Nalunkalamba, the Mantis Smith

Overview

Nalunkalamba appears as the smith in Jacottet’s Subiya Tchinamina tale. After Séédimwé has eaten the boy’s sisters and mother, the surviving child leaves his hiding tree and seeks the mantis. He asks for arrows with which to kill the devourer. The mantis agrees, forges many arrows and gives them to him. The encounter presents the insect as an accessible craftsperson who supplies the means of rescue; it does not describe the tools, workshop, metal or a change into human form.

The boy then builds a raised position by water and questions approaching animals before Séédimwé arrives. He shoots and kills the devourer with the forged arrows. A separate little bird advises him about the small finger; cutting it frees the family and other swallowed people. That advice belongs to the bird, rather than to the mantis. Jacottet’s note calls the mantis nalunkalamba and compares its smith role with divination roles in other Zambezi stories. He also proposes connections with other peoples’ mantis traditions. These comparisons do not make this helper identical with the independently narrated |Xam Mantis, or add prophecy to this particular rescue episode.

Origins & earliest records

Jacottet’s 1899 Textes Soubiya publishes the Subiya text and French translation. His introduction credits the volume’s Subiya material to Kasala and Samata collectively, without assigning an individual teller to these selected tales. Kaboukou’s separately supplied Kololo and Totela texts do not establish him as their narrator.

Records & interpretation

The complete selected French episodes and surrounding notes were read. Narrative actions are separated from Jacottet’s speculative comparisons and general explanations. The 1899 original title page supplies the publication date despite conflicting Archive metadata.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Études sur les langues du Haut-Zambèze, II: Textes Soubiya

   Édouard Jacottet; Subiya contributors Kasala and Samata · 1899

   XV, Tchinamina, pp. 57–59; especially mantis encounter on p. 57 and comparative note continuing on p. 58.

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. Digitized primary collected textJacottet — Textes SoubiyaResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.