Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Traditional Religions
Before the arrival of Islam and Christianity, every race, tribe or clan in West Africa prac-
tised its own traditional religion. While many in the Sahel converted to Islam, and those in
the south converted to Christianity, traditional religions remained strong and still retain a
powerful hold over the consciousness of West Africans, even coexisting with established
aspects of Islam or Christianity. When discussing traditional beliefs, terms such as 'juju',
'voodoo' and 'witchcraft' are frequently employed. In certain specific contexts these may
be correct, but these are much misunderstood terms.
There are hundreds of traditional religions in West Africa, with considerable areas of
overlap. What you won't find are any great temples (more modest local shrines often
served the same purpose) or written scriptures (in keeping with West Africa's largely oral
tradition). Beliefs and traditions can be complex and difficult to understand, but several
common factors are found again and again. The following description provides an over-
view only, and is necessarily very simplified.
The Role of the Natural World
Almost all traditional religions are animist, meaning that they are based on the attribution
of life or consciousness to natural objects or phenomena. Thus a certain tree, mountain,
river or stone may be sacred (such as among the Lobi of southwestern Burkina Faso) be-
cause it represents, is home to, or simply is, a spirit or deity. The number of deities of each
religion varies, as does the phenomena that represents them. The Ewe of Togo and Ghana,
for example, have more than 600 deities, including one that represents the disease small-
pox.
Totems, fetishes (talismans) and charms are also important features of traditional reli-
gions. Among the Senoufo, for example, the dead take on the form of the clan's animal to-
tem. Masks also play a significant role, and often serve as mediums of intercession between
the human and natural worlds.
The Way of the Elders: West African Spirituality & Tradition,
by Adama and Naomi Doumbia, is one of surprisingly
few books to provide an overview of the foundations of traditional West African religions.
The Role of Ancestors
In many African religions, ancestors play a particularly strong role; two powerful examples
of this are found among the Igbo and Yoruba of Nigeria. The principal function of ancest-
ors is usually to protect the tribe or family, and they may on occasion show their ancestral
