1. Introduction: The Principle of Time and Ancestry

Kitembo, popularly known as Time, is the Nkisi who governs the passage of time, the weather, and the seasons. He is the very representation of ancestry and continuity. Kitembo is the lord of the air, of the wind that blows in all directions, and his sacred abode is the white fig tree (Iroko). He is a primordial deity who witnessed the creation of the world and sustains the axis that connects Earth to Heaven.

2. Fundamental Myths (Minkandá)

A Minkandá says that Kitembo is so ancient that he taught the other Minkisi to navigate the seasons for planting and harvesting. He is the father of Angorô, the rainbow serpent, and it is he who allows his son to appear in the sky after the rain. Kitembo represents the collective ancestry of the Angola nation.

3. Domains and Symbols

Their domain is the air, the weather, and the sacred Iroko tree (white fig tree). Their main symbol is a large white flag hoisted on a pole in the center of the terreiro (Nzo), representing the axis of the world and the presence of the sacred. It is also symbolized by a wooden spear.

4. Archetype and Personality

Kitembo's children are wise people, with an air of eldership even when young. They are fair, balanced, and have a strong connection with time and ancestry. They are community leaders, counselors, and peacemakers. They dislike sudden changes and value tradition and stability.

5. Relationships and Dialogues

Kitembo is a genuinely Bantu deity, with no direct counterpart in the Yoruba pantheon, although he does connect with the sacredness of the Iroko tree (worshipped as an Orisha). In Brazil, due to syncretism between nations, Nkisi Tempo also began to be worshipped in some Jeje homes, but his origins and foundations are from the Angolan nation.