African traditional culture pdf

A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage. He watches the naming ceremonies, religious services, marriage rituals, funeral obsequies. Simple statistics like frequency distribution, percentile were used. Causes and consequences of rapid erosion of cultural values. Contemporary african culture is a mixture of traditional elements and alien features. Oral literature encompasses fables, folktales, legends myths and proverbs. Family is the most important part of every culture here. African ceremonies inc, a 501c3 charitable foundation, is dedicated to the preservation of african tribal traditions through the photographic documentation of ceremonies and customs, thereby ensuring that the strength and essence of african culture is preserved for the history of mankind and for the education of future generations. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data chireau, yvonne patricia, 1961 black magic. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious. In a similar manner emery 2012 says a folktale is a traditional narrative, usually anonymous, handed down orally e. Adeyemi and adeyinka 2002 have argued that before the introduction of western civilization into africa, the philosophical foundations of african traditional indigenous education were aimed at the five principles of preparationism, functionalism. As you have read in the above paragraphs, african culture is mixed with the innumerable tribes and ethnic groups.

In recent years, the diversity of african culture and creativity has received more attention world over. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. Since culture is often seen as the sum total of the peculiarities shared by a people, a peoples values can be seen as. African traditional religion, is therefore less sexist in its image of the spiritual world as compared to other world religions. The western culture has tremendously impacted on african traditional society in a very positive and negative dimension.

It is a fact that in african traditional belief, god is the explanation of all things. Held, mcgrew, goldblatt and perraton 1999, note that culture is the social construction, articulation and reception of meaning. The child just grows into and within the cultural heritage of his people. African culture, tradition and custom, and what is a colonial or imperial construct which is now regarded as african culture, tradition and custom. Cultural globalization has created unparalleled inequity throughout africa, affected the behavior of people in. This is an abridged reprint of hortons discussion that appeared in two installments in africa vol. The cultural and physical diversity added with the dramatic social changes of the last three decades on the continent makes the family pattern situation so variegated as to defy any sweeping generalizations. African traditional medicine is a form of holistic health care system organized into three levels of specialty, namely divination, spiritualism, and herbalism. The westernized few, persuaded by european culture and christianity, first denied african traditional culture, but with the increase of african nationalism, a cultural recovery occurred. African societies, together with their value systems and beliefs are close, even.

The epidemic has ravaged africa far more viciously than. Colonialism, africa, values, religion, culture, morality. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. See robin horton, african traditional thought and western science in bryan wilson, ed. The notion of special education was a western phenomenon and concept in nigeria. But while the elders in africa have the right to communicate mostly verbal ly, the youth and younger generations in. The influence of their diet is reflected in the universal southern african love of barbecue generally called in south africa by its afrikaans name, a braai and biltong dried preserved meat.

African culture 16 most interesting traditions africa facts. We shall try to illustrate that african culture and values can be appraised from. The paper also considers the concept of evil, ethics, justice and time in african traditional religion. But is no stranger to african peoples, and in traditional life there are no. Communication between the living and the livingdead. Before we examine the role of women in african traditional religion, certain methodological issues have to be resolved. Unn university of nigeria, nsukka, nsukka, nigeria for a long time, children with special needs were educated along with other regular children in schools. Mbiti says that each person in african traditional life lives in or as a part of the family 1975, p. Thus, it recommended that cultural practices that are harmful to women should be discarded. Here too, the identity of each type of culture comes from its differences with the other type.

This paper seeks to examine how africans conceive of the supreme being, divinities and spirits. Moreover, the centrality of the place of values in african culture as a heritage that is passed down from one generation to another, will be highlighted. One area which served as an important educational vehicle for the youth in traditional africa was the oral literature. Local african culture was oppressed for many years by white south africans, who find their cultural roots in western countries. An ongoing dialogue exists between the upholding of traditional african culture and the imposition of a modern culture, and the identity of a people and their relationships to each other and the outside world are at stake. A traditional culture is a culture which is not modern. Sex refers to a persons biological characteristics. Cultural globalization has created unparalleled inequity throughout africa, affected the. Up to a point in history this traditional religious attitude maintained an almost absolute monopoly over african concepts and experiences of life1. The african is conscious of the influence of each category of these beings in the. Community and human wellbeing in an african culture 285 where the human person is treated with honour and nobility.

Technology, internet, culture, education, africa 1. The effects of western civilisation and culture on africa. University of namibia and the university of minnesota. The influence of european and arab cultures, has also provided a taste of uniqueness to the culture of africa. Yoruba context with emphasis placed on two divides of culture as possible agents of women oppression and therefore, its relevance in promoting rights of women. Differences are usually seen from the perspective of modern cultures. This study was carried out in adoodoota lga, with a sample size of 203. Within religion and culture, this inequality is evident in the fact that men overwhelmingly dominate in the highest levels of the hierarchy in these sectors. It was a traditional obligation for any family to be able to offer a visitor copious amounts of beer. The impact of internet on african education and culture. Seventhly, there was considerable hostility to african traditional religion.

Ancestors in african traditional religious thought. The aim of this study was to explore the african traditional psychotherapy methods used to address psychological needs, to investigate the aspects of culture that could be integrated. This, as mbiti has rightly pointed out, is because, it is religion, more than anything else, which colours their the african empirical participation in that universe, making life a. Causes and consequences of rapid erosion of cultural. Afro asian journal of social sciences volume 1, no. Ideologically speaking, the african world is a world of inanimate, animate and spiritual beings.

