African traditional religion simple english wikipedia, the. Pdf african traditional religions stephen zvawanda academia. The latter is interpreted in the light of christs teachings, the fanner in the. African religions, religious beliefs and practices of the peoples of africa. From birth to death and within the circle of the living ancestors, the living now and the living future, the unborn generation, life is continuous for the traditional religionist, especially the african. Historiography and methods of african history african.
Introduction to african traditional religion free online. This is the complete text of what is african traditional religion. The theology of inculturation and the african church. A definition 1973, omosade awolalu in yoruba belief and sacrificial rites and john mbiti in the concept of god in africa 1970 are a few examples of postcolonial scholars of religion who have resisted and denounced colonial idea that africans do not know god. Sources of african history a source of history can be divided into two big groups, remnants and storytelling which usually are called primary and secondary. It should be noted that any attempt to generalize about the nature of african religions risks wrongly implying that there is homogeneity among all african cultures. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional. African traditional religion and concepts of development. Oral sources and the study of african traditional religion ijhssi. 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. Traditional religion and healing in subsaharan africa and the diaspora. The role of african traditional religion, culture and world. After christianity and islam, they are the thirdbiggest religious group in africa. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on.
Traditional african religions are the traditions of the religious groups in africa. It further studies the difficulties involved in this study and future of african traditional religion. Journals such as the londonbased africa, cahiers d etudes africaines paris, and the journal of religion in africa. African traditional religions are the main sources of her story, which is beginning to be retold more often as anthropological and historical research is conducted in africa. African traditional religions and african arts dovetail. The notion of ubuntu or communion in atr is based on the conviction that african life is lived within a community. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. This paper primarily addresses the controversy among scholars on whether oral traditions such as myths, songs, wise sayings, incantations, invocations, legends, etc. It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions.
His sympathetic treatment of traditional religions was based on massive field work. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs. This revision of a standard text lj 775 provides an excellent overview of native religion in africa. Religion gives meaning and value to all forms of african artistic expression, including literature, music, visual art, and dance. The environment and nature are infused in every aspect of traditional african religions and culture. For example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than threeinten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick.
Africa s influential university departments of religion have usually approached the theme in terms of establishing correlations between christianity and africa s traditional religions. Religion is often depicted as a trigger factor in many conflicts. The study of african traditional religion atr is very exciting, fascinating, but sadly uncared for and very much unregarded even by the africans, who very often, out of sheer ignorance, misinformation or naivity have not bothered to know its worth or importance. The meaning of god in an african traditional religion and the. Conflicts between african traditional religion and. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology. Because indigenous societies are mainly nonliterate, oral traditions expressed in poetry, proverbs, and mythic narratives are sources of african literary. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional.
It is an accepted position that the african initiated churches aics were formed as a result of the search for a unique african identity and culture. A very short introduction, oxford university press, olupona has researched topics ranging from the indigenous religions of africa to the religious practices of africans who have settled in america. The advantages of african traditional education include passing on of essential values from the community as well as defining the roles of both boys and girls distinctly. African traditional religion south african history online. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. This belief, just as in the case of the previous one, has a theological basis the plurality of divinities polytheism. Exploring the possibility for african traditional religion to be. Traditional african religions embrace natural phenomena ebb and tide, waxing and waning moon, rain and drought and the rhythmic pattern of agriculture. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing africans as people who did not know the supreme being nor worship him. These figures represent people who primarily follow african traditional religion. Mbitis seminal book, african religions and philosophy 1969, was the first work to challenge christian assumption that traditional african religious ideas were demonic and antichristian. Pdf the concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by. Jun 02, 2015 myths of african traditional religions 1. African traditional religion, african indigenous religion and african traditional religions are all common terms used to discuss the faiths found within of africa.
In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. The traditional african understanding and the interpretation of christianity have deep roots in these fundamental beliefs of the african traditional religions. In fact, africa is a vast continent encompassing both geographic variation and tremendous cultural diversity. Sex refers to a persons biological characteristics.
They counteracted various derogatory names given to air. Many traditional african religions are based on guiding principles that are unfathomable to foreigners, more specifically those with interests such as historians and scholars. The paper also considers the concept of evil, ethics, justice and time in african traditional religion. African traditional religion has received the greatest attention. The religious beliefs, practices and the provision of social services of these immigrant religions have impacted on the religious and cultural life of the traditional communities. Mar 22, 2011 dominated by islam, african religion exists beneath the surface, among indigenous peoples, despite their having been subjugated and dominated by arab immigrants for many centuries.
This paper seeks to examine how africans conceive of the supreme being, divinities and spirits. Religion is a controversial issue in world affairs. African traditional religions religion in zimbabwe. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. In sierra leone, botswana, and burkina faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. Faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. African traditional religion african studies oxford.
African traditional religion during my semester at this means that traditional african religion cannot be separated from daily life. Myths of african traditional religions introduction religion creates a significant part of african life. Since independence, religions has also played a role in various armed con. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious. The main characteristics of african traditional religion. Seventhly, there was considerable hostility to african traditional religion. Religion in africa is a way o life, a culture that permeates all spheres and levels of living. Selected african religious sources april 5, 2012 encyclopedias and surveys asante, molefi kete and ama mazama, eds. That theology must be open to the aspiration of the people of africa if it is to help christianity to become incarnate in the life of the peoples of the african continent. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous. Box 43844 00100 nairobi kenya michael katola department of philosophy and religious studies kenyatta university. Missiologists have worked more broadly on a correlation of christianity with african culture as a whole, speaking in terms of an ethnotheology.
