Modimo: Difference between revisions

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'''Modimo''' (also spelt as '''''Molimo''''' in [[Sesotho orthography|Lesotho Sesotho]]) is a [[Creator deity|creator god]] and [[sky deity]] in the [[Traditional African religion|traditional religion]] of the [[Sotho-Tswana peoples|Sotho-Tswana people]]. Modimo can be translated to mean "the high one" or "the sky-diety" or "the one above" or "the Supreme Deity" or merely "the high God" in English. It carries a sense of reverence and is used to express a connection to the divine or to seek divine intervention.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Bruce |last1=Bennett |title=The contested history of Modimo |date=January 2022|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346943485 |language=English}}</ref>

== ReligiousMeaning and origins ==

In Sotho-Tswana cultures, the concept of Modimo is deeply rooted in traditional religious beliefs. It is often associated with the creator of the universe and is considered the highest spiritual authority. There are various other names for Modimo such as '''Mmopi''', '''Tlatlamatjholo''' (or '''Tlatlamacholo''' or '''Hla-Hla Macholo'''), '''Ramasedi''' or '''Rammoloki'''. Modimo is often described as a genderless, formless, omnipresent and omnipotent maker. Modimo is the most supreme deity in a [[Pantheon (religion)|pantheon]] of different deities and [[Apotheosis|deified]] ancestors, or [[Badimo]], and mythological figures of the Sotho-Tswana people. There are various legends, stories and mythologies regarding Modimo amongst the Sotho-Tswana people.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Modimo and the Origin of Death |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100203655 |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Oxford Reference |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mothoagae |first=Itumeleng Daniel |date=December 2014 |title=The gendered God in the Setswana Bible and the captivity of Modimo: Moffat and the translating of the Bible into Setswana |url=http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S1017-04992014000300011&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en |journal=Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=149–168 |issn=1017-0499}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Crisp |first=William |title=The Bechuana of South Africa |date=1896 |publisher=[[Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge]] |year=1896 |isbn=9780598934956 |publication-date=1896 |pages=43 |language=English}}</ref>

==Beliefs, mythologies and legends==

==Traditional practices==

The reverence for "Modimo" often extends to traditional rituals and ceremonies. Many traditional practices involve prayers, songs, and offerings to seek the favor or blessings of the divine. Although Modimo is the most powerful being in the order of creation of the Sotho-Tswana religion, he is often seen as a deistic god who can be appealed to through intermediaries like the [[Veneration of the dead|ancestors]] or [[Badimo]], who are believed to be closer to Modimo in the [[underworld]].

==Daily= beliefsBasotho ===

According to Basotho mythology, humans were created in [[Ntswanatsatsi (mythical creation place of the Basotho)|Ntswanatsatsi]] by Modimo

The belief in "Modimo" can influence various aspects of daily life, providing a moral and spiritual framework for individuals and communities. It may guide ethical behavior, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making.

==Modimo in Christianity==