The Bwatiye believe in one God,
“HOMUN PWA”, as the creator God and ruler of the whole earth. Yet there is no
shrine for Homun Pwa anywhere in Bwatiye land.
There are major deities who used to be human leaders, or kings and queens of Bwatiye that are deified after their departure. I prefer the word departure instead of death, because most of them were believed to just enter the ground instead of death. They are generally regarded as the intermediaries between the Bwatiye and God, and as such are closer to the people.
Below! Are Names and the Towns where
they are affiliated. The female ones are identified by letter (f).
DEITY
TOWN/VILLAGE
Matiyavune Bachama/Lamurde
Hama Bolki
(Nzomiwa) Bolki,
Yapra
Hama Bosso
(Nzokarka/Gbeso) Bosso
Adomunogwe
(Nzojen) Gemun
(Motto)
Pula Hasei
(Nzokuditihidong) Belum
(Waduku)
Nzeazo Farei
(Mokohsokwore)
Ngburum (Baje) Byemti
Bwarabitikum
(f) Bachama/Lamurde
Gengoro (f) Nzumosu
Mata-Dakre (f) Dakre
Mata-Nofarang
(f) Nofarang
(Kikon – Numan)
Mata-Nwalti
(f) Nwalti
Nzofyelto Bang
Kabakpengbulong
Mbemun/Go
Gburu-Gburu Bolon,
Kikon (Gamadio)
Jimon Kodomti
Koutisaron (f)
Tingno
Kuludu Dong
Matabouno Bajen
Nzokwano Zangun
Matagbako Gbalapun
Nzombabe Vulpi
Nzombodiye Pullum
Soswakore Salti
Mata-vormokoh
(f) Bolki
Magwe Gon
Vuno-Irei Shafaron
Zauzin Rigangun
Kufo-Ngbakowo Ngbakowo/Mbemun
Kufo-Rigangun Rigangu
Vunon (f) Farei
Gbandima (f) Kwah
There are two
thunder storms that are venerated very much that need to be mentined. One of
them is at DYAMSA-MOSU (DEMSA) that is called FUKADIPWA and the other one is at
BELUM (WADUKU) that is called VUTKWAMUNGHA. They are very important also,
because they are feared, just like deified Bwatiye or Bwatiye Deities.
The list is
not exhaustive, because most of the Bwatiye towns have their founders or a sort
of great hero that is either deified or highly venerated. Besides, the Eastern
Bwatiye have their own that are not listed here, so to have a complete list,
there is need for more research and travelling to almost all the Bwatiye towns
and villages. But the list here show you that the Bwatiye PANTHEON are regarded
as not only the founders of Bwatiye community but the guardians of the people.
One can refer to them as living death, because even though they are no longer
physically with the people, they are regarded spiritually as being involved in
the daily life of the people.
THE ORIGIN OF THE DEITIES
There are two theories of the origin
of humanity and the deities. According to Farei chronicler (Nzobyalato) all
humanity comes out of water. That the water is the domain of the spirits and it
is from water that some spirits decided to come out and become human beings
because of the death that is caused by WON (Death). When they came out of
Water, some moved to Europe, others to Asia and others still to Africa. Bwatiye
moved to Sokoto. The other theory is that humanity as well as Bwatiye deities
come down from heaven and inhabited the earth.
However, the first theory agreed with the theory of evolution, where
Water is regarded as source of life. It is also closer to Genesis story because
after the creation, the whole world was covered with water, before the
appearance of Land and all creatures including humanity.
The major deities are said to be the
children of Vunon. Traditions differed as to her children, but if you put all
various traditions together, her children include Hama Bolki, Hama Bosso,
Adamunogwe, Ngburum, Pulla Hasei, Nzofyeliyo, Bwarambitikum, Gengoro,
Mata-dakre, Mata-Nofarang, Nzeazo and so on.
