Mpambu Njila
Other names: Unjira, Nzila, Mavambo, Aluvaiá, Oluvaiá, Vanjila*, Mujilo*, Pambunjira, Bombomzila.
Domains: Sexuality, begginings, tricks, crossroads.
Greetings: Kiuá Tat'etu Kibuko Ngananjila Mpambu Njila! (I salute you, Our Auspicious Father Lord of Crossroads, Mpambu Njila). Pembelê Mpambu Njila (Come help us, Mpambu Njila!).
Symbols: The phallus, trident, keys, the sacrificial knife (pocó).
Animal: Rooster.
Taboos: Animal heads or their feet, beetroot, platain, sapodilla, eggs.
Colors: Red and black.
(names with * are given when he is in his female form)
Mpambu Njila comes from the words "Mpambu", meaning "meeting" and "Njila", "road". Literally, "Where The Roads Meet". He simbolizes movement, the first spark of life. Mpambu Njila is the first one to be honoured in the xirê ("shee-reh", celebration).
He is known for being the hottest nkisi, as in being connected to fire and warmth. And as such, he is also connected to human sexuality. But as Lemba ria Nganga is connected to the procreation and fertility aspect of it, Njila is all of it's faces.
As his personality, he is a jokester, playing tricks that can elevate in danger if the ritual protocols aren't taken seriously. To show this, his warcry is a deep and distorted laugh. And so that he doesn't wreak havoc, he is the first Nkisi to eat and to be celebrated. This is also so we get his good side and he opens up the path.
Chants
"É um mavile, mavilê. É um mavile Mavambu"
"It's milk, it's milk. It's Mavambu's milk"
This one is about male sexuality, emphasizing Njila's virility and his semen.
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"Singangê, mbandaiô, ngangaiô lepê, Mpambu Njilê"
"Priest, moving energy, the great priest Mpambu Njila"
Highlights his role as "owner of cultus", being the priest that inniciated the first priest, and his role as the force of movement.
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"Tenda, tenda, Mpambu Njila, tenda ió"
"Tell the fortune, Mpambu Njila, tell us our fortune"
As he is the mouth that speak to us through the cowrie shell oracle, and the divine messenger, carrying news from this world to the other one.
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"Óia njila mukongo, óia njila, óia njila mukongo, óia njila. Aê, aê, óia njila mukongo, óia njila"
"He governs the hunters on their way, he governs the roads. Yes, yes, its him that governs the hunters on their way"
As he is the owner of roads, be they metaphorical or literal, it's him that we should thank for our living. It's him that let us walk our way to work, so we can put food on our tables. Mpambu Njila is abundance.
Dance
His most common act is the drinking one. While the drums play the fast-paced barravento rythm, Mpambu Njila, in the middle of the temple, dances as if he is drinking.
While he does it, his movements get faster and awkward, resulting in him falling to his knees, still "drinking", until he "faints". He may also grab a bottle of rum and drink from it.
With his rum bottle, he may spit the liquid, inducing the trance state on the initiated around him.