four elements of african traditional religion

Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the Africans and it cannot be studied in isolation. For example, the Iroko tree is not an ordinary tree; it is believed to be inhabited by a spirit; the Oshun River (in Western Nigeria) is believed to be more than an ordinary river because the spirit (Oshun) dwells in it and this makes the river efficacious in many respects, especially during barrenness. The declared adherents of the indigenous religion are very conservative, resisting the influence of modernism heralded by the colonial era, including the introduction of Islam, Christianity, Western education and improved medical facilities. Africans are not so low in intelligence as to be incapable of distinguishing between an emblem or symbol of worship and a doll or toy. It is found in most religions. 9, No. It has no founders or reformers like Gautama the Buddha, Asoka, Christ, or Muhammad. Source: bingelela-africa.co.za. This community is made up of people who remember and share the same traditions. We need to examine some of these words and bring out their connotations. for as long as they've been in existence. A cow, sheep or chicken is slaughtered and the ancestors are called to receive the offering and bless the gathering. 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. The Africans do not and cannot represent Him in the form of an image as they can do with the divinities. Notes to Admin required. [16] A. COSMOLOGY  . the Colonial Civil Servants, the missionaries, the explorers and so on. 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. enabled African traditions to co-exist alongside the dominant world religions f o Christianity and Islam, and in many cases to form a syncretistic and eclectic religious system, drawing on elements from many sources. Here again the writer made mention of the various ceremonies which accompany puberty and its significance in African traditional religion. Before we had foreign investigators to give the world an idea of what the religious beliefs of the Africans looked like, there were theorists who have never been in Africa but who regarded it as the “Dark Continent” where people had no idea of God and where the Devil in all his abysmal, grotesque and forbidden features, armed to the teeth and with horns complete, held sway. (Winter, 1975). (2nd ed. In another chapter, puberty rites were mentioned as another rites of passage. They started coining expressions like “a high god”, or “a Supreme God”. If this is the object of the symbol, it must be wrong to describe it as an idol. If, for example, a piece of wood representing Obatala (a Yoruba deity) is eaten by termites, the worshippers of Obatala will not feel that their god has been destroyed by the termites, because the piece of wood is only a symbol, serving as a visible or concrete embodiment of that which is symbolised. For example, P. A. Talbot in his Life in Southern Nigera devoted three chapters to Juju among the Ibibio people and discussed the various divinities among them. KEY WORDS: pregnancy, birth rites, naming rites, puberty rites, ritual Christianity and Islam make up the largest religions in contemporary Africa, and some sources say that less than 15% still follow traditional African religions. They cherish their tradition; they worship with sincerity because their worship is quite meaningful to them; they hold tenaciously to their covenant that binds them together. South Africa is called the rainbow nation because of its variety of people, cultures and religions. But when we have said this, we also need to add that it would be wrong to categorize the whole religion as animism. Thousands of African people are converted to Christianity every day and in Nigeria about 20 new religious sects or groups come into being every month. African music - African music - Musical structure: In Africa it is unrealistic to separate music from dance or from bodily movement. It is only a means to an end. Such revelations and declarations succeeded in changing the attitude of the Western world concerning the religious beliefs of the so-called pre-literate peoples of the world. By the 19th century the Arabs moved to East and Central Africa. Holism/Organism: the Law of Harmony Parrinder has remarked that the word fetish is a most ambiguous word, and the time has come for all serious writers and speakers to abandon it completely and finally.[22]. (Turner 1994a:129). [14] R. S. Rattray, Religion and Art in Ashanti, O.U.P., 1927. 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 various shades and intensities by a very large number of Africans, including individuals who claim to be Muslims or Christians. Please enter language and then submit. Check Out These 5 Essential Elements of the Unique African Art. But Rattray corrected this wrong notion of the early investigators when he said: We see, then, that it would be quite wrong to describe the religion of Africa as fetishism. [5] See Idowu, African Traditional Religion, p.88. If the only religious people are the adherents of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, then all the other world religions become either heathen or pagan, and so, uncivilized! He is also called Olorun (the owner of Heaven). Map: Bantu-speaking people moved into southern Africa from West and Central Africa and brought their religion and traditions with them. 1999) Beliefs about witches are, of course, not directly observable, but they may have overt consequences in everyda… When we speak of African Traditional Religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Africans. But, thank God, there came on the scene a number of investigators who were interested in finding out the truth about religion in Africa. The effect of colonisation on Africa's traditional religion is seen in the views of colonialists that African traditional religious practices are fetish, barbaric, ritualistic and demonic. Welcome to the summary lecture of African Traditional Religions. [3] Leo Frobenius, The Voice of Africa, Vol. The Supreme Being is the connection between people and their environment. Whatever happens, the use of the word primitive by Western scholars is derogatory and, therefore, obnoxious. differs in African countries was mentioned. [2] E. B. Idowu, African Traditional Religion, S.C.M., 1973, p.87. The term “Primal” is used to refer to religions which were there prior to the so-called “universal” religions such as Christianity, Islam, etc. ‘The Healing Wisdom of Africa‘ is designed more as a guide for people looking to reconnect with nature, within and without, using the Medicine Wheel and the five elements as a framework. Practice Afrocentric Meditation. (v)  Paganism and Heathenism:  We choose to treat paganism and heathenism together because the meanings applied to them are similar, if not identical. In South Africa the constitution protects freedom of religion. But the monotheism may need some modification; hence Professor Bolaji Idowu has suggested diffused monotheism because “here we have a monotheism in which there exist other powers which derive from Deity such being and authority that they can be treated, for practical purposes, almost as ends in themselves”[27]. INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION. To please these unhappy ancestors, usually offerings of beer and meat are made. While some religions adopted a pantheistic worldview, most follow a polytheistic system with various gods, spirits and other supernatural beings. It needs to be emphasized that the Supreme Being cannot be represented like the divinities. This is a holistic or an organic view of the world, which is governed by the law... 2. By and large they had a much better perception of African Traditional Religion and they saw the relevance of the system of beliefs for African traditional society. The people follow many spiritual traditions and religious faiths. Present eminent African scholars, like Professor E. Bolaji Idown and Professor John Mbiti, have emphasized the fact that the world of the Africans is a theocratic one, ruled and governed by the decree of the Supreme Being. The impression they had of it was that it was not worth knowing at all and they expected that the religion would soon perish. and Eleda (the Creator) by the same people. People have looked to religion to answer questions like "Where did the world come from? These traditions are not religious principles, but a cultural identity that is passed on through stories, myths and tales. Origins of major world religions reflected in SA. Among the missionaries could be mentioned T. B. Freeman, T. J. Bowen, R. H. Stone[10] and N. Baudin,[11]and of the explorers, R. F. Burton[12] and T. J. © World Wisdom, Inc. In this way, the difference between the material object and the reality represented by it becomes obscured. “In very precise language” says Professor Mbiti “The Bacongo describe the self-existence of God when they say, that ‘He is made by no other, no one beyond Him is.”[26], We see, then, that the greatest emphasis is on the Supreme Being. [6] See John Oman, The Natural and the Supernatural, C.U.P., 1931, p.485. Whatever weaknesses and faults may be noticeable in the works of these foreign investigators and writers, Africans have to give credit to them for their ability to work under hard conditions and to express their thoughts in writings which the present generation of Africans can read, examine and improve upon. These dimensions can all be used in the service of peacemaking. Source: Studies in Comparative Religion, Vol. It has no missionaries, or even the desire to propagate the religion, or to proselytise. Africa is a massive continent with diverse religious traditions, to the extent that within the same tradition there have been variations. Africa's Three Religions. This tradition is practiced by the Yorubas and some other West African tribes that are thought to have migrated around the Western Coast of the continent. Divinatory ritual is the centrepiece of African religions, because it opens to all a channel of mediation with the gods. [26] For further details see John Mbiti, Concepts of God in Africa, S.P.C.K., 1970. Login to add or suggest alteration to this term for online dictionary, Suggest alteration to this term (or add alternate spellings) for online dictionary. And we agree with Professor Idowu that the purpose of the study should be: [*] Editorial Note: Dr. J. Omosade Awolalu is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and has specialised in the field of the African Traditional Religion. But after this rather formal beginning, the language changes to Creole and the African elements come to the fore, especially the ecstatic dancing and drumming. Everyone is free to follow whatever faith they want to, or not to follow one at all. This is not correct. Most African societies—though not all—hold the cardinal belief that certain members of the community are in the habit of using supernatural means for illicitly destroying the interests, or even the lives, of their fellows. It is not written on paper but in peoples’ hearts, minds, oral history, rituals, shrines and religious functions. This is why we are convinced that the religion is monotheistic. [1] J. S. Mbiti, African Religions and Philosophy, Heineman, 1969, p.1. Even today, traditional Muslims face religio-ethical problems concerning interest-taking. It should be obvious from the dictionary meaning that this word cannot be appropriate in describing the religion of Africa or those who practise that religion. The Yoruba, for example, never rank the Supreme Being, Olodimave with the divinities (orisa), neither do the Edo confuse Osanobuwa with the divinities (ebo). During the 17th century, European settlers came near the Cape of Good Hope. 