The importance of ritual in indigenous African tradition cannot be overstated. In Africa funerals are considered a means of formally separating the dead from the living and of introducing an individual into the world of the spirit. Male circumcision is a practice that is being carried out in Africa like … Interesting Facts about Traditional Religions of Ancient Africa Generally considered living aspects of the supreme deity, these spirits may hold power over humans, who are usually unaware of them. The Beckwith Fisher Archive contains approximately 500,000 photographic images, diaries, field journals, drawings, video recordings, and museum-scale exhibition materials. See more ideas about African, Africa, African culture. VIDEO:  Funeral Rituals: Mali. The pregnant wo… As in the Christian and Muslim faiths, the supreme being of African religions possesses attributes that define him as the opposite of humans—immortal, all powerful, all knowing, and incapable of error. Revivalism Ceremonies. South Africa is blessed with rich cultures, one of which is its traditional wedding ceremony. Bassari Initiate Drinking from a Ritual Calabash, Bassari Initiates Reentering the Village from the Sacred Forest, Shai Initiates Performing the Klama Dance, Maasai Warrior with Ostrich-Feather Headdress, Maasai Warriors Arriving at Eunoto Ceremony, Maasai Initiates Receiving Blessings of Elders, Dinka Girls Socializing at the Cattle Camp, Wodaabe Male Charm Dancers with Female Judge, Wodaabe Men Performing Geerewol Beauty Dance, Possessed Ashanti Priest Receiving Assistance, Oro Efe Masks Emerging from the Sacred Forest, Oblameji Ancestor Mask Entering Egungun Festival, Arrival of King Opoku Ware II at His Silver Jubilee. Of all the tribal traditions, this one is arguably the most magical. Humans are seen as a combination of physical and spiritual elements, which split into separate parts at the time of death, with the body returning to the earth and the spirit or soul passing on to assume its role in the afterlife. Maize porridge is ooked in a calabash with no bottom. It is to rituals, dances, masquerades, storytelling and folk celebrations with all their theatrical elements, then, that one must look for such an African definition. Well-known examples include the bori cult of northern Nigeria and the zar cult of northeastern Africa, in which women possessed by spirits form cult groups around the particular possessing spirits. Rites of passage have value for both the individual and the community. Sooth Saying-Puff Adder In Mouth. Another form of communication with the spirit world is the practice of divination. The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content. Their aim has been to document as fully and artistically as possible the traditional rituals that persist more or less unchanged, even in the modern world. Often referred to as “religion,” most Native Americans did not consider their spirituality, ceremonies, and rituals as “religion,” in the way that Christians do.Rather, their beliefs and practices form an integral and seamless part of their very being. During these events usually an offering is made to honour, please and thank the ancestors. Other common African myths deal with the relationship between humans and animals and the differences in the natures of men and women. A man lies with a mortar on his chest, while shea nuts are pounded in the vessel causing no harm to the man underneath. These rites are among the most sacred and significant in many of Africa’s communities. Across the world, communities mark major transitions in life through celebrations and ceremonies. Among the creatures represented are the ox, serpent, wart hog, antelope and owl. Although either men or women may be possessed, the majority who reach this state are women. Body painting is performed by the Surma both to beautify and to make men more formidable in combat. Generally the rituals called on the spirits of ancestors or the spirits of nature for help and assistance. to the accompaniment of Voodoo drum rhythms, worshippers spin into possessed states and perform extraordinary feats after summoning the powr of their god through a series of offerings made in the Koku fetish shrine. The upheaval caused by European colonization of Africa inspired many prophets who promoted political as well as religious change, including some who led their followers into battle for independence. Individuals must be selected for the honor and then receive proper funeral rites. As divine beings, rulers in many African cultures traditionally symbolize the welfare of the state and are responsible for the security and prosperity of their people. Diviners, the men and women who perform divination, are believed to speak for spiritual forces. Finally, at the end of the festival, the power of Koku leaves the bodies of the worshippers, and they lie exhausted on the sand. The Nguni in southern Africa call the slaying of the ox "the returning ox," because the beast accompanies the deceased back home to his or her family and enables the deceased to act as a protecting ancestor. This is considered particularly important during the annual Donga stick-fight tournament, when males battle with six-foot wooden poles to prove masculinity and win the hands of the most desirable women. Masquerades: Bedik Harvest Masks, Senegal. A type of divination called oracle consultation is sometimes used to determine guilt. “Beckwith and Fisher know very well that much of Africa has come fully into the twenty-first century. In almost every instance, as life changes, Africans appeal to spiritual forces for help and guidance. Once every 12 years, the Dogon hold a communal funeral ceremony known as the Dama to honor the passing of deceased villagers into the afterworld. Feasting, dancing, animal sacrifice A major distinction from one African religion to another is that each has its own unique set of spirits. Thirty years ago American-born Carol Beckwith and Australian Angela Fisher met in Kenya and began a relationship with the African continent that would profoundly alter and shape their lives. The individuals chosen vary from one society to another but may include men who have fathered children and women who were the firstborn in their families. In all intiation ceremonies, a select group of elders takes charge of the sequence of ritual events. When the time approaches for the birth, the liminal phase of the ritual begins. Believed to originate outside the individual, these forms of evil may affect the body and eventually cause it to break down and disintegrate. Diviners are called