There are common beliefs in Africa although the continent is a large with many different cultures and living religion in Africa cannot be ignored as Africa struggles with challenges facing it today. This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 15:48. According to him, the belief in spirits and ancestors is the most important element of African religions. He noted that it is where Africans and for that matter Ghanaians belong. He also notes that most modern African folk religions were strongly influenced by non-African religions, mostly Christianity and Islam and thus may differ from the ancient forms. "Kings, Magic & Medicine". This is largely because cosmology and beliefs are intricately intertwined with the natural phenomena and environment. In this state, depending upon the region, drumming or instrumental rhythms played by respected musicians (each of which is unique to a given deity or ancestor), participants embody a deity or ancestor, energy or state of mind by performing distinct ritual movements or dances which further enhance their elevated consciousness. African Traditional Religion is a thriving scholarly business, but a serious disconnect exists between contributions that celebrate a generalized African Traditional Religion and those that describe particular religions and aspects of religion on … Followers of traditional African religions pray to various spirits as well as to their ancestors. Peavy, D., (2009). Magic – Many of the African traditional religions believe in mysterious forces and magic.Priests (sometimes known as witchdoctors) may cast spells or … In some traditional African religions, morality is associated with obedience or disobedience to God regarding the way a person or a community lives. To efficiently study the African Traditional Religion (ATR), one must also study the people who practice this religion. He summarizes that traditional African religions are not only religions, but a worldview, a way of life. This list is limited to a few well-known traditions. ), are excited to the point of going into meditative trance in response to rhythmic or driving drumming or singing. Introduction Africa today suffers from what Kiogora (1993) refers to as the ‘Phenomenon of religious … According to Gottlieb and Mbiti: The environment and nature are infused in every aspect of traditional African religions and culture. Traditional African beliefs and cultural practices cannot be fully discussed without the subject of religion being highlighted. Examples include social behaviors such as the respect for parents and elders, raising children appropriately, providing hospitality, and being honest, trustworthy, and courageous. The historiography of African religions and religions in Africa presents a remarkable shift from the study of 'Africa as Object' to 'Africa as Subject', thus translating the subject from obscurity into the global community of the academic study of religion. [16], Animism builds the core concept of traditional African religions, this includes the worship of tutelary deities, nature worship, ancestor worship and the belief in an afterlife. African elders offering a bull as sacrifice to God. Keywords: Africa, Kenyan Experience, African Traditional Religion, Justice, Reconciliation and Peace. There are more similarities than differences in all traditional African religions. They have replaced indigenous African religions, but are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. The word, is related to the Maasai word Enkai, and was borrowed by both the Kikuyu and Kamba. Most Africans are Christians, but is Christianity an African religion? They have replaced indigenous African religions, but are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. [17] Traditional African religions also have elements of fetishism, shamanism and veneration of relics. The possessed are referred to as “horsemen,” because they are … Africa is a massive continent with diverse religious traditions, to the extent that within the same tradition there have been variations. [31], When this trance-like state is witnessed and understood, adherents are privy to a way of contemplating the pure or symbolic embodiment of a particular mindset or frame of reference. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional African medicine. He gave birth to the human community, created the first Kikuyu communities, and provided them with all the resources necessary for life: land, rain, plants and animals. Westerners, and even most misinformed Africans, are wont to use derogatory words such as primitive, idolatry, paganism etc. A belief in ancestors also testifies to the inclusive nature of traditional African spirituality by positing that deceased progenitors still play a role in the lives of their living descendants. With a long farming tradition, the Serer high priests and priestesses (Saltigue) deliver yearly sermons at the Xoy Ceremony (divination ceremony) in Fatick before Yoonir’s phase in order to predict winter months and enable farmers to start planting. Some recognize a dual God and Goddess such as Mawu-Lisa. All aspects of weather, thunder, lightning, rain, day, moon, sun, stars, and so on may become amenable to control through the cosmology of African people. African religions also share many ideas with world religions such as Judaism and Buddhism. Yet certain aspects of African faiths differ from those of most world religions. Abstract. ), are excited to the point of going into meditative trance in response to rhythmic or driving drumming or singing. The will of the gods or spirits is sought by the believer also through consultation of divinities or divination. Some religious and non-religious scholars alike have always highlighted that of all the races in the world that God created the African is said to be the most notoriously religious. For the Kikuyu, according to their primary supreme creator, Ngai, acting through the lesser deities, is believed to speak to and be capable of guiding the virtuous person as one's conscience. [33] This includes also nature, elementary and animal spirits. 