TARs

First, as an introduction we will need to define what religion is, and what it's not. Religion is not only beliefs, because there is so much more to it. The ceremonies and practices are a part of it, so are the religious leaders and the objects and places. To compare to a religion most people have some knowledge about, Christianity. There is much more to it than just the belief in God and Jesus Christ as his son. The Christmas and Easer celebrations, the going to church on Sundays and the practice of thanking the lord for the food are all essential parts of Christianity. Priests, being our religious leaders and advisors are important just as much as the fact that we have a church, a holy place. In addition to all of this Christianity and many other more modern religions has a holy book. In the African traditions the stories and the sacred knowledge was passed on orally.

Religious beliefs are often created in order to explain natural events we are unable to understand. One of these, which that we yet haven't even figured the answer for in our modern world, is where man actually came from. Although scientists today can trace the human evolution back 7 million years (Sahelanthropus tchadensis found in Chad in 2002), this was not possible for the earlier and less developed societies. African religions are divided into two groups discussing their theory of first man. The first group believe man came from the sky. Many even believe there came two couples, so that the children could intermarry. The purpose of mans life on earth is still being discussed. Some believe man was thrown out of the sky/heaven as punishment, other believe that there is no deeper meaning than a wanting for someone to live on the planet. The second group believe man came from the ground. In Namibia and much of southern Africa, it is a common belief that man fell off a tree, like a fruit. The tree is called the tree of life and is said to situated underneath the ground. The other theories that fit into this category mainly propose that man was created on earth, either by using clay or any other material commonly found on earth.

Medicine men

The Medicine men are one of the religious leaders in African religion. No African family dares to live outside the reach of a medicine man, these fulfill the function of modern, western doctors and hospitals. There are two ways to become a medicine man/woman:
1) To inherit the title from a parent, or
2) To feel a call to become one. This call can come at any time, gradually or suddenly, and in any form. When it comes suddenly it is usually in a dream or as a spirit of a living dead. When a person is to become a medicine man he has to be taught, the training can take over 10 years, and includes learning diagnosis, about common diseases and the names and values of different ingredients commonly found in medicine. The medicine man also functions as a religious leader in the way that he can find the reason and the solution to other problems than disease. The reasons vary, but they include evil sprits, spells, broken taboos or sorcery. A good medicine man not only cures the problems, but prevents it from reappearing. Medicine men also works as the advisors of the village, when children disobey their parents, cattle die or anything abnormal happens the medicine man can give advice. Also, before somebody goes for a long journey it was usual to consult the medicine men to know if the journey would be a success or a waste.

A medicine man often has a small team of people to assist him. There are three positions as the helpers. The first is diviners, who normally works as the medicine man. His job is to find out why something has gone wrong, then who has worked out the evil (and why) and at last what should be done. The diviners use divination for their work. This is a method of finding out the unknown by reading palms, throwing dices, using pebbles, pebbles and much more. Some diviners get famous for their use of the divination system, which is a very complicated mathematical system. The diviners sometimes get assistance from mediums, the second of the three helpers. The mediums can communicate directly with the spirits. They do this by drumming, dancing and singing. When they get possessed (in contact with spirits) they fall down on the ground, and they can often do thing they normally would not do, like walk on flames or thorns. They might jump about, bang their head or beat themselves. During the possession she (because the mediums usually are girls) often speaks a language she otherwise does not know and with another voice. Also being a medium requires schooling, often several years. The third position is as a seer. The position as a seer does not require schooling, and their job is to see things other people would not see. Often into the future. Among Africans stories about seers who predicted the arrival of the Europeans were common. Often what the seers see is only the consequence of a logical development.

Sadly, some medicine men are dishonest. Today many large cities in Africa has a medicine man near, many of these are not trained or skilled and their only intentions are to earn quick money. The traditional medicine men often were good doctors and could help with disease. Much of this knowledge is lost in our modern world, this is sad as they might have had medicines we need.

Priests

In most African societies a priest is also found. His or her job is to look after temples, and other religious places and to lead prayers. Often this job follows the job as a medicine man. Ritual elders are also commonly found to be priests. A ritual elder is the person who leads religious ceremonies. This requires no training, but the person is often child of a previous religious elder. This job is a logical case for an old person to do, as they usually have seen many rituals and has had much time to learn prayers, songs, etc.

