6 Indigenous African Religions (Spiritual Cultures) Practiced in West

[IfasehunReincarnated]

6 Indigenous African Religions (Spiritual Cultures) Practiced in West


Togo/Ghana/Benin -- Vodun/Mami Wata



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Haiti -- Vodou (Voodoo)



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Yoruba - Orisa/Santeria etc..

• Africa/USA influences -- Orisa'Ifa
  (try to practice as close to african as possible)
• Africa/USA -- Anago
  (try to practice as close to african as possible)
• USA/Africa -- Oyotunji
  (will not accept any ethnicity except for African, including latinos etc. try to practice as close to african as possible)
• Cuba -- Lukumi /Santeria
• Brazil -- Candomble / Umbanda
• Trinidad -- Sango Baptiste

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Central Africa/Pan-American -- Kongo / Palo Mayombe


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Ghana/Togo -- Akan



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Nubia/Kemet (Egypt) -- Ausar Auset Society:

(A spiritual system that stems from "classical" African history, not "traditional" Africa for you history buffs. Resurrected in 70s/80s in USA, but has roots in Africa. Deemed only legitimate manifestation of Kemetic spirituality in world, as it is only system that can actually invoke and possess its priesthood with Kemetic deities and speak in ancient tongues during this period.)



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Caribbean/ Central Africa -- Obeah

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Elements to admire in African Traditional (Spiritual Cultures) Religions

IN THE RELIGIOUS SPHERE

1. There is widespread belief in a supreme God, unique and transcendent.
2. Africans have a sense of the sacred and a sense of mystery; there is high reverence for sacred places, persons and objects; sacred times are celebrated.
3. Belief in the afterlife is incorporated in myths and in funeral ceremonies.
4. The invisible world of spirits and ancestors is always present and the intentions of these spirits can be ascertained; care is taken to ascertain the will of the spirit to whom sacrifices may be due or from whom protection may be sought.
5. Religion enfolds the whole of life, there is no dichotomy between life and religion.
6. Ancestors mediate between God and man.
7. Belief in the efficacy of intercessory prayer is widespread.
8. Bodily purification is required before one may approach to offer sacrifice to God; there are nevertheless provisions for spiritual purification also.
9. It is believed that sin harms the public good, hence there are periodical purification rites in order to promote public welfare.
10. Worship requires a fundamental attitude of strict discipline and reverence.
    Pardon is final and acknowledged by all: an offence, once forgiven, is never recalled.

IN THE RITUAL SPHERE

1. Rites form an essential part of social life.
   
2. Ancestors and the dead are invoked by rites.
   
3. The seasonal cycles and the stages of life are sanctified by ritual action. Ritual attention is given to crisis situations.
   
4. The whole person, body and soul, is totally involved in worship.
   
5. In worship and sacrifice there is co-responsibility each person contributes his share in a spirit of participation.
   
6. Symbols bridge the spheres of the sacred and secular and so make possible a balanced and unified view of reality.
   
7. Rites of passage, of initiation and of consecration are widespread.
   
8. There are many rites of purification of individuals and communities.
   
9. The sick are healed in rites which involve their families and the community.
   
10. Religious sacredness is preserved in ritual, in dress and the arrangements of the places of worship.
    
11. Some of the traditional blessings are rich and very meaningful.

IN THE RELIGIO-MORAL SPHERE:

1. There is respect for life: children are treasured, abortion is an abomination.
   
2. The sacredness of human life is guarded by taboos and rituals.
   
3. There is respect for the dignity of man; each man has his own inalienable chi ("selfhood", "destiny").
   
4. To be faithful in undertakings is regarded as becoming a man.
   
5. That life makes moral demands is accepted, and this is shown among other things by the sense of the person and attachment to life itself.
   
6. Sin is perceived in both its personal and communal dimensions.
   
7. Moderation in the use of alcohol is inculcated: only adults may drink. Drunkenness is shameful. Indeed moderation is required in every aspect of human behaviour.

IN THE RELIGIO-CULTURAL SPHERE:

1. Attention is given to locating man within his environment and making him feel at home in it.
   
2. Tradition is handed down through stories, poems, hymns, proverbs, riddles and art.
   
3. The whole community is involved in the training of the young, and education itself has a necessary community and social aspect.
   
4. The moral education of youth is taken seriously.
   
5. Life has a festive dimension and is celebrated in adequate rites.
   
6. Old folk are held in high esteem. The community regards their wisdom as prophetic, that is, as able to give direction for living in the circumstances of the present day.
   
