African traditional religion (ATRs) and spirituality have always been surrounded by negativity. Abstract. What is fascinating about this odu (Ifa text) is that it supports a key and cardinal principle of Ifa traditionthat we seek counsel first, before we perform divination (Imoram la nda ki a to da Ifa). Information was passed down mostly by oral communication in the form of folk tales. Such dismissal has been based on the misconception and assumption that indigenous Bapedi . For instance, the Asante people of Ghana see twins as sacred beings. Gradually, there was a shift from ATR to Christianity. traditional African takes the character of critical reflection of the African understanding of reality and world view. 1. As with myths the world over, African mythology includes multiple, often contradictory, versions of the same event. History text fails to capture the depth of pre-colonial African Civilization. Africa is the target of western stereotypes. About | Commentary Guidelines | Harvard University Privacy | Accessibility | Digital Accessibility | Trademark Notice | Reporting Copyright Infringements Africa is the second-largest continent in the world. The myths held by the west about Africa are mostly founded on misinformation. Traditional African religions are less of faith traditions and more of lived traditions. Each transition has a function within the society. Connecting With Your Ancestors (African Spirituality Beliefs and Practices) Monique Joiner Siedlak. 10. African religions should be studied on their own terms, examined through their own frames rather than set in a Judeo-Christian framework. Therefore for these people, twins were treasures. But Ifa divination predates Western modernity. However, since Africans are known for their excellent craftsmanship, these artifacts do tell the story of the ancient African empires. In his interview with the New York Times, the theologian said, The days are over when we will be carbon copies of European Christians, Europe and America westernized Christianity. However, the Efik people of Calabar were not the only ones who believed twin children were an abomination. Such an approach should endeavor to provide not only an awareness of sociocultural contexts but also to narrate the historical dimensions of these traditions. Bolaji Idowu, John Mbiti, Wande Abimbola, Benjamin Ray, Gabriel Setiloane, Laura Grillo, Aloysius Lugira, Kofi Asare Opoku, Emefie Ikenga-Metuh, Charles Long, and others attempted to imbue African traditions with the vitality, status, and identity that is now finally recognized. Fact: One-third of Moroccans and one-quarter of Algerians do not speak Arabic as their first language. Jacob K. Olupona is Professor of African Religious Traditions at Harvard Divinity School and Professor of African and African American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. Also, poverty is mostly concentrated among few nations in Africa or within few regions of each Nation. The oral nature of these traditions allows for a great deal of adaptability and variation within and between indigenous African religions. One of the most ridiculous myths about it is that homosexuality did not exist in the continent until white men imported it. Such scholars stereotyped African religionand African peoples themselvesas primitive social forms, part of a lower social order. One of my favorite Ifa narratives acknowledges to Yoruba Muslims that climbing Mount Arafat was the most significant act of the hajj. These one-sided stories or reports are among the major roots of stereotypes and myths about Africa. Will OAthers Follow Suit? In African traditional religions guidance is provided through myths, which are handed down orally. 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. Instead, the old and the new were syncretized, producing some unique . The more modern incarnation of this ancient African religionVoodooemerged as a unique blend of Catholic and African magical and religious rites. During the era of Western religious and cultural encounters in Yorubaland, some children were named Oguntoyibo, signifying Ogun (god of war and iron) is as powerful as the European god. Some children received names such as Ifatoyinbo, Ifa is as powerful as the white mans god. Such names and concepts illustrate the force and creative resistance of indigenous thought and its ability to engage Western modernity in rigorous debate. When he heard that I came from Nigeria, he wanted to display his knowledge of Ocha tradition as a devotee of Oxhosi, God of Thunder in Afro-Brazilian heritage. For example, in my local language . . 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. They still hold onto their traditional beliefs, culture, and practices, but consider western values superior to theirs. Your email address will not be published. Today as a minority tradition, indigenous African religions have suffered immensely from human rights abuses. John Mbiti divides spirit beings into two types, nature spirits and human spirits. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Ifa divination system, which produced 256 chapters of oral narratives, constitutes an encyclopedic compendium of knowledge that provides answers to nearly every meaningful human question in the Yoruba and Fon universe. Most Africans at home and in the diaspora have made a name for themselves and praised for their contributions to society. Indeed indigenous African religions have provided the blueprint for robust conversations and thinking about community relations, interfaith dialogue, civil society, and civil religion. In one particular odu of Ifa, Ifa informs us and, correctly so, that the most cardinal event of the hajj is the climbing of Mount Arafat (Oke Arafa). In modern-day Christianity, Pentecostalism has become a major force to reckon with, indicating a sharp growth by adapting to local [] 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. Perhaps this is linked to the idea that Africa has an inadequate or substandard health care system. Divination enables us to recognize how indigenous traditions have a foundation upon which knowledge and knowledge production is developed. 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. But, the bad eggs seem to get more attention. 3. 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. Nature spirits are associated with objects seen in nature, such as mountains, the sun, or trees, or natural forces such as wind and rain. As many might know, one type of ritualinitiations for adolescent African girlscauses great consternation among Westerners, because these often involve rites like female circumcision or other bodied practices. It is also the most diversified continent in the world. 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138. Traditional African religions are not stagnant but highly dynamic and constantly reacting to various shifting influences such as old age, modernity, and technological advances. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. There is a general misconception that the entire people of North Africa speak Arabic. 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. .pagination {display: none !important} 2. Religion occupies a reasonable space in the life of the traditional African/Igbo people. The term "African Traditional Religion" is used in two complementary senses. Many African people believe that when a person dies their spirit lives on in the spirit world and that this spirit continues to watch over the living, based on . 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. One approach is to outline, in a systematic way, the essential features of these traditions without paying much attention to whether or not the traditions fit into the pattern of religions already mapped out by Western theologians and historians, who use Western religious traditions as the standard by which to measure religions in other parts of the world. These leaders through greed and corruption ruin the image of their countries. In the Americas and the Caribbean, it is thought to be a combination of various African, Catholic and Native American traditions. African Traditional Religion and medicine are integral parts of life and culture of the Africans and have greatly influenced their conceptions about human health and wholeness. Introduction. In this postcolonial period, it has come to be established that there is what we may call . 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. The much-cited dictum by the doyen of African religious studies, the recently deceased John Mbiti, that "Africans are notoriously religious" still holds true (though I prefer to use the word "deeply"). The absence of centralized and unified cosmologies indicates the multifaceted nature of African religious life and worldviews. Even the word religion, used in reference to these traditions, is in itself problematic for many Africans, because it suggests that religion is separate from other aspects of ones culture, society, and environment. The traditional approach of indigenous African religions to gender is one of complementarity in which a confluenceof male and female forces must operate in harmony. Africa is a Continent Full of Corruption, Poverty and War. Please confirm you want to block this member. Giving opportunity to stereotypes like Africa are poor and Africa is corrupt. A common stereotype about Africa is that the continent is poverty-stricken, full of corruption, and always at war. Given our current impending ecological crisis, indigenous African religions have a great deal to offer both African countries and the world at large. Inasmuch as androcentric authority is more prominent within social structures and systems and patriarchy is more pronounced in the social order, women are considered the cornerstone of the African family system.19 The African mother is a vibrant life force, central to African religious understandings of the interrelatedness between the human and the divine, as she embodies the production and sustaining of life. Perhaps, it was a deliberate attempt to make Africans feel inferior about themselves. have recognized the important ways in which "African" and "religion" are western constructs involving both misconceptions and changing perceptions, especially concerning religion (Ray:2000). d. politics, everyday life. Little wonder John Mbiti, a famous African theologian said, Wherever the African is, there is his religion. Each of the more than 50 modern . African religions are, therefore, a praxis, and this is where the focus of study should mostly be directed. . During the colonial era, most of these traditional believes became a target of the colonial religion. Many sources define African worship as ancestral worship which is wrong. Whether it is being wrongly labelled voodoo, juju or witchcraft, indigenous African faith systems tend to be associated with darkness, animal and human sacrifices, violence and general backwardness. Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. The culture believes and traditions of the people of Africa is vast and should not be oversimplified in a stereotypical way. Significant as these studies are, there seems to be no systematic exploration of African traditions in African American culture.21. Africa is given the image of a place that is hot and sunny all year round. When Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was released, it generated both curiosity and criticism for its portrayal of Christianity. Kofi Johnson Fayetteville State University kjohnson@uncfsu.edu. Photo: Pinterest. 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. The much-cited dictum by the doyen of African religious studies, the recently deceased John Mbiti, that Africans are notoriously religious still holds true (though I prefer to use the word deeply).1 While, officially, statistics suggest that African Christians and Muslims constitute about 80 percent of the total population, and African indigenous religion constitutes about 20 percent, these statistics do not reflect the truth of the African situation. 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. Every life stage is important in African religions, from birth and naming, to betrothal/marriage, elderhood, and eventually death. It all depends on the time of the year. .sqs-featured-posts-gallery .title-desc-wrapper .view-post 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. African Traditional Religions (ATRs) will be discussed within the context of which it belongs to, the African traditional life (ATL). Scholarship has since proved, however, that the tenacity of indigenous religion is evident in all spheres of African life. Regardless of where they find themselves, most Africans will always hold onto some form of their tradition, culture, and religion. Indigenous traditions continue to define the African personality. By civil religion, I have in mind not only institutional religion and the beliefs and practices as they relate to the sacred and transcendent, but also practices not always defined as religious, including the rites of passage offered by our various youth brigades, and also the values of communalism and national sacrifice. The culture believes and traditions of the people of Africa is vast and should not be oversimplified in a stereotypical way. Religions of the African diaspora are of particular note and importance to the comparative study of African religions because of their resilience and the characteristic formations leading to their performance and expression. The challenge is to study faith, proverbs, traditions and mythology across Africa to identify the fragments of religion passed down as oral traditions and mythology in the great . The African roots of Voodoo may stretch back over 6000 years, making it one of the world's oldest ancestral traditions. For example, James George Frazer (18541941) and Edward B. Tylor (18321917) classified indigenous religious practices of natives not as universally religious or generative of religious cultures but as forms of primitive religion or magic arising from the lower of three stages of human progress. They often dictate when the community honors a particular divinity or observes particular taboos. In these times of intense turmoil, people of African descent are facing serious threats and challenges to their well-being. Your email address will not be published. Depending on the kind of religious activity being performed, different religious authorities can be leaders for specific events. There are key developmental projects in some African countries that would not be possible without Foreign aids. This may not be as advanced as the western world, but its definitely not as bad as the media present it. It is also the most diversified continent in the world. The stoning of the devil in the Kaba in Mecca was a disguise for rejecting the local Esu, the Yoruba god of fate and messenger of the gods. 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. Furthermore, many in places like the US and the UK have converted to various traditional African religions, and the importance of the diaspora for these religions is growing rapidly. Required fields are marked *. African indigenous religions provide strong linkages between the life of humans and the world of the ancestors. Divinities and ancestors have personalized annual festivals during which devotees and adepts offer sacrificial animals, libations, and favored foods to propitiate them. 