassing everything in space and space itself, in traditional Igbo spiritual belief system and Igbo mythology. Linguistic studies suggest that the name "Chukwu" is a portmanteau of the Igbo words "Chi" ("spiritual being") and "Ukwu" ("great in size").^{[citation needed]} In the Igbo pantheon, Chukwu is where the source other Igbo deities originate from and are assigned different tasks. The Igbo people believe that all things come from Chukwu including the deities who brings the rains necessary for plants to grow and controls everything on earth and the spiritual world.

Conception of Chukwu

Chukwu combines the concept of creator of deities for all we know and are aware of including the concept of a solar deity. According to the Igbo people from the eastern region of Nigeria, Chineke is the creator of the world and everything good in it. This God is also responsible for rain, trees, and other plants. Chukwu is a supreme God represented by the sun. The ancient God is not humanized in Igbo tradition belief. Because the igbo deities Amadioha and Ikenga are masculine,Chukwu is assumed to be male. Colonialism brought Christianity to Igbo people which challenged and sought to change this belief, but still remains a dominant traditional belief in Igbo people. Many Igbo Christians now refer to the Christian God as Chukwu.^[1] The Igbo believe it is impossible for humans to conceive of the unlimited power of Chukwu. The Igbo creative God "Chineke" has its source in Chukwu. Linguistically, "Chineke" is formed from the Igbo words "Chi" and "eke" ("spirit which creates"). All Igbo dialects refer to God as "Olisa," "Orisa," and "Obasi," depending on geography.^[2]

The Igbo people believe that Chukwu sent a dog to mankind to tell them that dead bodies should be covered with ashes and buried. This would bring the person back to life. On his long journey to earth the dog became wary and elongated to journey. So, Chukwu then sent a sheep to deliver the message faster, but the silly sheep forgot part of the message. The sheep only told the people of Earth that bodies should be buried. Because of this, the human bodies remained dead. When the dog finally arrived, nobody believed his story and thus death became permanent.

There are four aspects of Chukwu:

1. Anyanwu-Symbolic meaning of the sun. The sun is everywhere, therefore Chukwu is everywhere. The sun is all powerful. The sun reveals everything so Chukwu is the source of knowledge.
2. Chukwu means Agbala which is the fertility of Earth and its people.
3. Chi manifested in the power and ability to procreate from generations to greneration.
4. Okike created laws that govern the visible and invisible. Laws are neither good nor bad, they are simple laws that enable things to work.^[3]

Colonialism and Christianity

Colonialism introduced European Christianity to the Igbo people and many times the name Chukwu and Chineke is applied to the Christian God in mix.

References

1. ^ Afigbo,Adiele Eber Chukwu. Myth, History, and Society: the Collected works of Adiele. Toyin Falola, Trenton, NJ:Africa World press,2006.
2. ^ translate.de.gov/ma/enwiki/en/igbo_mythology
3. ^ ekwenche.org/spirituality.html