7. Silence is treasured as a value.
   
8. Marriage is an alliance between families and persons; cultural provisions are made to uphold its stability.
   
9. Youth is give a gradual initiation to life and society.
   
10. Blood alliances bind with a bond that is rarely broken.

IN THE RELIGIO-SOCIAL SPHERE:

1. Hospitality is a duty and is the most common value in African Traditional Religion all over Africa.
   
2. Between kith and kin and people of the same clan there is a very strong sense of sharing and of solidarity and belonging.
   
3. Efforts are made to secure and promote justice and peace within the community.
   
4. The nuclear family and the extended family have been the pivots of the African social system.
   
5. Respect for authority, sanctioned by the ancestors, is strong and represents the common will.
   
6. The poor and the sick are taken care of, widows and orphans are looked after.

[rebelAfrika]

I chose "As a pan-africanist I am still very uncomfortable with African spiritual practices" but I just want to point out that it's not because it is African. I am uncomfortable with the spiritual practices of Asians, Arabs, and Native Americans too. If europeans made anything spiritual, I would be uncomfortable with that too. I would prefer to get into Capoeira Angola than Yoruba, Santeria, Vodun and the likes. I mean...I could "devote" myself to this as opposed to religion/spirituality.

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Capoeira Angola is a martial art.

• presented in their original forms all martial arts where practiced in tandem with the worship of a martial aspect of God, like Ogun. Ogun for those that are not familar, is a seriously strong, war ready energy force.
• Are you still having trouble believing that african "religion" is not the same as western religion?

[Im The Truth]

I'd suggest that you read a book about African religion/spirituality in general, I'm sure your views about religion/spirituality will match the views of many African religion/spirituality systems. Unless you do not believe in the Creator, Ancestors, and Spirits.

Originally Posted by rebelafrika

I chose "As a pan-africanist I am still very uncomfortable with African spiritual practices" but I just want to point out that it's not because it is African. I am uncomfortable with the spiritual practices of Asians, Arabs, and Native Americans too. If europeans made anything spiritual, I would be uncomfortable with that too. I would prefer to get into Capoeira Angola than Yoruba, Santeria, Vodun and the likes. I mean...I could "devote" myself to this as opposed to religion/spirituality.

[www.AhsheEtc.com]

Well I chose As a pan-africanist I will someday readopt the spiritual beliefs of my ancestors. what we will find as people is a rich tradition as a people of African decent. It is this which makes us stronger and that whish separates of from the westernized European methods of spirituality. for the most part all systems you find in African will be similar in many aspects…but we all need to build on self at all times on the aspects of advance meditation and collecting ones inner god (energy) to achieve what we want for our people. This too is about freedom…

[Little95]

I wanna adopt my ancestors religion, but I ain't figuered out how yet!!!

[Scott_Freeman]

Personally I follow yoruba. I came into yoruba about a year and a hlaf ago and I feel comfortable with it and i never felt comfortable following any religion that was forced upon our ancestors like catholicsm and christianity. A sista I once dated told me I would have to attend her church if we were able to build needless to say I let her make it. No one is going to force me to follow a religion i dont believe in much less a religion that was whipped into the backs and brains of my ancestors. I always wondered why I see our elders forcing little kids to go to church, its been passed down and if you dont follow that certain religion you were sure to be put out of the house or called a "black sheep". From talking with my mother I found out that none of my family members believe in a higher being, they are not spiritual at all period and I started to notice that when I was running thru the memories in my mind about past issues with family. My mother doesnt follow any religion she is just a spiritual person who believes in a higher being and she understands why i choose to follow a religion that is right for me, she has seen the changes I've made in myself for the good. :oya:

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Originally Posted by little95

I wanna adopt my ancestors religion, but I ain't figuered out how yet!!!

I have updated and corrected items on the following list since i originally posted it. you can find them at www.rootsandrooted.org where it now a permenant directory on my site

I never tried to categorize my web links, but here goes a sampling. I try not to recommend specific communities (although I know members at most of the temples listed below), as everyone wants something different and each of these definately is very different from one another.

* some houses practice more than one african system, i categorized them as I say their primary practice.

Most African spiritual communities have spiritual development classes that you can take without formally joining anything. This way, you can get a feel for what's best for you.

