Priv.-Doz. Dr Hans Gerald Hödl West-African t^lLIMJlffl Priv.-Doz. Dr Hans Gerald Hödl Religions jl||iOTBmMiM l. Introduction to the history of the Study of African religions 2. Overview on West-Africa. 2.1. West-African (Niger-Kongo) languages within the groups of African languages 2.2. A short history of West-Africa 3- The traditional Religion of the Yorübä: 3.1. The high-God Olodümare 3-2. The Orisha 3.3. Ifä: the divination system 3.4. The cult of the ancestors: Egungun and Gelede Priv.-Doz. Dr Hans Gerald Hodl West-African Reliaions 4. Traditional religion of the Ewe and Fon- speaking people: 4.1. The cult of the Vodun (tro) 4.1.1. The Vodu of the Mamy Wata-group 4.1.2. TheGorovodu 4.1.3. Fa-divination compared to Yoruba divination system 4.1.4. Cult of the ancestors 4.1.5. The concept of "bo" ("gris-gris"). Priv.-Doz. Dr Hans Gerald Hodl West-African Reliaions 5- The world-view of the Dogon 6. African-derived Christianity: the example of "Christianisme Celeste" 7. Discussing concepts of a general history of religion for labelling african religions: 7.1. Animism 7.2. Totemism 7-3- Fetishism 74. Main features of African religions according to Dianne Stewart Early Sources for the History of (West) African Religions • Early arabic sources: No information on traditional religion Early 16th century: Reports on „Gold-Coast" • Duarte Pacheco Pereira • Valentim Fernandes • Wooden Idols • Main Deity: Km • Cult of the Dead • Figurines, Sacrifice Early Sources for the History of (West) African Religions 1591: Relazione del reame di Congo Filippo Pigafella 1687: Angelo Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi istorica descrizione de tre regni Congo Matamba Angola 1881: Giovanni Beltrame: II fiume bianco e i Denka 1914: John H. Weeks: Among the Primitive Bakongo. A Record of Thirty Years Close Intercourse with the Bakongo and Other Tribes of Equitorial Africa, with a Description of Their Habits, Customs & Religious Beliefs. (West) AR within „General History of Religions" DU C U L T E DES DIEUX FETICHES, o u Parallele de Fancienne Religion de l'Egypte avec la Religion afluelle de Nigritie. Charles de Brasses Refpicit august Omnigtntim§tis Dew« mttßra & iwwcr Aaahu, ViSlcii,. JEh, VIII. s?7. M D C C L X. (West) AR within „General History of Religions" • John Lubbock, Origin of Civilization London 1870 • Grant Allen, The Evolution of the Idea of God London 18971^ • R.R. Marrett The Treshold of Religion London 1909 • Theodor Waitz, Anthropologie der Naturvölker (Leipzig 1859-72) • Gustav Roskoff; Das Religionswesen der rohesten Naturvölker. Leipzig 1880 (West) AR within „General History of Religions" Albert Reville Les religions des peuples non civilises, Paris 1883 (West) AR within „General History of Religions" The Viennese school of Anthropology of Religion Wilhelm Schmidt, Der Ursprung der Gottesidee, 12 Bde., 1912-1955 Paul Schebesta, Die Bambuti-Pygmäen von Ituri Brüssel 1938-50, 3 Bde. Martin Gusinde, Die Twiden Wien-Stuttgart 1956 Anton Vorbichler, Das Opfer auf den uns heute noch erreichbaren ältesten Stufen der Menschheitsgeschichte. Eine Begriffsstudie. Mödling 1956. Sources for the History of (West) African Religions Colonial Descriptions of single peoples/ethnic groups • Collection de Monographies Ethnographiques (19071913) hrsg. von Cyrill von Overbergh • R. S. Rattray • Edward E. Evans-Pritchard Sources for the History of (West) African Religions Colonial descriptions of single peoples/ethnic groups Rattray: „before our civilsations began to break down pure native customs, Ashanti religion guaranteed very similar standards to those set by the higher form of Christian ethical teaching" Sources for the History of (West) African Religions iniversitat wien The professiorate [...] was exhilarated by the prospect of pursuing its own agendas again, armed with the real-world experience it had gained serving the nation. The emergence of the United States as a world power [...] seemed to suggest that the headquarters of learning and research had moved here as