Fijian Mythology

The Gods, Spirits and Legendary Creatures of Fiji

NDENGEI

Fijian Creator God

Also known as Degei, Dengei, Ndengi

Picture of the Fijian Creator God Ndengei from our Fijian mythology image library. Illustration by Chas Saunders.

The Great Serpent Creator

His real name is DEGEI but everyone calls him Ndengei. Apparently he doesn’t mind. He lived alone in the Sky, although he shared flying space with Turukawa, a female hawk.

One day the hawk made a nest and laid two eggs, so goodness knows where she had been skylarking. Intrigued, Ndengei offered to baby-sit and was astounded when the eggs hatched and out popped a baby girl and boy.

Turukawa seems to have shrugged her feathers and flown off, so Ndengei became a surrogate foster dad. He taught his adopted children everything and made them wise enough to start the human race.

Some time later, a group of first generation brothers on hunting practice shot down a hawk. This hawk turned out to be Turukawa. Ndengei decided to punish them with a flood, but he was too kind-hearted to let them drown.

Instead he sent down a shaddock fruit for them to use as a life raft — and a snack for when the flood subsided.

As a Supreme deity of Day and Night, he has a bit of trouble with his timing. When he sleeps, it becomes night and nothing can happen. Unfortunately he does tend to oversleep because some nephews stole the black dove he used as an alarm clock.

It was taken because he had trained the bird to tell him it was bedtime whenever he felt like a snooze — which was most of the time. He is now very confused and stays awake all day worrying, which has resulted in a lot of daylight saving.

Ndengei Facts and Figures

Name: Ndengei
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names: Degei, Dengei, Ndengi

Gender: Male
Type: God
Area or people: Fiji in Melanesia
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present

Role:
In charge of: Creating
Area of expertise: Creation

Good/Evil Rating: Unknown at present
Popularity index: 9468

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Article last revised on April 30, 2019 by the Godchecker data dwarves.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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