The african concept of Kalunga

Kalunga in Bakongo cosmology, Kalunga is the fire force. It emerges complete from within mbungi, the empty circle in existence before creation. The Kalunga fires up and releases a storm of projectiles, overrunning the mbungi. Because life would emerge from this event, Kalunga is the source and origin of life and potential, the force that continually generates. Kalunga is also the symbol for force and vitality and a principle of change. Because Kalunga occurred on a cosmic scale, Kalunga is the idea of immensity and the principle god of change. Kalunga is life. Because Kalunga was the first activity within mbungi, it is force in motion. Therefore, all living things are in perpetual motion.

 Kalunga also divides the Bakongo circular cosmos in half. The upper half is the world of the great spirit, Nzambi, whereas the lower half is the world of ancestors, Bakulu, spirits, and beings preparing for a material body. The upper world is physical ku nseke, whereas the lower is spiritual ku mpemba. The Kalunga line is a line on which all living things dwell. Although material beings live along Kalunga, it is an invisible barrier between the two realms. It is sometimes likened to a river. Becanse the Bakongo have a circnlar worldview, a person crosses the Kalunga line at birth and death and repeats the process again when he or she is reborn.

The point at which a person crosses the Kalunga line and is physically born is called kala. This is called the snn of all births and eqnates with snnrise and physical beginnings. For the person, kala is distingnished by speech. The person will learn to hear and nse words along with their power. The color of kala is black. The other point is Luvemba, the point at which one leaves the physical world and reenters the world of living energy and the ancestors. This snn of death is linked to the snnset, endings, and is represented by white.

The person moves along the horizontal plane of the Kalunga meeting challenges and collecting experiences. Movement along the Kalunga can be forward, backward, or sideways. The purpose for the muntu is to acquire knowledge. If the muntu does not learn along the Kalunga, he or she becomes powerless. The community also exists along the Kalunga, therefore Kalunga connects all community relationships and supports the learning of the muntu.

Denise Martin

See also Fire Further Readings

Fu-Kiau, K. K. B. (1991). Self Healing Power and Therapy: Old Teachings From Africa. Baltimore: Imprint Editions/Black Classics Press.

Fu-Kiau, K. K. B. (1994). Ntangu-Tandu-Kolo: The Bantu-Kongo Concepts of Time. In J. Adjaye (Ed.), Time in the Black Experience (pp. 17-34). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Fu-Kiau, K. K. B. (2001). Tying the Spiritual Knot: African Cosmology of the Bantu Kongo. Principles of Life and Living. Brooklyn, NY: Athelia Henrietta Press.Encyclopedia of African Religion