well. And of course we were rich then [...] If you could think at anything at all plausible to do, you could get the money someplace [...]" Clifford Geertz, After the Fact Sources for the History of (West) African Religions African Religion as described by African scholars • Early nationalistic authors • Authors within the context of anti-colonialistic struggle • African Christians and theologians, that have written on African Traditional Religion Edward Wilmot Blyden (1832-1912) John Mensah Sarbah (1864-1910) Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford 1866-1930 Joseph Kwame Kyeretwi Boakye Danquah (1895-1965) Kofi Abrefa Busia (1913-1978) Sources for the History of (West) African Religions AFRICAN CHRISTIAN AUTHORS • Canon Edmund llogu (Anglican priest) • Christianity and Igbo Culture, 1974 • Igbo Life and Thought, 1985 •E. Bolaji Idowu : •African Traditional Religion- London 1974 • Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief 1962 Sources for the History of (West) African Religions AFRICAN CHRISTIAN AUTHORS Cardinal F. A. Arinze: Sacrifice in Igbo Religion (1970) Sources for the History of (West) African Religions AFRICAN CHRISTIAN AUTHORS Canon John Samuel Mbiti (Anglican Priest) •African Religions and Philosophy. New York 1969 • Introduction to African Religion, London 1975) • Concepts of God in Africa (London 1982) iniversitat wien Interpretation of ATR Robin Horton, Judaeo-Christian Spectacles: Boon or Bane to the Study of African Religions? In: RH., Patterns of Thought in Africa and the West. Essays on Magic, Religion and Science. Cambridge 1997, 161193; 409-420 (notes) Interpretation of ATR The approach of study of religions to African religions according to Robin Horton Translational Understanding Further Explanation Interpretation of ATR The approach of study of religions to African religions according to Robin Horton Translational Understanding „[...] I am not just talking of the provision of dictionary equivalents for individual words or sentences. I am talking about finding a ,world-language' - equivalent for a whole realm of discourse, and of showing, in ,world-language'-terms, what the point of that realm of discourse is in the life of the people who use it." Interpretation of ATR The approach of study of religions to African religions according to Robin Horton Further Explanation The comparative part: bringing the data found in description and explained by translational understanding into the context of similar phenomena in other cultures, and relating them to other areas within the culture (social, political, economical, technological level). Interpretation of ATR The approach of study of religions to African religions according to Robin Horton Further Explanation Functionalist: Religion can be reduced to its function for other realms of society „Devout school": Religions share a common „core essence" and are something like „the universal response to the divine" Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" Three main fields of „translational understanding" • Central object of religious practice •Attitude towards this object • Main aims and goals of religious activity Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" 1. Central object of religious practice according to „DS" „ .Devout' scholars recognize African belief in and commerce with a multiplicity of lesser spritual forces; but they tend to emphasize that the African worshipper regards such forces as mere intermediaries between himself and the supreme being [...] whose powers [...] depend [...] on the will of that being. Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" 2. Attitude towards this object according to „DS" DS „tend [to stress] a unique religious attitude or emotion in which awed fascination with the mysterious and uncanny bulks large [...] more obvious in [people's] relations with greater divinities and most obvious in their relations with the supreme being itself." Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" 3. Main aims and goals of religious activity acc. to „DS" DS „assume that, for the African worshipper, the attainment of communion with God is the overriding aim of life" & „they seem to be hinting at the presence [...] of the idea of a flawed temporal world from which the individual yearns to escape into the perfection of eternity." Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" Three main fields of „translational understanding" 1. The central object of religious activity is not always a High-God or central deity conceived in a „monotheistic" or „monistic" way. Examples: Lugbara (John Middleton) Fon: Mawu/Lisa; Dan; Nana Buluku Yorübä: örisä / Olödümare Nyakyusa (Monica Wilson) Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" Three main fields of „translational understanding" 2. The attitude towards the central objects of religious activity does not necessarily differ from the attitude towards agents of everyday life. Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" Three main fields of „translational understanding" 3. Main aims and goals of religious activity 3.1. Not communion, but • explanation • prediction • control Interpretation of ATR Hortons Critique of the „Devout-School-Approach" Three main fields of „translational understanding" 3. Main aims and goals of religious activity 3.2. In ATR, concepts of the afterlife resemble each other in one point: „the ideal situation involves return to the world of the living [...] the worst [...] being debarred from return". • Difference to Christian concept of ..otherworldly perfection" • Difference to concepts of rebirth within Eastern religions (religions of the law of karma) Interpretation of ATR Robin Hortons critique of „devout school" According to Horton, the main presupposition of the DS consists in the idea, that the concept of a supreme being can be found everywhere. „[...] many [...] world views have indeed focussed on a supreme being. But the sheer variety of attributes imputed to this being [...] casts doubt on the claim that we are dealing [...] with [...] responses to a single unchanging entity". Interpretation of ATR Sometimes we find a primordial pair of supreme beings Sometimes there is no supreme being at all to be found Horton finds the reason for the „christian interpretation" of ATR in a „double bind" resulting out of the conviction, that Christian faith is the only true one, and the struggle for accepting ATR as showing „equal mental and cultural capicities" of African people. Therefore they stress the continuity between ATR and Christianity. Interpretation of ATR Is there a ..philosophy" behind African Traditional World-View? Henry Odera Oruka: • Ethnophilosophy p ... . a_k • Nationalistic- Ideological Ph. Kre-pn pny \-/ • Philosophical Sagacity • Professional Ph. Interpretation of ATR ■lilt' Universität I« wien ■ Placide Tempels: Bantu Philosophy Ch. 1 In Search of a Bantu Philosophy. 17-38 Ch.2 Bantu Ontology 39-70 Ch.3 Bantu Wisdom or Criteriology 71-94 Ch.4 The Theory of "Muntu" or Bantu Psychology 95-114 Ch.5 Bantu Ethics 115-138 Ch.6 Restoration of Life 139-166 Ch.7 Bantu Philosophy and our Mission to Civilize 167-189 Interpretation of ATR Placide Tempels: Bantu Philosophy „We do not claim of course, that the Bantu are capable of formulating a philosophical treatise, complete with an adequate vocabulary. It is our job to proceed to such systematic development. It is we who will be able to tell them, in precise terms, what their inmost concept of being is. They will recognise themselves in our words, saying: You understand us: you now know us completely [...]