1. Among Nilo-Saharan speakers is the belief in Divinity; evil is caused by divine judgement and retribution; prophets as middlemen between Divinity and man. Most African religions acknowledge the existence of a supreme deity who created the world and then, in most cases, retired from dealing with earthly affairs. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on. Today, the countries of Africa contain a wide variety of religious beliefs, and statistics on religious affiliation are difficult to come by. In this state, depending upon the region, drumming or instrumental rhythms played by respected musicians (each of which is unique to a given deity or ancestor), participants embody a deity or ancestor, energy or state of mind by performing distinct ritual movements or dances which further enhance their elevated consciousness. They include the Protestants, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Independent and non-affiliated Christians. To live here and now is the most important concern of African religious activities and beliefs. . Traditional healers are common in most areas, and their practices include a religious element to varying degrees. The traditional African understanding and the interpretation of Christianity have deep roots in these fundamental beliefs of the African traditional religions. Often, the supreme Deity is worshiped through consultation or communion with lesser deities and ancestral spirits. They counteracted various derogatory names given to AIR. 3 Leo Frobenius, The Voice of Africa, Vol. For the Kikuyu, according to their primary supreme creator, Ngai, acting through the lesser deities, is believed to speak to and be capable of guiding the virtuous person as one’s conscience. Ngai, says one legend, made the mountain his resting place while on an inspection tour of earth. But before those two religions arrived, there were several traditional religions practiced. Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living dependents, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. Olupona rejects the western/islamic definition of Monotheism or Polytheism and says that such concepts could not reflect the complex African traditions and are simplistic. Natural phenomena are responsible for providing people with their daily needs. Study Guide MSR203. That is the case concerning issues about Africa and its religious beliefs. . Reincarnation in African Traditional Religion By Andrew Rooke. Traditional healer of South Africa performing a divination by reading the bones. Diviner (also known as priest) are also sought for their wisdom as counselors in life and for their knowledge of herbal medicine. This pursuit for Africans has religious implications because, as it is widely known, the Africans are notoriously religious 1 and have a holistic worldview. He then took the first man, Gikuyu, to the top to point out the beauty of the land he was giving him.In traditional African religions, such as the Azande religion, a person is said to have a good or bad conscience, depending on whether he does the bidding of God or malevolent spirits. Although the majority of Africans are adherents of Christianity or Islam, African people often combine the practice of their traditional belief with the practice of Abrahamic religions. For example, within the Samburu tribe of Kenya, a bride lives with her husband until her pregnancy.… General Overviews. It is the most popular for decoration and can often be seen printed on cloth or stamped on pottery.The rapid spread of Pentecostal Christianity and fundamentalist Islam has greatly affected the role of indigenous religion in African society. 1komma5grad-quellen – Matthias Ziemer Photography says: Earth’s Crisis and Evolution Series- Part 1 Finding Commonality in Religious and Spiritual Pathways – SacredFireofKnowledge says: Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Persecution of traditional African religion, 1komma5grad-quellen – Matthias Ziemer Photography, ... [Trackback] [...] Read More Infos here: slife.org/ethics-in-religion/ [...], […] https://www.discovermongolia.mn/about-mongolia/culture-art-history/religion-in-mongolia https://slife.org/mongolian-shamanism/ https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-religions-are-practiced-in-mongolia.html […], ... [Trackback] [...] Find More Informations here: slife.org/western-slang-lingo-and-phrases/ [...], ... [Trackback] [...] Read More: slife.org/mens-rights-movement/ [...]. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." There are also religions with a single Supreme being (Chukwu, Nyame, Olodumare, Ngai, Roog, etc.). General Overviews. This is largely because cosmology and beliefs are intricately intertwined with the natural phenomena and environment. Adherents of traditional religions in Sub-Saharan Africa are distributed among 43 countries and are estimated to number over 100 million. Raleigh, NC: SI. An African understanding, The List: The World's Fastest-Growing Religions, "US study sheds light on Africa's unique religious mix", Ian S. Markham,(A World Religions Reader. In Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Burkina Faso more than 33 percent follow African religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic, and traditional medicine. Therefore, one... […] Sunni Muslims perform the following: […], Manjonjo Healers of Chitungwiza of Zimbabwe. Traditional/Indigenous African religions are the traditional beliefs and practices of African people including the various traditional religions and customs. There are generally no prohibitions against the practice. In the United States Vudon is more predominant in the states along the Gulf of Mexico. This facilitates better control and transformation of these energies into positive, culturally appropriate behavior, thought, and speech. It is impossible to generalize about concepts in African religions because