The traditional beer was ubiquitous in the southern african diet, and the fermentation added additional nutrients to the diet. This orientation of african ethics takes its impulse, undoubtedly, from the humanistic outlook that characterizes traditional african life and thought. Ann ogbo 1,2,3department of management university of nigeria enugu campus abstract. Any african christian who raised it risked victimization. Initiation in african traditional religion a systematic symbolic analysis with special reference to aspects of igbo religion in nigeria inaugural dissertation. The child observes, imbibes and mimics the action of his elders and siblings. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. African culture, norms, values, and alteration of african social structure. It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers.

Illness is regarded as having both natural and supernatural causes and. Gender refers to the different roles that are assigned to males and females. In african culture story telling folk tales which used to be part and parcel of us is no more seen in our daily lives. Many young and even old emerging african gogetters are carving their names on the books of history through their works. The book illustrates the intersection between culture and politics in history and in the present. The importance of women in african society is portrayed in a ghanaian proverb which says, a woman is a flower in a garden, her husband is the fence around. Box 4384400100, nairobi, kenya abstract it is the opinion consensuses of a few scholars that the institution of marriage has continued to. All social and cultural practices find their connection with a notion of family, either supporting or distorting it. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing africans as people who did not know the supreme being nor worship him.

Culture, tradition, custom, law and gender equality mj maluleke culture is like an umbrella under which some people like to hide from rain, and also to shade themselves from the sun. The religious beliefs, practices and the provision of social services of these immigrant religions have impacted on the religious and cultural life of the traditional communities. This book focuses on the modern cultures of africa, from the consequences of the. Hence, this is a way of correcting misconception about culture in relation to the gender question.

It will be argued that the primogeniture rule8 is not an original african cultural principle but a colonial and imperial construct. Janice hocker rushing 1983 has argued, for example, that an enduring myth in u. It is common knowledge that the african continent has been hit hardest by the hiv and aids epidemic. African culture has experienced rapid change since the colonial invasion. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage and sexuality dr. Introduction the advent of the early 1990s was characterized by a new era of possibilities visavis information and communication technologies icts in developing countries.

What is clear, before us is that we find the essentials of marriage in all cultures, namely a lifelong union of husband and wife for mutual. Imported cloth and clothing and the urbanization of many rural areas of africa is grinding away at the traditional cultural aspects. The effects of globalization on various aspects of the life of developing nations has always been controversial. The incredibly diverse traditions and cultures of africa. The subject of traditional family patterns in africa is so broad that it cannot be adequately addressed in one chapter. This paper therefore is aimed at examining the causes and consequences of rapid erosion of cultural values in nigeria. The rate has considerably reduced due to the use of modern medicine and better child care.

But disease and malnutrition are still the greatest enemies of african infants and children. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. The culture of a people is their identity as it affords them due recognition. Njoh and others published tradition, culture and development in africa find, read and cite all the research you need. Afel finds it hard to keep his art and his culture alive, however. Colonialism and african cultural values academic journals. Long ago, protagoras made the point when he made his timehonoured and worldfamous statement, saying. Tradition, culture and development in africa request pdf. This is as a result of the fact that christian catechetical teachings which hails from. An ongoing dialogue exists between the upholding of traditional african culture and the imposition of a modern culture, and the identity of a people and their relationships to each other and the.

Pdf african traditional education prior to colonization. The african continent is the fastest growing region for the roman catholic church, and is therefore significantly influenced by the position of the church on matters such as hiv and aids. Namibia is a southern african country with national level policies promoting. The theology of inculturation and the african church. Over the past 25 years, africa has been the prime victim of a small, but highly intelligent virus, which has infected and killed millions of people, and significantly hampered the growth and development of a land with abundant potential. The traditional healer provides health care services based on culture, religious background, knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs that are prevalent in his community. From writing to design and fashion, to moviemaking, music and dance, these varied generations are exhibiting the. There is high rate of infant mortality in traditional african societies.

God, divinities and spirits in african traditional. Reprinted by permission of the university of california press. Man is the measure of all things, of things that are they are, of things that are not that they are not. Herbal medicines in african traditional medicine intechopen. The characteristics of hot and cold cultures are exactly those of modern and traditional cultures respectively. Western civilisation and culture began to creep into african sociocultural milieu, first, with the contact of europeans with africa, a consequence of berlin conference in the quest for imperial pilfering of african resources and, later, consolidated by the unstoppable wave of globalisation. African world and ideology religion and religious beliefs and their effects on the african community are the key to understanding the african world and ideology. The impact of internet on african education and culture opeoluwa tosin eluwole underwriters laboratories pavilion a, ashwood park ashwood way rg23 8bg, basingstoke united kingdom nsima sylvanus udoh underwriters laboratories pavilion a, ashwood park ashwood way rg23 8bg, basingstoke united kingdom olugbenga david ojo.

Modern african christians are often faced with a dilemma as regards how to respond to the issue of conflict between christianity and traditional african cultures. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. African cultural concept of death and the idea of advance. The governments of most african nations encourage national dance and music groups, museums, and to a lower degree, artists and writers. Religion and culture as powerful institutions within society play a major role in shaping.

It is this factor which has made it possible for both men and women to perform their sacred functions in the worship of god and his functionaries, the divinities, who incidentally are in both sexes 6. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. The african culture of communal living, lack of awareness of advance care directives, fear of death and grief, physician lack of initiative, and the african belief system are potential barriers to the utilization of advance care directives in the african setting. Afel aly sarre is one of the gifted weavers of this traditional fabric. Humanismthe doctrine that sees human needs and interests as fundamentalthus constitutes the foundation of african ethics see section 5 above. Traditional african cultural practices paved the way for. According to the world health organisation who who, 1976.