Identify any (but not the Shembe Church) African Traditional Religious group in the African continent or the Caribbean Islands/ South American where Afro cultural religion might exist. Provide a brief overview of this ATR group. Provide a brief history of the group and important cultural ideas and practices. Would you define this group as a social movement? Motivate your answer. Provide citations intext reference from different sources from books and journal articles as evidence and references to support the statements using Harvard referencing style
One African Traditional Religious group that is not the Shembe Church is the Yoruba religion, also known as Ifá. The Yoruba religion is practiced in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, as well as in the African diaspora, particularly in Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti.
The Yoruba religion is a complex system of beliefs, rituals, and practices that center around the worship of Orishas, or deities, who are believed to have control over various aspects of nature and human life. The religion also places a strong emphasis on ancestral worship, divination, and the performance of rituals to honor and communicate with the Orishas.
The history of the Yoruba religion can be traced back to the Yoruba people of present-day Nigeria, who have practiced their traditional beliefs for centuries. The religion has also been influenced by the transatlantic slave trade, with Yoruba slaves bringing their religious practices to the Americas and the Caribbean.
Important cultural ideas and practices within the Yoruba religion include the belief in the interconnectedness of all things, the importance of maintaining balance and harmony in the world, and the power of rituals and ceremonies to communicate with the divine. These ideas and practices are reflected in the elaborate ceremonies, dances, and music that are central to Yoruba religious observances.
The Yoruba religion can be considered a social movement in the sense that it has helped to preserve and promote Yoruba cultural identity and traditions in the face of colonization and other forms of cultural oppression. By maintaining their religious practices and beliefs, Yoruba communities have been able to resist assimilation and assert their cultural distinctiveness.
References:
- Peel, J. D. Y. (2000). Religion and the constitution of Yoruba society. In Yoruba religious texts (pp. 1-39). The University of Wisconsin Press.
- Ramos, M. (1998). Afro-Cuban orishas. African Arts, 31(4), 26-41.
- Thompson, R. F. (1987). Flash of the spirit: African & Afro-American art & philosophy. Vintage.