Asis

Biography

Asis (also known as Asiis or Asis Ab) is the supreme deity in Pokot and broader Kalenjin cosmology — the sun god who is the source of all life, warmth, and order. In Pokot theology, Asis is both the physical sun and the divine creator who brought the world into being and sustains it through his daily journey across the sky. The Pokot believe that Asis observes all human actions from his celestial vantage point and rewards virtue while punishing wrongdoing through drought, disease, and misfortune. Prayers to Asis are offered at dawn facing the rising sun, and important ceremonies including cattle blessings, harvest rituals, and warrior initiations invoke his name. The Pokot concept of Asis is shared across the broader Kalenjin language group, including the Nandi, Kipsigis, Tugen, and Marakwet, though each community has developed distinct ritual practices. Asis is not depicted in physical form; he is understood as a spiritual force manifested through sunlight. The Pokot have a rich theological system built around Asis that includes beliefs about the afterlife, moral law, and the relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds. This theological sophistication challenges colonial-era characterizations of African religions as "primitive" or lacking systematic theology.