upon to reveal the causes of illmess and suffering and to discern an individual's personal destiny. Often performed on a regular basis, sacrifices are usually conducted to remove contamination caused by existing conditions. Children are encouraged to take an active part in communal ceremonies and thereby begin their first steps on a journey that encompasses all the realms of human experience. Hundreds of millions of Africans now claim one of these faiths as their chosen religion, and More than 30 percent of what is recorded in the Beckwith Fisher Collection no longer exists. The creation story emphasizes the separation between humans and the divine, which is often represented by the division between the earth and the sky. In the Zulu community in South Africa, a traditional healer locally … Traditional African marriages comprise a series of ceremonies that range in length from a day to a week. From ancient times to today, Africa is rich with transitions of birth to death with hair rituals, traditions, and ceremonies. In all African societies, childhood is a time for learning responsibilities and skills that enable children to contribute to their communities. Togolese people in traditional clothes dance the religious voodoo dance. A strong collective future in an uncertain world depends on families working together, and the common goal of survival is often put ahead of personal pleasure. Through these “journeys of the spirit,” as the West African shaman and teacher Maildoma Patrice Some has called them, people are able to transcend the everyday concerns of life to connect with their own spirits and with the spirit world. Although African rites of passage appear similar, there is notable difference in the style of celebration. Yoruba Oro Efe masks emerge from the sacred forest, invoking blessings for the annual Gelede festival, which ensures the continued protection of the mother God, Iya Nla. Many Africans regard myths as representing basic truths, though they may be clothed in fanciful narratives. VIDEO:  Masquerades: Yoruba Gelede Masks, Benin. Here are some common African initiation rituals. ", — Don Johanson, Director, Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University. According to Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, death rituals in Africa are to ensure that the deceased is properly put to rest so his spirit is at peace and he can take his place among the protective ancestors. African history is filled with the appearance of prophets who have come from outside the community to reform or reshape a society and its religion. The common experiences that they undergo during the intiation period also bind the individuals together and reinforce the idea of community. In addition to regular sacrifices, special purification sacrifices can be performed at any time to heal individuals struck down by sickness, physical or psychological harm, or moral impurity. Slaughtering and cooking the animal carries away the person's sin or sickness. Remedies for the problem are based on this rivalry and may include forcing the accused person to withdraw the evil or misfortune. These ceremonies are rooted in healing rituals dating back to before the enslavement of African peoples and the conquest of Mexicans in North America. From ancient times, African societies have marked the transitioins of the life cycle, from birth to death, with rites of passage. The mediums often wear clothing or eat foods that symbolize the “wilderness” that is the source of their special knowledge. Africans use divination to explain and combat forms of evil and to identify its source—either spirits or other humans. They also play a role in drawing attention both to the individual's emergence from childhood and the assumption of responsibilities associated with adult life. This … Their numerous photographic exhibitions have received acclaim in museums and galleries throughout the world, including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, National Geographic Museum, Smithsonian Museum of African Art, Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, Borges Cultural Center of Buenos Aires, National Museums of Kenya, and venues in Australia, Europe, and Japan. During this festival, masks representing all aspects of the Dogon world enter the village to reestablish order and drive out any remaining spirits that might bring chaos to the community. It can also be initiated by spirits through possession of humans. This constitutes the separation phase, which involves women preparing the room by polishing the floor with cow dung. One of their most integral tribal traditions is the trance dance (also known as the healing dance). The Foundation is also dedicated to carrying out community and individual projects, serving the needs of the groups with whom Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher have lived. However, while the God of Christians and Muslims is concerned about all humans, the supreme deity of African religions generally cares only for the people of a particular society. VIDEO: After harvest, Surma men paint each other's bodies with intricate patterns, using a paste made from chalk found at the riverbank. In fact, most African languages lack a word that could be translated as “religion,” and many of the words associated with the idea have a meaning closer to “custom” or “proper behavior” than to “religion.”. A typical birth ritual among the Ndebele-speaking people of Zimbabwe begins with the woman leaving her husband during her ninth month of pregnancy to go to her own parents' home. It evokes sacredness and intentionality. Men touch white-hot swords with their tongues and slash at their bodies with shards of glass - all without injury. The fact is that Africa is prodigiously rich in rituals of all kinds. Many prophets have founded new Christian churches that focus on African concerns, including healing, well-being, material success, and long life. Unjust or unexplained misfortune is typically blamed on humans known as witches and sorcerers. The significance of the rites is to introduce the candidates to adult life. In recent times, prophets have drawn heavily on ideas and symbols from Islam and Christianity. Possession is seen as a mystical link between the person being possessed and the spiritual agent that takes control. Most still turn to local gods for help with traditional problems or situations. Death is the final passage in a long chain of transitions. Together they send a plea to the spirit world asking for a successful harvest. 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