they are ethno-religions, being determined by each ethnic group in the continent. See also: Divination, Early-20th-century Yoruba divination board. In many traditional African religions, there is a belief in a cyclical nature of reality. While some traditions have a supreme being (next to other deities), others have not. Religious persecution. However the most dominant ones in Ghana and Africa are Islam and Christianity, both accounting for more than 90% of religious adherents, with the rest, including traditional beliefs, having less than 10% of adherents. where one’s family came from. (Worship of the vodun is the original source of the Haitian religion of Vodou, which emerged as a syncretism of African, Roman Catholic, and Caribbean religious traditions by African slaves in Haiti.) Umewaen: Journal of Benin & Edoid Studies: Osweego, NY. [37] The deities and spirits are honored through libation or sacrifice (of animals, vegetables, cooked food, flowers, semi-precious stones and precious metals). [39], For example, in the Serer religion, one of the most sacred stars in the cosmos is called Yoonir (the Star of Sirius). One religious ceremony practiced in Gabon and Cameroon is the Okuyi, practiced by several Bantu ethnic groups. Encyclopædia Britannica, (2003), Index of African mythology and creation narratives, List of African deities and mythical figures, Traditional African Religion and other religions, Persecution of traditional African religion, "The world of spirits and the respect for nature: towards a new appreciation of animism", "Animism: Foundation of Traditional Healing in Sub-Saharan Africa", What is religion? This is part of democracy. "Religions of South Africa" pp. In traditional African societies, many people seek out diviners on a regular basis. Since Africa is a large continent with many ethnic groups and cultures, there is not one single technique of casting divination. The Central Regional Chairperson of the Psychic and Traditional Healers Association Limited, Nana Kojo Owonae who is also the Chief Priest of the Santrofi Shrine at Asebu has said the African Traditional Religion is the best. The religion of the Yoruba is finding roots in the Islands of the Caribbean and portions of Central and South America. Thunder is interpreted to be the movement of God, and lightning is God’s weapon by means of which he clears the way when moving from one sacred place to another. Some sacred or holy locations for traditional religions include Nri-Igbo, the Point of Sangomar, Yaboyabo, Fatick, Ife, Oyo, Dahomey, Benin City, Ouidah, Nsukka, Kanem-Bornu, Igbo-Ukwu, and Tulwap Kipsigis, among others. These figures represent peo-ple who primarily follow African traditional religion; however, INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION. The quest for health and healing, which is basic to all cultures and people, is also a central need of the African population. Most African societies believe in a single Supreme being (Chukwu, Nyame, Olodumare, Ngai, Roog, etc.). The Kenyan scholar John Mbiti writes that a belief in the continuation of life after death for African peoples "does not constitute a hope for a future and better life. Some of the African traditional religions are those of the Serer of Senegal, the Yoruba and Igbo of Nigeria, and the Akan of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Traditional Niger-Congo religion also included polytheistic and animistic elements. [10][11][12][13][14] The two Abrahamic religions are widespread across Africa, though mostly concentrated in different areas. This builds skills at separating the feelings elicited by this mindset from their situational manifestations in daily life. Welcome to the summary lecture of African Traditional Religions. Culture A deeper look into the different cultures of the African continent, its food, people, music, art, language and more. The three main religious traditions—African traditional religion, Christianity, and Islam—constitute the triple religious heritage of the African continent. Traditions Regarding Pregnancy As the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are mainly of the Christian religion there are fewer ceremonies and traditions relating to childbirth and childhood, however these are prevalent in may African tribes. Diviner (also known as priest) are also sought for their wisdom as counselors in life and for their knowledge of herbal medicine. Traditional African religion is very popular and arrived here … All Rights Reserved. Main article: Persecution of traditional African religion. God is also known as Mungu, Murungu, or Mulungu (a variant of a word meaning God, which is found as far south as the Zambesi of Zambia), and is sometimes given the title Mwathani or Mwathi (the greatest ruler), which comes from the word gwatha, meaning to rule or reign with authority. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. For many Africans and Ghanaians, in particular, it is religion more than anything else that shapes their worldview and participation in … These secondary spirits serve as intermediaries between humans and the primary God, also referred to as the Supreme Deity. Yet Ngai is not the distant God that we know in the West. One religious ceremony practiced in Gabon and Cameroon is the Okuyi, practiced by several Bantu ethnic groups. S. Mbiti, John (1991). Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast—African religion is the majority religion. The difference between powerful spirits and gods is often minimal. Such separation and subsequent contemplation of the nature and sources of pure energy or feelings serves to help participants manage and accept them when they arise in mundane contexts. All Christians are listed in one category regardless of their denominations. If you have any suggestions, questions or need help please feel free to contact us. The Spiritual Life © 2020. Main article: List of African mythological figures. Yet certain aspects of African faiths differ from those of most world religions. Main article: African divination Encyclopædia Britannica. The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonising nature with the supernatural. Gods and Spirits. Traditional religion and beliefs of the Kikuyu. Universality must surely be one key we have to the verity of any doctrine. There are more similarities than differences in all traditional African religions. About 10 per cent of the African population is still practicing some form of traditional religion today. An Egungun masquerade dance garment in the permanent collection of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Ancestors (ancestral ghosts/spirits) are an integral part of reality. [34] Some recognize a dual god and goddess such as Mawu-Lisa. [25], Some researchers, including historical ethnolinguist Christopher Ehret, suggest that certain monotheistic concepts, such as the belief in a creator god or force (next to other gods, deities and spirits) are ancient and indigenous among peoples of the Niger-Congo ethnolinguistic family (of much of West Africa and Central Africa) and date to the beginning of their history, in a form substantially different from the monotheism found in Abrahamic religions. constantly liable to misunderstand the African worldview and beliefs. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by one’s ethnic identity i.e. Peavy, D., (2016). INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION. The symbol can be found throughout Ghana. According to Clemmont E. Vontress, the various religious traditions of Africa are united by a basic Animism. According to Lugira, “it is the only religion that can claim to have originated in Africa. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of Africa. 3 And similar to this was the dialogue that took place between Edwin Smith, who had gone out as a missionary to Africa, and Emil Ludwig, an eminent biographer. For instance, the Yoruba religion has historically been centered in southwestern Nigeria, the Zulu religion in southern Africa, and the Igbo religion in southeastern Nigeria. Rites of Passage – In the rites of passage, African traditional religions played a significant role. In recent times, traditional religions, such as the Yoruba religion, are on the rise. There are common beliefs in Africa although the continent is a large with many different … When Ludwig got to African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religions of the African people. The living stand between their ancestors and the unborn. Gods were either self-created or evolved from spirits or ancestors which got worshiped by the people. African Traditional Religion is a thriving scholarly business, but a serious disconnect exists between contributions that celebrate a generalized African Traditional Religion and those that describe particular religions and aspects of religion on the basis of ethnographic and archival research. European and other foreign settlers brought most of these religions. Rites of Passage – In the rites of passage, African traditional religions played a significant role.These included marriage rituals which entered adulthood, birth and death. Examples include social behaviors such as the respect for parents and elders, raising children appropriately, providing hospitality, and being honest, trustworthy, and courageous. He had human characteristics, and although some say that he lives in the sky or in the clouds, they also say that he comes to earth from time to time to inspect it, bestow blessings and mete out punishment. [28], Nigerian American professor of indigenous African religions at Harvard University, Jacob Olupona summarized the many traditional African religions as complex animistic religious traditions and beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic "colonization" of Africa. Britannica Book of the Year 2003. Introduction to African religion. The traditional African religions (or traditional beliefs and practices of African people) are a set of highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions. ), World Christian Encyclopedia, summarized here, "Ancient African Religion Finds Roots In America", "The Need to Re-Conceptualize African Traditional Religion", The Civilizations of Africa: A History to 1800, Black God: the Afroasiatic roots of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions, Sayings of the Ancient One - Wisdom from Ancient Africa, culture-exchange.blog/animism-modern-africa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Traditional_African_religions&oldid=997452558, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with dead external links from October 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Manjonjo Healers of Chitungwiza of Zimbabwe, Information presented here was gleaned from, Chidester, David. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/religious-beliefs-in-kenya.html Some sacred or holy locations for traditional religions include Nri-Igbo, the Point of Sangomar, Yaboyabo, Fatick, Ife, Oyo, Dahomey, Benin City, Ouidah, Nsukka, Kanem-Bornu, Igbo-Ukwu, and Tulwap Kipsigis, among others. Monotheism does not reflect the multiplicity of ways that the traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. He – for Ngai is male – cannot be seen, but is manifest in the sun, moon, stars, comets and meteors, thunder and lightning, rain, in rainbows and in the great fig trees (mugùmò) that served as places of worship and sacrifice, and which marked the spot at Mukurue wa Gathanga where Gikuyu and Mumbi – the ancestors of the Kikuyu in the oral legend – first settled. Natural phenomena are responsible for providing people with their daily needs. African elders offering a bull as sacrifice to God. Some African religions adopted different views through the influence of Islam or even Hinduism.[36]. This list is limited to a few well-known traditions. When he comes he rests on Mount Kenya and four other sacred mountains. 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