IAAAS SocialScience Grade9 Q3Lesson

SOCIAL SCIENCE9th Grade Interdisciplinary African and African American Studies Quarter 3 Launch Lesson

THEME: Culture, Dignity, and Identity

CONCEPT: Everything Out of Africa The legacies of early African peoples, cultures, and kingdoms and their continued impact todayCONTENT TOPIC: Analyzing and researching the legacies of Early African peoples, cultures, and kingdoms and their continued impact today through fiction and nonfiction textsUNIT TITLE: Why Is There No Peace

Sample Student Outcome Statements*

Students will be able to --- with African and African American Studies

Connections

Students will be able to --- from Social Science Planning Guides

Argue and/or explain … o The role of religion within

various areas of Africa. Research, analyze to write …

o A persuasive argument on the influence of African religions on the cultural and political identity of various African groups.

Make connections and understand … o both the relationship between

the various religious groups and how they present both obstacles and opportunities for Africa and the Mediterranean World

Investigate and Research …

o how Elements of culture include language, religion, clothing, race, and socio/economic customs

o how Internal and external forces shape identity

o How the greatness of a culture can be measured in various ways

Social Studies Literacy Reading Skills through…

o Informational texts and Legends, Biographies, charts and Maps

o Document Based Analysis

CCSS Literacy Writing Skills … o Explanatory essay, focusing on

Argument CCSS Speaking and Listening Skills …

o Focusing on presentation and/or debates utilizing speaking skills and technology to support an argument or explanation based on information gathered through inquiry

Launch Lesson: The role and spread of three major religions in Africa, Indigenous religions, Christianity and IslamTime Frame: One weekLesson Description: Students will study the historical development of religion in Africa and how it affected culture, politics and social life. Students will create time lines and investigate and analyze historical forces that dramatically change the face of Africa and the world.

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Students will formulate opinions on the role of religion within a society and the effect of religion on history.

Enduring Understandings

1. Geography: Geopolitical boundaries are created through conflict and compromise and have implications for political, economic, and social interactions.2. Politics involves competing ideas about the common good and the role of the individual.3. History: Different perspectives affect the interpretation of history.

Guiding Essential Questions:

Guiding Essential Questions I) How do culture and identity influence who we are? II) How do time, culture and history influence works of art and/or the

advancement of science and technology?III) What can I do to positively impact my community?

Common Core Standards

RH.9-10.3 Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.

WHST.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

WHST.9-10.2a, b, c, d a. Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic and convey a style appropriate to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.

SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

Cognitive Skills Attention needed to develop good group work habits:

Sustained attention (focus on material for long periods of time) Dividing attention (focus on more than one thing at a time) Critical thinking skills

Executive functions Strategy use: ability to reflect on strategy and select appropriate strategy

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http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/9-10/3/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/9-10/4/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/9-10/2/a/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/9-10/2/


Thinking skills Analyzing/evaluating arguments Developing a logical argument Inductive reasoning: using specific examples/observations and forming a

more general principal Deductive reasoning: use stated general premise to reason about specific

examples Self-reflection: ability to think about oneself in relation to the material

Assessments(F) Formative Formative Assessments

This unit contains multiple formal and informal formative assessments. Formative assessments for this unit consist of guided reading and writing exercises, Cornell Notes (with summaries), marking the text activities, checks of group and individual intermediate goals, reflections after group work/meetings, summaries of selected text(s), exit slips, and expository writing samples in response to short, informational texts/documents. This unit, day one students will hand in “religion reflection writing.”

(S) Summative Summative Performance Assessment

Summative performance assessments are ways to measure students’ knowledge and skills that go beyond asking them to answer multiple choice, true/false, or fill in the blank questions. Students will be asked to complete a performance task (up to 45 minutes) or one that can be completed over several class periods. Together, the assessment task and the scoring method comprise the performance assessment. The performance assessment for this unit consists of multiple tasks and scoring methods.

Groups (of up to 4-5 students) will present a multimedia presentation on their individual power group (from three total group choices) accompanied by an individual essay that explains how their group was impacted, both positively and negatively, by a variety of power dynamics during their historical time period. Students’ products will further explain the social, economic, and cultural relationship of their chosen group to a better understanding of the role of Africa in the development of the Mediterranean world.

