African Traditional Religion

African Traditional Religion

African Religions

In Africa there are two major cultural areas determined by different religious influences, which are distributed in North Africa and sub-Saharan region. Furthermore, in Africa it is essential the impact of two foreign religions on the continent: Christianity and Islam. African ethnic religions: African ethnic religions are characterized by their variety. Remain hunter-gatherers like the San (bosquianos) Kalahari Desert or Efe and Mbuti Pygmies of the equatorial forest. Deify the forest and thank the people who imagine their supernatural food and assistance. Groups living in very small numbers and nomads have no special powers or religious shrines (Asante, 2007).

Among African pastoralists subsahanana as the Dinka of southern Sudan or the Fulani of Niger and Chad livestock is divine and the main rituals seek to bring the fertility of animals and preserve their health, especially during the annual festival of cattle. Agricultural peoples groups are more numerous, are gods of the crops but also supreme deity. In many different groups have testified belief in creator gods who have left the world of humans (they are called gods idle), and although they are reminded not offered worship. African rituals are varied, the main seek to worship the ancestors, Ibs of witchcraft or highlight the sovereignty of the kings and rulers (Mbiti, 1992).

Ndembu

A case in point is the agricultural religion of farmers in northwestern Zambia Ndembu. Of the many rituals that make up their religion, marital and reproductive highlights. Ndembu society is matrilineal, i.e. women's inheritance rights transmitted and determine the line of descent, although the marital residence is determined by the husband, which means that the newlyweds will live with the family group focused on the mother or in the sister's husband. This system creates a conflict on women, on the one hand they are subject to the residential needs of the family of the husband who tries to retain for as long as possible to the children and mother, and moreover feel pressured by maternal group trying to attract women and their children through divorce (Doornbos, 2009).

Islam in Africa

Islamic penetration is old and very homogeneous in northern Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, countries where it is also the official religion. But Islam is a religion that keeps expanding in Africa. He is currently growing on the eastern coast of the continent, as in Tanzania and Mozambique, and in countries referred to above as the ...