Ruwa and the Sacred Mountain Kilimanjaro

myth · Tanzania · African

Ruwa, the supreme god of the Chaga people, dwells upon the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. According to Chaga cosmology, Ruwa is associated with the sun and resides in the sky alongside his consort, the moon. From his celestial throne on Kibo peak, Ruwa watches over the Chaga people and all creation. The mountain is not merely a mountain but the physical manifestation of Ruwa's presence on earth — its glaciers are his crown, its forests his garments, its rivers his blessings flowing down to nourish the people. Sacrifices to Ruwa are performed at high noon, when

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