Simbi | |
---|---|
Water Spirit | |
Affiliation | |
Abode | Atlantic Ocean, Seas, Rivers (Nzadi), Forests (Mfinda) |
Ethnic group | |
Equivalents | |
Sawabantu | Jengu |
Haitian | Lwa |
A Simbi (also Cymbee, Sim'bi, pl. Bisimbi) is a Central African water and nature spirit in traditional Kongo religion, as well as in African diaspora spiritual traditions, such as Hoodoo in the southern United States and Palo in Cuba. Simbi have been historically identified as water people, or mermaids, pottery, snakes, gourds, and fire. Due to the forced removal of Bantu peoples from Africa to the Americas, the veneration of simbi exists today in countries, such as the United States, Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti.