"The traditional beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse, including various ethnic religions."
Study of African religious traditions, beliefs, practices, and influences, including animism, Islam, Christianity, syncretism, and spirituality.
African Traditional Religions: A broad term that encompasses a variety of African spiritual practices and beliefs.
Ancestor Worship: A central aspect of many African religions that involves venerating and communicating with one's ancestors.
Divination: The practice of communicating with the spiritual realm or seeking guidance from ancestors, often through the use of oracles or divination tools.
Spirit Possession: The belief that spirits can enter and take control of human bodies for various purposes.
The Orishas: A group of deities from the Yoruba religion of Nigeria and Benin that have been adopted into many other African spiritual practices.
The Ifa Religion: A religion of the Yoruba people of Nigeria that emphasizes the importance of divination and the use of oracles.
The Vodun Religion: A religion of the Fon people of Benin that focuses on the veneration of ancestral spirits and the worship of a pantheon of deities.
The San Religion: A religion of the San people of southern Africa that emphasizes the importance of trance-induced spiritual experiences.
African Cosmology: The way that Africans understand their world, including their beliefs about the creation of the universe and the place of humans within it.
Animal Sacrifice: A common ritual practice in many African religions, which involves offering animal sacrifices to deities or ancestors.
Healing and Medicine: Many African religions have elaborate systems of medicine and healing that incorporate spiritual and physical practices.
Initiation and Rituals: Many African religions involve elaborate initiation ceremonies and other ritual practices that mark significant transitions in an individual's life.
Oral Tradition: Many African religions rely on oral tradition, including storytelling and song, to transmit important spiritual and cultural knowledge.
Colonialism and African Religion: The impact of colonialism on African spiritual practices and beliefs.
African Diaspora Religions: Religions that originated in Africa but have been adopted and adapted by people of African descent around the world.
Yoruba Religion: This is a religion common among the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. It includes the worship of Orishas (deities) and ancestors.
Vodou: This is a religion widely practiced in Haiti, but it has roots in West Africa. It is a syncretic religion that combines elements of African Traditional Religion, Catholicism, and Native American spiritual practices.
Santeria: This is a religion that originated in Cuba and is a combination of Yoruba religion and Catholicism.
Candomble: This is a religion that originated in Brazil and is a combination of African Traditional Religion and Catholicism.
Ifa: This is a divination system practiced by the Yoruba people in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
Egyptian Religion: Ancient Egyptian religion, also known as Kemetism, is a religious tradition that originated in ancient Egypt and still has modern-day followers.
Akan Religion: This religion is practiced by the Akan people of Ghana and involves the worship of a supreme being, Asaase Yaa, and various spirits and ancestors.
Dinka Religion: This religion is practiced by the Dinka people of South Sudan and involves the worship of a single high god, Nhialic, and various spirits.
Bantu Religion: This refers to the traditional beliefs and practices of the Bantu-speaking peoples of Central and Southern Africa.
Dahomey Religion: This religion was practiced by the Fon people of Dahomey, which is now Benin. It involved the worship of various gods and spirits.
Igbo Religion: This religion is practiced by the Igbo people of Nigeria and involves the worship of various gods, ancestors, and spirits.
Dogon Religion: This religion is practiced by the Dogon people of Mali and involves the worship of their ancestral spirits, as well as a belief in a creator god named Amma.