Western scholars, such as sir james frazier, had had a fascination with african religions, either from the scientific point of view, as a phenomenon to be studied, or from a missionary point of view. For the african, to live is to be caught up in a religious drama mbiti 1999. Europeans quest were aimed at imposing imperial ideologies and pilfering african resources. African traditional religion atr or african religion in this paper gave meaning and a sense of purpose to all aspects of thought and action cf. African traditional religion, rituals, worldview, healing, postwar healing 1. African traditional religion, taught as a component of religious and moral education, helps pupils to appreciate and tolerate other religions. This is followed by a definition of african traditional religion. An examination of terminologies used for describing the indigenous faith of african people, using an afrocentric paradigm by nana osei bonsu, b.
Africa traditional religious system as basis of understanding. 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 study attempts to trace the meaning of african traditional religion and the roots of the. Since african traditional religion, promotes integral development that goes beyond mere economic globalization, this paper defends the thesis that atr plays a very important role in the. Major challenges facing africa in the 21st century.
African religion and religion education university of cape town. In general, people communicate with mwari through the vadzimu. Christianity and islam have in turn been influenced by traditional religion muzorewa 1985. Nondo, african traditional religions in religious education utrecht, utrecht university, 1992, 2951. African traditional religion atr or african religion in this paper gave meaning and a sense. This paper therefore, aims at exploring the role of the traditional religion in sustaining african values, human relations in particular in spite of the challenges of globalization.
The essence of african traditional religion church life. African christian scholars and the study of african traditional. Apr 01, 2009 african traditional religion atr as a contested phrase in most publications, african religion is commonly referred to as african traditional religion atr. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan traditional area of the central region. The study of african traditional religion and its challenges in. African traditional religion in a globalizing world arc journals. Arguably, womens experiences of being in the world and their aspirations to transcend the world of men are reflected in the mwari religion despite the tendency in earlier studies to deal with the religion. This designation is, however, a contested description of african religiosity. Johnson, understanding african traditional religion. The study of african religion has recently become a special field of inquiry with a.
It also shows the dependence on a supreme power in almighty god whose blessings are released through the intermediaries who are ever presence and can be emotionally felt via the akomfo or the mediums. He tried to demonstrate the applicability of the phenomenological method in the study of african traditional religion. Mbiti regards african traditional religion s atrs as monotheism and as a praeparatio evangelica, and maintains that the christian god is the same as the god worshipped in atrs. Using kenya as a case study, this paper, drawing from africas religious worldview, urges religious groups in africa to inculcate in their adherents the importance. Nevertheless, the african traditional religion has played a remarkable role in sustaining such values but with serious challenges. The meaning and nature of african philosophy in a globalising. The essence and existence of god in african traditional religion. Orientalism western conceptions of the orient london, penguin books, 1995, 10.
This belief, just as in the case of the previous one, has a theological basis the plurality of divinities polytheism. A person must be born in a particular african people in order to be able to follow african religion. African traditional religion religion is a difficult subject to inquiry including attempts at definition and conception. To mbiti 1969, african religions and philosophy is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of africa and affects the way of life of most african people. In africa, the traditional belief systems hold the ascription. Exploring the african traditional belief systems in. The ancestors are believed to be disembodied spirits of people who lived upright lives here on earth, died good and natural deaths, that is at a ripe old age, and received. It is important to note that all this is happening in a religious pluralistic african. Feb, 20 the continued influence of traditional african religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life.
Traditional african religions and their influences on the. A critical analysis on african traditional religion and. O ne scholar who has written extensively on african traditional religion is john mbiti, a kenyan whom many consider the dean of living african theologians. Religion is often used to deny women their fundamental human rights. First, it is to make pupils understand what african traditional religion is, as a religion independent from christianity. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religions of the african people. Key debates on the african continent surrounding the central concepts of mainstream international relations, including the state, power, and self. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. Local african culture was oppressed for many years by white south africans, who find their cultural roots in. Importance of religion and religious beliefs pew research. In sierra leone, botswana, and burkina faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. The paper attempts to demonstrate the vast potentials of oral tradition as a vehicular access to understanding african beliefs and practices.