Interreligious relations, especially, among african traditional religion atr worshippers, muslims and christians are becoming sources of social tension and violence. Th e report then zooms in on east africa, where the three religious families of traditional religion, islam and christianity are all present in large numbers. Authoring or editing more than half a dozen books on religion and african culture including the recent african religions. Especially in africa, religion has been at the heart of much of the contemporary conflicts. African traditional religions articles about traditional religions in zimbabwe in shona and ndebele religion, god, or the supreme being, is seen as the creator and sustainer of the universe in much the same manner as within christianity. This thesis will operate with the following definition of african traditional religion, put forward by julius mutugi gathogo. For the african, the universe is filled with various levels and sources of power and energy. In general, people in the cities confess to either christianity or islam. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forebears of the present africans, and which is being practised today in various forms and.
In five of these countriesbenin, mozambique, guineabissau, liberia, and the ivory coastafrican religion is the majority religion. Nel morality and religion in african thought 36 pagan gods were ridiculed. In this second edition, dr mbiti has updated his material to include the involvement of women in religion, and the potential unity to be found in what was once thought to be a mass of quite separate religions. African identity and culture are preserved in african traditional religion. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of former generations. The meaning of god in an african traditional religion and the meaninglessness of wellmeaning mission the experience of christian enculturation in karamoja, uganda show all authors. The study of african spirituality in its own right is a recent phenomenon. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. African traditional religion religion is a difficult subject to inquiry including attempts at definition and conception. That is why it is difficult to distinguish between religion and culture in traditional african society. Traditional african religions generally believe in an afterlife, one or more spirit worlds, and ancestor worship is an important basic concept in mostly all african religions. African indigenous religion is unlike other world religions in very many respects.
It presents the worldview, philosophical nature and foundation of african traditional religion. Spurred in part by the ongoing reevaluation of sources and methods in research, african historiography in the past two decades has been characterized by the continued branching and increasing sophistication of methodologies and areas of specialization. Its study has to go handin hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. Each term is debated among scholars and some challenge the word traditional and prefer indigenous since traditional means the religion is outmoded. The meaning of god in an african traditional religion and. The continued influence of traditional african religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. It would be correct to assert, however, that the encounters are the results, rather than the sources, of religion in africa in the traditional setting. The religious beliefs, practices and thehuman characteristics such as love, power, knowledge are.
The followers of african traditional religion are not marked by going to worship certain days of the week or even observing a set of religious rules. It is within this context that african traditional religion is always studied. It is necessary to have the perception of the basic concept of the word conflict before exploring the extensive area of conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity. A critical analysis on african traditional religion and the.
More and more material is available on the internet, notably at african traditional religion, but not all of it should be regarded as representative or authoritative. This paper is a trawl of literature on african traditional religion1 atr and. Selected african religious sources university of illinois library. The paper attempts to demonstrate the vast potentials of oral tradition as a vehicular access to understanding african beliefs and practices. A critical analysis on african traditional religion and. This paper examines the concept and philosophy of african traditional religion from the viewpoint of africans. They are folk religions, and combine different beliefs. This is the popular assumption amongst many african theologians of which maluleke 1994 is one example.
Another relevant source for this study is the book akan religion and the christian. Egwu 2001 observes religion not only because of the problem of objectivity one encounters in defining but is emotion laden, even more so because of the difficulty of penetrating the inner essence of religion. It does not exist in a vacuum or up there in the blues but among humans. Some african religions adopted different views through the influence of islam or even hinduism. The religious beliefs, practices and thehuman characteristics such. And, even though spiritual messages may be received by the practitioners of traditional african religion through those mystical encounters part. African religions and philosophy is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of africa. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil.
The next phase of african historiography was dominated by european traders, travelers, as well as missionaries and other adventurers, whose accounts of africa, while generally tendentious and eurocentric, remain major sources for the reconstruction of the african past. Thus, neglecting at religion, the source of normative. Western scholars, such as sir james frazier, had had a fascination with african religions, either from the scientific point of view, as a phenomenon to be studied, or from a missionary point of view. The place of african traditional religion in interreligious encounters in sierra leone since the advent of islam and christianity is my own work and that all the sources that i have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. What are the advantages and disadvantages of african. Since african traditional religion, promotes integral development that goes. Even amid the some of the most patriarchal and misogynistic religious traditions, the goddess makes her presence known in a creative disguise. Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the africans and it cannot be studied in isolation.
It also offers a useful and uptodate list of books for more advanced reading, questions for. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the africans. Christianity and the african traditional religions. African traditional religion, mainly by the west and also by some africans themselves who very often, out of sheer ignorance, misinformation have not bothered to know it. Sources and methods in african history book description. Oct 30, 2009 the followers of african traditional religion are not marked by going to worship certain days of the week or even observing a set of religious rules. African religion is found primarily in oral sources, including stories, myths, proverbs, prayers, ritual incantations, songs, names of people and places, and the. It then highlights the urgent need, in the face of a rapidly. Any african christian who raised it risked victimization. One such religion is african traditional religion atr. The role of african traditional religion, culture and. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing africans as people who did not know the.
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