[28], West and Central African religious practices generally manifest themselves in communal ceremonies or divinatory rites in which members of the community, overcome by force (or ashe, nyama, etc. Among Niger–Congo-speakers is a belief in a creator God, force or higher deity, which is considered by some to be a widespread and ancient feature of Niger-Congo-cultures,[19][20][21] along with other more specialized deities, ancestor spirits, territorial spirits, and beings, as well as evil caused by human ill will and neglecting ancestor spirits, and priests of territorial spirits. Traditional healer of South Africa performing a divination by reading the bones. The religion of the Yoruba is finding roots in the Islands of the Caribbean and potions of Central and South America. There are generally no prohibitions against the practice. Some recognize a dual God and Goddess such as Mawu-Lisa. The most important thing is that in the new South Africa religion and spirituality are used to create greater understanding and harmony rather than to divide people as was done in the past. Ngai is the creator and giver of all things, ‘the Divider of the Universe and Lord of Nature’. Since Africa is a large continent with many ethnic groups and cultures, there is not one single technique of casting divination. Practices and rituals. Traditional African religion is very popular and arrived here with our North and West African ancestors. The two Abrahamic religions are widespread across Africa, though mostly concentrated in different areas. Adherents of traditional religions in Sub-Saharan Africa are distributed among 43 countries and are estimated to number over 100 million. The difference between powerful spirits and gods is often minimal. Main article: List of African mythological figures. He gave birth to the human community, created the first Kikuyu communities, and provided them with all the resources necessary for life: land, rain, plants and animals. Yet Ngai is not the distant God that we know in the West. In Christian or Islamic communities, religious beliefs are also sometimes characterized with syncretism with the beliefs and practices of traditional religions. [30], Followers of traditional African religions pray to various spirits as well as to their ancestors. Diviner (also known as priest) are also sought for their wisdom as counselors in life and for their knowledge of herbal medicine. "Traditional Religion", in his. [10][11][12][13][14] The two Abrahamic religions are widespread across Africa, though mostly concentrated in different areas. ), are excited to the point of going into meditative trance in response to rhythmic or driving drumming or singing. Also, this practice can also give rise to those in these trances uttering words which, when interpreted by a culturally educated initiate or diviner, can provide insight into appropriate directions which the community (or individual) might take in accomplishing its goal. He also notes that most modern African folk religions were strongly influenced by non-African religions, mostly Christianity and Islam and thus may differ from the ancient forms. Therefore, one... […] Sunni Muslims perform the following: […]. They have replaced indigenous African religions, but are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. [35] The deities and spirits are honored through libation or sacrifice (of animals, vegetables, cooked food, flowers, semi-precious stones and precious metals). [26][20][21][27], Traditional African medicine is also directly linked to traditional African religions. Followers of traditional African religions pray to various spirits as well as to their ancestors. [15], Followers of traditional African religions are also found around the world. [18], Traditional African religions can be broken down into linguistic cultural groups, with common themes. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 1996. All aspects of weather, thunder, lightning, rain, day, moon, sun, stars, and so on may become amenable to control through the cosmology of African people. [33], 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. ), are excited to the point of going into meditative trance in response to rhythmic or driving drumming or singing. 17–19, Parrinder, Geoffrey. According to Clemmont E. Vontress, the various religious traditions of Africa are united by a basic Animism. The will of the gods or spirits is sought by the believer also through consultation of divinities or divination. In many cases, Africans who have converted to other religions have still kept up their traditional customs and practices, combining them in a syncretic way. [6][1] The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing nature with the supernatural. This builds skills at separating the feelings elicited by this mindset from their situational manifestations in daily life. An African understanding, The List: The World's Fastest-Growing Religions, "US study sheds light on Africa's unique religious mix", Ian S. Markham,(A World Religions Reader. Today, the continent's various populations and individuals are mostly adherents of Christianity, Islam, and to a lesser extent several traditional African religions. African Religions: A Very Short Introduction. Britannica Book of the Year 2003. [36] Traditional African religions embrace natural phenomena – ebb and tide, waxing and waning moon, rain and drought – and the rhythmic pattern of agriculture. For the Kikuyu, according to their primary supreme creator, Ngai, acting through the lesser deities, is believed to speak to and be capable of guiding the virtuous person as one’s conscience. The practice of casting may be done with small objects, such as bones, cowrie shells, stones, strips of leather, or flat pieces of wood. In many traditional African religions, there is a belief in a cyclical nature of reality. West and Central African religious practices generally manifest themselves in communal ceremonies or divinatory rites in which members of the community, overcome by force (or ashe, nyama, etc. The traditional African religions or traditional beliefs and practices of African people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. According to him, the belief in spirits and ancestors is the most important element of African religions. 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