Ibo mythology

The Ibo are a people from the Calabar District of Nigeria. In their ancient religion, the supreme god is called Chuku ("great spirit"); he created the world and everything good in it, and is especially associated with rain, trees and other plants. He is also a solar deity. Ala is occasionally considered his wife, and occasionally considered his daughter.

Chuku once sent a dog to mankind to tell them that corpses should be covered with ashes and laid on the ground, and that this would bring the person back to life. The dog was tired and Chuku decided to send a sheep in his stead; the sheep forgot the message on the way and guessed, telling mankind to bury the bodies of the dead. The dog eventually arrived, but his correction was not believed and so death is a permanent fixture.

Ala, daughter or wife of Chuku, is one of the more popular divinities. She is a goddess of fertility as well as death, ruling over the beginning and ending of life.

Other deities include Aha Njoku, a goddess of yams and the (female) farmers who grow them.