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. There are abundant natural resources scattered across the 54 countries of Africa. Africa is often seen as a poor Country and one that cant do without the help of the western world. As scholars of the comparative study of religions in Africa, we must begin to rethink the study of African religion in the twenty-first century in order to avoid the continuous mis-assessment of the resilience of indigenous traditions. Indigenous African religions are not based on conversion like Islam and Christianity. The story of Mary Slessor and the killing of twins is popular. Slowly, they projected ATR as barbaric and dehumanizing. God is the first Initiator of a people's way of Life, its tradition. . Thank you for this interesting essay on African religion. Similar to other West African communities, the Yoruba did not reject Western modernity but challenged its claim to ontological and epistemological superiority. Theres a globally shared perspective of Africa being full of diseases. It is incorrect to assume that conversion to Islam or to Christianity dealt a deathblow to indigenous traditions. Here are some 10 myths about Africa and Africans that are either an exaggeration of the fact or based on misguided information. 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. Perhaps its the abundant wildlife, scorching deserts, or the vast uninhabited plainlands. 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. .title-desc-wrapper .view-post {display: none !important} . Despite conversion to Islam or to Christianity, Africans continue to accommodate an indigenous worldview that occupies a vital space in the African consciousness. 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. Let's begun by saying that ATR, refer to the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of Africans. Women are revered in African traditions as essential to the cosmic balance of the world. Myth: Slavery is a product of Western civilization. Africa is a continent that is made up of 54 countries, 1.3 billion inhabitants, more than 3000 ethnic groups, and 2100 unique languages. 5.3.2 Intolerance and misconceptions about African traditional religion and Culture As already alluded, the stories told in Europe about Africa, the notion of racial and cultural superiority, and the notion of salvation, led to the western missionaries having a negative attitude toward African traditional religion and culture. Mudimbe's . What we know as African history today is mostly based on the interpretations of our colonial masters. Traditional African religion has common themes such as a Creator or High God, positive ancestor influences as well as tricksters, and an afterlife with spirit worlds. Another false impression often given about African religions is that women do not play any central or leadership roles in the performance of African religious traditions. Haitian Vodou is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. Lets take the killing of twins as a case study. This is based on misconceptions that these religions are antithetical to modernity. For Ivy Akumu '15, it sparked an interest in the history of Christianity and, by extension, of other religions. with Ibramic faiths tends to deprive the African Traditional Religion its true status as an independent religion . The expression is also used almost as a technical term for a particular reading of such beliefs and practices, one that purports . b. certain clan outsiders. religions are considered: African Traditional Religions (ATRs) especially that which is found in sub-Saharan Africa, and Christianity, sometimes referred to under the umbrella of faith-based communities. 2. This article is an edited version of remarks he delivered for the annual Surjit Singh Lecture in Comparative Religious Thought and Culture at the Graduate Theological Union on April28, 2020. One of these errors is description of African Religion as African traditional religion' which connote a derogatory epithets: paganism, idolatry, primitive religion, animism, fetishism polytheism, etc (Omoregbe, 1993). They provide the orientation for the human life journey by defining the rites of passage from life to death. Unique Beliefs, and Too Many Misconceptions Traditional native sweat lodge with hot stones inside . In the primordial era, various forms of ethnic indigenous religions spread across the African continent, providing cohesive foundations of nations, peoples, and religious worldviews. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. Voodoo, however, is a dynamic religion with no standardized dogma. .entry-morefrom {display: none !important} John Mbiti in his book African Religion and Philosophy, argued that African Religion deserves the same respect as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. the belief that natural objects and natural phenomenon possess souls or spiritual beings. Ifa defines Yoruba humanity, providing responses to critical issues of its communities. My earlier scholarship was propelled by the insight that the ideology and rituals of Yoruba sacred kingship are what define Yoruba civil religion and, indeed, the center of Yoruba identity.15 Sociologist Robert Bellah understands civil religion as the sacred principle and central ethic that unites a people, without which societies cannot function.16 Civil religion incorporates common myths, history, values, and symbols that relate to a societys sense of collective identity. 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Are mostly founded on misinformation and Christianity shift from ATR to Christianity, continue... Name for themselves and praised for their contributions to society is that homosexuality did not reject Western modernity in debate. Initiator of a people & # x27 ; s begun by saying that ATR, to.
misconceptions about african traditional religion