Unit Text/Resources

Lion Of Mali: The Hajj of Mansa Musa by David Tschanz, http://www.academia.edu/1593503/Lion_Of_Mali_The_Hajj_of_Mansa_Musa (You can download the story for free after signing up for Academia.edu which is also free and requires no obligation of any kind)

Various readings from

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http://www.academia.edu/1593503/Lion_Of_Mali_The_Hajj_of_Mansa_Musa


http://independent.academia.edu/DavidTschanz



http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/

If you want to learn more about the rich diversity of religious traditions in the world, you should check these web-sites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/index.shtml

http://www.omsakthi.org/religions.html

To learn more about the Coptic Church you can visit the following websites:

http://courses.washington.edu/disisme/Our%20Encyclopaedia/C4798FAE- E39F-4C60-A26B-3F50224F4C5C.html

http://www.pitts.emory.edu/Archives/text/rg005.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/africa/nigeria/religion.html

Drinking the Word of God: Expressions of Faith and Well-Being in Two West African Communities

http://museum.msu.edu/?q=node/73

For more information about Aksum you can connect to the following websites:

http://www.bu.edu/remotesensing/research/completed/us-ethiopia- planning/gallery/

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/nubia1.html

For more information on Santeria and Vodou, visit these websites:

http://www2.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/voodoo/overview.htm

http://lima.osu.edu/academics/writing/WinningWorks/firstHaitian %20Voodo.htm

http://academics.smcvt.edu/africanart/Katie/Katie%20M/ religion_of_the_orishas.htm

To learn more about the artist and this art tradition, please visit this website:

https://www.h-net.org/~etoc/

Maps

Map Religions in Africa, http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/regional-geography-of-the-world-globalization-people-and-places/section_10/dca46c4515084a82a51cc30a8d60ca18.jpg

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http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/regional-geography-of-the-world-globalization-people-and-places/section_10/dca46c4515084a82a51cc30a8d60ca18.jpg




http://academics.smcvt.edu/africanart/Katie/Katie%20M/religion_of_the_orishas.htm


http://lima.osu.edu/academics/writing/WinningWorks/firstHaitian%20Voodo.htm




http://www.bu.edu/remotesensing/research/completed/us-ethiopia-planning/gallery/



http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/africa/nigeria/religion.html


http://courses.washington.edu/disisme/Our%20Encyclopaedia/C4798FAE-E39F-4C60-A26B-3F50224F4C5C.html


http://www.omsakthi.org/religions.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/index.shtml

http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/


Spread of Islam in Africa http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11393

Learning Activities Students will read and discuss the history of and the impact of the three key religions in Africa for understanding the role of religion and the spread of ideas in the Mediterranean world and beyond. Africa was key to the development of Islamic and western thought through the expansion of the Moors into Spain and through the resistance to the European Crusades. In order to fully understand the role of Africa students first need to understand the role of religion in Africa and the roots of both conflict and cooperation that the Islamic expansion engendered. This Launch lesson looks at the three religions in question in-depth to obtain a better understanding of how they played critical roles in the expansion of ideas throughout the Mediterranean world. Students will further consider the significance of the contributions of these religions on African and African American cultures. Students will read about and research the significant role religion plays in helping to shape identity. Students will discuss and come to a consensus of what the term “identity” means in the context of a cultural, ethnic or racial group and discuss how religion does or does not help to construct an identity, and whether or not religion can be used to preserve “identity.” Ultimately the students will be required to create an argument as to the role of religion and what it means to a student’s sense of identity

Introduction to Religion in Africa

"Africans are notoriously religious, and each cultural group [society in Africa] has its own religious system with a set of beliefs and practices. Religion permeates into all the departments of life so it is not easy or possible to isolate it [from other aspects of African society and culture.] A study of these religious systems is, therefore a study of the peoples themselves in all the complexities of traditional and modern life."

This is a quote from John Mbiti a professor from Kenya who is recognized as one of the leading experts in the world on religion in Africa. According to Professor Mbiti, all African cultures and societies, traditional (pre-colonial) and contemporary (post-colonial), across the continent and regardless of differences in national origin, language, or ethnicity are deeply religious.

Given the centrality of religious beliefs and practices in African societies and cultures, the study of religion in Africa is important in building a better understanding of African peoples, cultures, and societies, and of events in Africa.

Africa is home to many different religious traditions. However, the vast majority of Africans from across the continent identify themselves with one (or more) of three

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http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11393


religious traditions: indigenous African religions, Islam, and Christianity.

We will focus on these three religious traditions in Africa.