The role of the african traditional religion in the promotion. Traditional religion, christianity and islam, this article investigates the role of. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the africans. Religion and social transformation in africa scielo sa. Apr 03, 2021 african traditional religion have a future for many reasons. This study which is the product of library research and fieldwork seeks, on account of the persistent marginalisation of african traditional religion atr in sierra leone by islam and christianity, to investigate the place of atr in interreligious encounters in the country since the advent of islam and christianity.
The study of african spirituality in its own right is a recent phenomenon. African culture has experienced rapid change since the colonial invasion. Aim of the study this study has the following aims and objectives. African traditional religion is very pragmatic and apply to the need as it arises. While religion remains important in the lives of most americans, the 2014 religious landscape study finds that americans as a whole have become somewhat less religious in recent years by certain traditional measures of religious commitment. African traditional religion atr or african religion in this paper gave. African traditional religion is a debatable subject among scholars of religions in africa. Phenomenological study of religion can be defined as the personal participation of a scholar in the religion he seeks to study in order to understand the essence and the manifestations of the. These figures represent people who primarily follow african traditional religion. The application of the bible and the christian gospel to this. They counteracted various derogatory names given to air. Arguably, womens experiences of being in the world and their aspirations to transcend the world of men are reflected in the mwari religion despite the tendency in earlier studies to deal with the religion as an. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on.
The fact that there are no written scriptures by the votaries of african traditional religion, does not in any way mean that the concept of the supreme being does not exist in their ontology. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. African traditional religion cannot easily be studied by nonafricans. The reason for studying african religion in postcolonial. In african traditional life, the individual is immersed in religious participation that starts before birth and continues after death. This is the popular assumption amongst many african theologians of which maluleke 1994 is one example. African traditional religion atr and cultural practices in most parts of african communities are environmentally friendly and sustainable, contributing so much to natural resource sustainability and conservation international institute for environment and development iied, 1992.
The interdisciplinary journal of study abroad volume xxx, issue 1, winter 2018 2018 michael t. African traditional religion african studies oxford. Some perspectives to the study of religion in africa, seminar paper. A number of challenges face the continent in the 21st century. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. The religious and social role and function of this belief must be thoroughly studied and understood. Religions of africa 1985 that one of the most fascinating aspects of our. 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. It also touches on limitations encountered, significance of the study, an assumption, methodology, chapter organization and definition of terms. Attributes of god refers to words or phrases ascribing traits, properties, qualities or characteristics to the. Held at nnamdi azikiwe university, awka, chike okoli multipurpose hall.
Ama ata aidoo,2 an authoress of african literature states, i should go on to insist that every man and every woman should be a feminist especially if they believe that africans should take charge of african land, african wealth, african. The role of african traditional religion, culture and worldview in. Introduction the article is based on a research project carried out in partial fulfillment of the requirements for award of doctoral degree. 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. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religion of the african people. To create an understanding of the global context within which religion and culture operate. Its study has to go handinhand with the study of the people who practise the religion. African traditional religion has also been the source of inspiration ofre which africa is known, and included in theses are art, music, social institutions, politically systems and the ancient civilization. Respondents were also appreciative of the fact that african tradi tional religion is part of their cultural heritage. The role of the african traditional religion in the. These teachers sacrificed their time in teaching african traditional religion in their classes. Guineabissau, liberia, and the ivory coast african religion is the majority religion.
The study was carried out in the southern sudan between november 2009 and march 2010 in some of the areas occupied by the dinka community. The belief occupies an important place in the understanding of the role of the traditional religion in inculcating the ideals of culture and religion among african peoples. Religion is core to the diverse interactions existing between humans in almost every society. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. Because religion is a way of life, it relates to culture and society as they affect the. For a history of the study of african traditional religions in zimbabwe see g. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional. The african ejournals project has digitized full text of. This study which is the product of library research and fieldwork seeks, on account of the persistent marginalisation of african traditional religion atr in sierra leone by islam and christianity, to investigate the place of atr in interreligious encounters in.
