NAME: DAVY MUSHEKWA

COURSE: ETHICS AND THEOLOGY IN AFRICAN CONTEXT

ASSIGNMENT: NUMBER TWO

DUE DATE: 31ST MAY, 2023

Topic: African Tradition Religion

Thesis: African are Religious People

OUTLINE

I. Introduction
- Description
- Brief background
II. Africans are Religious People
III. Every activity of an African is connected to African Religion
- African concept of Divinities
- Spiritual connection to nature and Shrines
- Myths, Stories/fables, Proverbs and Rituals
- Pregnancy, Birth, Puberty, Procreation and Death
IV. Conclusion.
Introduction

What is African Traditional Religion? Macgaffey and Goshadze (2022) “explain that it is
used in two complementary sense. They state that it encompasses all African beliefs and
practices that are considered religious but neither Christian nor Islamic.” African Traditional
Religion is actually a way of life by most Africans. It is practices by both people who live in
the villages and modern cities. Further definition is given by Awolalu (1975) that “African
Traditional Religion is an indigenous beliefs and practices of the Africans. It is the religion
which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forbearers of the present Africans, and
which is being practiced today in various forms and various shades and intensities by very
large number of Africans, including individuals who claim to be Muslims and Christians”
When an African child is born and as growth is taking place, they are orally introduced to
these traditions and ritual which impact on their lives. These beliefs are later embraced as
religion.

Africans are very religious people in the way they live in communities commonly known as
villages. Whatever they do and wherever they go and any event they attend and celebrate it
all points to the fact that they are religious. Though African Traditional Religion is not the
only religion in Africa, Lugira (2009) says that it is the only one that originates from within
Africa. In his preface, Mbiti (1969) says that African Religions deals almost exclusively with
traditional concepts and practices in those societies which have not been either Christian or
Muslim in any deep way, before the colonial period in Africa.

This paper will discuss among several items African concepts on divinities, spiritual
connections to nature and prayer life. It will further explore how Religion is passed on
through myths, proverbs, stories and rituals. The conclusion will be on birth, puberty,
procreation and death and funeral rites.

Main Body

(a) Supreme Being and Spirits

African believe that there is God who superintends on other gods and spiritual beings.
African Religion, unlike others, Christianity and Islam do not have written verses or
scripture. Their beliefs are recited over and over and kept in their hearts. African Religions do
not have founding fathers like others do but have heroes and famous people who they revere
and regard as divinities in their community. Lugira (2009:39) stresses that in African
Traditional Religions the attributes of God who is also known as a Supreme Being are:

- God is the creator of all things

The above explanation indicates that Africans have an understanding that God, the Supreme
Being is the one who absolutely oversees human beings lives and it also strongly believed
that apart from the Supreme Being, there are other spirits that govern people’s day to day
lives. Lugira (2009:46) narrates that “functions of day to day in human life is delegated to the
less important gods.” It is believed that these gods are made up of superhuman beings –
beings that occupy the spiritual universe between gods and humanity and space between
heaven and earth.

In African Traditional Religion, it is highly believed that every space in the universe is
occupied by spirits that is why most Africans embrace taboos and rituals. The Yoruba tribe
for instance (Lugira 2009) have a Supreme Being known as Olodumore followed by the
associate gods. Prayers are offered to these gods depending on what they needed in life. In
their prayers they would specify which god they are praying to. This is so because different
gods are delegated over specific issues of life, if they needed rain their prayer would be to a
god in charge of rain and if they needed success or prosperity in their under taking, prayer
would be made to a god associated with that aspect.

Spirits are also said to occupy certain places such as enormous maintains, extra ordinary
appearance of a tree and or a vast plain. Every place and event has an attachment to an
African religion. This means that every activity of an African community acknowledges the
involvement of the Supreme Being and other associate gods.

(b) Myths, Proverbs, Stories and Rituals

Culture, rites and rituals are a corner stone of African Traditional Religion. Religious
activities take place at shrines, a place reserved for serious interaction with the gods. Shrine
are also place that are no-go areas for ordinary people! They are reserved for old people who
are traditionally and religiously enlightened to handle sacred instruments at shrines. Unlike
other religions that build structure for worship, Lugira (2009:6) states that in African Religion
Shrine are used and placed according to the traditions of the particular geographical areas.
These places of religious activities can be found on mountains and other places believed to be
dwelling places of gods.

African Traditional Religions are passed on and sustained through various ways of
communication. They are passed on through myths, stories and proverbs. Elderly people are
traditionally tasked to inculcate beliefs by telling stories and proverbs. Beliefs passed on
through this method have a high rate of retention and people taught in this way tend not to
forget because these traditional lessons are given in form of entertainment. Most Africans,
rich or poor, educated or not are not atheists!

Myths – these are sacred beliefs human beings, spiritual world and Supreme Being and how
they relate to creation.

Stories and Fables – narration that have an illustration and moral teachings. They are a way
of passing down ethics and good behaviour

Proverbs – short sayings that express a recognised truth and because it is repeated over and
over, it is easy to remember. This is how they express their beliefs in God and how He works

(c) Birth, Puberty and Procreation

Lugira (2009:64) observes that African Religion includes rites of passage, “rites of passage
are rites that have to do with the human life cycle……..these are stages that include birth,
childhood, puberty and initiation, marriage, aging and death” When a woman is pregnant, the
African belief is that the gods have come down to favour the woman. Helping a woman to
deliver a baby is also a religion and sacred activity and well experienced woman is called on
to be a midwife. The placenta and the umbilical cord are kept and disposed off religiously.
Traditionally symbolizing death to life in the womb and alive to life in the society as a child.
As stated earlier, in African tribes, communities or village, religion is practised wherever
people are and whatever they are doing – farming, making fire, weddings, installation of
chiefs and funerals.

In an African set up, Mbiti (1969:19) states that, “Religion starts before birth and continues
after death.” When a child is born he or she is immediately introduced to religion – the name
given to the child must be approved by the gods. African children are usually named after
their ancestors especially those who left a good legacy. This activity goes to show that their
beloved departed ancestors have come back to live among their people. The children are
strictly accorded ‘rite of passage’ through life teachings. As they approach puberty, boys are
taught life skills of farming, hunting and fishing. They are also taught how to look after
animals, to preserve forests and building structure such as huts. The elderly people in the
villages also take it upon themselves to show young people herbs that can be used as
medicine for first aid in cases of minor ailments and snake bites. Young men are also taught
basic hygiene and how to look after weaker people such as women and the elderly in society.
When a young man is about to get married, an experienced traditional counsellor is organised
by his relatives to help the young man prepare for life in marriage.

Girls are equally trained to understand their role in society. She is immediately made to
understand that she is not the same as boys. Girls are taught how to do house chores such as
cleaning houses, fetching water and preparing meals. In most African communities, young
ladies are made to be secluded from other family members when they reach puberty. It is
believed that these young ladies are taught everything from hygiene to life in marriage. Like
their male counterparts, they are taken under tutorage of experienced and respected women in
the village. After several months of teachings, the family members with the help of the entire
village, organise an initiation ceremony. This is a big celebration where the young lady
showcases her knowledge of what she was taught. This event is of cause not without religious
attachments!

(c) Death and Funeral Rites

Ruddock (no date) says that Death and funeral rituals in Africa are deeply rooted in the
cultural beliefs, traditions, and indigenous religions of the continent. They are guided by
Africans' view of existence after death and the power and role of the deceased ancestor. This
statement is further emphasised by Mbiti (1969) when he states that death stands between the
world of human beings and the spirit and between the visible and the invisible. Rituals and
myths surround this event. When there is death, depending on who has died, the
announcement must be according to custom and African Religion. The death of a chief, for
instance, is not announced until after several days, weeks or months. Customs must be
followed and rituals must be done before society can be informed about the death.

When there is death, in an African setting, any of the following are considered as the cause:

- Witchcraft
 - Sorcery
- Curses
- Evil magic
- Diseases
- Evil spirit
- Old age

Rituals connected to death Mbiti (1969) are more elaborate. The grave is never dug anyhow,
there should be an elderly person who should choose the location, perform a ritual and allow
diggers to start digging usually from east to west. Some of the funeral and burial rites are as
follows:

In some communities, the corpse is washed using water and herbal medicine in order to
preserve and send it clean to the spirit world.

In some communities, the dead are buried with their belonging e.g. food, animals, bows,
arrows. They believe that the dead will need those things in the spirit world.

Pregnant women and children are not allowed to touch or come in close contact with the
corpse so that misfortunes do not befall them.

The dead are buried in a carefully selected place in the ancestral land so that the spirits
continue to be close to the family.

The body is carefully placed in the grave facing an appropriate direction according to the
customs of the people.

In some communities the bodies are properly dressed before disposal while others, the dead
are buried naked in the belief that they will be reborn in the spirit world.

The grave is respected by being protected and made a family shrine particularly in cases
where the dead were the head of the family. People avoid walking over the grave.

Before and during burial, the members of the family and all relatives enter a period of
mourning. Normal activities are temporarily halted in some communities this period is
marked by people smearing their bodies with white clay; others stop washing their bodies,
stop eating or refrain from sexual intercourse.
During this period there is singing and dancing of mourning songs as a way of expressing
sorrow and sending off the departed to the next world.

In some communities there is feasting and beer drinking.

After burial, close relatives shave their hair as a sign that one of their members has been
separated from them and for cleansing impurities. The new hair grown shows that life
continues after death.

Africans believe that the dead are not gone and forgotten. They are just translated from the
physical world to the spiritual world. The soul is separated from the body and changes from
being soul to being a spirit Lugira (2009:50).The presence of the dead is acknowledged
through rituals and the dead are even given a higher respect.

Conclusion

It has being considered deeply, by many writers on African Tradition Religion that African
are a very religious people. This religion endeared by most people, rich or poor, educated or
not is introduced to people long before they are born and way after they die. They have great
recognition that there is a Supreme Being who is creator of all things, who is absolutely in
control of the universe, provider for all creation and possessor of everything. There is also a
strong belief that the Supreme Being delegates His powers to lesser gods who occupy the
spiritual realm.

An African’s life is about religion. When a child is born, there is religious activity taking
place to name a child. When they reach puberty, marriage and into procreation stage, myths,
rituals and other religious activities take place.

African Traditions and Religion is more evident when there is an occurrence of death in the
community. There are so many taboos, rituals and cultural norms that are observed from the
day of death to the burial day. Funeral rites are strictly adhered to. It is strongly believed that
the dead are not gone and forgotten but that they are translated from the community of the
living to that of the dead and their presence may still be experienced through rituals. Africans
are religious people.
REFERENCES

Awolalu O J – Studies in Comparative Religion Vol 9 # 1 (Winter, 1975)

Baloyi T G – Studia Hist. Ecc Vol 48 #1 Pretoria (2022) ) http://dx.doi.org/10.25159/2412-

Lugira M A - African Traditional Religion 3ed, 2009, Chelsea House an Imprint of Infobase
Publishing, New York, NY 10001 USA

Mbiti S J – African Religions and Philosophy 1969, Doubleday and Company Inc. Garden
City, New York

Ruddock V – Love to know (no date) https://www.lovetoknow.com Accessed on 26th May,

Wyatt MacGaffey, Mariam Goshadze – (2022) https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com,