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. Thus, while there were some Western scholars attempting to write off Africa as a spiritual desert, “there were, undoubtedly, a few who had the uneasy feeling that the story of a spiritual vacuum for a whole continent of peoples could not be entirely true.”[8], While some scholars admitted that the whole of Africa could not be a spiritual vacuum, they raised doubt as to whether the God that the Africans believed in was the “real God” or their own God. The idea behind the use of such an expression is engendered by racial pride. Even when interpreters were used, one could not be sure that the interpretation would be accurate. This is a heritage from the past, but treated not as a thing of the past but as that which connects the past with the present and the present with eternity. Religion in most African societies also supports moral order. The oldest Aboriginal cultures of the Earth used meditation as a tool for spiritual fortification, a nd every religion uses meditation for spiritual development. But experience shows that material representation often becomes a danger in religion when the worshippers make the emblems an end in themselves. The origin of the divinities can be traced; the divinities can be represented; they are limited in their power; they came into being by the power of the Supreme Being who is unique, wholly other and faultless and who owes His existence to no one. Even here, we should remark that not all of them took the trouble to make thorough investigations—some of them did their research part-time, e.g. At least, they raised doubts in the minds of those who might earlier have accepted the statements of the stay-at-home investigators and curio collectors. 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. • It is found in rituals, ceremonies and festivals of the people: Birth, giving of names, 1 Where possible, the same headings have been used for Chapters Four … While we commend the effort of the foreign investigators for committing to writing their investigations about African Traditional Religion, we need to point out that a great number of them used misleading term in describing the people’s beliefs. They did not know, and they never confessed their ignorance about, Africa and the Africans. Many different languages, religions and types of economic activities developed on this continent. For example, among the Yoruba, He is called Olodumare. Religion is an important part of millions of people's lives across the world. This is a religion that is based mainly on oral transmission. London, 1863. ISBN 0-85969-096-2; Ray, Benjamin C. African Religions: Symbol, Ritual, and Community (2nd ed. We must also point out that, to the Africans, the material has meaning only in terms of the spiritual. There is that noticeable “Africanness” in the whole pattern. They undergo strict training and learn many skills, including how to use herbs for healing and other, more mystical skills, like the finding of a hidden object without knowing where it is. The Supreme Being is given different names by different groups of people. These divinities act like intermediaries between men and God. [22] E. G. Parrinder, African Traditional Religion, p.16. London: Sheldon Press, 1976). The Supreme Being is called upon in times of great hardship and need, like drought or epidemic that may threaten the entire community. Traditional African religion is a way of life in which ancestors are part of every major event such as wedding, births and deaths as well as less important ones such as getting a job and finishing university. When Ludwig got to The major faiths practiced in South Africa are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, traditional African religions and Judaism. 1. 1, Hutchison, 1913, p.xll. SYMBOLISM, The First English Journal on Traditional Studies. This means attributing a living soul to inanimate objects and natural phenomena. This is a 3-hour summary lecture on the basic components of African Traditional Religions. The noticeable fault among the missionaries was that they were particularly subjective, and they could not see anything good in African Traditional Religion. Scorned at one time, the world is now re-discovering the beauty of this art form, as is evidenced by the increasing number of takers for the distinctive objects of art, which showcase the cultural values of different African regions. [24] E. G. Parrinder, African Traditional Religion, p.24. Sangomas are part of spiritual traditions and are responsible for healing and telling the future. Religious resources are contained in the four main elements of which religions consist. Haar identifies these elements as: religious ideas (content of belief), religious practices (ritual behavior), social organization (religious community), and religious--or spiritual--experiences. [19] S. F. Nadel, The Nupe Religion, London, 1954. Prayers said during worship by Africans have been described as fetish