CHUKWU

[African] The supreme deity of the Ibo (the Calabar district, eastern Nigeria), Chuku is the creator, and the Ibo believe that all good comes from him. He is the creator and brings the rains that makes the plants grow. Certain trees are dedicated to him, and in bushes and under trees sacrifices are made to him. His wife is Ala, who is also given as his daughter. The sun is his symbol. Once he sent a dog messenger to men, advising them that, should anyone die, they should be lain on the ground and strewn with ashes, after which they would return to life. The dog, however, was tired and delayed, so Chuku sent a sheep with the same message. It too got delayed, stopping to eat on the way, and on arriving had forgotten the wording of the message it had brought. Guessing, the sheep told men that they should bury a corpse in the earth. When the dog arrived later with the correct message, it was not believed, and so death was established on the Earth.