Traditional African religions facts for kids
Traditional African religions are the old beliefs and practices of people in Africa. There are many different kinds of these religions. They are usually passed down by telling stories, singing songs, and holding festivals, not by written books. People believe in spirits, higher and lower gods, and sometimes a main creator god. They also respect their ancestors (family members who have died). Magic and traditional medicine are often part of these beliefs. Many of these religions believe that spirits live in nature and objects, which is called animism. They might also believe in many gods (polytheism) or that God is in everything (pantheism). People often see their role as keeping nature and the spirit world in balance.
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Where these Religions are Found
More than 100 million people in 43 countries in Africa follow traditional religions.
Today, most Africans follow Christianity or Islam. But many still mix their traditional beliefs with these religions. Christianity and Islam are very common in Africa. They have often taken the place of older African religions. However, they have also changed to fit African cultures and beliefs. Ideas like believing in one creator god, which is common in Christianity and Islam, came into African religions a long time ago.
Followers of traditional African religions also live all over the world. For example, the Yoruba religion is growing in the Caribbean Islands and parts of Central and South America. In the United States, Voodoo is more common in states near the Gulf of Mexico.
Basic Beliefs
Traditional African religions are built on complex ideas about spirits living everywhere. This includes worshipping special gods who protect places or people, respecting nature, honoring ancestors, and believing in life after death. These ideas are similar to other old religions around the world, like Japanese Shinto. Some religions believe in a main creator god along with other gods and spirits. Others believe in many gods, spirits, and other supernatural beings. Traditional African religions also include beliefs about totemism (special connections to animals or plants), shamanism (spiritual healing), and respecting special objects.
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Like many old traditions, African religions share their stories and beliefs by talking, not writing. These traditions are not just rules for religion. They are a way of life passed down through stories and myths. Family, community, and nature are very important. Followers believe that the spirits of their ancestors guide them. Many traditional African religions have spiritual leaders or priests. These people are important for keeping the community's spiritual life strong. There are also healers who can tell the future and give advice, much like shamans. These healers are often chosen by ancestors or gods. They go through special training to learn about healing herbs and other mystical skills. Traditional African religions believe that ancestors stay connected to their living family. Most ancestor spirits are kind. If they cause small illnesses, it's usually a warning that someone is going down the wrong path.
Native African religions focus on honoring ancestors, believing in a spirit world, supernatural beings, and free will. People (and important animals or objects) who have died still exist in the spirit world. They can affect or interact with the physical world. Believing in many gods was common in ancient Africa and other parts of the world before Islam, Christianity, and Judaism arrived. One exception was the short time when Pharaoh Akhenaten made people pray to only his god, Aten. But his son, Tutankhamun, changed things back to the old ways. Many African religions have high gods, along with other gods, ancestor spirits, and nature spirits. This shows how rich and complex ancient African culture was. Some studies suggest that ideas about a high god or force (along with many other gods and spirits) were present in Africa before Christianity and Islam. These ideas were different from the single-god belief found in Christianity and Islam.
Traditional African medicine is also closely linked to traditional African religions. Many African religious traditions share a basic belief in spirits. The belief in spirits and ancestors is a very important part of African religions. Gods were either self-created or grew from spirits or ancestors that people worshipped. Many modern African folk religions have been strongly shaped by Christianity and Islam. So, they might be different from older forms.
Traditional African religions generally believe in life after death. This means a spirit world where spirits and gods live. Some also believe in reincarnation. This is the idea that people who have died might be reborn into their family if they wish or have something left to do.
Jacob Olupona, a professor of African religions at Harvard University, says that the many traditional African religions are complex beliefs of African people before Christianity and Islam came to Africa. Honoring ancestors has always been a very important part of African cultures. Ancestors are seen as a real part of life. They are believed to live in a spirit world. Some even think ancestors become as powerful as gods.
The line between gods and ancestors is often debated. But generally, ancestors are believed to be on a higher level than living people. They can bring blessings or illness to their living family.
Ancestors can offer advice and bring good luck and honor. But they can also make demands, like asking for their shrines to be cared for. Believing in ancestors also shows how open African spirituality is. It suggests that family members who have died still play a role in the lives of their living family.
Olupona believes that the Western or Islamic idea of believing in only one god does not fully explain the complex African traditions. While some traditions have a main being (along with other gods), others do not. He says that traditional African religions are not just religions, but a way of seeing the world and living life.
Ceremonies and Rituals
Religious practices in West and Central Africa often happen in community ceremonies. During these, people might go into a deep, dream-like state. This happens because of rhythmic drumming or singing. In this state, people might feel like they are connected to a god or ancestor. They perform special dances that help them feel more aware.
When people see and understand this trance-like state, they can think about the pure feeling of a certain mindset. This helps them learn to separate these feelings from everyday life. Thinking about these pure energies helps people manage and accept them when they come up in daily life. This helps them turn these energies into good behavior, thoughts, and words. Also, people in these trances might say things that, when explained by a wise person, can help the community or individual know what to do to reach their goals.
Spirits and Gods
Followers of traditional African religions pray to different spirits and to their ancestors. This includes spirits of nature, elements, and animals. The difference between powerful spirits and gods is often small. Most African societies believe in several "high gods" and many lower gods and spirits. Some religions also have a single supreme being (like Chukwu, Nyame, Olodumare, Ngai, Roog). Some believe in a male and female god, like Mawu-Lisa.
Traditional African religions generally believe in an afterlife or one or more spirit worlds. Honoring ancestors is a very important basic idea in almost all African religions. Some African religions have taken on different ideas because of Islam or even Hinduism.
Practices and Customs
There are more similarities than differences in all traditional African religions. However, Jacob Olupona has said it is hard to describe them all the same way because there are so many differences. Gods and spirits are honored by offering drinks, or by sacrificing animals, vegetables, cooked food, flowers, or precious metals. People also try to find out what the gods or spirits want by asking diviners or using divination. Traditional African religions embrace natural events like tides, the moon's phases, rain, and dry seasons. They also follow the rhythm of farming. According to Gottlieb and Mbiti: The environment and nature are part of every aspect of traditional African religions and culture. This is because beliefs are closely tied to natural events and the environment. Weather, thunder, lightning, rain, day, moon, sun, stars, and so on can be controlled through African beliefs. Natural things provide people with their daily needs.
For example, in the Serer religion, one of the most sacred stars is called Yoonir (the Star of Sirius). The Serer people have a long history of farming. Their high priests and priestesses (Saltigue) give yearly talks at the Xooy Ceremony (a ceremony to predict the future) in Fatick. They do this before Yoonir's phase to predict the winter months. This helps farmers know when to plant.
Traditional healers are common in most areas. Their practices often include a religious part.
Divination Practices
Africa is a large continent with many different groups and cultures. So, there is not just one way to do divination. Divination is a way to find out hidden knowledge or predict the future. It can be done with small objects like bones, cowrie shells, stones, leather strips, or flat pieces of wood.
Some divination is done using special wooden plates or on the ground, often inside a circle.
In traditional African societies, many people regularly visit diviners. There are usually no rules against this practice. Diviners (who are also sometimes called priests) are also sought for their wisdom as counselors and for their knowledge of herbal medicine.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a word from the Nguni and Bantu groups. It means "humanity." It is sometimes explained as "I am because we are" or "humanity towards others." In Xhosa, it can mean "the belief in a shared connection that links all people." It is a set of values and practices that people in Africa believe make someone a true human being. While these values change slightly among different groups, they all point to one idea: a true person is part of a larger and more important world of relationships, community, society, nature, and spirits.
Good and Bad Actions
In traditional African religion, being good often means doing your part for the community. Examples include respecting parents and elders, raising children well, being welcoming to guests, and being honest, trustworthy, and brave.
In some traditional African religions, being moral means obeying God. For the Kikuyu, their main creator god, Ngai, is believed to speak to and guide good people through their conscience.
Many Africans who have changed to other religions still keep their traditional customs. They combine them in a mixed way, which is called syncretism.
Sacred Places
Some holy places for traditional religions include Nri-Igbo, the Point of Sangomar, Yaboyabo, Fatick, Ife, Oyo, Dahomey, Benin City, Ouidah, Nsukka, Kanem-Bornu, Igbo-Ukwu, and Tulwap Kipsigis.
Religious Challenges
Because of challenges and unfair treatment, and because they didn't fit with traditional society and beliefs, the Dinka people mostly did not accept or ignored Islamic and Christian teachings.
Traditions by Region
This list shows some well-known traditions.
Central Africa
- Bantu mythology (Central, Southeast, Southern Africa)
- Bushongo mythology (Congo)
- Kongo religion (Congo)
- Lugbara mythology (Congo)
- Baluba mythology (Congo)
- Mbuti mythology (Congo)
- Hausa animism (Chad, Gabon)
- Lotuko mythology (South Sudan)
Eastern Africa
- Bantu mythology (Central, Southeast, Southern Africa)
- Gikuyu mythology (Kenya)
- Akamba mythology (Kenya)
- Dinka religion (South Sudan)
- Malagasy mythology (Madagascar)
- Maasai mythology (Kenya, Tanzania)
- Kalenjin mythology (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania)
- Dini Ya Msambwa (Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Kenya)
- Waaqeffanna (Ethiopia)
- Somali mythology (Somalia)
Northern Africa
- Ancient Egyptian religion (Egypt, Sudan)
- Nubian mythology (Sudan)
- Punic religion (Tunisia, Algeria, Libya)
- Traditional Berber religion (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso)
Southern Africa
- Bantu mythology (Central, Southeast, Southern Africa)
- Lozi mythology (Zambia)
- Tumbuka mythology (Malawi)
- Zulu traditional religion (South Africa)
- Badimo (Botswana)
- San religion (Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa)
- Traditional healers of South Africa
- Indigenous religion in Zimbabwe
Western Africa
- Ga-Adangme religion (Ghana)
- Abwoi religion (Nigeria)
- Akan religion (Ghana, Ivory Coast)
- Dahomean religion (Benin, Togo)
- Efik religion (Nigeria, Cameroon)
- Edo religion (Benin kingdom, Nigeria)
- Hausa animism (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria, Togo)
- Ijo traditional religion (Ijo people, Nigeria)
- Godianism (a general term for all traditional religions of Africa)
- West African mythology (a general term for all traditional religions of West Africa)
- Odinala (Igbo people, Nigeria)
- Asaase Yaa (Bono people (mostly in Ghana), Ghana and Ivory Coast)
- Serer religion (A ƭat Roog) (Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania)
- Yoruba religion (Nigeria, Benin, Togo)
- Vodou (Ghana, Benin, Togo, Nigeria)
- Dogon religion (Mali)
African Diaspora Religions
African-American religions involve honoring ancestors. They include a creator deity and many other divine spirits like the Orisha, Loa, Vodun, Nkisi, and Alusi. These religions often mix different African traditions. Many also include parts of Folk Catholicism (like folk saints), Native American religion, Spiritism, Spiritualism, Shamanism (sometimes using special plants), and European folklore.
There are also spiritual healing traditions like Obeah and Hoodoo. These focus on spiritual health. African religious traditions in the Americas can vary. They might have small African roots or be almost completely African, like religions such as Trinidad Orisha.
See also
In Spanish: Religiones tradicionales africanas para niños
