Kabundungulu

Overview

Kabundungulu is born immediately after Sudika-Mbambi, announcing his equipment from within their mother and naming himself when he emerges. He shares the miraculous rebuilding of their parents’ home. When his elder leaves to fight the Ma-kishi, Kabundungulu stays with the parents and watches the kilembe behind their house. On seeing it wither he waters it, and it grows green again. When it dries on a later occasion, he recognizes that his brother has died and sets out to find him.

He confronts the four Kipalendes who betrayed his elder and makes them uncover their concealed pit. Following the road below, he receives directions from the separated-body old woman and reaches Kalunga-ngombe. Told that Kimbiji swallowed his brother, he obtains a pig for bait, hooks the aquatic creature and calls other people to help pull it out. This use of assistance distinguishes his successful capture from Sudika-Mbambi’s solitary attempt, which ended in the water. He opens the creature, gathers his brother’s bones and commands him to arise; Sudika-Mbambi is restored.

The rescue does not keep the brothers permanently harmonious. Back on the surface, Kabundungulu asks for one of the elder’s two wives and is refused. His later visits lead to a quarrel. Neither blows nor swords can kill the other, and they finally depart in opposite directions. Kabundungulu goes west, and the narrative identifies the thunder answering his elder’s with him. His introductory statements about a palm-nut-eating dog and a bull-devouring kimbundu remain his named boast; they are not independently narrated episodes of those animals.

Origins & earliest records

Jelemía dia Sabatelu, also named Jeremias Alvares da Costa, supplies tale V. Chatelain specifies the Mbaka dialect and describes the story as current among Mbamba people. Notes III and V separate the narrator’s family and collection history from the English editor’s comparative theories.

Records & interpretation

Complete tale V, Sudika-Mbambi, bilingual pp. 84–97; English narrative pp. 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95 and concluding line p. 97; contributor notes III and V, and numbered notes 311–347.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Folk-Tales of Angola

   Héli Chatelain, collector, editor and literal English translator; named contributor in origin · 1894

   Complete tale V, Sudika-Mbambi, bilingual pp. 84–97; English narrative pp. 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95 and concluding line p. 97; contributor notes III and V, and numbered notes 311–347.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Collected Ki-mbundu text with facing English translation and contributor notesChatelain 1894 — KabundunguluResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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