African religions have been influenced by Islam and Christianity, and, in turn, African religions have had an influence on the way Islam and Christianity are practiced in Africa.

Many African peoples identify with more than one religion. Africans who follow Islam or Christianity often will retain beliefs and practices from an indigenous African religious tradition. It is not unusual for an African Christian to participate in a Christian ritual by going to church on Sunday and then to participate in an African religious ritual later on in the same week.

Day One Hook Students will be handed a 3x5 card as they enter class and asked to look at the word “religion” on the board and asked to speculate as to the meaning of the word to modern society and world cultures. And to answer these questions:

1) Is religion equally relevant to every society?2) Is religion important to you?3) What is the role of religion in Africa?4) What is the religion of Africans?5) Is religion important in understanding African history?6) Is religion a positive or negative force in Africa?

a. Give at least three examples of positive and negative influences of religion.

7) Can religion be used to dramatically spread culture, art, philosophy, politics, science, math and other ideas around the world.

8) Students have five minutes to collaboratively discuss and write their responses on the 3x5 cards. When they are finished they will post them on a bulletin board and discuss (but you will not offer any answers to the questions).

9) Without answering the question, hand out quote from Professor Mbiti and the bolded paragraph at the end of the previous section for the students to read.

a. Within these readings are the clues to answer the question about the role of religion in Africa. Re-discuss the above answers and see if any attitudes have either changed or been reinforced. And to ultimately answer the question concerning the role of religion in creating and preserving one’s identity.

10) Students will be assigned to a group of three and handed one of the three packets about African Religions e.g. Islam, Christianity or Indigenous religion.

a. Each group will be required to read/research and become experts L6


about their assigned religion. Each packet has a specific set of questions to answer at the end of the packet which can help form a basis for the final teaching project and presentation.

11) Homework is assigned every night to read sections of their respective religious group.

Day Two - Three Students will begin the day by sitting with their group and collaborate in a discussion about the previous night’s reading. Each religion will choose a representative. Each religion will be represented by one student per religion in leading a discussion about the similarities and differences between each religion vis-a-vis the previous night’s reading as they begin filling in portions of the “comparison Chart.” Students

Day Four Students will prepare a draft presentation that will address the questions previously posed in this assignment.

Day Five Students will finalize their papers and hand them and e-mail them to the teacher

Appendix

Christianity PacketChristianity in Africa: Explaining the history and significance

The Christian religion was founded in what is today Israel and Palestine 2000 years ago at the beginning of the Common Era. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, a Jewish teacher and prophet. Early Christians (followers of Christ) believed that Jesus was divine in that he was the son of God. This is a major difference between Christianity and Judaism and Islam, the two other major monotheistic religions. Judaism does not hold that any of their great prophets were divine. And although God spoke directly to Mohammed through the angel Gabriel, Islam does give him the status of being divine.

Although the early Christian church suffered persecution at the hands of Roman officials, the fact that Palestine was part of the Roman Empire facilitated the rapid spread of Christianity. Christianity, like Islam, is a proselytizing religion. This means that followers of these religions believe that it is their duty to share their religion and try to convert others to their religion. Early Christians came from the Jewish tradition, but they believed that the message and teachings of Jesus were meant for all people, and they used the transportation networks (roads, shipping routes) to spread the message of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire-or the Mediterranean World-areas of western Asia, North Africa, and southern Europe that bordered the Mediterranean Sea.

Early Christians in Egypt and North Africa

Look at the Map Religions in Africa, http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/regional-geography-of-the-world-globalization-people-and-places/section_10/dca46c4515084a82a51cc30a8d60ca18.jpg notice how close Africa is to Palestine where Christianity started. Given this proximity, it is not surprising that

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Indigenous


Christianity spread to Egypt and North Africa in the first century C.E. Indeed, Egypt, particularly the city of Alexandria, became an important center of this new religion. Unfortunately, Christians today don't know much about the rich tradition of Christianity in Egypt and North Africa. This is because of the divisions that developed in Christianity in the first centuries of its existence.

In many religions in the centuries following the death of the founder of the religion, their followers quarrel over issues of belief and practice. This is what happened in the case of Christianity. Unlike the case with Islam, in the early centuries of Christianity, there was no sacred text of the teachings and revelations of Jesus. Moslems had the Quran to guide them after the death of Mohammed. Jesus left no such written testament. There were, to be sure, many oral stories and recollections of the life and teachings of Jesus, but no official sacred text to guide the new Christians. Consequently, there were different interpretations of what Jesus' teaching really meant. As a result, several different distinctive groups of Christians developed within the first centuries of the religion.

