A living reference atlas

Atlas of Religious and Esoteric Lineages

Five thousand religious, mystical, Indigenous and esoteric lineages from around the world — what they are, where they came from, and where to read more.

Source-linked and transparently qualified. Editorial standards and correction criteria are public.

Created and maintained by Ayara and Kyle Jonathan B@KJB_and_AYARA

Entries: 5,000
Candidate geography relations: 7,326
Candidate country vocabulary: 162

Explore the index

Search five thousand distinct lineages

Entry data: effective Atlas view
Geography: candidate layer pending adjudication

14 lineages in the selected candidate country

Page 1 of 1

Atlas 0653Community-bound / restricted

Bwami Society

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Precolonial–present, with major colonial disruption
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 0654Community-bound / restricted

Mbudye Society and Lukasa Tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Precolonial–20th/21st centuries
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 0656Community-bound / restricted

Mukanda Initiation and Makishi Masquerade

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Angola, Congo - Kinshasa, Zambia
Period / origin: Precolonial–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesAngola, Congo - Kinshasa, Zambia

View full record

Atlas 0660Community-bound / restricted

Cwezi-Kubandwa Religious Complex

African & Afro-Diasporic Practice / discipline

Public geography: Burundi, Congo - Kinshasa, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Period / origin: Second millennium CE–20th/21st centuries
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesBurundi, Congo - Kinshasa, Rwanda +2

View full record

Atlas 0661Community-bound / restricted

Azande Benge Poison Oracle

African & Afro-Diasporic Practice / discipline

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa, Central African Republic, South Sudan
Period / origin: Precolonial–present, now rare/changed in some areas
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa, Central African Republic, South Sudan

View full record

Atlas 1403Initiatory

Luba Bilumbu diviner-medium traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Lineage / school

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Historically documented; contemporary status varies
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 1404Initiatory

Chokwe Ngombo divination tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Lineage / school

Public geography: Angola, Congo - Kinshasa, Zambia
Period / origin: Historically documented; living specialist contexts vary
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesAngola, Congo - Kinshasa, Zambia

View full record

Atlas 1405Community-bound / restricted

Pende Mbuya masquerade tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Historically documented; living contexts vary
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 1406Initiatory

Yaka n-khanda initiation traditions

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Angola, Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Historically documented; contemporary status varies
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesAngola, Congo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 1407Scholarly / historical only

Kimpa Vita’s Antonian movement

African & Afro-Diasporic Historical religion / cult

Public geography: Angola, Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: 1704–1706; later memory and interpretation
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesAngola, Congo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 2360Institution-specific

Church of Jesus Christ on Earth by His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status: Related-entry source

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 2375Community-bound / restricted

Kimbanguist Nkamba pilgrimage tradition

African & Afro-Diasporic Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Historically documented; living transmission or safeguarding context
Evidence status: Related-entry source

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 2388Open / public

Church of Christ Light of the Holy Spirit

African & Afro-Diasporic Order / organization

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa
Period / origin: Documented modern institution; current status should be checked with the institution
Evidence status: Related-entry source

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa

View full record

Atlas 4361Open / public

Congolese rumba

African & Afro-Diasporic Umbrella tradition

Public geography: Congo - Kinshasa, Congo - Brazzaville
Period / origin: 20th century–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesCongo - Kinshasa, Congo - Brazzaville

View full record