Jun 11, 2015 in african traditional religion the spirits are always present, and requests and offerings are made to them for health, prosperity, and protection. The essence and existence of god in african traditional religion. It also offers a useful and uptodate list of books for more advanced reading, questions for. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. Do the tools used by todays scholars of religion, their ways of gathering information, and their. It analyzes and interprets several significant aspects of african religions and explores their possible contributions to national development and the. An african child growing in this environment will uphold african culture, norms and standards as the only acceptable way of life. The nature of african traditional religion african traditional religion which is the beliefs and practices that emanated from the african soil is the religious beliefs and practices that has been in existence from time immemorial and are still being adhered to today by many africans. African religions, either from the scientific point of view, as a phenomenon to be studied. This paper examines the concept and philosophy of african traditional religion from the viewpoint of africans.
In sierra leone, botswana, and burkina faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs. Environmentalism and african traditional religion bayreuth. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of former generations. African religion is traditional for the following reasons.
Emil ludwig is reported to have asked once when on a visit to africa, how can the untutored african conceive god. There are many reasons why i ascribe to my traditional african religion or customs. Its study has to go handin hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. After christianity and islam, they are the thirdbiggest religious group in africa. Traditional african religions are the traditions of the religious groups in africa. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. Distortion of facts in western ethnographic study of african religion, culture and society etim e. Exploring the african traditional belief systems in natural. Traditional african religion is part of african culture. African traditional religions religion in zimbabwe. It is a matter of perspective, whether one lays emphasis on the supreme being or on the many. African traditional religion atr and cultural practices in most parts of african communities are environmentally friendly and sustainable, contributing so much.
It is therefore important to attempt to describe african influences in theology and worship, as has been done for celtic spirituality. In discussing african culture and values, we are not. This article surveys the context that influenced african christian scholars and illustrates why cultural nationalism features in. In african traditional religion the spirits are always present, and requests and offerings are made to them for health, prosperity, and protection. The three main religious traditionsafrican traditional religion, christianity, and islamconstitute the triple religious heritage of the african continent. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. Let us start with the ritual in connection with the worship of god olodumare and gods orisa. It is the bedrock of african cultural values and moral tradition. This volume of fourteen chapters examines the nature, structure, and significance of african traditional religions as dynamic, changing traditions. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. Local african culture was oppressed for many years by white south africans, who find their cultural roots in. 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. These traditional reads are brimming with spirited characters and positive valuesbut with a little extra excitement and bite, so hold on to your hats. 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.
Exploring the african traditional belief systems in. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. West african traditional religion may not be taken with christian religious studies and islamic studies general aims at the end of their study of the subject, the candidates are expected to have 1. This revision of a standard text lj 775 provides an excellent overview of native religion in africa. Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the africans and it cannot be studied in isolation. African culture has experienced rapid change since the colonial invasion. The writings of african scholars who are committed to christianity have been assessed negatively, particularly as regards the study of african traditional religions atrs. Africa, the place of origin of all humankind, is divided into numerous political and cultural regions, reflecting its diverse range of histories, ethnicities, languages, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.
These teachers sacrificed their time in teaching african traditional religion in their classes. And we agree with professor idowu that the purpose of the study should be. The practicality of teaching african traditional religion in schools would not have been proved if it were not the efforts and willingness of mr robert stonier, mrs z johnson, mr d adonis and mr z ndamandama. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the africans. It is a global framework of life, encompassing every human situation and governing the whole society. Traditional songs, poems and dances have also been integrated with traditional worship styles of western origin. The term african traditional religion in this thesis refers to all the indigenous religions of ghana before contact with arabs and europeans. Okon department of religious and cultural studies university of calabar, nigeria abstract this paper will identify some of the fundamental short comings in african ethnographic studies undertaken by europeans in the nineteenth century. Atr encompasses ancestral and cultural traditions, writings, history. Very much misunderstood, the religion has been called all kinds of derogatory names, from animism to paganism. This belief, just as in the case of the previous one, has a theological basis the plurality of divinities polytheism. Investigators, especially, foreign, should therefore learn to project african traditional religion as the africans themselves say it in their language, culture and all. Contemporary african culture is a mixture of traditional elements and alien features. 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.
Written expressly for the middle grade struggling reader, the series does not contain strong language, edgy themes, or dysfunctional families. Shona mwari literally he who is, or ndebele umlimu, is believed to be active in the everyday lives of people. In response, this paper begins by defining the meaning of religion and african traditional. The yoruba are one of the largest religious groups in africa and their religious system has survived into the modern world. The tuareg are muslim, but their traditional rituals and beliefs, including widespread beliefs in a spirit world, overlap with those of islam. The traditional african understanding and the interpretation of christianity have deep roots in these fundamental beliefs of the african traditional religions. African traditional religion by geoffrey parrinder, 1954. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. In practice, most of the rituals and day to day religious. On the basis of its supposedly heathen character, it was not included in the religion education syllabus. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme creator. African traditional religion simple english wikipedia. There is a specific cult of olodumare in y orubaland.
It concludes that the future of african traditional religion. There might be an inevitable event to take place in the future, part of the. It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers. The best interpreter of african religion is the african with a disciplined mind and the requisite technical tools. Traditional african societies also observe environmental ethics that help in regulating their interactions with the natural environment shastri et al. The traditional african religions or traditional beliefs and practices of african people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. African traditional religion in a globalizing world arc journals. Africa is a massive continent with diverse religious traditions, to the extent that within the same tradition there have been variations. However, views emphasising the pervasive religiosity of african traditional societies and proposing a unified, pan african view of it began to circulate in liberal theo1 parrinder 1969. The study of african traditional religion 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. Its study has to go handinhand with the study of the people who practise the religion.
Well then come to the conclusion that african traditional religion is an indispensable value every african child must study with the intensity it deserves. Pdf a critical analysis on african traditional religion and the trinity. The paper attempts to demonstrate the vast potentials of oral tradition as a vehicular access to understanding african beliefs and practices. African traditional religion atr and cultural practices in most parts of african communities are environmentally friendly and sustainable, contributing so. It provides a sense of security and assurance of assistance from the. African traditional spirituality as an african heritage must be taken seriously for a fuller understanding of african christian spirituality, particularly of the african pentecostal churches. It further studies the difficulties involved in this study and future of african traditional religion. African traditional religion religion is a difficult subject to inquiry including attempts at definition and conception. In general, people communicate with mwari through the vadzimu. However, views emphasising the pervasive religiosity of african traditional societies and proposing a unified, panafrican view of it began to circulate in liberal theo1 parrinder 1969.
In five of these countriesbenin, mozambique, guineabissau, liberia, and the ivory coastafrican religion is the majority religion. Its subject matter is, african reality, african experience and how the african understand and interpret these experiences. African traditional religion atr in practice a discussion of the yoruba people and their current religious practices and worldview. The traditional beliefs and practices of african people include various traditional religions. Traditional african religion is much more than westerners give it credit for. Even after 1900 when christian and muslim expansion reached its peak, traditional african religion still maintained relevance. African traditional religions in contemporary society. African philosophy is the reflective inquiry into the marvels and problematic that confront one in the african world, in producing systematic explanation and sustained responses to them iroegbu, 1994. African traditional religion atr is the faith of indigenous african people, and the majority of communities in africa south of the sahara desert practise it whilst islam is the dominant religion in north africa. Prior to this contact, each tribe in ghana had its own distinct set of beliefs and practices, which could be referred to as the tribes religion. The tuareg are seminomadic and travel with their herds on a seasonal basis. Tabona shoko analyses the traditional karanga views of the causes of illness and disease, mechanisms of diagnosis at their disposal and the methods they use to restore health, shoko discusses the views of a specific african independent church of the apostolic tradition. This reader may have some knowledge of the religions of other continents, especially asia, and know that hinduism, buddhism and islam are great faiths, with a long history. New religious movements nrm in west african traditional religion.
The traditional spiritual beliefs of the chewa people of zambia. The african traditional religion is an integral part of black africans everyday life. Local african culture was oppressed for many years by white south africans, who find their cultural roots in western countries. Traditional african religion still very relevant in africa. 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. This volume of fourteen chapters examines the nature, structure, and significance of african traditional religion s as dynamic, changing traditions. It is the creation and maintenance, through the academic study of religion, of a new form of life. African traditional religion by describing it with some racially motivated terminologies such as savagism, juju, fetishism, animism, magic, paganism, heathenism and ancestral worship. Some examples rituals and rites abound in yoruba traditional religion. In general, people in the cities confess to either christianity or islam. Each facet of a black africans life is bound to his traditional religious way of life or culture.
They are folk religions, and combine different beliefs. It then highlights the urgent need, in the face of a rapidly changing world, where values are shifting fast, to document for posterity a religion whose tenets have been. It analyzes and interprets several significant aspects of african religions and explores their possible contributions to national development and the modernization process. An african child growing in this environment will uphold african culture, norms. Christianity in africa and in most parts of africa even in india was a precursor of colonisation. Some african religions adopted different views through the influence of islam or even hinduism. African christian scholars and the study of african. African traditional religion was not regarded as a true religion by missionaries, hence it was called heathenism, a religion of the uncivilised. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. View african traditional religions research papers on academia. African traditional religion and christian faith sage journals. Pdf african traditional religion in contemporary africa.
African traditional religions research papers academia. African traditional religion cannot easily be studied by nonafricans. Aug 07, 2014 there are many reasons why i ascribe to my traditional african religion or customs. The traditional spiritual beliefs of the chewa people of zambia, for example, are humancentered and socially oriented. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. African traditional religion simple english wikipedia, the.
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. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional. Islam, african traditional religion contributes to the sustainabl e development of ken ya psychologically. It presents the worldview, philosophical nature and foundation of african traditional religion. 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.
The invention of african traditional religion sciencedirect. The sacred duty of animals in african traditional religion and culture. Christianity in africa and in most parts of africa even in india was a. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional. Pdf to what extent do the resources of african traditional religion atr contribute towards.