One important group was centered in Egypt and had influence throughout

North Africa. This group was known as the Gnostics. You probably have not heard of this group, although they were very important and influential in the early history of Christianity. One of the other major factions of the early Christianity was centered in Rome. This faction was very much influenced by the teachings of the Apostle Paul. This faction became prominent in the fourth century C.E. when the Roman Empire officially became Christian. Recognizing the importance of a sacred text in solidifying their control over Christianity, the Roman faction brought together a collection of writings by early Christians and proclaimed these writings were inspired by God and that they were the true testament of the life and teachings of Jesus. This collection is known as the New Testament and is a central part of the Christian Bible. However, in creating

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the New Testament the Roman faction rejected as heresy all other writings about Jesus' life and teachings, including many books written by North African Gnostic Christians. No wonder so few people know of the importance of these early African Christians.

In spite of the repression of the Gnostic Christians by Roman Christians, Christianity continued to flourish throughout North Africa until the arrival of Islam in the seventh century C.E. The Christians in this area were known as Coptic Christians, named after the main language of the area. By the time of the arrival of Islam, the Coptic Orthodox Church had lost most of the Gnostic influence, although the Coptic faith, like the Gnostics placed a great deal of emphasis on contemplation and monastism. In structure, it was similar to the Church of Rome in that it practiced the same sacraments, and the church structure was made up of priests and bishops. Like the Roman Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church is headed by aPatriarch (similar to the Pope in the Roman Church) who lives in Alexandria.

Even after Egypt had been taken over by Arab Moslems, the Coptic Christians continued to form a small but important segment of Egyptian society. Indeed, Coptic Christians today comprise approximately fifteen per cent of the Egyptian population.

To learn more about the Coptic Church you can visit the following websites:



Early Christians in Nubia

The kingdom of Nubia was located in present day Sudan. As you will remember, Nubia was an ancient kingdom whose historical roots go back to the time of the era of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Christianity was introduced in Nubia by Christian monks and traders in the fifth and sixth centuries C.E. By the seventh century, the rulers of Nubia and most Nubians had converted to Christianity. In practice and structure, the Nubian church was similar to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt.

Moslem Arab traders arrived in Nubia in the eighth century C.E. For the next few centuries, they lived in harmony with the Nubian Christians. However gradually, most of the Nubian ruling class converted to Islam. By the 16th century, the majority of Nubians were Moslems, and Christianity was no longer practiced in Nubia.

Early Christians in Aksum

The kingdom of Aksum (sometimes written as Axum, in English), founded more than 2000 years ago, is historically connected to the contemporary nation-state of Ethiopia. Ethiopia, was never colonized by outsiders, is the oldest continuous nation-state in Africa. In the fourth century C.E., the rulers of Aksum converted to Christianity after Christian travelers and traders brought the religion into the area from Egypt and western Asia. Over the next 1,600 years, a distinctively Ethiopian form of Christianity developed and became entrenched in Ethiopia. It is important to recognize that Aksum became a predominately Christian

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nation about the same time that the Roman Empire officially became Christian. This means that Christianity in this part of Africa was entrenched many centuries before Christianity was introduced into countries in northern and western Europe, areas that are normally associated with Christianity.

By the time Islam was introduced into the region of north east Africa in the eighth century C.E., Christianity was firmly embedded in the structures of state, society, and culture in Ethiopia. While Nubia to the north west of Aksum and the coastal areas to the east of Aksum (current day Eritrea and Somalia) gradually converted to Islam, Aksum remained Christian.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church was similar to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt and the Syrian Orthodox Church in western Asia in structure. Church leadership was comprised of nuns, priests, and bishops, with a Patriarch (Pope) at its head. As with the Coptic Church in Egypt monasteries that were home to contemplative orders of monks and nuns were important in the Ethiopian church. These monasteries were also centers of learning. Monks played an important role in writing and interpreting the history and traditions of the Ethiopian kingdom. In this role, they helped develop a common identity among the peoples of Ethiopia. A strong identification with the church and the kingdom of Ethiopia helped keep Ethiopia united and able to resist external threats.

