OriginsofmajorworldreligionsreflectedinSA

Topics
AfricanTraditionalReligion
Buddhism
Christianity
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism

AfricanTraditionalReligion
Religionisanimportantpartofmillionsofpeople'slivesacrosstheworld.Thousands
ofAfricanpeopleareconvertedtoChristianityeverydayandinNigeriaabout20new
religioussectsorgroupscomeintobeingeverymonth.MorethantenmillionJewsfrom
all over the world observe the Sabbath every week and millions of Muslim pilgrims
traveltoMeccaintheMiddleEasteveryyear.Theydothisbecausetheyhavecertain
religiousbeliefsandbecausetheirreligionsguidetheirlives.

Therearemanydifferentreligionsandsomeofthemhavebeencelebratingtheirfaith,
tellingtheirstoriesandteachingtheirprinciplesforthousandsofyears.Peoplehave
lookedtoreligiontoanswerquestionslike"Wheredidtheworldcomefrom?","Whyare
we here?", "Why do bad things happen to good people?" and "What happens to us
whenwedie?"foraslongasthey'vebeeninexistence.

SouthAfricaiscalledtherainbownationbecauseofitsvarietyofpeople,culturesand
religions. The people follow many spiritual traditions and religious faiths. In South
Africatheconstitutionprotectsfreedomofreligion.Everyoneisfreetofollowwhatever
faiththeywantto,ornottofollowoneatall.

People are also encouraged to learn about and respect different spiritual practices.
This is part of democracy. The major faiths practiced in South Africa are Christianity,
Map:Bantuspeakingpeoplemovedinto
Islam,Hinduism,traditionalAfricanreligionsandJudaism.Europeanandotherforeign
southernAfricafromWestandCentral settlersbroughtmostofthesereligions.TraditionalAfricanreligionisverypopularand
Africaandbroughttheirreligionand arrived here with our North and West African ancestors. It is often combined with
traditionswiththem. elementsofChristianityandIslam.ThemostimportantthingisthatinthenewSouth
Africareligionandspiritualityareusedtocreategreaterunderstandingandharmony
ratherthantodividepeopleaswasdoneinthepast.

TraditionalAfricanReligionWhatistraditionalAfricanreligion?

Mostofthe"traditional"groupsofpeoplelivinginSouthAfricaarrivedherefromWestandCentralAfricaabout1500yearsago.Most
ofthemwereBantuspeakingpeopleandweretheancestorsofmanySouthAfricans,especiallytheNgunigroupsliketheZuluand
Xhosa.

TraditionalAfricanreligionisbasedonoraltraditions,whichmeansthatthebasicvaluesand
way of life are passed from elders to younger generation. These traditions are not religious
principles,butaculturalidentitythatispassedonthroughstories,mythsandtales.

These traditions have been passed from one generation to the next. The elders are the final
authorityandaretrustedcompletely.

Whatdothefollowersofthisreligionbelieve?

In traditional African religion the community is the most important part of someone's life. This
communityismadeupofpeoplewhorememberandsharethesametraditions.Theindividual
only exists within the community and separation from it is sometimes worse than death. A
believer'sfamilystillhasinfluenceoverhimorhereveniftheylivefaraway.Religioninmost
African societies also supports moral order. It creates a sense of security and order in the
Traditional African religion and community.Followersbelieveintheguidanceoftheirancestorsspirits.
culture is passed on from parents to
children through stories. Therearespiritualleaders,kindsofpriestsorpastorsinmosttraditionalAfricanreligions.This
Source:www.purdue.edu personisessentialinthespiritualandreligioussurvivalofthecommunity.IntheZuluculture
there are mystics or sangomas that are responsible for healing and 'divining' a kind of fortune telling and counseling. These
traditionalhealershavetobecalledbyancestors.Theyundergostricttrainingandlearnmanyskills,includinghowtouseherbsfor
healingandother,moremysticalskills,likethefindingofahiddenobjectwithoutknowingwhereitis.

Traditional African religion is a way of life in which ancestors are part of every major event such as
wedding,birthsanddeathsaswellaslessimportantonessuchasgettingajobandfinishinguniversity.
Duringtheseeventsusuallyanofferingismadetohonour,pleaseandthanktheancestors.Acow,sheep
orchickenisslaughteredandtheancestorsarecalledtoreceivetheofferingandblessthegathering.

Although traditional African religion recognises a Supreme God, followers do not worship him or her
directly as they do not feel worthy enough. They therefore ask the ancestors to communicate on their
behalf.TheSupremeBeingiscalleduponintimesofgreathardshipandneed,likedroughtorepidemic
thatmaythreatentheentirecommunity.TheSupremeBeingistheconnectionbetweenpeopleandtheir
environment.

Ancestorworship

Ancestorworshipandbeliefisanextensionofabeliefinandrespectforelders.Followersoftraditional
Africanreligionbelievethatancestorsmaintainaspiritualconnectionwiththeirlivingrelatives. Sangomas are part of
spiritual traditions and
Mostancestralspiritsaregenerallygoodandkind.Theonlynegativeactionstakenbyancestralspiritsisto are responsible for
causeminorillnessestowarnpeoplethattheyhavegottenontothewrongpath.Topleasetheseunhappy healing and telling the
future.
ancestors,usuallyofferingsofbeerandmeataremade. Source: bingelela
africa.co.za
Lastupdated:08Feb2017