Mawu-Lisa

Fon androgynous creator deity, twin union of moon (Mawu) and sun (Lisa).

Parentage

• parent: Nana Buluku

Children

• Dan
• Gbadu
• Gu
• Legba
• Sakpata
• Sogbo

Domains

• creation
• sun moon

Powers

• Creates the world and apportions realms to offspring
• Unites the powers of sun (Lisa) and moon (Mawu)

Epithets

• Sɛgbo Lisa latin · Segbo-LisaGreat-Spirit Lisa, the supreme creator-pair (the 'gbo/sɛ' great-deity title)Herskovits, Melville J. Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom. J.J. Augustin, 1938, vol. II, ch. on the sky pantheon. (ethnography)
• Mawu, the moon, Lisa, the sun latin · Mawu (sun's-rest, moon) — Lisa (sun)Mawu the moon (coolness, motherhood), Lisa the sun (strength, day) — the twin aspectsHerskovits, Melville J. & Frances S. Dahomean Narrative. Northwestern University Press, 1958. (ethnography)

Relations

• equated with: Twofold Creator PairThe same West African deity under its Gbe/Yoruba reflex (Mawu-Lisa).West African vodun/òrìṣà cognates: the same deity across the Gbe (Ewe, Fon) and Yoruba traditions (M. Herskovits, Dahomey, 1938; G. Parrinder, West African Religion, 1961; P. Verger, Notes sur le culte des Orisa et Vodun, 1957) (secondary)

Sources

• existence: Herskovits, Dahomey (1938); Mythopedia, Mawu-Lisa (secondary)