First, it begins by a study of the meaning of religion, which itself is enigmatic and elusive. African traditional religions religion in zimbabwe. To make a link between globalisation, religion, culture and gender. To reflect on how globalisation, accompanied by religion and culture can create and perpetuate gender inequalities. Peace building through ecumenical and interfaith dialogue. The inception, evangelization and missionary activities of christianity and islam in nkusukumekumfienyan traditional area in the central region of ghana resulted in the conversions of the indigenous people, mainly, from african traditional religion atr to. In particular, it impacts on gender relations and consequently on how women are treated in society and the home. A resource book with special reference to zimbabwe. African identity and culture are preserved in african traditional religion. A definition 1973, omosade awolalu in yoruba belief and sacrificial rites and john mbiti in the concept of god in africa 1970 are a few examples of postcolonial scholars of religion who have resisted and denounced colonial idea that africans do not know god. Pdf phenomenological approach to the study of religion. Major issues in the study of african traditional religion, in jacob olupona ed. Pdf the teaching of african traditional religion in primary.
A study of african theologies of inculturation and. Christianity and the african traditional religions. 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. The study was carried out in the southern sudan between november 2009 and march 2010 in. A paper presented at the 2014 conference of the association of african traditional religion and philosophy scholars. The traditional spiritual beliefs of the chewa people of zambia, for example, are humancentered and socially oriented. We must study west african traditional religion in order to discover its abiding values in a world whose moral and intellectual inadequacies are selfevident, and to apprehend the truth which it represents.
Oral sources and the study of african traditional religion. International journal of african and asian studies. Mbiti explains that though the knowledge of god as the supreme being is not. Most importantly, for our purpose here, there are no sacred scriptures or written literature of any kind. The people from europe, america, and asia cannot be converted to african religion as it is more removed from their geographical and cultural setting.
The role of african traditional religion, culture and world. Traditional religions have had tremendous influence on africans in their thought processes, belief systems, and worldviews. An important preoccupation of mbitis work has been to show that knowledge of god and the worship of god have been staples of african life from the earliest times on the continent. And we agree with professor idowu that the purpose of the study should be. Shona mwari literally he who is, or ndebele umlimu, is believed to be active in the everyday lives of people. Understanding human relations in african traditional.
It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society and so on. African traditional religion atr refers to the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the african people. African traditional religion and concepts of development. 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. Ndemanu 71 there is an inescapable embeddedness of traditional african religions in peoples ways of thinking and knowing to a point that it is nearly impossible to extricate oneself from it without strong. Initiation in african traditional religion opus wurzburg. Contemporary african culture is a mixture of traditional elements and alien features. Introduction the question of the nature of african philosophy has engaged the minds of african philosophers for decades. The academic study of african traditional religions hereafter atrs is now a. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. Religion has an extremely powerful influence over peoples lives. Aylward shorter,6 a lecturer in african studies at the catholic higher institute, writes that religion is a fundamental mode of cultural behaviour. It is interesting to note that african traditional religion is being studied in many. The role of african traditional religion, culture and.
In recent years, scholars have recognized the important ways in which african and religion are western constructs involving both misconceptions and. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by. The role of african traditional religion and culturea case study of berekum traditional area samuel awuahnyamekye submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy the university of leeds school of philosophy, religion and the history of science october, 20. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of former generations. 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. Local african culture was oppressed for many years by white south africans, who find their cultural roots in western countries. The best interpreter of african religion is the african with a disciplined mind and the requisite technical tools. Jan 28, 20 among them is the humanity in african traditional religion where the centre of the practice are humans and how to meet their needs wholistically.
Aug 22, 2000 the traditional african understanding and the interpretation of christianity have deep roots in these fundamental beliefs of the african traditional religions. Since then, african scholars argued that this practice continued even after independence in the continent. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional. Some religions do not allow women to occupy decisionmaking positions, with the result that. Pdf the teaching of african traditional religion in.
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