There is a question as to who is
their father. All the traditions claim that nobody knows their father. Only
their mother is known; but in Bosso tradition, Matiyavune is their father and
it is from Bachama that they spread to all their locations. In Bosso
traditions, it is because of the in-fighting among the brothers that Matiyavune
sent them to various locations to guard the land.
The question therefore arises as to
who Matiyavune as both Byamsa and Bachama claim Matiyavune! Does it mean the
same person who started Burial ground at Bachama started the one at Dyamsa? Or
is Matiyavune the father of Zaro Kpalame and Zaro Dembune and therefore the
first burial ground for Bwatiye Kings is at Bawo Home (near Namtari)? These
questions are for future research.
The story of Zaro Kpalame and Zaro
Dembune and their fight for supremacy after the death of their father is well
known as it the source of fighting between the Hama Dyamsa (Bata) and Hama
Bachama upto this time. But it we go to Bosso tardition, the Matiyavune they
are Kings of Bachama are buried. Their claims have to be studied before we can
properly understand Bwatiye Deities.
MAJOR DEITIES
Here, are few
deities that are very important to the Bwatiye and they are Hama Bolki,
Nzeanzo, Hama Bosso, Pulla-Hasei, Adomunogwe and Ngburum, because they feature
highly in Bwatiye culture.
- Nzeanzo
The folklore
about Nzeanzo was that, his brothers, led by Hama Bolki decided to go and greet
their uncle ‘WON’ (death) and at the same time aiming at taking the cattle from
their uncle (ta mudo nguro nakei). They
came to their mother Vunon and told her. Vunon was not happy because her
brother is a wicked sorcerer that feed on human flesh and so she warned them
not to go. But they were determined to go; so they left.
Nzeanzo was at the womb of his mother
then. When he perceived the imminent danger that awaits his brothers, he
decided to be delieved by his mother. He called his mother Vunon and asked her
to give birth to him. Such was a mystery to her. She told him that she gave
birth to all children through normal child delivery and that none of them ever
asked to be delieved. But that Nzeanzo insisted he should be delieved. His mother
would have nothing to do with that. As she gets down, Nzeanzo was said to have
mysteriously come out of his mother’s womb by himself through her thigh. When he
came out, he followed his brothers immediately in order to save them from the hands
of their wicked uncle Won.
- Hama Bolki (Nzomiwa)
Hama Bolki is
the eldest of Bwatiye Deities. He moved from Farai through Zekun to Ngodogoron.
On hearing that Matiyavune was already declared King at Bachama, he decided
that two Kings could not live in one town, so he crossed the river with his
brothers Adomungwe and Gburum and sister Marka, Gengoro and Mata-Ngwalti and
his two wives Nzogoshe and Mbamto to Byemti.
When they reached Byemti, Ngburum
was attracted by the fish there, so he decided to stay at Byemti. Ngburum at
the same time committed a sin by marrying his sister Marka, which is an
abomination to Hama Bolki and Gengoro moved through Vulpi, Habokun to Yapra in
Mumuye land. Later, Gengoro settled at Bujum.
But Hama Bolki could not understand
the Mumuye language, so he later moved t Bolki with Gengoro where he married
Mata-Vormokoh ( a Kwah lady). Due to in-fighting between Gengoro and
Mata-Vormokoh, Gengoro moved to Nzumosu and drove away the inhabitants of
Nzumosu, who are Kwah people and they crossed the Benue to Donti, Kwah and
Gyakan. The marriage to Mata-Vormokoh made him a husband of three wives as he
already had Nzogoshe and Mbamto.
He exercised power in Western
Bwatiye land and his other names were Nzoshowokwake, Dembu, Saron and Dukzure.
- Hama Bosso
In case of
Bosso, acting Hama Bosso, Haziel traced movement of Bwatiye from Mugal through
Sokoto, Gusau, Borno, Fyama, Bulati, Modungo, Vuno-Kulang, Masombula, Zukon
(old Goron near Dyagyo before moving present Sirhe), Zufan, Hagbon, Zarati,
(Dilli), Bulati, Gboko (Imburu) Vwapti (Mbwara Moti Gyawana), Mupun (Gyawana),
Dubwangun, Go, Mbemun to Bachama.