Vodun:

• New York: http://www.vodou.org
• Georgia:http://mamiwata.com
• Louisiana: http://yorubapriestess.tripod.com

Yoruba:

• Texas: http://www.ileolokun.com
• Illinios: http://jalumi.com , http://www.ileosikan.freeservers.com
• Florida: http://www.ifainc.org , http://www.ife-ile.org , http://www.church-of-the-lukumi.org
• Wisconsin: http://www.geocities.com/omo_sango_oya/index2.html
• California: http://ayodele_falade.tripod.com , http://www.ileorunmila.com
• New York: http://www.ile-ase.org , http://www.lukumichurch.com
• South Carolina: http://www.oyotunjivillage.net

Akan

• New York: http://www.onipaabusia.org , http://www.afsani.org (?) , http://www.freewebs.com/awobaby/
• Pennsylvania: http://members.aol.com/akbsankofa/AKBSHomepage.html , http://www.starspirit.com
• Maryland: http://www.theafrican.com/Healer/Dunyon/akwasidae.html
• Georgia: http://theafrican.com/Healer/Attakora/ASUO.htm

Kemetic

• D.C.: http://www.aasdc.org
• Maryland: http://www.baltimoreaas.com
• Florida: http://www.uaia.org/aas/class_sched.htm
• Pennsylvania: http://www.ausarausetpa.org

This ought to give you a start using communities that have websites. But of course there are numerous others with no online prescence. If you are state is not listed, which is most likely - just choose one within 5 hours of you, email them and ask if they know a place in your area.

Again, this is a partial list of what I DO have, as it would take a while to put all that in a post, link by link. At some point I will do a real directory on my website...

[IfasehunReincarnated]

http://www.rootsandrooted.org/lineage.htm

As many older devotees and priest can attest, there was a period after slavery when even the traditions of Africa seemed out of reach for African-Americans. For reasons varying from racism to loss of ancestral connection, we found very few choices for indigenous worship. As the civil rights movement blossomed, so did a parallel interest in reclaiming and reviving of various African traditions within our communities. In fact, some of the same pioneers of spiritual lineages in the U.S. were also instrumental in the civil and cultural movement of the 50s-70s.

Among a list of noble names that are too numerous to recount here, three individuals stand out, the late Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu I of Bosum Dzemawodzi, Oba Ofuntola Oseijeman Adefunmi of Oyotunji (Orisa-Vodun) and Shekem Ur Shekem/Ashem Ur Ashem Ra Un Nefer Amen of The Ausar Auset Society. While their stories are too long, glorious and detailed to tell here, we thought brief introductions were necessary. These three men, who all eventually took the role of Chief Priest-King and are endorsed and enshrined with their respective Diasporan and Continental African lineages, changed the face of African spiritual and religious expression forever.

Please read on to learn more about the pioneers of three power African spiritual/ religious lineages in the West.

[Kweku_Omowale]

candomble have its roots strongly tied to afriica and our ancestors,cathollicism was brought by the whiteman,gospel started in the slave plantations in amerika
as for me, i just meta beautiful afrikan woman in brazil,who isa devotee of candomble and she isa fine sister in every meaning of the word,i asked her to initiate me and there is sooo much to learn about african spirituality that is not even funny yoo!!

[IfasehunReincarnated]

the temple list above is being fleshed out and added to daily. it can viewed at
http://www.rootsandrooted.org/temple_sites.htm

People may point out sites ( www.rootsandrooted.org/contact.htm ) but please do not be offended if a site is not added to the list. Everything has its purpose.

[Temu]

I follow the teachings and spiritual practice of my Ancient Ancestors. I live and walk in the light of the sun.

My Ancestors teachs me as the original man who evolve from the womb of mother earth, All life on earth came into existance through the life giving rays of the sun Ra.

Since I've applied these teachings to my life I haven't looked back!

Check out this website

http://thirdeyesopen.cjb.net

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Temu thanks for adding directing us to your site. I had a look yesterday. I do want to add one distinction so others understand. This is your personal site right?

All of the sites listed above are owned by fully initiated priests of traditional or classical african spiritual systems or ran by devotees of lineage validated african spiritual systems/religions. This doesnt devalue your site. It is good and useful. But I do want people to recognize that the distinction between contacting a community or priest via one of these sites or someone engaged in private study. (There are many that are seeking spiritual homes and its important they have all the info upfront so they dont misdirect their efforts.)

[Temu]

Hotep IfasehunReincarnated,

I put the site together but it belong to all people of Nubian, African, Cushite, Dogon, Kemet,..etc descent.

I understand and agree with what you're saying. Third Eyes Open is more of and "Education and Resource" center I just had to design it around the teachings of the Ancients.

If people are looking for more of a spritiual home I encourage them to view the sites that you listed above.

In fact I just decided on the Ausar Auset society for my spiritual home.

Thanks for the links.

[Kweku_Omowale]

i have to go to brazil to be initiated i have to do divination readings,but i am strongly incilined towards african tradtional religion
there is none here in canada though thats the sad part that i have to travel to brazil for 6 months to a year in order to be initiated