Myth / Mongo Mythology

Eloko, a type of jungle-haunting demon

In the heart of Africa in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there lies a region almost completely encircled by the bend of the Congo river to the north and bounded to the south by the Kasai and Sankuru rivers. The Nkundo people call this area "Ngimôkili" meaning "Middle-Country". It is the homeland of the Mongo-Nkundo speaking peoples. The Mongo-Nkundo are one of the four largest ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Though distantly related in language to the Kuba people who live to their south, their mythologies are quite divergent. In contrast the Mongo-Nkundo share many mythological and religious concepts with nearby ethnicities to the north such as the Ngombe, the Boloki, the Upoto, and the collection of Lingala speakers (once erroneously known as "the Bangala"). The Mongo are traditionally patrilineal slash-and-burn agriculturalists who supplement their diet through hunting and fishing, like most other rainforest dwellers in Central Africa. Mongo-Nkundo societies are typically organized in autonomous democratic villages, albeit the opinions of elders and respected men are given additional weight in deliberations. A common thread throughout the myriad peoples that comprise the Mongo is that they insist they are all descended from an ancient man and/or divinity named Mongo.

Although the Mongo have largely converted to Christianity by now, aspects of pagan belief such as reverence for the ancestors and deep fear of witchcraft remains strong. Two recurring figures in the lore of the Mongo-Nkundo and affiliated groups are the demigod Lianja and his sister Nsongo.

Mongo mythology contains examples of the following tropes:

• Abduction Is Love: Lonkundo accidentally caught Ilánkaka in one of his traps after a strange dream. She told him her father was a wealthy chief named Esombyankaka who could pay him very much, but Lonkundo preferred to claim her as his new bride.
• The Alcoholic: Biloko enjoy drinking beer very much.
• Always Night: Ngiambe was so angry at the degeneracy of the Mongo people he cursed the land of patriarch Waku-Waku to remain in permanent darkness.
• Amazon Chaser: Yonjwa and Itonde were both this, they actively sought out big mighty girls.
  • The Mongo ideal of feminine beauty are big stout women, with plentiful flesh to grasp and a physique for tough manual labor.
• Amazonian Beauty: Eyonga and Mbombe (when they aren't treated as the same character) were pursued by many men throughout the lands because of this trope. Eyonga's title was Ondefetana (meaning "the Champion"). Her total lack of shyness when proclaiming who she is was considered charming by Yonjwa, who searched for her among a group of chattering girls.
• Auto-Revive: Kangili-Kangili was Bokele's magic powder he gifted to his son Yendembe. It could bring the dead back to life by merely placing it in their nose and making them sneeze.
• Awful Wedded Life: After Lonkundo drove his wife Bonduwa to the edge of the settlement, he and his favorite wife Ilankaka enjoyed the palm nuts which grew from her magic tree. Londkundo enjoyed the nuts so much he tried to share them with his other wives and children. Ilankaka became angry and said the nuts were only for him and herself. Lonkundo lost his temper and insulted her infertility. Heartbroken, Ilankaka collected her things and never returned.
• Bag of Holding: Elokos carry bags known as "ikoma", "lomboko", or "bokumbe". They are used to carry their weaponry and captured humans.
  • Ilankaka owned a pot filled with magical fire-sticks. She could transform each stick into valuable treasures.
  • Eyonga had a bag of mysteries containing a mysterious powder. It could bring back the dead and save people from emergencies. It could swallow up an entire tribe and fly them over the forest, vomiting them back out safely. The bag had froglike qualities. Eyonga once asked it to guide herself, her husband, and their slaves home so it hopped before them.
• The Beast Master: Bokele traveled with a party composed of wasps to sting his enemies, the wizard turtle Nkulu to guide the way, the hawk Nkombe to help carry off the sun, and a mouse to eavesdrop on his enemies. He also had a leopard and baboon join the crew.
• Best Her to Bed Her: Eyonga/Mbombe refused to marry any man who could not defeat her in oil wrestling. Eyonga was beaten by Yonjwa and Mbombe was beaten by Ilele.
• Betty and Veronica: Lonkundo's wife Bonduwa (who bore his firstborn son Yonjwa) was given a small shabby hut by him while all his other wives (especially the princess of flame Ilankaka) got wonderful houses. Lonkundo dismissed her complaints and told her she ought to take what she is offered or he would take it away. Ilankaka was delighted by this and planted the magic nut her father had given her "for when you have a husband who truly loves you".
• The Caper: Bokele assembled a crew to recover the sun from chief Mokulaka.
• Casting a Shadow: Itonde isn't fond of sunlight, so he created darkness shortly before he was born. The seemingly endless night scared his parents so they traveled until they saw light again.
• The Chosen One: Lianja was fated to lead mankind into an age of peace and unity.
• Cool Old Lady: Mama Isaso was a valiant and wise sage respected by the spirits. She did not fear the great spirit Iania Anzaka Bokulu Tondi and relayed his wisdom despite the apprehension of chief Waku Waku.
• Dances and Balls: The Mongo held a great party to celebrate everything Ngiambe had provided for them. Royalty, gods, magicians, sages of all types attended: women like the Honored Mama Ewando, Mama Yomamu Queen of the Batwa pygmies, the soothsayer of the Ekonda, the wise woman of the Bolia, the princess of Basengele, the great lady of Ngombe in the West, and the medicine-women of Bowoto and Bolengo; and men like prince Lokenio, chief Mumakheta, chief Bongdonga, chief Bongwolanga, prince Bola, and chief Analengo of the Atetela.
• Dreaming of Things to Come: Lonkundo dreamed about capturing the sun in one of his nets.
• Eldritch Abomination: Lianja in his pre-incarnated form Iania Anzaka Bokulu Tondi was terrifying and incomprehensible. He made all of Mongoland quake and shot jets of fire everywhere. His body was pure light but his head was that of a human. He spoke from a sacred mountain and even turned himself into a whirlwind when he made his presence known to the Mongo. He prophesized his own birth and the glories of the Mongo nation.
• Enfant Terrible: Itonde left his mother's womb at night to eat the extra rats his father Yonjwa caught for her.
• Geas: Yendembe had a taboo under which he could never be ordered to do anything, or he would die. He had to be asked or invited to do things. His maternal grandmother killed him accidentally by ordering him to cut her some banana bunches from a tree, and his mother Bolumbu revived him with Kangili-Kangili. His grandmother later killed him again but burned Kangili-Kangili while cleaning.
• Generational Saga: The Lianja epic follows the Heroic Lineage of Wai/Waku-Waku to B/Mokele to Lonkundo to Yonjwa to Itonde to Lianja and beyond.
  • The legend of Lofokefoke begins with the acts of his ancestors.
• Genius Loci: The Bilima (singular: Elima) are the spirits who prefer to associate themselves with natural features like rivers, forests, and mountains. Women pray to them for children.
• God of the Dead: Itonde was the god of death.
• Green Thumb: Bokele made vines around a village grow rapidly to restrain all the inhabitants before he killed them all.
• Harem Seeker: By proxy in the case of Lonkundo. His wife Ilankaka insisted he marry as many women as possible to show off his status, and she actively helped him get more brides.
• High-Heel–Face Turn: Mokulaka's daughter Motumbu/Bolumbu was ordered to poison Bokele. But she instead fell in love with him, dumped the poison on the ground, and asked to be his wife.
• Human Sacrifice: After migrating from their village due to jealous neighbors, Lonkundo and Ilankaka ran into the man who had lured her into the jungle and abandoned her. Lonkundo caught him and made the man a slave. They sacrificed him to sanctify their new village.
• Hunter Trapper: Lonkundo was taught by the ghost of his father to become this. He introduced trapping to Ngimôkili.
• Immortal Ruler: Chief Analego of the Atetela was immortal.
• Inescapable Net: Mokulaka's men tried to catch Bokele's canoe with a fish net and failed.
• Literal Surveillance Bug: A Wasp (or sometimes Mouse) in Bokele's party listened to Mokulaka plotting to kill Bokele and warned him.
• Magic Music: Elokos play drums to lure women and children from the safety of the village.
