These oldest religions of the world,have had their history and traditions handed down orally and preserved in the culture and religious artifacts of the African people. Trained in the new method of \"fieldwork\"—which entailed observing participants and speaking the language of the community—these anthropologists worked for their governments. Your email address will not be published. Traditional African religion is based on oral traditions, which means that the basic values and way of life are passed from elders to younger generation. About 10 per cent of the African population is still practicing some form of traditional religion today. African religions - African religions - Mythology: In African oral cultures, myths embody philosophical reflections, express values, and identify moral standards. He also serves as the Global Operations Director with Humanity First, and is responsible for poverty alleviation projects in 54 countries, mainly in Africa, South Asia and Central America. Some examples of devotional masks and outfits are shown below (images courtesy of the author unless otherwise attributed): Examples of masks and ceremonial outfits from the Bassam area of Ivory Coast, Examples of masks and statuettes made by craftsmen on the Gambia-Senegal border. But there are exceptions to this general observation, especially in Southern Africa and some parts of West Africa. Sacrifice – Many ancient African religions offered their gods or spirits some kind of sacrifice. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religions of the African people. These traditions are not religious principles, but a cultural identity that is passed on through stories, myths and tales. Similarly, when visiting a village, there is normally a set of customs to first seek permission from the village chief and declaring your mission before being allowed to engage with other members of the village. We also aim at promoting tourism across the African continent. ‘If your parents take care of you up to the time you cut your teeth, you take care of them when they lose theirs’, Akan proverb (Ghana). We do not encourage or share biased information and hate speech to our viewers. Healers, PROPHETS and other RITUAL specialists play an important role in these religions although not all have people easily identified as PRIESTS. Traditional Religions The religions practiced by the majority of people living in Africa are Christianity and Islam. Required fields are marked *. Again the reverence for ancestors stems from the same concept of social order that is seen throughout African life. The African History is a reliable blog site dedicated to sharing African Culture and History. But before those two religions arrived, there were several traditional religions practiced. African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity are three extremely different religions that have very different belief systems. There are similar accounts hidden away in African culture, such as this song from Benin: ‘At the gates of the land of the dead you will pass before a searching Judge. Although Africa is represented as countries through the political and colonial influences of the last century, in fact there are many more distinct tribes in Africa, many stretching across multiple country boundaries. Today, around 10 percent of the African population still practice some form of traditional religion. African Traditional Religions are sets of diverse beliefs that are followed by people in separate places. Ancestors are also worshipped for this purpose, and are believed to provide a link to their living relatives. Magic – Many of the African traditional religions believe in mysterious forces and magic. There are common beliefs in Africa although the continent is a large with many different cultures and It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on. Through honoring these spirits, believers hoped the spirits would protect them, or speak on their behalf to the supreme god. Contact Us In this song, there are similarities to the Day of Judgement of the Abrahamic faiths. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thus, strictly speaking, religion in its pristine form is no longer in existence. The indigenous religious beliefs and practices of African peoples include various traditional religions. Your email address will not be published. African traditional religions stress healing and the spiritual well-being of people and are usually expressed through dance and music. 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. Their studies avoided describing African cultures in indigenous terms. In Benin, the ritual to achieve the devotion of the Vodun ancestors led to what is now the popularised Voodoo traditions of Haiti in the Caribbean [10]. The ritual also included masks, music, singing and dancing. It is not easy to date how far back these religious systems go, but as an example, the Bantu people of Central Africa are believed to have emerged from Cameroon and Nigeria around 1000 BCE and then spread in the region. The first academic studies of African traditional religions were written in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries by Muslim and European scholars. 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. Then among them were some whom Allah guided and among them were some who became deserving of ruin.’ [2], ‘And We sent some Messengers whom we have already mentioned to thee and some Messengers whom we have not mentioned to thee.’ [3]. African religiousness is not a matter of adherence to a doctrine but is concerned with supporting fecundity and sustaining the community. On the … In the case of African traditional religion, it can be traced back to the very beginning of the emergence of African peoples. Noté /5. Sometimes tribes refer to lots of deities especially from an animist perspective, but they almost always recognise a High God or Creator. Today, Christianity and Islam are religions practiced by the majority of people living in Africa. The tribes across Africa have various names for the High God such as Maa for the Bambara, Irke for the Songhey or Amma for the Dogun (Velton, p.31). 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. Because religion is a way of life, it relates to culture and society as they affect the worldview of … They would also tell the future with magic and “casting the bones” where they would throw bones and tell the person’s fortune in the way the bones fell. There is also a Hadith [4] saying of the Holy Prophet (sa)] recording a conversation in which Prophet Muhammad (sa) when asked how many Prophets had been sent to mankind, answered that there were 124,000! Having established that a more powerful Creator sits above us and sees everything that we do, there is also a recognition that the Creator is also our benefactor, planning and providing for us: ‘As you plan for somebody, so God plans for you’, Igbo Proverb, (Nigeria). Ancient African Traditional Religions Before Christianity and Islamic. Rituals – The culture played significant part in traditional practices and ceremonies. The four linguistic phylums spoken in Africa are: Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, Niger-Congo, and Khoi-San. At the end of the examination by the Judge, if the person has no stains, they are joyous just as someone would be if they are destined for heaven. The Yoruba of Nigeria record that Obatala creates the physical body, but the greater Olodumare who sits in the heavens, blows the spirit into the body [5]. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on. Then there is the characteristic of the Creator being omnipresent and seeing all of our actions and thoughts: ‘God has nothing hid from him’, Ovambo Proverb (Angola), ‘The sun shines and sends its burning rays down upon us, the moon rises in its glory. In this way, we might find traces of the prophets and revelations given to the tribes of Africa. For the continent of Africa, were those people devoid of religion until the Abrahamic faiths came to the continent in the last two millennia, or were they also the beneficiaries of revelation which would have impacted their cultures and behaviours? Rituals generally appeal for help and help to the spirits of the ancestors or nature. theafricanhistory@gmail.com Sometimes this will also be manifested in a move to towns with communal responsibility and shared worship from traditional pastoral herders who would have moved across the region just as the Tuareg do to this day. "African Religions and Philosophy" is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of Africa. About the Author: Fazal Ahmad is the Editor for the ‘World Religions’ section of The Review of Religions. 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 cultures of the continent. For example, the song mentions that the Judge will see all stains whether visible or hidden; similar to the notion that God can see all of your actions and your intentions. But it is also noticeable that the major world religions all seem to originate from the Middle East and South East Asia. Thus, linguistic experts such as Christopher Ehretand Placide Tempels have applied their knowledge of languages towards reconstructing the original core beliefs of the followers of these traditions. African traditional religions are difficult to research, as there is an absence of scriptures or the written word. Christianity: An African traditional religion « Prev . 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, and the Bono of Ghana and Ivory Coast. However there are characteristics of the peoples across Africa that show a mature understanding of their position versus nature, the hierarchy of society and respect for elders and forefathers, some of whom are likely to be prophets who would have had a direct communion with their High God or Creator. Often good behaviour is highlighted in proverbs, such as this Kenyan proverb about the virtue of being humble: ‘It is humility that exalts one and favours him against his friends’, Kipsigis Proverb (Kenya). Ironworks would keep the magic and power of your craft secret of how they forged iron in your party. The African History is a reliable blog site dedicated to sharing African Culture and News. Most traditional African religions have, for most of their existence, been orally/spiritually (rather than scripturally) transmitted or practiced. They include: Supreme God – Most African religions believe in the world’s supreme creator. For Christianity, it is the first century AD, and maybe beyond; and for Islam the seventh century. So when their Messenger comes, it is judged between them with equity, and they are not wronged.’ [1], ‘And We did raise among every people a Messenger, preaching: “Worship Allah and shun the Evil One”. History of African traditional religion Christianity came to Africa from the outside, it happened, as the legend says, in 42, then the Orthodox Coptic Church was formed by the Apostle Mark. However, there were many traditional religions practiced prior to the arrival of these two religions. Other great empires such as Great Zimbabwe built by descendants of the Shona people had amazing architecture depicting their power, but also had what are thought to be temple complexes before the advent of Islam and Christianity through trade [6]. This deity may be prayed for help in some religions but in others the ultimate deity does not communicate with human beings. But before those two religions arrived, there were several traditional religions practiced. This is not just seen with parents who are treated with respect and kindness, but also with teachers who are shown the utmost respect. It is often evident that adults, children and other family members have an established system, as do more senior figures in a village or community. Britannica 2020). There is also a common theme of the High God having created the world, and then withdrawn to allow humans to work and flourish, but also to suffer illness and misfortune. Every aspect of it cannot be described as original. Achetez neuf ou d'occasion You can submit your story for publishing through above email. 2. This Yoruba proverb from Nigeria illustrates the Golden Rule of treating others as you would want to be treated yourself: ‘One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.’, (Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria). Over millennia, this is sometimes distorted into worship of natural resources such as rivers and mountains, but even then, there is always a recognition of a greater power. This movement spread to the entire North African coast. These traditions have been passed from one generation to the next. Elect One Leader…If You Can…, Friday Sermon Summary 25th December 2020: ‘Rightly Guided Caliphs – Hazrat Ali (ra)’, The Origins of Vaccines – A Full Circle Story of Muslim Contributions, Launch of German Edition of The Review of Religions, A Historic Achievement: New Qur’anic Font Under the Guidance of Khilafat, Acceptance of Prayer – Success Comes from God, Unravelling the Truth About Eve: Her Position in History According to Islam, Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International. Traditional/Indigenous African religions are the traditional beliefs and practices of African people including the various traditional religions and customs. It is clear that Africa has been a cradle of civilization for millennia, and that as mentioned in the Qur’an (10:48), the various tribes across Africa have not been devoid of prophecy and revelation. In Africa, the term ancestors does not cover all predecessors, but only those of high rank and achievement, who act as mediators to access divine guidance and favour. The traditional African religions (or traditional beliefs and practices of African people) are a set of highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions . In that sense, perhaps these ancestors include the very Prophets of Africa that we are seeking. Nothing is hidden from Him. Eliade mentioned that around 800 languages are spoken on the continent [5]. 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