." (36) Interpretation of ATR Kwasi Wiredu: „blunt paternalism" Eboussi Boulaga: Bantu as „Monsieur Jourdain d Philosophie" Critique of the idea, that the shared world-view of a people or ethnic group is considered as being „philosophy" John S. Mbiti: It is wrong to draw conclusions about all Bantu-speking peoples from research among the Baluba (one group) Interpretation of ATR The luba-speaking ethnic groups (Baluba) Lualuba: The inhabitants of the territory of the old kingdom of the Luba at the upper Congo ("central Luba"). Luba-Hemba The westernLuba Luba Songyie (Northern Luba): the only group that believes in some kind of reincarnation (which is central for Tempels' concept of the person among the Bantu) African Languages History of Research First records stem from the 15th century First translations of the bible from 17th century 1650: Gianfranco Bruscioto, a capuchin father Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811): Linguarum totius orbis vocabularia Augustissmimae (Catharina II) cura collecta African Languages Missionaries during the 19th and early 20th century • S. W. Koelle: „Polyglotta" • Carl Meinhof • Diedrich Westermann First governmental official": • Heinrich Barth: ..Central African Vocabularies" (1865) Map i.i. African phyla and major languages. ■nd Heine and Den Groups of African Languages according to Greenberg: Afroasiatic Languages Egyptian Semitic Languages Berber Cushitic Chadic Groups of African Languages according to Greenberg:Nilo-Saharan Languages Saharan Songhay Mahan Fur Shah-Nil: • Eastern- • Central- Sudarjic (Shari j Families SOMGAY SAHARAN MABA FUR EAST SUDANIC (vffi^ KUNAMA f/JT] KOMAN GUMUZ KUUAK 9855 Groups of African Languages according to Greenberg:Niger-Congo Languages Kordofan (?) Western Atlantic Mande Voltaic Group Kwa Group Benue-Congo Adamawa-Ubangi Niger-Congo MANDE Branch Bamoara Major Languages + Mbr« Isolated Languages Niger-Congo Languages KORDOFANIAN Atlantic NIGER CONGO 1514 I ATLANTIC-CONGO 1418 MANDE Volta-Congo 1344 Benue Congo Dogon Kru Kwa North IjOid /V iger- Congo 31 Proto-Benue-Congo West Benue-Congo East Benue-Congo YEAI Edoid Igboid NOI I Central Nigerian Ukaan? Bantoid-Cross Ayere-Ahan Yoruboid Akokoid Akpes Kainji Beromic SE Plateau Cross River North West Central Plateau Plateau Tarok Jukunoid 1 Nupoid Oko Idomoid Bendi? Delta-Cross Bantoid Fig. 2.11. Classification of Benue-Congo languages. ( r-F Africa's Kingdoms and Empires Classical Sugsnda Lubl Cor^p^,-- RwamJe Luna Monomolapa £Jer1na Zulu Kingdom Short History of West-Africa The Kingdom of Gana (Wagadu) Gana= Title of the emperor 773: First mentioning of Gana: „The land of gold"; founded by the Soninke -800: Important center of trade 1076: The Almoravids take Kumbi Saleh (?) 1203: Sumabguru, emperor of the Fulani takes Kumbi Saleh -1240: Fall of the kingdom of Gana Short History of West-Africa The Kingdom of Mali ~1050: Emperor Barmandana, 1st king of Mali, undertakes pilgrimage to Mekka 1235-60: Reign of the „founder of the kingdom", Sundiata Mansa= Title („Master" in Mandinka) 1298-1308: Mansa Sakuru ~1312-37: Mansa Kankan Musa: hejira, takes egyptian scholars to Mali ~1400: Decline of the kingdom begins Short History of West-Africa Mil Universität IUP Wien ■ Songhay ~11th c: Gao reigned by muslim kings, trade with North- Africa and Spain -1300: Gao has to pay tribute to Mali -1375: Gao independent again 1464-92: Sunni AN 1493-1528: Askia the Great 1591-? Askia Muhammad Gao -1590: Spanish Muslims take Timbuktu and Gao Short History of the Yorübä REPUBLIC OF BENi-N AFRICA NIGERIA 4} OfdOyo CAMEROON I NCI Short History of the Yorübä ODUDUWA -1000: Ife: Odüdüwa: -1300: -1650: -1800: Starting point of Yorübä urban culture Place of origin of Yorübä culture, according to myth place of creation. First Ööni (oba = king) of Ife Ife at the height of its political power Supremacy of Oyo Decline of the kingdom of Oyo. uiiversitat wien Guinea Empires 15th to 18th century Artwork of the Ife-Culture Yoruba Copper figurine, found at Tada (Nupe-village) Origin: Ife Artwork from the ancient town of Ife One out of 16 bronze castings of king's heads found in lfe(11th-12th c. ce) The holes on the forehead and above the upper lip were used to detach the beaded strings that cover the king's face. Technique of „lost wax Artwork from the ancient town of Ife Terracotta-figurine from Ife Yoruba World-View Traditional conically shaped crown of Yoruba-Kings Religion of theYoruba Orun and aye: Heaven/Earth: Two halves of a Calabash Ase: „power" Olodumare: Orisa: Ifa-Oracle: Merindilogun: Obi: Egungun: Gelede: High-God, Creator of the world, „Deus otiosus" Spiritual beings System of divination System of divination Simple oracle Ancestor-worship Masking Society iniversitat wien Yoruba World-View The calabash is a symbol of the cosmos: orun & aye, Heaven & Earth fitting closely together Yoruba World-View ^^^Olodumare ol - from: „oni" ))0dC^ oa^^ (possessor of) „6du" & mare • oni= denotes possessor •odu (middle-pitched o) = a chapter (of Ifa); sovereign, authority, sceptre • odd (low-pitched o) = a big, deep pot; • ddu-kari = an odu, that is perfectly filled Yoruba World-View 1 Ai iniversitatH ^^^Olodumare ol - from: „oni" ))0dC^ oa^^ (possessor of) „6du" & mare • olodu= the one who possesses the reign, the sovereign /emperor or • olodu = a perfect being Yoruba World-View Olodumare ol - from: „oni" (possessor of) & „odu" or ..odu" & mare omoere = the offspring of the primordial Boa ma re = „do not go!"; That, which does not move, does not change odu m'are = linking of odu (sceptre) and are (a symbol in the king's crown) oni & odu-kari: the one that possesses perfection Yoruba World-View Olödümare ol - from: „oni" (possessor of) & „odü" or Lödü" olodu= the one who power olödü = a perfect being & mare omoere = offspring of the boa ma re = „don't go"; that does not change odu m'are = the linking of the odu (sceptre) and the are (sign featured in the crown) Yoruba World-View ill % iniversitat f wien Olodumare 1. Olodu, the offspring of the boa 2. Olodu, who does not go or change, the one that remains. 3. The one combining the sceptre & the crown. 4. The one that possesses ultimate perfection. Yoruba World-View Olodumare: other names 1. Olorun: the one that owns orun 2. Eleda: the creator, progenitor 3. Elemi: the one that gives the emi, the breath of life. Religion of the Yorübä ill % iniversität f wien • Cult of the örisä • Ifä-divination • Ancestor-worship Cult of the orisa Mfei iniversitatl ^U* wien ■ ohun-tl-a-rf§a = that which has been found and collected on ("head") & §e ("begin") = the source of ori orisa funfun & orisa gbigbona ill % iniversitat f wien orisa funfun (cool orisa) ♦ Obatala fOrisanla) = The king in white dress, the great orisa (Ife) • Orunmila the founder of the Ifa divination-system (oracle) orisa gbigbona (hot orisa) • Esu (Eleggua): Trickster, the universal translator • Sango (Ovo): Thunder & Lightning, Electricity • Qgun : God of Iron & war, „7 Ogun" Some female 6ri§a ill % iniversitat f wien • Yemoo, Yemoja The wife of Obatala (in Ife), goddess of salty water, of the oceans, goddess of love • Oya (One of the) wife (wives) of §ango, Goddess of wind and storm • Osun Goddess of the river Osun, goddess of water, goddess of fertility, the only female orisa engaged in creation, patron of merindilogun divination iniversität wien A figurine of Esu, with phallic elonged head, cowrie shells & a bird (like on the crowns of kings?) iniversität wien iniversität wien Universität wien iniversität wien iniversität wien iniversität wien iniversität wien iniversität wien Universität wien iniversität wien uiiversität wien iniversität wien Universität wien iniversität wien Universität wien Universität wien iniversität wien uiiversität wien iniversität wien Universität wien iniversitat wien Universität wien iniversität wien Universität wien iniversität wien uiiversität wien iniversität wien iniversitat wien Universität wien Universität wien Universität wien Die 16 Hauptodu des Ifá-Orakels Eji Obe Oyeku Meji Iwori Meji Edi Meji Irosun Meji Oworin Meji Obara Meji Okanran Meji I I II II II II I I I I II II I I II II I I II II I I II II I I II II II II II II I I II II I I II II II II I I II II II II I I II II II II I I II II I I II II I I Ogunda Meji Osa Meji Ika Meji Oturupon Meji Otura Meji Irete Meji O^e Meji Ofun Meji I I II II II II II II I I I I I I II II I I I I I I II II II II I I II II I I I I I I II II I I I I II II I I II II II II I I II II II II I I I I II II I I