Orality, Literature, and African Religions (Kenneth Mtata and Jonathan A. Draper) (original) (raw)
The Failure of Oral Tradition: A Case of African Beliefs and Customs
2018
In this publication, Verkijika explores the role of oral tradition in the evolution of Africa, it's merits and demerits, and how such information could be useful towards forging a better future for Africa. He also uses this theory to clarify a few Traditional African customs and beliefs who's misinterpretations had been a root cause for several debates about the philosophy of the true traditional African man.
The use of oral hymns in African traditional Religion and the Judeo-Christian
2009
When the Mamaala African rainmaking clan of South Africa performed rituals after which rain would fall in keeping with the research-established fact that African rainmaking rituals actually bring about rain (Makgopa 2005), they sang specific songs as part of the rituals (Rafapa 2007). This paper explores the nature and context of these poetic performances. The context will be considered from both the culture-specific and cross-cultural perspectives to, hopefully, enrich debate around the impact of globalisation on world cultures. The paper will attempt to show that rather than being mistaken for a culturally inane phenomenon, globalisation can be problematised for what it is as well as negotiated for the modification of those of its features that may lead to cultural distortion and imperialism. It will be demonstrated that oral poems that are a concomitant part of this specific segment of the African cultural complex can serve to reveal facts of culture that have significant implications for globalisation, especially in the context within which globalisation has been conceptualised by writers such as Okwori .
Research in African Traditional Religion, unlike other religions of the world is mostly based or relies on oral sources. African Traditional Religion being a religion of memory is passed from one generation to another, and continues to explore the instrumentality of oral sources like; myths, idioms, proverbs, names, riddles, legends, daily speeches (pith sayings), prayers, invocations, blessings, curses, oaths, spells, folklores. Comparatively, other world religions like; Islamic religion and Christianity have compiled sacred books. According to Metuh (1987:25) "there are no sacred scriptures which are regarded as repertoires of authentic beliefs and practices of African Religion. In this study, the research will focus on the five oral sources of data collection which includes; oral histories, oral literature, oral performances, oral teachings, oral testimonies, oral codes and laws. Oral history is a method of conducting historical research through recorded interviews between a narrator with personal experience of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of adding to the historical record (). Oral history is important in conducting researches in African Traditional Religion, due largely to unavailability of compiled chronicle on people/community being studied. Convincingly, there are similarities in the elements of traditional practices among Africans, although with
The Need to Re-Conceptualize African ‘Traditional’ Religion
African Research Review, 2013
Reality is a universal philosophical problem that people try to explain its underlying principle from their subjective perception. Religion is one of those ways to explain this unknown principle with spiritual connotation. In this connection, Africa as an entity looks at reality in a different perspective, which in this work we term African Religion. But as this work observes, a misconception about African Religion gave birth to a contraption called "African Traditional Religion". On this note, this work sets forth to re
When the Mamaala African rainmaking clan of South Africa performed rituals after which rain would fall in keeping with the research-established fact that African rainmaking rituals actually bring about rain (Makgopa 2005), they sang specific songs as part of the rituals (Rafapa 2007). This paper explores the nature and context of these poetic performances. The context will be considered from both the culture-specific and cross-cultural perspectives to, hopefully, enrich debate around the impact of globalisation on world cultures. The paper will attempt to show that rather than being mistaken for a culturally inane phenomenon, globalisation can be problematised for what it is as well as negotiated for the modification of those of its features that may lead to cultural distortion and imperialism. It will be demonstrated that oral poems that are a concomitant part of this specific segment of the African cultural complex can serve to reveal facts of culture that have significant implications for globalisation, especially in the context within which globalisation has been conceptualised by writers such as Okwori (2007).
1. Introduction Language is a cultural product that is developed by a community for the purpose of communication and expression of the experiences of the culture that has developed it and religion is part of African culture. Symbols are connected to peoples' cultures in which they have been developed. Religious doctrines are propagated in cultural dresses of the people. In every culture, language is used to express special religious analogy. For an example, the local word in a language gets special religious meaning for the purpose of expression of peoples' thoughts, and experiences in the process of explaining a religious reality (Mugambi, 2009). This paper is seeking to examine the language and context of doing religion in Africa. In order to understand the relevant way of communicating religion, we are going to explore: culture and religion in African setting; metaphor, symbol, and myth; the changing context of religion; putting the religious message into new context and the philosophy of culture. Religion as a discipline always seeks to communicate God to the people in their language. The thought form of the African people is hidden in their beliefs, metaphor, symbols, and myths. The effective communication among the African communities is done culturally (Mbiti, 2010). To communicate Religious faith to the people we must identify their cultural terms of communication; and use their thought forms in order to appropriately propagate religious beliefs to them. The Africa Religious Scholars (ARS) have a task to communicate the doctrine of God to the people using their forms of communication. The context of the people is rooted within their culture. The cardinal challenge to ARS is the continuous change of the contemporary contexts after a given time. Culture itself is dynamic in the sense that it changes with time. John Parratt commenting on communicating theology noted that there is no statement of faith that must remain as it was; but they should be " recreated , restated and reinterpreted " in each different age and context if they are to be understood without changing the content (Parratt, 1996). The religious faith need to be restated in order to make it relevant and meaningful to any given generation in language which they can understand. The most relevant language for studying religion in Africa is the use of figures of speech, metaphors, symbols, proverbs, poetry and others (Mbiti, 2010). The use of these visual materials makes religion practical and relevant to the African people. They help in creating the mental pictures of the concept of Deity(ies) when used appropriately. They are helpful when we allow religious sacred materials to inform them. To communicate effectively let us use the language of the people that is making use of culture of the African setting.
Understanding Religion in Traditional Africa
ABRSTRACT Traditional African religion has been perceived to be pagan, primitive, and traditional, and in the process attempts have been made to undermine, eradicate, or alter it. Traditional African religion forms the basis to understanding both Islam and Christian faith. Anyone who is sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Continent of Africa needs to have a basic understanding of the traditional African religion. This paper seeks to provide a basic understanding of African traditional religion as a spring board to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.