At Bachama, due to in-fighting
between the brothers, Matiyavune asked them to move to diferent locations and
so Hama Bosso (Gbeso) moved to Shimbi (Kiri). He was not happy there, so he
moved to Vorkadon (Bare) where he lost his daughter and Nzonjiya helped him to
bury her. To thank Nzonjiya he provided a Lake (GUFONUNGONG) for him so that he
will be getting fish from there.
He later moved to Labamsa (near
Sobon), by what is now know as the lake of Loh). He settled there. But his
wife, Madaso, used to go to what is now Boso and get fruits rom there. So she
persuaded her husband to move to the area which they named Boso. His other
names are Nzokarka, Ndapwamasaidah and Gbeso. When he finally entered the
ground, Nzofile took over as Hama Boso. Whenever there was a problem, If his chief priest,
Kusahome calls on him, he would provide all the needs of the people. But he is
a vengeance. You will be his servant and
anybody that inherits your property will be his servant as well.
- Adomunogwe (Nzojen)
The story of Adomunogwe who resided
at Gemun (Moto) was after a visit to their uncle, Won, then Nzeanzo saved the,,
the major deities moved to MOKOHSOKORE (Farei) where they left their mother,
Vunon and their youngest brother Nzeanzo. They then moved to Nzomwadinso,
Boro-lufan (Mbomara) on Inno Dong or River Mayo-Belwa and then to Hatifito
(which is between Vulpi and Gemun on Salti to Ngwalti road). From Boro-lufan,
Ngburum and his wife Marka settled at Byemti.
It was from Hatifito that Hama Bolki
and his sister Gengoro moved to Yapra and Bujum and later to Bolki and Nzumosu.
While Adomunogwe and his sister Mata-Ngwalti moved Gyemun. Due to in-fighting
between Mata-Ngwalti and her brother’s wife (Mbamto), Mata-Ngwalti moved from
Gemun to Ngwalti and got a servant from Matiyavune to protect her from wild
animals (elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, etc). From Gemun, Adomunogwe
takes care of all areas around and provides the need of all his people. His other
names are MBONDO, NZUJEN, MABULIKPOKDOK, PWOSAFUDO, BULA’ALANGBIYO and
NZOSHOWOKWAKE. It was when they were at Hatifito that Nzeanzo sent a message to
them that their mother Vunon was dead. They traveled to Farei, but when Nzeanzo
realized that his elder brother would take the corpse away, he brought his
mother back to life. They were surprised when they met their mother alive. He told
them that she only fainted. So they left. After two days, she died and he
buried her before he sent a message to them. When they arrived, he apologized
to them and they departed. The festival of Vunon is the final rite of saying ‘’bye-bye’
(folshe) to Vunon, their mother.
- Ngburum (Bagoje/Baje)
Ngburum is the
only deity in Bwatiye land that is said to have children and thus why he is
called Baje (father of children) and
some of his children include Nzokwang of Zangun and Zauzun o Rigangun. Ngburum and
his brothers were said to have moved from Tika to Farai (MOKOHSOKWORE). It was
from Farai that he moved together with his brothers with his brothers to Byemti
where he saw a lot o fish and decided to stay there. The place was called
BOMSHE (huna-zumo) which later became Byemti. His other names are KPALAGBE and
NZOZOMBODYE. Ngburum is always a leading characrter in Bwatiye folklore and he
is a great jester and a trickster. He is also a very greedy figure that always
want everthing for himself and such behaviour always land him and his family in
trouble and Nzujen (Adomunogwe) was always at hand to bail him. He loves every
kind of food and it is only in Byemti that there is always an annual festival
for the hunting of geese.
