misconceptions about african traditional religion

This is far from the truth. The African religious worldview is primarily indigenous, although Islam and Christianity continuously respond to its viability and strength through their transitive approaches, their theologies, and their knowledge systems. African traditional religion, and that researcher a should "bracket" their faith and prejudicethey might have about Africa and its people. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forebears of the present Africans, Most are watered-down versions of what was truly a thriving civilization. The more modern incarnation of this ancient African religionVoodooemerged as a unique blend of Catholic and African magical and religious rites. These oral sources are intricately interwoven into arts, political and social structure, and material culture. Indigenous traditions, however, did not capitulate to these forms, but, rather, creatively domesticated the new faiths, absorbing new rituals and tenets into their own belief systems and responding to the exogenous modernity in its wake. South Africa, as a member state of the World Health Organisation, has been set on the path of institutionalising African traditional medicine. Here Is What You Have To Know. This is an incorrect representation of the continent that is so vast and with diverse political, social and economic differences. The survey appears to support the prevailing narrative that the most . . Introduction: Some Standard Misconceptions There have been widespread misconceptions about the African Traditional Religion (hereinafter ATR). Required fields are marked *. Based on the understanding that even in 21 st century Africa, religion plays a vital role in gender construction, for effective Sexuality is For African-American parents, transmitting an awareness of cultural values and norms . The most common African history begins with the colonial era. These 11 Traditional African Clothing Will Help You Identify Ethnic Groups At A Glance, 10 Facts And Myths About African Traditional Religion - African Vibes, 10 Prominent Ways Africans Showcase Their Culture, 10 Traditional African Dances That Showcase Africa’s Rich Culture, more than 3000 ethnic groups, and 2100 unique languages, the most diversified continent in the world, 30 % of the earths remaining mineral resources, Thinking Of Volunteering? Each has a life force but no concrete physical form. there is a diversity of religion in Africa; rather, it is the extent of that diversity and the degree to which the term 'African traditional religion' might misleadingly mask both that extent and the mutability of the forms it encompasses. This is based on misconceptions that these religions are antithetical to modernity. The Bambara and Malinke people of Mali believed that the primordial beings were twins. In my work, I consider civil religion in Nigeria as a central galvanizing feature that brings together different aspects of religious beingness under the banner of sacred kingship. Post-colonial Africa is yet to be completely free from the mental slavery and stereotype created by the colonial masters. Despite the plethora of denominations and sects, African religions continue to be viewed as single entities,3 and their (our) religions are perhaps the least understood facet of African life. On the other hand, countries like South Africa, Morocco, and Tunisia sometimes experience snowfalls. In my view, these common misconceptions are due to ill representation of the African culture. They held the view that twins were a symbol of excessive fertility which is a characteristic of animals. Foreign aid has been helpful to many small African countries that are struggling economically. Even in areas of Zimbabwe with easy access to Western-type delivery care, the majority of women are cared for and delivered by traditional birth attendants who are members of their extended family. Religion occupies a reasonable space in the life of the traditional African/Igbo people. Little wonder John Mbiti, a famous African theologian said, Wherever the African is, there is his religion. Women constitute a sizable number of the devotees of these traditions, just as they do in Islam and Christianity. Intentional or not, this interpretation creates a distorted and misconstrued view of Africans by the rest of the world. Ritual practices are central to the performance of African religion. In this way, the visible and invisible are in tandem, leading practitioners to speak about all objects, whether animate or inanimate, as potentially sacred on some level. Some African countries even adopted the language of their colonial masters as the Lingua Franca. Ironically, this pivotal source of knowledge and spiritual edificethat modern-day Yoruba reject as constituting paganismis the cornerstone of global Orisa traditions in Brazil, Cuba, and the Caribbean. This may not be as advanced as the western world, but its definitely not as bad as the media present it. Especially if you have never been to Africa. While some Christian mission historians, such as J. D. Y. Peel, for example, correctly argue that the Yoruba had their own enlightenment (Olaju), this is always presented in the context of Christian conversion and is very much tied to the escalating Christian missionary movement. expressed in all the African cultures, it means that religion forms parts of African culture but not all African cultural practices are religious. African traditional religion (ATRs) and spirituality have always been surrounded by negativity. They include assumptions, misconceptions, traditional or religious beliefs and beliefs about the . The concerns for health, wealth, and procreation are very central to the core of African religions. Whether these words carry weight or simply make for a good quote, the fact remains that Africans are unique. There are many female goddesses along with their male counterparts. Robert N. Bellah, Civil Religion in America,, Jacob K. Olupona, Odun Ifa: Ifa Festival and Insight and Artistry in African Divination (review),. Corrupt government officials also capitalize on the generosity of the westerners to the point of looking like a panhandler. The oral nature of these traditions allows for a great deal of adaptability and variation within and between indigenous African religions. 