Obelisk from ancient Aksum

Church carved out of rock, Lablibella, Ethiopia

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Roof of rock church, Lablibella, Ethiopia

Rock church, Lalibella, Ethiopia

Holy Treasury of the Cathedral in Aksum

Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Priest of Holy Treasury of the Cathedral of Aksum

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Priest at Lalibella Rock Church

Ethiopian orthodox priests at Festival of Timket

Ethiopian Religious Iconography

Ethiopia has a rich tradition of Christian religious art. The following paintings are representations by Adamu Tesfaw, a contemporary Ethiopian artist, of traditional Ethiopian Christian themes. These paintings are part of an Ethiopian art collection held by the Michigan State University Museum. To learn more about the artist and this art tradition, please visit this website:


What stories do the paintings tell? How are the paintings similar to and different from religious paintings that you are familiar with?

Gebre Manfus Qedus. Painting by Ethiopian artist Adamu Tesfaw

Michigan State University Museum #7557.36Photo by Kim Kauffman

Saint Mercurius Slaying Julianius. Painting by Ethiopian artist Adamu Tesfaw

Michigan State University Museum #7557.34Photo by Kim Kauffman

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Saint Yared with the Holy Family. Painting by Ethiopian artist Adamu TesfawMichigan State University Museum #7557.39Photo by Kim Kauffman

Saint George Slaying the Dragon. Painting by Ethiopian artist Adamu TesfawMichigan State University Museum #7557.35Photo by Kim Kauffman

For more information about Aksum you can connect to the following websites:

http://www.bu.edu/remotesensing/research/completed/us-ethiopia-planning/gallery/ http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/nubia1.html

Christianity in Kongo

In the first millennium of the Common Era, Christianity had spread into North Africa and North East Africa from Palestine where Christianity originated. However, the successful spread of Islam into North Africa and along the coastal regions of East Africa put barriers in the way of the expansion of Christianity into the interior of Africa until the sixteenth century.

As you will remember from in the fifteenth century, European countries began to search for a new sea trade route to Asia. Spain supported the explorations of Christopher Columbus who believed that by sailing to the west, Spain could develop an new trading route to Asia. At the same time, Portugal was sending ships down the west coast of Africa in the hope that they would find a sea route around Africa to Asia.

As the Portuguese worked their way around Africa, they established contact with African peoples in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, along the Guinea coast, in equatorial Africa (Kongo), Angola, Mozambique, and Kenya. In the early years of contact with African peoples, the Portuguese had a dual agenda. First to establish trade and secondly to spread the Christian religion. In their attempt to convert people to Christianity, the Portuguese supported Roman Catholic missionary priests. Using a similar strategy

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as the Moslems used in West Africa, these priests first attempted to work with the rulers of the African kingdoms with who they had contact. They believed that if the rulers converted, their people would follow the example set by the ruling class. This strategy met with mixed success. Some African rulers rejected the efforts of conversion. The Portuguese missionaries had their greatest success in the Kongo Kingdom.

Kongo speaking peoples lived along the west coast of African and along the Kongo river in the present day countries of Gabon, the two Congos, and Angola. The first contact between the Portuguese and the Kongo Kingdom came in 1483. By 1491, the Portuguese sent missionaries to the Kongo and soon afterwards King Nzinga a Nkuwu was baptized as a Christian, and he allowed his son Nzinga Mbembe to be taken to Portugal where he received a Catholic education. When he returned to the Kongo, he replaced his father as king and changed his name to King Alfonso I.

King Alfonso I developed a close trading and cultural relationship with the Portuguese. Missionaries opened schools across the kingdom, and many Kongolese were converted to Christianity. The relationship between the Portuguese and Kongolese was mutually beneficial until the introduction of the slave trade in the seventeenth century C.E. The Portuguese did not raid the Christian Kongo for slaves, but strongly encouraged the Kongolese to raid neighboring non-Christian groups for slaves. Inevitably, slave raiding weakened the Kingdom of the Kongo until it was a weak puppet state of the Portuguese.

In the eighteenth century, a young Kongolese woman, Beatrice Kimpa Vita, broke away from the Catholic Church claiming that St Anthony had appeared to her in a vision in which he encouraged her to form a movement that would lead to the restoration of Kongo kingdom.

Beatrice Kimpa Vita taught that Jesus had been born in the Kongo and had been baptized in the Congo River and that the Virgin Mary also came from a neighboring area. She did not denounce the Pope nor did she openly work against missionaries, but she did develop an order of priests and a new Africanized church liturgy that included African music, drumming, and dancing. Her movement, known as the Antonine movement (named after St. Anthony), grew rapidly reflecting dissatisfaction with the Portuguese and her own popularity. However, Beatrice became such a threat to the Catholic Church and Portuguese control in the Kongo that in 1706 she was captured and burned at the stake as a heretic.