- Pulla Hasei (Nzokuditihidong)
As far as the story of Pulla Hasei
is concerned, he is referred to as BWAARA PWA (the person from above) and he is
the one who traveled together with his brother Hama Bolki, and he settled at
Belum (Waduku), while his brother moved to VANOHOMUN (the house of the King)
and then to his present location at Belum. He always bring good fortunes
whether in hunting war, sickness, fishing, farming, and so on. One day, he
thought of how he could be known all over the world. So he took his FWATO
(MBAGA-RAM) and decided to start wretsling from Basapwa (the East) to
Basanjiyan (West) of Bwatiye land proclaiming that any one that defeats him
will take his Fwato as a prize. He wrestled throughout Bwatiye land and no
single person defeated him. He reached Byemti, where he met Ngburum and his
family, and when he told Ngburum his mission that who ever beat him in
wrestling will take away his fwato, Ngburum laughed and said, how can a one
legged man defeat him in wrestling? So he took the fwato to his house and it
was slaughtered and they even ate it before he came back for the wrestling. When
they wrestled, Pulla Hasei defeated Ngburum, he then asked Ngburum to bring his
fwato. Ngburum entered the house and never came out. Pulla Hasei waited for a
long time and then decided to enter the house, from where Ngburum and his
family escaped. Pulla Hasei searched for Ngburum and he could not find him, so
he went back to Belum.
- Matiyavune
The historians
showed us the fighting for supremacy that took place at Bawo Home (near
Namtari), after the death of the father of Zaro Kpalame (red twin) and Zaro Dembune (black
twin) which led to the escaping of Zaro Dembune to Bachama, where he lived
on the mountain, so that he would be able to see any enemy that is coming to
attack him. Later Bwarambitikum, his wife, found Nzopwato at the present site
of Bachama and so Zaro Dembune had come down from the mountain and settle at
the site. When he died he was buried at Ndokohidong and so he is identified as
Matiyavune (that is, the one who started the shrine).
Nzopwato therefore
became his messenger to Farei. One day as Nzopwato was coming from Farei, it
rained and he saw fire at Hadiyo and so he branched there and spent the night. The
next day he introduced Zekai to Matiyavune and from that time Ndyewodi Tika is
the messenger to Bosso and Gura, the messenger to Bolki. Bachama therefore
became the centre from where everything in western Bwatiye from Kangling to
Kindang from Bachama. His wife, Bwarambitikuk is a totem of tortoise and she is
still alive today. If Hama Bachama stays for long time without visiting
Bachama, she will visit him in form of tortoise. That would force Hama Bachama
to take her back to Bachama. So Matiyavune is venerated and highly accepted as
the father of western Bwatiye. Thus why there are many festivals in Bachama or
those that originated from there as the centre. Jekei had to go to Farei nine (9) times annually, Gura to Bolki, seven (7) times and Ndyewodi
Tika to Boso six (6) times.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEITIES
Bwatiye traditional
religion is that of Ancestor worship and it means that people feel the presence
of their ancestors, especially the deified onces in every sphere of their
lives. Ancestors to the Bwatiye can be regarded as “living death” (John Mbiti), who are active in everyday activities
of their descendants. They are still the leaders of the people as they used to
be. As such they never sleep but are watching and guarding the living all the
time. Due to the fact that they are active in the affairs of men, any Bwata
(Bwara) that followed traditional religion have to abide by the Bwatiye code of
conduct as listed by Margaret Nissen, otherwise you will invite the wrath of
the deities. They as follows:
1.
Showing respect to
parents (and to all elders).
2.
Murder
3.
Lying
4.
Being double-tongued
(kwa-dingame/kwa-kpeye)
5.
Adultery
6.
Theft
7. Disrespect to Homun
Pwa and the demi-gods
8. Disrespecting other people
9. Perverting judgement in court
10.Unseemly conduct at the feast for the dead (and in all other
feasts and festivals). (ibid pg. 64)
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