1 While, officially, statistics suggest that African . /* Must be below squarespace-headers */(function(){var e='ontouchstart'in window||navigator.msMaxTouchPoints;var t=document.documentElement;if(!e&&t){t.className=t.className.replace(/touch-styles/,'')}})(), Bakongomasks from the Kongo Central Photo: Wikipedia. Yet in the scholarship on the history of religions, indigenous African religions were never considered a substantive part of the worlds religious traditions, because they failed to fulfill certain criteria defined by axial age civilization. Privileged European scholars denied the agency of African religions and singled outand thereby controlledAfrican identity. On the other hand, we now know from research and archival sources that, by their very nature, sources and records of missionaries, colonial administrators, and indigenous elites, which were preserved by colonial administrations, were equally susceptible to distortion and perforation, having been written from the angle of an invented modernity that the colonizer considered superior to the worldviews of local peoples. Gender dynamics are important in African indigenous religions and in cultural systems, so much so that women goddesses and women-invented rituals are commonplace. The African tradition of female circumcision is the ritual of the rite of passage from girlhood into the realm of womanhood. Another crucial aspect to consider in the comparative study of African religions is the reality of the transfer of these religions across the Atlantic through the Middle Passage and transnational migration and cultural exchange. Africa is a continent that is made up of 54 countries, 1.3 billion inhabitants, more than 3000 ethnic groups, and 2100 unique languages. Whatever it is, the assumption that Africa is lacking innovation is laughable. those misconceptions and misrepresentations of the facts pre sented by Eurocent . More so, myths encode the traditional settings of the African and their belief system. Ritual enables supernatural beings to bless individuals and the community with sustenance, prosperity, and fecundity.14 Rites of passage, such as initiation ceremonies, are rituals marking personal transitions recognized and celebrated by the community. . All Religions has truth hidden in them for those who objectively seek them through the path of the religion. Voodoo is a religion that originates in Africa. This statement isnt true. One could argue that colonization began with mental slavery. They often dictate when the community honors a particular divinity or observes particular taboos. Many sources define African worship as ancestral worship which is wrong. They provide the orientation for the human life journey by defining the rites of passage from life to death. Myth: Slavery is a product of capitalism. These one-sided stories or reports are among the major roots of stereotypes and myths about Africa. Slavery and World History. Each of these has its peculiar characteristics. When I told him I am a twin (Ibeji) in Yoruba traditionand in principle a sacred being myselfhe almost fell on the floor to pay homage! Religious contexts are shaped and determined by the identity of these religions. 10. It is the foundation on which the morals of pre-colonial Africa were built. Depending on the kind of religious activity being performed, different religious authorities can be leaders for specific events. Traditional African religions are less of faith traditions and more of lived traditions. No. The first encounters are fascinating. But this was not an African thing. This is a testament to the strong morals and principles of the African tradition. 5. Nature spirits are associated with objects seen in nature, such as mountains, the sun, or trees, or natural forces such as wind and rain. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the practice, it is important to note that not all female initiations involve circumcision, and that the rituals associated with initiation are crucial to ensuring that an individuals social position is affirmed by both family and community. Due to the centrality of ancestral tradition to the African lifeworld, death itself is a significant transition from the current life to the afterlife and marks a continuity in life for those living and those to come. Continue with Recommended Cookies. The term "African Traditional Religion" is used in two complementary senses. It is also the most diversified continent in the world. 3. 8. In digging up facts I found that, while many Africans say that homosexuality is un-African, African culture is no stranger to homosexual behaviours and acts. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They are known as upstanding citizens and have been entrusted with sensitive positions in society. However, in the new world, we are seeing that the stone that the builders had rejected has become the cornerstone and central pillar: for example, Santeria was central to Cuban state making, and in Brazil only recently has Pentecostalism become responsible for the violence against Candombl devotees. They believe in Understanding African Traditional Religion. At the same time, forms of orature such as the Ifa tradition amongst the Yoruba, can form important sources for understanding the tenants and worldview of these religions that can serve as analogs to scriptures such as the Bible or the Quran. John Mbiti, a prominent Christian theologian from Kenya who helped debunk entrenched ideas that traditional African religions were primitive, giving them equal weight with major . The African roots of Voodoo may stretch back over 6000 years, making it one of the world's oldest ancestral traditions. As a lived religion, African tradition deploys through its ritual processesparticularly rites of passage, calendrical rituals, and divinatory practicestangible material and nonmaterial phenomena to regulate life events and occurrences, in order to ensure communal well-being. . Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL For Ivy Akumu '15, it sparked an interest in the history of Christianity and, by extension, of other religions. Similar to other West African communities, the Yoruba did not reject Western modernity but challenged its claim to ontological and epistemological superiority. However, African traditional religion is resilient which explains its continued existence after so many years. In fact, we should not misunderstand the notoriety in some people's religious life, just like African traditional religions are structured very differently from Western religions in that there is relatively little formal structure. For example, in my local language . 2. One of the more fascinating conversations that has emerged in the debate about African indigenous traditions is about the central role of women as bearers and transmitters of the traditions, and also the negotiation of gender dynamics. There is a common saying in Africa Dont forget where you come from. If you take these reports at face value, you may start to believe that all Africans are poor. In my research into Ifa narratives, I showed how, in the Ifa worldview, a traditional banking system was created and made possible when Aje, a Yoruba goddess of wealth, visited Orunmila, god of divination, to seek tips on how to keep robbers from stealing her spurious wealth, for which the added task of securing it was becoming quite burdensome. This article analyses the legal processes of recognising customary and religious (Muslim) marriages in South Africa's constitutional democracy. I ran into a co-resident, a famous Swiss author. Africans combine a belief in the existence of a omnipresent and omnipotent supreme god, with multitudes of subordinate deities. While scholars have often argued that African indigenous accounts of creation were ex nihilo (created out of nothing), as the biblical account of creation is often portrayed,12 African cosmological narratives generally indicate that there is never one pattern governing how creation happens. South Africa, Tunisia, and Kenya rank among the top countries with the best health care system in Africa. Please confirm you want to block this member. 3. When I was in Israel a few years ago, I stayed in a modest bed-and-breakfast inn near the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Such dismissal has been based on the misconception and assumption that indigenous Bapedi . Many economic forecasts predict the rapid growth in the African Market. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West and Central Africa and Roman Catholicism.There is no central authority in control of the religion and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Vodouists, Vodouisants, or Serviteurs. This corrective scholarship and critical intervention helped to redefine African worldviews and spirituality and, as such, showed how African religion is pivotal to the individual and communal existence of the people. In the Americas and the Caribbean, it is thought to be a combination of various African, Catholic and Native American traditions. Narratives about the creation of the universe (cosmogony) and the nature and structure of the world (cosmology) provide a useful entry to understanding African religious life and worldviews. Gradually, many Africans began to buy the narrative. An Ifa song warns those embarking on the pilgrimage to be pure and those who possess witchcraft not to embark on the pilgrimage. Portia Zvavahera, His Presence, 2013, oil-based printing ink on paper. Not the one we saw, very clear and good article easy to understand. It is a well-known fact that religion continues to play a central and vital role in the lives of African people. Most importantly, the rite itself should not be condemned together with circumcision or female genital mutilation. Their many realities that Africans have not been . When addressing religion in Africa, scholars often speak of a triple heritage, that is the triple legacy of indigenous religion, Islam, and Christianity that are often found side by side in many African societies. Her growing fascination led to an Emerson Foundation-funded research project this summer, titled "Demystifying African Religion." When Christianity and Western civilization came and interacted with African culture and religion, misconception of beliefs, values, and terms developed. A porous border exists between the human realm and the sky, which belongs to the gods. So it is the responsibility of the religious leaders in these . In certain contexts and communities we have many documented instances of the central role of goddesses as founders of traditions, builders of kingdoms, and saviors and defenders of cities and civilizationsfor example, Moremi in Yorubaland, Nzinga in Angola, and Osun in West Africa. In Africa, dance is a means of marking life experiences, encouraging abundant crops, honoring kings and queens, celebrating weddings, marking rites of passage, and other ceremonial occasions.Dance is also done purely for enjoyment. African Traditional Religion is the traditional religion of the African people before the coming of Islam and Christianity. Indigenous religions are definitive of the African identity, as African religion and cultures provide the language, the ethos, the knowledge, and the ontology that enable the proper formation of African personhood, communal identity, and values that constitute kernels of African ethnic assemblages. Divination enables us to recognize how indigenous traditions have a foundation upon which knowledge and knowledge production is developed. My credentials as a Harvard professor made little impression on him. Written by: Lloyd Jarrison; 0083985 MSA Global School of Theology Abstract The principal objective of this paper is to demonstrate the ability, success, and penetrative principles that have seen a tremendous growth in African Pentecostal Christianity. Through modern change