Spirits

Another aspect of African Religion that is well known is the belief in spirits. Discussing spirits, we need to clearly divide between natural and human spirits, the natural spirits are the spirits who control the natural patterns, while the human spirits are the remains of dead people. The later may appear in any shape, but often as an insect or animal. Often, the spirits of the dead appear in the shape they did when the person was alive, but with some exaggeration, like a huge stomach or a long face. There is another kind of spirits of the dead, the spirits of the people who died in the distant past. These are also known as ghosts. To fit into this category, the person's looks (from when he/she was alive) must no longer be remembered. Often, the spirits of the dead from the distant past are the spirits of past leaders or warriors, but many do not have a specific story from their life as a human, they are only found in tales or some current situation.

The African spiritual belief, graphic by Bjørn Hallstein Holte after an original by John S. Mbiti

The Natural spirits, on the other hand, control the natural world. These are also divided into two categories, natural spirits of the sky and natural spirits of the earth. The spirits on the sky control such things as the stars, the moon, the wind and the sun, while the spirits of the earth are connected with the earth, hills, trees, forests, metals, water, diseases and so on.

God & Supreme beings

Although the African religion strongly believe in the spirits, these are only as a connection between man and God. All the African religions believe in God, and there is only one God, in opposition to other ancient mythology. God has a personal name, which often has some sort of meaning, although this one is no longer always traceable. In Angola Kalunga (Kalungagombe), Nzambi and Suku are common names. God, in the African tradition, is much like in Christianity, the creator and sustainer of everything. In addition God also provides us, his creation, with everything that we need, like rain, water, sunshine, food and protection. God rules over the universe, and will always do so. The Africans look at God as a king, quite like the ruler of their own village. Although God is the King, or the almighty, many people see him as a friend, or Greatest of Friends as he also is called. This proves the peoples confidence with God.

African universe, graphic by Bjørn Hallstein Holte after an original by John S Mbiti

God, however, has given man a special ability that the Africans strongly believed in and often used: the ability to communicate with the invisible. Only man and the dog has this ability. It is my belief that the dogs were given this ability because of their sharp senses. A dog (and a cat for that sake) often reacts at changes humans do not feel, and thus that must be spirits, they believed.

In order to make God a more human creature, and easier to understand, the Africans have imagined him doing several of the things we do on a daily basis, like eating, sleeping, playing, walking, relaxing, getting angry and much more. Many cultures also describe God, and how he looks. He does, in some cultures, have wings, he also has ears and eyes. Some cultures describe the sky or the sun as Gods eye, this symbolizes his power to see and know everything.

Death & life thereafter

Many African religions say more about death than just rebirth as a spirit. If you're not reborn as a spirit, or if your spirit dies, you will be sent to the world of the dead. The world of the dead was found opposite to our world, much alike how New Zealand and Australia is opposite to Northern Europe. In their opinion, this means that when it was daytime here, it was night in the world of the dead because we all share one sun.

An illustration of life after death, graphics by Bjørn Hallstein Holte inspired by traditional inscriptions and readings

Separating us from the world of the dead was god, Kalungagombe or Kalunga as he was called. According to various sources, Kalunga was originally the ancestral god of the Lunda people but later he became their supreme being and the ruler of the underworld/world of the dead. Some also believe that the other side is found in the sea and in lakes.

Other places in Africa, the world of the dead is somewhere close to us, for example in a forest or hill. Where such beliefs are found, these lands are kept sacred and no farming or living is allowed in these areas as such would disturb the dead.

Sacrifices

One big difference between Christianity, African religion and the ancient Scandinavian beliefs is that Christianity does not make sacrifices and offerings to God, while both others does. In African religion there is a clear line between the two. Sacrifices involve the shedding of blood from an animal, while offers does not. In African religion blood is closely associated with life and when blood is sacrifices to God it means that the life or part of it is being given back to God. The sacrifices are usual when one needs to please God, for example a war, insect pests, destructive floods. In modern times one usually has sacrifices animals but in the past, also humans have been sacrificed. Human sacrifices have only been common in community sacrifices, a family sacrifice only uses animals.

White men & the modern day

it is also interesting to note how the African religion affected the meeting between European and African culture: the Africans did not meet new culture with violence like the Vikings did. Although few converted to new religions in the beginning, many Africans today live as religious believers of Islam, Christianity or Judaism. Many Africans mixed elements from their traditional religion with ideas from the western religions, but initiallt, the missionaries did not allow this as they wanted the Africans to convert solely to the new religion. In some cases, this caused distrust between local Africans and the missionaries and the establishment of new, purely African churches.

Many of Africans also wanted to keep to their traditional life, and they lived well without western luxuries. Recently, I read about a traveller who had visited the bushmen and during his visit he tried to introduce them to the wheel. For this purpose, he used his car. The bushmen were seemingly interested until he lifted one wheel above the ground and started the engine. They explained to him that wheels were good when they rolled on the ground, but when they moved without 'running away' it was the magic of white man, which was to be feared.