prayers; the functionaries of a cult have been described as fetish priests; herbs prepared by African priests have been labelled fetish herbs, and not medical preparations, however efficacious such herbs may be; and taking an oath has been described as undergoing fetish. The individual only exists within the community and separation from it is sometimes worse than death. ", "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Where to look for and find African Tradition Religion? Here we disagree with John Mbiti who chooses to speak of the religion in the plural “because there are about one thousand African peoples (tribes), and each has its own religious system …”[1]. [25] E. G. Parrinder, West African Religion, London, Epworth, 1949, p.26, 1969 edition, p.12. Most ancestral spirits are generally good and kind. [7] See Evans Pritchard, Theories of Primitive Religion, 1965, pp.103ff. Juju is, therefore, one of the misleading and derogatory terms used by investigators out of either sheer prejudice or ignorance. How can divinities, however minor, be described as toys? It is a religion that is practised by living men and women. On the 10th January each year Benin holds a national celebration day in honour of its traditional religion and of the cults associated with it. 3 Leo Frobenius, The Voice of Africa, Vol. The first four are always found. In other words, animism is a part definition of every religion. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of Africa. Thus, strictly speaking, religion in its pristine form is no longer in existence. The three main religious traditions—African traditional religion, Christianity, and Islam—constitute the triple religious heritage of the African continent. Every locality may and does have its own local deities, its own festivals, its own name or names for the Supreme Being, but in essence the pattern is the same. Folk religions are challenging to measure. The continent of Africa has been home to hundreds of indigenous tribes speaking a wide variety of languages and believing a wide variety of different spiritual ideas. He is in a class by Himself. One certainly cannot speak of "African religion" as if it was a single, coherent set of beliefs. For example, the Iroko tree is not an ordinary tree; it is believed to be inhabited by a spirit; the Oshun River (in Western Nigeria) is believed to be more than an ordinary river because the spirit (Oshun) dwells in it and this makes the river efficacious in many respects, especially during barrenness. Several of them did their investigations as best as they could among the peoples whose languages most of them did not understand. The fifth element, which goes by a variety of names, is more rarefied than the four physical elements. Alchemists eventually associated four triangular symbols to represent these elements. The various divinities that are represented are in fact technically representatives or servants of the Supreme Being. Most of the "traditional" groups of people living in South Africa arrived here from West and Central Africa about 1 500 years ago. Sulfur, mercury, and salt are classical elements. Others were anthropologists and sociologists who examined religion just by the way. I am very familiar with the Tasting of the Four Elements as it is described in the article. These objects are symbolic. African Traditional Religion is not essentially idolatrous, but it has a tendency to become so if the cult and the symbols of the divinities are so emphasized as to exclude the Supreme Being. We should also add that there is an element of savagery in every one of us and it should not be made the exclusive trait of a particular people. and "What happens to us when we die?" METAPHYSICS  . These are the societies whose religion reveal have a number of the basic features of all religions (Burnett 1995:57). Traditional African Religion What is traditional African religion? However, the adherents are loyal worshippers and, probably because of this, Africans who have their roots in the indigenous religion, find it difficult to sever connection with it. More than ten million Jews from all over the world observe the Sabbath every week and millions of Muslim pilgrims travel to Mecca in the Middle East every year. South Africa is a country of many cultures and many religions -indeed, a country of pluralities. This is just one part of it It is superstitious It is animism or paganism It is magic or fetishism African Religion embraces all these four ideas in its belief. [20] E. G. Parrinder, African Traditional Religion, London, 1954. This is ludicrous. Although traditional African religion recognises a Supreme God, followers do not worship him or her directly as they do not feel worthy enough. In a proper polytheism, the gods are all of the same rank and file. [17] S. S. Farrow, Faith, Fancies and Fetish, London, S.P.C.K., 1926. [13] T. J. Hutchson, Impressions of Western Africà, 1858. [7], Father Schmidt had earlier been working among the Pigmies of the Congo in Central Africa. The ultimacy, wherever you go in Africa, is accorded to God. The word idol is used to describe the object which is an emblem of that which is worshipped by the Africans. In traditional African religion the community is the most important part of someone's life. Mligo's book is a must-read.--Zorodzai Dube, University of South Africa --Wipf and Stock Publishers TRADITION  . European and other foreign settlers brought most of these religions. 1, Hutchison, 1913, p.xll. Even Christianity sees “God as Spirit, and they that worship are to worship in spirit and truth”. 2 Peoples and religions of South Africa. In the Zulu culture there are mystics or sangomas that are responsible for healing and 'divining' - a kind of fortune telling and counseling. The four elements of religion described above – the significance of gods and spirits, the power of holy rituals, the telling of sacred stories and belonging to faith communities – seem in their own ways to be a core aspect of the human condition in the twenty-first century. Presumably these terms are used in an attempt to distinguish between enlightenment and barbarity. Followers believe in the guidance of their ancestors spirits. Anthropologists and sociologists like to justify their use of the word on the ground that the culture is adjudged to be that which is original in the history of the human race. Source: www.purdue.edu. Similar social conflict is evident in the case of birth control measures including abortion, in the Catholic world. We need to explain the word ‘traditional’. From our own study of the African Traditional Religion, we find there are unmistakably elements of animism. They do this because they have certain religious beliefs and because their religions guide their lives. London: Sheldon Press, 1974) ISBN 0-85969-014-8; Parinder, E. Geoffrey. This basic tenet has led Africans to attribute to persons designated by terms we might translate as "witches" or "sorcerers" characteristics that resemble those of their counterparts elsewhere. Can we find a precise term for this religion which believes in the Supreme Being under whom subordinate divinities serve His will? The elders are the final authority and are trusted completely. During these events usually an offering is made to honour, please and thank the ancestors. Modern Religion. These traditional healers have to be called by ancestors. What has this to do with religion? In order to administer the world, however, the Deity has brought into being divinities who are His ministers or functionaries. This is not a “fossil” religion, a thing of the past or a dead religion. It is used principally to aid man’s perception and concentration and to remind the worshipper of the divine presence. Heath, on the other hand, is a vast track of land; and a heathen is one who inhabits a heath or possesses the characteristics of a heath dweller. [28] E. B. Idowu, African Traditional Religion, p.106f. (vii)  Idolatry:  Idol means false god; and so idolatry is the worshipping of false gods or that which is not real. When we examine the names, we gain a greater insight into the peoples’ concept of God, as they are descriptive of His character and attributes. The anthropologists were much less inhibited by the dogmas of Christianity than the missionaries. This Ghanaian Adinkra symbol means \"except for God\" and symbolizes the supremacy of God. This is the same word as the French fetiche. The Edo call Him Osanobuwa, and this means “God who is the “Source and Sustainer of the World”. [10] R. H. Stone, In Africa’s Forest and Jungle, New York, 1899. The major faiths practiced in South Africa are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, traditional African religions and Judaism. And one such tale was recorded in a Berlin journal which Leo Frobenius read before he ever visited Africa to see things for himself. They therefore ask the ancestors to communicate on their behalf. To visit a new web site, "Frithjof Schuon Archive," dedicated to featured Studies contributor Frithjof Schuon, click here. Followers of traditional African religion believe that ancestors maintain a spiritual connection with their living relatives. Please select a category and then submit. Some call it Spirit. Prominent among such people were Andrew Lang, Archbishop N. Soderblom,[6]and Father Schmidt of Vienna. One might also give credit to Farrow and Frobenius who did thorough research among the Yoruba of South West Nigeria. The Western scholar making the investigation wanted to distinguish between his society (which is regarded as civilized) and the other society which is not civilized but old-fashioned-just because such a society does not have or adopt the same norm as that of the investigator. Ancestor worship and belief is an extension of a belief in and respect for elders. The four elements of African Traditional religion are: Origin myth: The African traditional religion has several origin myths which depic view the full answer Previous question Next question COMPANY Please enter description and then submit. Its study has to go hand-in-hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. [12] R. F. Burton, Abeokuta and the Cameroons Nits, Vol. Today, the countries of Africa contain a wide variety of religious beliefs, and statistics on religious affiliation are difficult to come by. RELIGION is a fundamental, perhaps the most important, influence in the life of most Africans; yet its essential principles are too often unknown to foreigners who thus make themselves constantly liable to misunderstand the African worldview and beliefs. To follow one at all and they that worship are to worship in spirit and truth ”, 1899 among! Aspect of it was not worth knowing at all and they never confessed their ignorance about, and! Same Tradition there have been variations and many religions -indeed, a country of pluralities F. Nadel, First! Or 8 Fetish worshippers, New York, 1885 follow whatever faith want... Million to 5 million years ago S. Rattray, [ 6 ] and Schmidt. Sulfur, mercury, and Islam—constitute the triple religious heritage of the people as old fashioned or describe religion... 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