  • Itonde owned an Elefo (a type of bell with mysterious symbols on it). The bell is called "the World". It contains all things and brings Itonde whatever he likes: wealth, health, fish, storms, lightning, weapons, peace, war, poverty, languages, animals, rain, drought, strength, weakness, and much more.
• Magic Knight: Nkulu was the sorcerer of battle and Bokele's war magician.
• Meaningful Name: Yendembe literally means "take no orders".
• Meaningful Rename: Yendembe changed his name to Lonkundo after killing his father Bokele.
• My God, What Have I Done?: After hurting the feelings of his wives Bonduwa and Ilankaka, Lonkundo felt great remorse. He reconciled with Bonduwa at least and built her the finest house in the village, and fully acknowledged his firstborn son Yonjwa, offering to pay whatever bride-price the boy needed.
• Mystical Pregnancy: Wai's wife Moluka was infertile and thus had inferior status in his household. That was until she met a spirit in the shape of an old woman who told her she would have a child. The old woman touched Moluka's stomach and an egg came forth. The old woman took the egg with her, promising to return the next day in exchange for a meal. Moluka did as she was told and the old woman came back with a beautiful baby boy.
• Noble Bird of Prey: Nkombe the hawk carries the sun from the east to the west each day.
• Our Ghouls Are Creepier: Biloko (singular: Eloko) AKA the Sau-Sau & Fete-Fete are cruel dwarfs or sometimes giants who inhabit the darkest jungles. Thought by many to be the ghosts of wicked or vengeful people, they have grass rather than hair on their bodies and wear leaves as clothing. The Eloko has a snout like a crocodile, piercing eyes, long claws, and can open its mouth wide enough to swallow an adult whole. Elokos carry around bells which they use to cast dark sorcery. Some Biloko have powerful hands like gorillas. Elokos especially prefer the taste of female flesh. Some suck out the eyes of their victims, others prefer only hearts or livers. In some tales they exist as severed parts of human bodies. The Eloko's body is sometimes characterized as fresh on one side and rotten on another, like a human corpse left unburied. One variety of Eloko has the rotting head of an elephant and long wings with sculpted drums attached. This variety of Eloko limps around and has long matted braids with butterflies sitting on top. Some Elokos have five heads and four fingers or only one arm. Elokos speak in a nasal manner using a degenerated version of Mongo-Nkundo. They wield clubs called Ingendas.
• Our Ghosts Are Different: The Bankolo are the benevolent ancestral spirits of the Mongo-Nkundo. They carry on in the jungle in their villages where their living relations bring them offerings by day. At night the ancestors visit the living. The Bankolo may take the shape of elephants, hippos, and crocodiles.
  • The Bekali are hostile ghosts. They are extremely territorial and do not hesitate to persecute humans who dare encroach.
• Our Zombies Are Different: Banto Babwake are walking corpses. They think humans smell disgusting and will chase them away as soon as they are detected. Humans who do not flee are killed.
• Overlord Jr.: Yakalaki was the son of Mokulaka. When he heard news of B/Mokele trying to buy the sun from them he rushed to his father's aid with an army of human warriors and Elokos. They chased Bokele and his companions back to their boat once the sun was stolen.
• Overly Long Name: One of Lianja's names is "Anjaka-Njaka Lokwala La Lotungi, Libanza". Meaning "the one who makes things with force and noise and runs off with them , whose scraped fingernails are tied with cane, Libanza".
• Patricide: When Bokele admitted to his son Yendembe that he had slain his mother Bolumbu in a blind rage over his death, Bokele refused to forgive him and slew him with a spear.
• Power Glows: Ilánkaka was a sun and flame goddess so this was how she often appeared. Lonkundo saw first her shining in his trap from far away.
• Scary Stinging Swarm: Bokele's wasps engulfed Yakalaki's army and stung them mercilessly. However the quick-thinking army started fires and smoked the wasps into being more calm so they could be killed.
• Snakes Are Sinister: Indombe was a massive fiery man-eating snake from the country of the Bakongo, it was around 3 feet thick and several miles long. She lived in the trees and had great magical properties.
• Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome: Bokele aged from a newborn baby to a small boy overnight. The spirit who brought him to his mother Moluka used her powers to accomplish this. The spirit told Moluka to tell nobody about the boy so she kept him secret until her husband Wai returned from his hunting expedition. As soon as Wai returned Bokele made his glorious appearance in public for the first time. Magnificent mats rolled out from his hut on their own and when he met Wai, Wai knew instantly the beautiful youth was his son.
• Solitary Sorceress: In the jungle there live two Ambiguously Human beings known as Mpaka (the old man) and Ekota (the old woman). They are frequently described as filthy and in need of cleaning. The old woman has long white hair, long nails, thick eyebrows, and is covered in lice. They act as Knowledge Broker for travelers if the traveler in question is willing to perform some very unpleasant chore for them that typically involves cleaning off their grime.
• Spell My Name With An S: Lianja is variously known as Lianza, Libanza, Jibanza, and more.
  • The hero called Mokele by the Ntomba is known as Bokele by the Nkundo.
  • The Ntomba "Molumbu" is the Nkundo "Bolumbu".
• Stewed Alive: In some version Motumbu/Bolumbu is tasked with boiling Bokele/Mokele alive rather than poisoning him.
• Sweet Tooth: Elokos love honey and bananas, especially banana peels.
• Trademark Favorite Food: Itonde loves fried rats.
• Trial by Ordeal: Itonde proves he is Lonkundo's son by drinking poison and surviving.
• Uninvited to the Party: The Sun, Moon, Stars, and other celestial bodies were not invited to the great festival of the early Mongo. This made them very angry and they decided to inflict calamity and disasters on the Mongo, even supporting their enemies called the Sau-Sau/Biloko. The Mongo tried to invite them after hearing about this, but it was too late.
• Unstoppable Rage: Bokele went crazy after he learned his son Yendembe has been killed and saw his dead body wrapped up in leaves, having been brought along the river for him to heal. He massacred the entire village including the boatmen who brought the body, his wife, and his mother-in-law.
• Wacky Cravings: A common theme in Mongo lore. A husband gets himself into trouble trying to satisfy the craving of a pregnant wife, often falling victim to the owner of the food (usually Sau fruit) or some other peril.
  • Eyonga craved fried rats while she was pregnant.
• Wicked Wasps: Subverted. They were allies of Bokele and helped him fight Yakalaki's army.