A brief analysis of African culture and religions

Abstract

Human nature is very complex as it always looks for its master or its creator. From the origin of man it looked for a certain way of life and required a set of beliefs to treasure, as many of us now has different beliefs about the origin of life and associates them with the big bang while others related to the existence of a Holy spirit or Devine power, which is named differently in different religion as God, Allah, Ram etc. Across the world communities have different beliefs and religions to follows. As many of us still believe in the presence of spirits, God, and sacred entities which guides us to have peace and prosperity in our lives, while makes it more logical and provides a more scientific cause for the existence of life. Life itself is a mystery and to solve this puzzle human civilization are following different religions to provide inspiration, peace, and guidance to different people from the time of its existence. Inside Africa like many other regions religions are counted as an integral part in the growth and development of the natives as well as the African culture. Many believes life itself began its development from Africa, while the field of education, engineering and sciences itself originated from the ancient Egypt which is also an integral part of the Africa continent. It was after the migration of the Jews from the state of Israel to Africa. As it was than after the settlement of the Jews it was considered to be the center of Judaism, as the Jews were free to practice their religion with freedom, while more individuals were converted into the religion (Pagans). After, centuries were passed it was then followed up by the exploration of city of Alexandria by Christians in the era of 60 A.D. As, Christianity was preached to vast areas of the continent and it prevailed inside Africa as the religion made its way into the entire Northern Africa. There was the Roman empire who enforced practicing Christianity inside Africa and helped out to build cathedrals for practicing the religion (Sanders, 1999).

Origination of Islam was not much not different from the rest of the Abrahamic religions. Arab’s from early times are known to be mostly merchant by profession and for that reason traveling far lands such as Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and other African countries was not far from reach for these Muslim traders. As, more of peaceful preaching was there inside the African region but it was until the 7th century when the siege of the various African cities by the Arab crusaders started and that took Islam to far corners of the continent. Along, with the Abrahamic religions many other religions also had their marks on the African peninsula such as Buddhism and Hinduism which came to Africa far before the existence of these religions.

Introduction

What is religion? What religion does the African follows? To answer this we go deep into the analyses of the different religions inside Africa. The ancient African religion which are termed to more of traditional religion, as no clue is there about its origin or any preacher who started teaching them but they are traced back to the pre-historic era of the human civilization. is as always been important for the native Africans. Ancient religions is held responsible for providing the inspiration and spiritual empowerment to the natives. As the region is comprised of far different religions guiding different communities and providing them with the spiritual guidance which they seek for having peace in their lives. If we analyze the history and related scripts one will be able to see the beauty inside the African religions and their dominance inside the African continent. As the region is one of the most versatile land in terms of having different religions and culture all in one place which is known to us an Africa. However, the region is comprised of a number of countries and based upon there geographic position different communities settled in these regions, which introduced more different religion which were far different to understand and have faith in. As, there are Abrahamic religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, along with Hinduism and Buddhism. But the native African provided a very different response to each one of these religions in terms of accepting it and providing resources to spread them more to the other regions as well. About, 25 percent of the Africans are still practicing the traditional religions which categorize them as the native people who are living their lives according to ancient ways of life, and the rest 75 percent of the population are mostly Muslims and Christians.

While, there are also minorities of Jews and Buddhists inside the region, which holds their own significance in the history and culture of Africa. According, to most of the Historians and analyst many of the crusaders responsible for the existence of the Abrahamic religions inside Africa. But, for Africans as they always welcomed the invader and provided them space in the North-Eastern Africa, they had no insecurities about their own culture and tradition religion (Shizha, 2010). As, they continued to cooperate with all the communities, along with which most of the natives left their old faith for new ones and became a part of the Muslims, Christian community mostly. However, if we look into the details we will find out that there are a number of African traditions which makes it more interesting about the Muslim and Christian Africans who are both practicing their religion as well performing their culture duties. Which provides us with a blend of Abrahamic religion along with the ancient African traditions being followed by the natives. However, analysis of the African religions provides us with a more specified set of data to know the significance of religions, traditions, and more over lives of the African people. This study will be able to know more about the history of religions, their origination inside the region and their era of dominance in Africa. As the native African are always as welcoming as they are these day. For the native Africans peace and prosperity lies inside the development of spirit and providing more space for all, and having the capability to listen and learn many good things about life (Mapadimeng, 2009).

Africa’s Traditional religions

The traditional religions cannot be separated from the culture of Africa, as they are more of the same thing for the native Africans. From ancient times the native African in one true God or creator, and for that they practice the ancient religions to be grateful to the mother nature for providing the best of resources to live and not taking natural resources for granted. The ancient Africans have more to explore and less is told about the significance of these traditional religions. As they are found to be more interesting in different ways but what is more interesting that origination of these traditional religions are themselves associated with the origin of Humans. There are different practices been carried out by different communities, as one of them is the “Juju” which is considered to be more powerful to practice. According, to the natives practicing the rituals provides them with immense amount of spiritual and physical power. The most prominent of all the traditional religions inside Africa is the “Vodun”, which is practiced in the regions of Ghana, Togo, and Benin. As, the religion is comprised of beliefs which are associated with the existence of an extra-terrestrial power or a divine creator which is named as “Mawu or Maho”. The religion provides more details about the spiritual world and provides resources, different practices and beliefs to connect with the spiritual world which is exists all around the places. According, the natives the nature is all connected with both the living and dead. As, when a person dies the spirit is left behind, while these spirits can then be summoned by the natives when they called upon them in time. The natives believe in the existence of divine power that connects the living to their ancestors. While, after life has also greater significance for the natives, according to them there is an eternal life ahead for each of us that is not going to end. The afterlife is characterized by having more breath taking landscapes, while the best among the subjects will be rewarded by the most ideal life. Which, makes it more promising for any native African to follow up on the pathway of ancient traditions, as the traditional religions are more convenient to practice. While, many exceed in exercising such rituals like the magic, summoning spirits and attain a much higher level of spiritual powers, while praying to the deities or their ancestors (Deegan, 2008).

Mythology of the ancient African religions

While, the spirits which are summoned by the priests acts more of a bridge between the believers and the God or creator. Providing more of consultation between the different elements of the faith. While, may practice more different practices for the sake of getting inspiration and for that reason they meditate to connect to their ancestors and God. The Ancient religions are also comprised of making medicines for the various diseases and disorders, while spells are cast over the effected ones to get them back to normal. These traditions are comprised of a very systematic form of exercises as each step of attaining spiritual power requires extensive meditation and high faith to achieve the inspiration and inner peace. According to the traditional African religions the sacred places and spirits of ancestors have great significance, as their existence is explored inside various elements of the nature. As African culture is always being guided by the existence of the ancient religions, as monks and spiritual leaders gather around the masses in order to pay respects to their ancestors and some may even ask for their guidance in attaining a prosperous life (Lovejoy, 1997). The ancient African culture and religions are featured to associate the human flesh and blood with the spirit of a man. As, the natives believe in the presence of a single divine power, along with that the communities related to the ancient religion believes in possibility of connecting to their ancestors or mainly spirits which can guide through different phases of life. While, many believe to summon the spirits my pure meditation in the wildlands far from human civilization, as there are people who know who to translate the energy which is around them and provide the exact message to the related individuals which can be many in number. So, it is a very complex and less logical process to think of but it is a way of ancient Africans that still leads the natives to a more indigenous way of life that is considered to be much pure or sacred for many natives inside the region.

Philosophy of the native Africans and ancient religion

For any native African who is practicing the ancient African religions will have belief that men’s flash and bone are always accompanied by the spirit. Spirit is considered to be the power house behind the existence and survival of the human civilization, as each of the believer meditates for merging the spirit into the physical existence of the human body which is quite different from many other religions. The ancient African religion directs the natives to have respect for all the beings, as all humans are considered to be the same. There is no discrimination been made among the different humans belonging to different regions and backgrounds, this very feature of ancient African religions makes it more clear that any person who wants to join the forces requires to work on the spiritual powers rather than as whole converting into some other religion. And for that reason many native Christians and Muslims still believe in exercising the practices of the ancient African religion even after they are now converted. Traditions of the ancient African nations are more sacred because having a humanistic approach to provide the best of guidelines for all the humanity without even demanding the subjects to convert is sort of unique. But, connected to the nature and having respect for all the living life and spirits that exists is a must for being a part of the traditional religions of Africa (Mapadimeng, 2009).

The Abrahamic religions and the history of their dominance inside Africa

For millions of years the people of Africa were practicing their ancient traditions, as tribes were led by their leaders and each one of them had one of their own priests providing them religious and spiritual guidance to connect with their ancestors and the mother nature, along with having a connection with the one true creator. Before, the existence of the Abrahamic religions there was a unique and more traditional way of spending life for the natives, as the practices of the indigenous religious were mainly associated with the spiritual empowerment of the subjects and they believed in the existence of a divine power which is of much higher order or we can say the native African believed in the presence of the “High life”, by means of God or the creator along with the presence of their ancestral spirits all around them.

The Abrahamic religions are not much different from that of the indigenous religions of the African continent but with the exception that one must convert into being Muslim or Christian in order to be recognized as one of them. But, the traditional religions were also followed by many even after they left their faith in the ancient religions. However, for the Abrahamic religions much was not the same when Jews arrived in the North-Eastern region of the African continent after the demolishing of the second Holy temple in the state of Israel and they took shelter inside the region.

For Christianity and Islam much was not the same as crusaders, emperors and political influencers made a way for both the religions to spread across the region more conveniently. Christianity came second afterwards Judaism had made its roots deep down across many centuries in Egypt, Morocco, and other African countries. Christianity was then influenced by the imperial systems such as the Roman empire who itself recognized the religion as the religion of the empire itself, and this was soon after the religion developed across the African continent. Muslims however had a different approach for preaching Islam across the African continent, as the first one was Amr Ibn Al-as who conquered the region of Egypt and started preaching of the Islamic teaching across the country its was in the 6th BC when the conquest of Egypt took place, it made it more easy for the Arab Muslims to invade these territories more often and for that reason many other invaders also tried their luck in conquering the rest of African countries and imposing Islam inside the region. After, that many other Muslim forces such as the Ottomans(Turks) also tried their luck and luckily succeed in invading the territory for imposing the Islamic Sharia system across the region (Kasongo, 2010). While, a more systematic analyses are presented below, which may provide us with a more detail version of the different religious eras and there way of preaching across the African region. As, we the details are as below:

Judaism and Settling of Jews inside Africa

For Jews inside Africa their origin can be traced way back to the 1 A.D when the community started migrating towards different regions just because of the destruction of their holy temples as they wanted to live with a sense of protection and wanted the welfare of their families, for that reason traveling from the Asian territories towards the African was the best of all options. The Jews fought for their lives and were forced to travel all the way by the northern Sahara Desert. As they thrived for food and many of them died due to hunger but most of them survived their journey across the vast desert reaching Morocco which is in the Northern part of the African continent, however one can also argue that Jews were here even before the existence of Israeli state itself. However, along with Morocco there are some who believe that ancient Jews also lived in the far land of Ethiopia and that too is related to the Son of Prophet Suleiman, this statement is however later been confirmed by the historians as the Beit Jews. As an Arab country Morocco does seem more like an unlikely place for a Jew to be in but after the settlements of the Jews inside the region the number of Jews increase but along with the religious elements the African culture was accepted by the communities inside the region. As, they merged to form a new African way of life in the form of Jewish Africans. Most of them are still there practicing their religion and their number is about 25000 inside the country(Morocco). As, Abrahamic religion are accompanied by having the harmony and property inside them for all the humanity, as the Berber’s who were the native Africans did not fight back to force the Jews leave the territory instead they provided a more peaceful environment for all living inside Africa.

Effects of Judaism on the native Berber system

If we analyze the ancient scripts we will get to learn more about two of the most important phenomenon’s which are termed as the “Berberization of the Jews” and the “Judaisation of the Berber’s”. While, we know that one cannot convert into Jew, as each of the Jew is born a Jew but the Berber’s who found peace in Judaism were treated as pagans by the community. However, the Jews who were converted into other religions were treated the same as of their own. Berber’s and Jews lived together in peace but many says that sacred places were demolished by forces inside the region. Both, the communities greatly affected each other’s existence and mainly traditions while living inside the country, as Jews inherited the sacred system or traditions of having the cults of the saints inside Judaism (Raboteau, 1997).

Significance of Judaism in Africa

While, there are still many sacred places for practicing Judaism inside the African region and they are functional as well. Natives, tourists, and other Jews are allowed to visit these sacred places to pay their respect while the authorities provide their support and protect each of the shuls (temples) inside the region. Judaism is well celebrated inside Africa, as Jews arranges sacred festivals and perform their sacred practices inside the region without facing any hurdles. There is also a sacred Jewish museum inside the southern Africa where the ancient Jewish artifacts and other elements related to the community are well protected and placed there in order to be seen by the visitors, the museum is situated inside the city of Santa Blanca, Morocco. As, the culture and religious affairs of Jews inside the African region are all protected by the respective authorities.

Origin of Christianity and its influence inside the African continent

It was about around 1 A.D that the Christians were able to explore these lands and this was far before the roman influenced the spread of Christianity inside the African countries. The city of Alexandria was the first to come under the influence of Christians and then had converted many subjects into Christianity, as religion was preached across the continent and many cathedrals were built in lands as far as Sudan. The Berber’s had no issue accepting Christianity, while some of the rulers including the King of Ethiopia at that time recognized the new faith as the religion of the state. After, which the Christian turned Berber’s provided resistance to the Arabs during the preaching of Islam in the countries like Tunisia and Sudan. It may be more easy to understand that Christianity is more of the mirror image of Judaism but the bible is considered to be the modified form of the Jewish Holy Book “Torah”. In the northern region of the African continent it was a Kushite man who converted to Christianity, who is also considered to be the first in the northern Africa to encounter the existence of Christian beliefs. Some believe that it was the first Christians inside the region while believe that there were many before this man who belonged to the region of Sudan. However, Christianity prevailed inside the North-Eastern African region in a more systematic way, as the teachings were preached inside the cathedrals built, along with which incentives were also provided for turning into Christians which was a more eye watering for any native inside the region.

The Roman empire and their support for prevalence of the religion across Africa

The Romans were at their peak of powers when the religion was spreading across the region and with their support many turned into the religion, as countries like Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, and Chechnya along with many others accepted Christianity. This made it loud and clear that believes of Christianity are now wondering around each corner of the continent but it was mainly when Constantin or the emperor of the Roman empire provided its full support to the priests and also provided resources to build cathedral’s across the region. The region was controlled by the Roman empire so there was no such force to retaliate against the preaching of the religion while the Jews were powerless leading them to minor community inside the region. So, power is always prevailed religion across the African continent.

The Christian turned Berber community of Sudan and Tunisia

There were the native people of North-East Africa who were converted into Christianity, as they were themselves a powerhouse inside the region providing strength to the Christian mission across the African region. As, Christian states were formed by these native people across the different African continent, mainly in Tunisia, Sudan, and other Northern countries.

Islamic era and the introduction of the new faith inside Africa

It was after the departure of the holy Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W) that the siege of Egypt took place and the conquest was led by Amr Ibn Al-As who was the general of the Umayyad Caliphate and captured Cairo. As, the city was provided an Islamic sharia system and the Muslims administrators were there to rule these lands for many decades. After, which the Muslims conquest of Africa moved towards the eastern region of Africa. The Tunisian region of Africa was captured by the sieged led by the nephew of Amr Ibn Al-As who was named as Musa Ibn Nusar. Who is also known to be one of the bravest general or commanders of the Muslim era, but then was defeated and eventually during the fight with Berbers. Muslim did find it very hard to continue their conquests of far- lands in Africa due to the presence of Christian Berber’s who were led by Queen Kahina. As, she represents the bravery and empowerment of women in that era and her efforts for her people are still appreciated by many (Hopkins, 2009). Islam entered to the African continent via two main routes the Eastern route of Egypt which many Arab merchants and travelers used for many centuries and the other one was to cross the sea in- between the Arab and the African continent. As for many historians it was because of the conquests of the Muslim crusaders that made Islam one of the dominant religions inside Africa, while other argue that preaching of Islam and providing peace to people are mainly responsible for its spread across the region (Trimingham, 1964).

Dominance of Islam inside Africa

There are millions of Muslims these days inside Africa and too is due to the fact that Muslim preachers and priest travelled to far lands in order to provide the message of Islam to different communities, as African natives are always open to new ideas and share their homeland with foreigners which makes them exceptionally humanistic in nature. Inside Africa the Arab Muslims found there place to live and for centuries they settled inside countries like Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Nigeria, etc. So, the natives of the African region who turned to Islam still practice many of their African traditions along with which they are often found celebrating their ancient culture. But, due to much of the similarities in the traditional religions of Africa and Islam the natives find it easy to have a balance between both African culture and Islam inside Africa (Miller, 1999).

Muslim rule inside Africa

Along with the presence of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphate inside the African continent, there were other imperial system such as the Ottoman rule, the Moguls and other Muslim rulers inside Africa who helped in spreading Islam to far regions. While, the governors were there to rule the different territories who were appointed by the Muslim rulers.

Significance of the colonization and its effects on the African religions

Inside the modern world After, the slavery started in the early ages, Arab traders were the first to accuse of slave trade. As, they brought the Africans from far lands to the new world or we can say mainly the American continent. As, the European, Spaniards like many others took great advantage of slave trade and millions of Africans were taken by ships to the American continent in order to take great deal of work out of them. But, it also effected their religious beliefs as the Africans who were once practicing Vodu had now developed their own version of the ancient religion inside the new continent. Providing more power to the salves who were once free people inside the Africa. Along, with that many turned to Christianity and Islam as they provided security of their rights and more over lives (Vansina, 2014).