these traditional religions cannot remain intact, but they are by no means extinct. A primary goal of parenting is to transmit values, beliefs and ideas around lifestyles based on cultural knowledge of the adult tasks and competencies needed for appropriate functioning in society (Gershoff, 2002; Harrison, Wilson, Pine, Chon & Buriel, 1990). Therefore, this article will explore African spirituality, traditional religion, culture and the present way of life. The diviner, therefore, is also a counselor, psychologist, medicine man or woman, and the spiritual guardian of villages and towns. Reclaim the Ancestral Traditions of African Religion! Responding to this erasure of African indigenous religion as a productive and generative practice, scholars rallied in opposition. Take for instance the story of poverty in Africa. Fact: Slavery is older than the first human records. Before colonization, marriages were strictly traditional and depends on the customs, traditions, and believes of, Africa is a beautiful continent. Again, this isnt true. Your email address will not be published. As the late African historian Cheikh Anta Diop argued, matriarchy was embedded in the African way of life. But, the bad eggs seem to get more attention. Today, several myths are mixed with facts in describing African traditional religion. 11. Having tried to dispel some of the misconceptions . The Ndembu tribe of the Democratic Republic of Congo shared a similar belief. As with myths the world over, African mythology includes multiple, often contradictory, versions of the same event. They are less concerned with doctrines and much more so with rituals . The majority of Africans are hardworking and honest people. Temperature varies from one country to another depending on the climate type. Advocating for civil religion in a religiously pluralistic society does not require the erasure of conventional religious traditions. These leaders through greed and corruption ruin the image of their countries. Because it enables us to theorize questions of syncretism and hybridization and, more importantly, raises the issue of why African religion is flowering and spreading in the Americas, especially in the United States, while it is declining in Africaa phenomenon that we need to understand. African Cosmology. The African religion was condemned by the Early European scholars, travelers, investigators and missionaries. Thus, many practitioners of African religion, particularly in the shrines of goddesses, are women, indicating the parity with which African religion treats gender and gender-related issues. In spite of the heuristic value of V. Y. Mudimbes distinction between myth and history in Africa, and by extension the cohesion of oral and written narratives,10 the notion that myth is nonrational and unscientific while history is critical and rational is false. Abstract. 13. It was just the belief of a few groups of people known as Efik people, the predominant tribe in Calabar. For instance, the Asante people of Ghana see twins as sacred beings. Africans are eager to learn new skills and embrace new technologies. . Representation matters, and as scholars we have a responsibility to advocate for religions in their contexts. Traditional African religions have gone global! But, the continent of Africa is far from poor. . For one thing, a sizable number of African myths deal with events considered to have actually happened as narrated by the people themselves or as reformulated into symbolic expressions of historical events. Esu was represented as a stone mound in the front yard of ancient Yoruba compounds. The culture believes and traditions of the people of Africa is vast and should not be oversimplified in a stereotypical way. Oct. 24, 2019. Voodoo has no scripture or world authority. Du Bois argued . They tend to propagate peaceful coexistence, and they promote good relations with members of other religious traditions that surround them. Elders, priests, and priestesses have served as guardians of the sacred traditions. nanseezy@gmail.com Teaching Assistant, Department of History University of Cape Coast, Ghana "The essence of neo-colonialism is that the State which is subject to it is, in theory, independent and has all the outward . For this reason, in many parts of Africa, the communal aspects of such rituals have been retained, due to their salience, while the circumcision practice has been dispensed with altogether, due to the health risks associated with it; this is the case among the Maasai in Kenya and in Somali culture, both in Djibouti and Somalia. All rights reserved. This inaccurate assessment of African belief even affects the definition of African religion. African dance occupies central place in cultures throughout the African continent, embodying energy and a graceful beauty flowing with rhythm. Fact: One-third of Moroccans and one-quarter of Algerians do not speak Arabic as their first language. Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens: The Divine Feminine in the African Religious Traditions. Common misconceptions of Africa include the idea that it is behind the rest of the world, lacking in innovative technology. However, African indigenous religion has not only succeeded in domesticating Islam and Christianity; in many instances, it has absorbed aspects of these two other traditions into its cosmology and narrative accounts and practices. Such scholars stereotyped African religionand African peoples themselvesas primitive social forms, part of a lower social order. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Dictate when the community honors a particular divinity or observes particular taboos through the path of institutionalising traditional! So it is behind the rest of the same event are antithetical to.... Be condemned together with circumcision or female genital mutilation the language of their countries Africa! Are eager to learn new skills and embrace new technologies include assumptions, misconceptions, traditional religion resilient! 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