The Antonine movement is an early example of what is called African Independent Church movement. Beatrice Kimpa Vita, sought to establish a type of Christianity that was independent from the European missionary church. In addition to claiming that Jesus was really from the Kongo, she instituted practices that were influenced by Kongolese cultural beliefs. In a later section, you will learn more about African Independent Church movements in the twentieth century.

We could consider the Coptic Church in North Africa and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as the earliest examples of Christian independency in Africa. For although these Christian churches had much in common with Christian groups in Western Asia and in Europe, in both teaching, beliefs and their practice of Christianity, there were significant differences from Christian practice in other parts of the world.

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Christianity and the Atlantic Slave Trade

Christianity had a seemingly contradictory relationship with the Atlantic slave trade. On the one hand, the Roman Catholic Church along with the main Protestant denominations in Europe did not oppose the slave trade. In some cases, Christian leaders actually argued that the Bible supported slavery and the slave trade. But even in the case of Churches that did not openly support the slave trade, by not providing a conscience against slavery and the slave trade, the Christian churches indirectly gave their blessing to the slave trade. Moreover, some churches benefited from the slave trade through financial contributions made by Christian traders whom had become wealthy as a result of their involvement in the trade.

On the other hand, belatedly, in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, some Christians took leadership in the Abolitionist movement against the slave trade and slavery. Most Abolitionists in North America and Europe based their opposition to slavery on Christian beliefs. Quakers in particular took an active role in fighting against the slave trade and slavery.

It is also very important to recognize the role of African Christians in fighting against slavery. Many African slaves throughout the Americas gradually converted to Christianity. As they learned to read, they read the Bible. Their interpretation of the Bible was very different than the interpretation of White slave holders. African Christians believed that the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments were in opposition to slavery. African slaves, ex-slaves, and Christians in Africa used Christianity as a foundation for their opposition to slavery.

Christianity in the Age of Colonialism

At the beginning of the nineteenth century when the Atlantic slave trade was slowly coming to an end, there were only a few pockets of Christianity in Africa. There was a small community of Coptic Christians in Egypt. There were also small communities in the Cape region of South Africa where Dutch settlers had lived since 1652. In addition, there were small Christian communities in the Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique. The largest Christian community at this time was in Ethiopia. However, over the next two hundred years there was a rapid expansion of Christianity in Africa. Indeed, today at the beginning of the twenty first century, over forty percent of the African population identify themselves as Christian.

What caused this rapid expansion of Christianity? There are many factors that contributed to this growth, but the most important historical factor undoubtedly was the colonization of Africa by European powers. With the coming of colonial rule, a symbiotic relationship developed between colonial rulers and Christian missions. Colonial rule provided a politically peaceful and supportive environment for the work of Christian missionaries. At the same time, colonial governments saw Christian missionaries as important allies. Colonial officials believed that Christianity would provide support for colonial rule. That is, they believed that Africans who converted to Christianity would be likely to see the value of colonial rule and would not oppose European rule. However, , this was not always the case. Many of the early African nationalist leaders were educated Christians.

The symbiotic relationship between colonial governments and Christian missionaries was strongest in

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colonies that did not have large Moslem populations. As you remember, colonial governments established systems of indirect rule. In colonies that had large Moslem populations, colonial governments discouraged Christian mission work since they did not want to offend Moslem leaders and jeopardize their alliances with these leaders. If you examine the map African Religions, you will notice how few Christians there are in North Africa and in predominately Moslem countries of West and North East Africa.

The rapid expansion of Christianity in Africa is in marked contrast to the expansion of Islam into the interior of West and East Africa. You will remember that the adoption of Islam was a gradual process in each area, often taking centuries before entire communities became Moslem. Islam, of course, did not have the benefit of the support of colonial governments, nor did they have large number of missionaries working in Africa.

Christian Missionaries

Beginning in the early nineteenth century until African colonies became independent more than a hundred years later, many thousands of Christian missionaries from Europe, North America, and the West Indies worked throughout the African continent. While European colonialism facilitated the work of Christian missionaries, these missionaries did not come to Africa because they were invited by colonial governments. The primary agenda of the missionaries was to spread Christianity through the conversion of as many people as they could reach with their message.

