Editing Simbi (section)

{{Short description|Spirit in traditional Kongo religion}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Kongo
| name = Simbi
| image = Mami Wata Figure MIA.jpg
| alt = <!-- for alternate text of the title image per [[WP:ALT]] -->
| caption = Mami Wata, Igbo artist, [[Minneapolis Institute of Art|MIA]]
| other_names = 
| script = 
| affiliation = {{hlist|[[Kongo religion|Kongo]]|[[Hoodoo (spirituality)|Hoodoo]]|[[Palo (religion)|Palo]]|[[Candomblé]]}}
| cult_center = 
| abode = [[Atlantic Ocean]], Seas, Rivers (Nzadi), Forests (Mfinda)
| animals = 
| symbol = <!-- or | symbols = -->
| predecessor = 
| successor = 
| region = 
| ethnic_group = {{hlist|[[Kongo people|Bakongo people]]|[[African Americans|Black Americans]]}}
| god_of = Water Spirit
| equivalent1 = [[Jengu]]
| equivalent1_type = Sawabantu
| equivalent2 = [[Lwa]]
| equivalent2_type = Haitian
}}
A '''Simbi''' (also '''Cymbee''', '''Sim'bi, pl. Bisimbi''') is a Central African [[Water spirit|water]] and [[List of nature deities|nature spirit]] in traditional [[Kongo religion]], as well as in [[African diaspora religions|African diaspora spiritual traditions]], such as [[Hoodoo (spirituality)|Hoodoo]] in the southern United States and [[Palo (religion)|Palo]] in Cuba. Simbi have been historically identified as water people, or mermaids, pottery, snakes, gourds, and fire. Due to the forced removal of [[Bantu peoples]] from [[Atlantic slave trade|Africa to the Americas]], the [[Veneration of the dead|veneration of simbi]] exists today in countries, such as the United States, Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti.