Afrika

1. Afrikan SpiritualityDr. Steve Banhegyisteve@connectit.co.zaFor CIDA City Campus – African Leadership School

2. Afrika • Over 1000 languages spoken • Western attitude to traditional Afrikan religion is that it is primitive. • In fact: Afrikan religions are are intricate, complex systems which tie beliefs, myths and cosmology into moral codes to create living religious ideas & actions.

3. Spirituality • Spirituality = Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit; supernatural / Of, from, or relating to God • “Spirituality" (as used here) is reserved for situations that involve personal experiences of unique dimensions of reality that give one's life and general existence a numinous quality. • "numinous" = the description ofexperiences that feel sacred, holy, or out of the ordinary (CG.Jung) (Filled with or characterized by a sense of a supernatural presence) • Spirituality characterizes individual relationship to the universe and does not necessarily require a formal structure, collective ritual, or mediation by a priest or other external authority figure

4. Religion • Religionis a form of organized groupactivity that mayor may not be conducive to (oreven supportive of) true spirituality, depending on the degree to which it provides a context for personal discovery and experience of the numinous dimensions of reality

5. Religion 2… • The root of most great religions are the direct visionary revelations of their founders, prophets, seers, and saints, in many instances religions have lost their connection with this vital core over time. • In 2002 visionary revelation = mental illness?

6. Popular Traditional African Religion - acronym, PTARE. Akan, Yoruba, Igbo, Zulu and Shona are the same religion with different branches Characteristics: Creator God Domicile of Gods - Presence, Shrine Priest/Priestess of God Devotee of God – medium Diviner - scientist, Hunter's/explorers Psychiatrist - mental harmonizer Herbalist - Pharmacist Everything is one - we are a part of the whole and nothing is disconnected from the Almighty. Recognise Mother Earth. PTARE 1…

7. 2500 BC - The African people along the river valleys of the eastern highlands floated stones down the Nile to help build monuments to God. 2500 BCHsia Dynasty rises in China 2200 BC Harrapa and Mohenjo Daro were found in India 800 BC Homer is the first voice of the Greeks 500 BC Romans come to power in Europe. 639 AD Arabs cross into Africa with force under General El As from Arabia-Yemen. Africans made the idea of the beautiful and the good one world nfr - nefer Ptare gave the world its first ethical system: Maat (balance, harmony, justice, righteousness, reciprocity, order) - Maat was the only major deity without priesthood since all were priests of Maat. The idea of eternal life - Ankh neheh was African The first libations, offerings and burning of incense as ritual forms The ten commandments were preceded by the 42 confessions in the Egyptian Book of the Dead Ptare gave the idea of collective and communal salvation rather than a rampant individualism (save me and the rest of the world can go to hell) PTARE Chronology 2…

8. PTARE 3... • The first naming of the divine, netcher, god, or netcheru divinity from which some say the English word nature is ultimately derived. • The first trinity: Ausar, Auset, Heru which has been repeated by Amen, Mut, Khonsu and then God, the father, God the son, God the holyspirit. • The first idea of a son of god or a daughter of God. Sa Ra or Sat Ra. • The first black stone altars - long before the Kaaba was revealed at Mecca. • The first example of the resurrection from the dead Ausar. This is also where we find that the Neb Ankh - Lord of Life was not a sarcophagus, that is, not a flesh eater, but something that spoke of life. • The name of god Amen now used by others in their prayers. • The idea that your good should outweigh your evil, that your soul should be lighter than a feather, that perfection is not what is sought after, but overwhelming goodness. • The complementarity of males and females, different roles but not subjugation, Mawu and Lisa, male and female - Auset and Ausar, complementarity. • The first records of ancestors' wisdom. The books of Ptahhotep, Kagemni, Duauf • The idea of heaven and earth, Nut , Geb, Auset is called, Lady of Heaven

9. Afrikan Spirituality 1… • Afrikan Cosmology • Spirits / Ancestor • Gods / God • The different worlds • Witchcraft & Sorcery • Battle between good and evil • Link between humans and forces of the Universe

10. Cosmology describes view of the world, beliefs in dreams, spirits, gods and reality and understanding of a person’s place and worth in the world. Cosmologydescribes the world as being spiritual in nature. It is from this description of a meaningful spiritual world that a person understands and derives an understanding of purpose in life. On purpose is based morality which guides a man or woman and gives meaning to their lives. Afrikan Spirituality 2…

11. Afrikan Spirituality 3… • Impact of the colonial period in Africa has been to destroy much of the intricate fabric of beliefs, customs and morality in traditional societies. Africans given little in exchange for the devaluation of their belief systems save for being told that their beliefs in ancestors and the old ways were simply primitive nonsense.

12. Missionaries! Start to reassemble what is known about the ancient fabric of the old religions and belief systems. Has been written about over the last 100 years Still remembered by many Clan Elders. Much of what was good was overtaken by evil in the last 100 years because when old belief systems crumbled, a vacuum occurred which was filled with a mix of Western and African beliefs, systems, values, mores and structures. Afrikan Spirituality 4…

13. Afrikan Spirituality 5… • African views of causality, sorcery, witchcraft, medicine, the order of the visible and invisible world, and such concepts as the person, ancestors, gods, spirits, nature, agency, guilt, responsibility, taboo, evil, not to forget the ordering of time and space in terms of religious meaning; the expressions of world religions in Africa, especially Islam and Christianity

14. desire for abundant life the emphasis on communitarian living the effective memory of past events the relationship between living and dead the preoccupation with the human cause of evil the vital link between nature and worship (cause / effect) the love of concrete imagery and symbolism a reliance on oral traditions Myths & Legends an emphasis on the transmission of life an emphasis on familial relations an emphasis on hospitality the rites of passage the normalcy of death the continuum of life Health and disease Afrikan Spirituality 6…Themes

15. Exercise–Personal Mythology • Take a clean piece of paper • Draw a horizontal line on the page • The start of the line is your birth, the end of the line is your death • [----------------------------------------------------------] • Mark with an ‘X’ on the line where you are now • Write down 10 incidents that have characterised your life up until the ‘X’ • Write down 10 incidents that will characterise your life between ‘X’ and the end • THIS IS YOUR PERSONAL MYTHOLOGY

16. Exist in all cultures Similar themes pervade all myths Creation Destruction Hero’s Journey Tricksters & other archetypes Humans love stories – probably the biggest industry in the world. Depth Psychology interprets symbolism and myth as a part of our subconscious – these are all aspects of self Myths & Legends

17. Myths are stories, usually, about gods and other supernatural beings (Frye) They are often stories of origins, how the world and everything in it came to be (Eliade). They are usually strongly structured and their meaning is only discernedby linguistic analysis (Lévi-Strauss) Sometimes they are public dreams which, like private dreams, emerge from the unconscious mind (Freud). Indeed, they often reveal the archetypes of the collective unconscious (Jung). They are symbolic and metaphorical (Cassirer). A myth is a sacred story from the past. It may explain the origin of the universe and of life, or it may express its culture's moral values in human terms. Myths concern the powers who control the human world and the relationship between those powers and human beings. Although myths are religious in their origin and function, they may also be the earliest form of history, science, or philosophy (Rosenberg) They orient people to the metaphysical dimension, explain the origins and nature of the cosmos, validate social issues, and, on the psychological plane, address themselves to the innermost depths of the psyche (Campbell) Some of them are explanatory, being prescientific attempts to interpret the natural world (Frazer). As such, they are usually functional and are the science of primitive peoples (Malinowski). Often, they are enacted in rituals (Hooke). They are both individual and social in scope, but they are first and foremost stories (Kirk). Religious myths are sacred histories (Eliade) "Myth is the secret opening through which the inexhaustible energies of the cosmos pour into human manifestation...“ (Campbell) The Meaning of Myth

18. In mythology and symbolism, the Hero represents the marriage of heavenly and earthly powers. The Hero is a fallen God or a mortal with God-like powers. If one studies the heroes of mythology a common thread becomes apparent: When the hero begins his/her path, armour is necessary for defense. The hero is generally endowed with uncommon strength and extraordinary skill in some field A hero always has a weak point, the 'archilles heel' A hero's first real victory is that which he/she gains over the self, over the monsters within. After this victory, the hero no longer requires the armour. A hero is called to action at a critical point in his life. If a hero ignores the call to action, the calls will merely get louder and more insistent. Hero’s Journey

19. Witch and Witchcraft have multiple, conflicting, and largely unrelated meanings: Early Christian missionaries used these terms to refer to individuals who are believed to intentionally use "incantations, ritual, and various substances" to mount psychically attacks against other people. They direct destructive black magic in the direction of their victims. These individuals are called umthakathi among the Zulu and moloi among the Sotho. "Evil sorcerer" or "evil sorceress" would be a preferred term to use. Unfortunately, they are often referred to simply as "Witches." Terms ‘Witch’ and ‘Witchcraft’ refer to individuals who are believed to have the potential to harm others through psychic means. They are believed to be unaware of their evil powers. Witchcraft is not something that they learn; they are perceived as having been born with magical abilities to harm others. Witch Doctors are spiritual specialists who attempt to counteract the powers of the witches. Concept of power, good and evil Witchcraft

