Anchor of the 'creator withdraws to the sky' cycle for the Chewa/Nyanja of Malawi. A high-god / sky-creator (deity). The same supreme being is named Mulungu, Mphambe (lightning), Leza and Namalenga in different contexts. Werner records the footprints of the first man and the animals as impressed on the rock at Kapirimtiya west of Lake Nyasa.
Domains
sky creation
rain
rainbow
Powers
descend to earth on a spider's thread
send and withhold the rains
Span the sky as the great bow (rainbow)
Epithets
Chiuta
Sources
Wendland, E. (1992). 'Yahweh — The Case for Chauta "Great-[God]-of-the-Bow".' The Bible Translator 43(4).
Werner, A. (1933). Myths and Legends of the Bantu. London: George G. Harrap, ch. III.
Schoffeleers, J. M. & Roscoe, A. (1985). Land of Fire: Oral Literature from Malawi. Limbe: Popular Publications.