African Religions and Philosophy SECOND EDITION od, a ‘i _ 2 op eae JOHN S MBITIACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Grateful acknowledgement is made for permission granted by either the authors or pub lishers to make quotations from the following works: J.B. Danguah, The Akan Doctrine of God, Lutterworth (an Edinburgh House Press book) 1944; E.E. Evans-Prtchard, Wicker, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, Clarendon Press, 1937; and Nuer Religion, Clarendon Press, 1956; M.J, Field, Religion and Medicine ofthe Ga People, Oxford University Press, 1937; D. Forde, ed, Afican Worlds, Oxford University Press, 1954; G.W.B. Huntingford, The Nandi of Kenya, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1953; F.B. Mdowa, Oldumare: God in Yoruba Belief, Longmans, Green & Co., 1962; Jahn, Muntu, Faber and Faber, P1961; LM. Lewis, ed., Islam in Tropical Ajrce, Oxtord Universiy Press 1966; G. Lienhardt, Devinity and Experience, the Religion ofthe Dink, Clarendon Press, 1961; R.A. Lystad, The Ashanti: 2 Proud People, Rutgers University Press, 1958; JH. Nketia, Funeral Dirges of the Akan People, Accra 1955; 'A. Oded, “A Congregation of Afvican Jews in the hear of Uganda’, in Din na Mila: Revealed Religion and Traditional Cusioms, Vol. 3 No. 1, 1963; J. Okot ’Bitek, ‘The Concep: of Jok among the Acholi and Lango', in The Uganda Journal, Vol. XXVII No. 1, 1963: E.G. Partinder, West African Religion, Soci- ‘ery for Promoting Christian Knowledge (S.P.C.K.) 1961; P. Schebesta, My Pygmy and Negro Hoss, Hutchinson & Co., ET 1936; Revisiting my Pygmy “Hosts, Hutchinson & Co, ET 1936; E.W. Smith and A.M, Dale, The Il Speak ing Peoples of Northern Rhodesia, Macmillan, Vol. 1, 1920; E.W. Smith, ed. (later E.G. Parrinder), African Ideas of God, Lutterworth (an Edinburgh House Press book) 1950; T.C. Young, Contemporary Ancestors, Lutterworth (an Edin- burgh House Press book) n.d. 1 INTRODUCTION Africans are notoriously religious, and each people has its own religious system. with aset of belief and practices, Religion permeates into al the departments of life so fally that i is not easy or possible always to isolate it. A study of these religious systems is, therefore, ukimately study of the peoples themselves in all the complexities of both traditional and modem life. Our written knowledge of ‘traditional religionsis comparatively lite, though increasing, and comes chiefly from anthropologists and sociologists, Practically nothing has been produced by theologians, describing or interpreting these religions theologically ‘We speak of African traditional religions inthe plural because there ae about three thousand Afriean peoples (tribes), and each has its own religious ysteu, “These religions are aeality which calls for academic scrutiny and which must be reckoned with in modem fields of lifelike economics, politics, education, and Christian or Muslim work. To ignore these traditional beliefs, attitudes and practices can only lead to a lack of understanding of African behaviour and pro lems. Religion isthe strongest element in traditional background, and exerts probably the greatest influence upon the thinking and living of the people concerned ‘While religion can be discened in terms of beliefs, ceremonies, rituals ani religious offciants, philosophy isnot so easily distinguishable. We shall consider iflecent religions in terme of theit similarities and differences, to give us a picture of the overall situation in Africa, But, since there are no parallel philo- Sophical systems which ean be observed in similarly concrete terms, we shall we the singular, ‘philosophy", to refer to the philosophical understanding of ‘African peoples concerning different issues of lie, Philosophy of one kind et another is behind the thinking and acting of every people, and a study of traditional religions brings us into those areas of African life where, through ‘word and action, we may be able to discer the philosophy behind. This involves interpretation of the information before us, and interpretation cannot te completely free of subjective judgment. What, therefore, is African Philo2 Affcon Religions & Philsophy sophy’, may not amount to more than simply my own process of philosophiz ing the items under consideration: but thiscannot be helped, andin any case am by birth an African, Philosophical systems of different African peoples have not yet been formulated, but some ofthe ateas where they may be found are in the ‘religion, proverbs, oral traditions ethics and morals of the society concerned, | hnave incorporated some of these areas into this study, but proverbs in particular deserve as situational. We do not however have many comprehensive collections of [African proverbs out of which an overall analysis of this type of philosophy could be undertaken, I have a collection of about ewelve thousand African proverbs but have not analysed or categorized them. Other collections are graduslly being made by researchers. “African philosophy" here refers to the ‘understanding, attitude of mind, logic and perception behind the manner in which African peoples eink, actor speak indifferent situations of life. Because traditional religions permeate all the departments of life, there is no formal distinction between the sacred and the secular, between the religious and non-tligious, between the spiritual anc the material area of if. Wherever the “Afsian is, there is is religion: he carries it to the fields where he is sowing seeds for harvesting a new crop; he takes it with him to the beer party or to attend a fineral ceremouy; and if he is educated, he takes religion with him to the ‘examination room at school or in the uriversty if hes politician he takesit to the house of parliament. Although many African languages do not havea word for religion as such, it nevertheless accompanies the individual from long before his birth to long after hie physical death, Through modern change these tradi- tional religions eaunot remain intact, but they are by no means extinct. In times rate treatment since their philosophical content is. mainly of exsis they often come to the surface, or people revert to them in secret. ‘Traditional religions ate not priarily for the individual, but for his community of which he is part, Chapters of African religions are written everywhere in the life ofthe community, ad in traditional society there are no irrligious people. To be human is to beong tothe whole community, and to do so involves participating in the belies, ceremonies, rituals and festivals of that community. A