20. Shamanism • "A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won; the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.“ (Campbell) • Shamanism is classified by anthropologists as an archaic magico-religious phenomenon in which the shaman is the great master of ecstasy. Shamanism itself, was defined by the late Mircea Eliade as a technique of ecstasy. • A shaman may exhibit a particular magical specialty (such as control over fire, wind or magical flight). When a specialization is present the most common is as a healer. • The distinguishing characteristic of shamanism is its focus on an ecstatic trance state in which the soul of the shaman is believed to leave the body and ascend to the sky (heavens) or descend into the earth (underworld). • The shaman makes use of spirit helpers, with whom he or she communicates, all the while retaining control over his or her own consciousness. • The altered state is subject of much research today (psychology, medicine, neuropsychology, philosophy) • May use drumming / plants / herbs / mushrooms / cacti to reach altered state

21. Shamanism ‘Different’ from others Power, authority & Charisma Insight into needs of community Has vision for the future Intent Attracts followers Rituals performed ‘Promised Land’ a work in progress Leadership ‘Different’ from others Power, authority & Charisma Insight into needs of community Has vision for the future Intent Attracts followers Rituals performed ‘Promised Land’ a work in progress Shamanism & Leadership

22. To be a powerful healer (western & Afrikan tradition) Power Authority Charisma To be a powerful leader (western & Afrikan tradition) Power Authority Charisma Healing & Leadership Both Leadership and healing suggest that mediation is required between the current and the desired state (dis-ease and purposelessness to wellness and purposefulness)

23. Power • Power - A person, group, or nation having great influence or control over others. • Power can be of different types: • Position • Personal • Reward • Coercive • Referent • Expert • Legitimate

24. Authority • Authority - The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge. • Authority figures – your Parents, the Courts, the Police, the Church, Pop Culture, YFM, Radio Metro, Phat Joe, your Peers, the Sowetan, Illanga, Political Parties, George Bush • Who says they are right? How do you know they are right? • Authority is given you at birth and is immediately taken away. It must be reclaimed – authorship of own life. Types of authority: • Charismatic • Traditional • Legal • Formal • Functional

25. Charisma • A rare personal quality (personal magnetism or charm) attributed to leaders who arouse fervent popular devotion and enthusiasm. • What is it? Who has it? Nelson Mandela, Robert Mugabe, Mother Theresa, Bill Clinton, Saddam Hussein, Winnie Mandela, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X

26. Ritual - a ceremonial act or a series of such acts Marriage Birth Death Graduation Rite of Passage Drama - situation or succession of events in real life having the dramatic progression or emotional effect characteristic of a play Ritual & Drama

27. Tradition • Tradition - The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication - A time-honoured practice or set of such practices • “There are no people without traditions and traditions are the lifeblood of a people. A people who refuse to express its love and appreciation for its ancestors will die because in traditions, if you are not expressing your own, you are participating in and expressing faith in someone else's ancestors. No person is devoid of an attachment to some cultural fountain. Whose water are we drinking?”Professor Molefi Kete Asante • “The world pushes the African around because we give the impression that we are weaklings, falling over ourselves to follow other people rather than our own traditions.”Malcolm X

28. Humans cannot advance without answering basic questions like, Who Am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of existence? Who are we as humans, Africans, Ghanaians, Gas, Ewe, Guans, Akans, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Venda etc.. We are the children of the Supreme God sustained by our ancestral connections, formed to glorify the best values of Maat, encouraged to assume responsibility for each other in a community of consciousness. Can only re-connect through rites of making, doing or sacrificing time, money, energy in the name and interest of Africa. The concept of the gift is the idea, not what we give. Can God be one of exploitation, egocentrism, conservatism and westernization? Must create African personality and identity in art, dance, medicine, education, science, leadership and religion. The Future

29. Shamanism & Leadership Vision Power Authority ‘The promised land’ Intent Personality Reality Creation Scope The Self The Community The Society The Nation Afrika – the continent Vision Power Authority ‘The promised land’ Intent Personality Reality Creation Leadership & Spirituality

30. Conclusion • Until an African leader publicly acknowledges, honours and prays to an African God, we Africans will continue to be viewed as pathetic imitators of others, never having believed inourselves. • Molefi Kete Asante • If our children continue to be taught that Columbus discovered America and that Blacks have no real history other than slavery, they will continue to grow up without a significant cultural connection strong enough to keep them from killing or harming people that look just like them. • Paul Hamilton • "Leadership is about creating a domain in which human beings continually deepen their understanding of reality and become more capable of participating in the unfolding of the world. Ultimately leadership is about creating new realities.“ • Jaworski

31. Essay Titles • In your view, what is the future of Afrikan spirituality? • Why do you believe it important to study traditional religion and healing as part of a study of leadership? • four critical capacities for leadership: having a public voice, being a creator of environments, acknowledging ones own work identity and management competencies, and utilising strategic skills and knowledge.