person cannot detach himself from the religion of his group, for to-do so is to be severed from his roots is foundation, his context of security, his kinships and the entire group of those who aake him aware of his own existence. To be without one ofthese corporate elements of life is to be out of the whole picture. Therefore, to be without religion amounts to a self- \ excommunication from he entre life of society, and Aftican peoples do not know how to exist without religion ‘One ofthe sources of severe strain for Africans exposed to modern change is the ineeasing process (through education, urbanization and industialization) bby which individuals become detached from their traditional environment. This, leaves them in a vacuum devoid ofa slid religious foundation. They are torn Introduction : between the life of their forefathers which, whatever ele might be said about it, has historical roots and firm traditions, and the life of our technological age which, as yet, for many Africans has no concrete form or depth, In these Circumstances, Christianity and Iam do not seem to remove the sense of frustration and uprootedness, It is not enough to learn and embrace 2 fsith ‘which i active once a week, ether on Sunday or Priday, while the rest of the ‘week is vieually empty. Its not enough to embrace a faith which is confined to ‘church building or mosque, which is locked up six days and opened only once for twice a week, Unless Christianity and Islam fully occupy the whole person 25 imch a, ifnot more than, traditional religions do, most converts to these faiths will continue to revert to thei old beliefs and practices for peshaps six days 2 week, and certainly in times of emergency and crisis. The whole environment dnd the whole time must be occupied by religious meaning, so that at any noment and in any place, a petson feels secure enough to act in meaningful and religious consciousness. Since traditional religions occupy the whole person and the whole of his life, conversion to new religions like Christianity and slam rust embrace his language, thought patterns, fears, social relationships, altitudes and philosophical disposition, if that conversion isto make a lasting Jmpact upon the individual and his community "A great numberof beliefs and practices are tobe found in any African society These are not, however, formated into a systematic set of dogmas which a perion is expected to accept. People simply assimilate whatever religious ies End practices are held or observed by their families and communities. These traditions bave been handed down from forebeaters, and each generation takes them wp with modifications suitable to its own historical situation and needs. Individuals hold differences of opinion on various subjects; and the myths, rituals and ceremonies may differ in detail from area to area. But such ideas or ‘ews are not considered a5 either contrary or conforming to any orthodox pinion. Therefore, when we say in this book that such and such a society "believes", or "natrates’, or “performs” such and such, we do not by any means imply that everybody in that society subscribes to that belie or performs that ritual. These are corporate beliefs and acts, and there can be mo unanimity in such ‘elif, ideas and practices. In traditional religions there are no creeds to be recited; instead, the creeds are written in the heart ofthe individual, and each ‘oneis himself living creed of his own religion. Where che individuals, there is his religion, for hes a religious being. Is this that makes Afticans so religious: religion isin eheie whole system of being. ‘One of the difficulties in studying African religions and philosophy is that there are no sacred scriptures. Religion in African societies is written not on paper but in people's hears, minds, oral history, rituals and religious petionages like the priests, rainmakers, officiating elders and even kings Everybody is religious cartier. Therefore we have to study not only the beliefs‘ Affcon Religions & Philosophy concerning God and the spirits, but also the religious journey ofthe individual foom before birth to after physical death; and to study also the persons tesponsble for formal rituals and ceremonies. What people dois motivated by ‘whine they believe, and what they believe epringe fom what they do and experience, So then, belief and action in Aftican traditional society cannot be separated: they belong to «single whole. “Traditional religions ae not universal: they are tribal or national. Bach reli gion i bound and limited tothe people among whom it has evolved. One tradi- tional religion cannot be propagated in another tribal group. This doesnot rule cut the fact that religious ideas may spread from one people to another. But swch ideas spread. spontaneously, especially through migrations, intermarriage, conquest, or expert knowledge being sought by individuals of one tribal eroup {com another. Traditional religions have no missionaries ro propagate them; and one individual does not presch his religion to another. ‘Similarly, there is no conversion from one traditional religion to another. ach society has its own religious system, and the propagation of such a complete system would involve propagating the entire life of the people concerned. Therefore a person has tobe born in a particular society in order to assimilate the religious system of the society to which he belongs. An outsider cannot enter or appreciate fully the religion of another society. Those few Europeans who claim to have been ‘convert’ to African religions—and know some who make such fantastic elaims!—do not know what they ae sy ing. To pour out libation or observe afew rituals like Afticans, docs not constitate conversion to traditional religions. “African tligions have nether founders nor reformers. They may, however, incorporate national heroes, leaders, rulers and other famous men and women Jnve thar body of belts and mythology. Some of these figures ae elevated to high national positions and may even be regarded as divinities responsible for natural objets or phenomena. These eroes and heroines form an integral part ofthe religious milieu oftheir society, whether or not they played a specifically religious role in thei time ‘Belief inthe continuation of life after death is found in all African societies, as fara [have been able to discover. But this belief doesnot constitute a hope fora future and beter life. To live here and now isthe most important concern of [African religious activities and beliefs. There is litle, if any, concern with the