If the goals of Christian missions were independent from the colonial agenda, why didn't Christian missionaries work in Africa in large numbers before the beginning of the colonial era? This is a good question. European and North American missionary endeavors were directly tied to a Christian revivalist movement that occurred in the nineteenth century. Religious revivals occur in all religions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These movements often occur at a time of social upheaval and uncertainty when religious leaders encourage people to return to a stricter religious practice. A central message of the nineteenth century Christian revival was a call for proselytization. Christians were strongly encouraged to spread the Christian message to all regions of the world, including Africa.

Christian missions in Africa were established by a variety of Christian denominations. Many different Roman Catholic orders established mission work in Africa, as did many Protestant denominations. In fact, it would difficult to identify a Protestant church in the early twentieth century that did not have mission work in some part of Africa. Moreover, missionaries did not only come from predominantly White churches. The African Episcopal Methodists and National Baptist Convention, among other African American churches, had active mission work in Africa.

The primary goal of Christian missionaries was to convert as many Africans to Christianity as possible. To facilitate meeting this goal, missionaries concentrated their efforts on teaching and preaching about Christianity. To reach the vast majority of African people, missionaries had to learn their languages. To further interest in and understanding of Christianity, missionaries worked to translate portions of the Bible into local languages.

However to read the newly translated Bible, people needed to learn how to read. Consequently, education

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and schooling became important additional goals of Christian missionaries. All over Africa, wherever missionaries went, they opened schools. At first, the main focus of these schools was to teach reading and religious instruction. Missionaries believed that the ability to read the Bible was of vital importance in the conversion process. This focus is not different from the Moslem Quranic schools that focused on the learning of the holy Quran.

As the colonial era progressed, mission education expanded to include full primary and secondary schooling. While these schools were available to only a small minority of African children, they were important since in most African countries, the colonial governments were not willing to spend money on education for their subjects.

In addition to their work in education, some mission societies were actively engaged in health work, opening hospitals and clinics in rural and sometimes remote areas.

In all of their activities-evangelism, education and health care-missionaries brought with them values and attitudes that reflected their understanding of Christianity and their view of African religions and cultures. For many missionaries, it was hard to separate basic Christian values and teaching from their European or American culture. Consequently, many missionaries adopted widely held beliefs among Europeans and Americans of that day. Many believed that European cultures and social structures and practices were superior to African cultural and social structures and practices. Indeed, many believed that African cultures were primitive and that only through exposure to Christianity and Western culture would Africans be able to develop as individuals and as communities.

This perspective provided a lens through which many missionaries interpreted their experiences in Africa. Unfortunately, this lens provided a distorted and inaccurate understanding of African cultures, social practices and religions. However, as Christianity became established in Africa, African Christians using their interpretation of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, challenged distortions on the part of missionary understanding and practice.

African Independent Churches (A.I.C.)

From earliest times, many Africans embraced Christianity, but they did not always embrace the messengers who brought Christianity to the continent. As early as the eighteenth century, there was the example of the Kongolese prophet Beatrice Kimpa Vita who developed an African Christian movement that opposed some of the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic missionaries in the Kongo.

By the late nineteenth century throughout the continent, there were African Christians who decided to break away from missionary churches and form their own churches. Over the past century, there have been wide variety of African Christian movements, some of which are quite different from one another. However, in spite of these differences, scholars call these churches African Independent Churches (A.I.C.) since all of the churches established autonomy and independence from mission churches.

Why did Africa Christians decide that it was necessary to form churches that were independent from mission

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churches? There are several inter-related reasons:

Racism: Too often, missionaries were guilty of mistreating African Christians. Some missionaries accepted the popularly held notion that Africans were not intellectually or culturally equal to Europeans. These attitudes were a tremendous insult to African Christians and frustrated the attempts by educated African Christians to obtain leadership positions in the mission churches. Some African Christians believed that the only way that they could achieve positions of church leadership was to leave the mission churches and form their own independent churches free from racism and in which there would be African leadership.

Rejection of African culture and religious beliefs/practice: Many missionaries considered African cultures and religions to be primitive and pagan. Consequently, these missionaries tried to force African Christians to reject most of their cultural and religious beliefs and practices. When African Christians read the Bible, they did not interpret what they read as condemning all or most of their cultural and religious beliefs and practices. Indeed, some African Christians believed that there are similarities between the practices recorded in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and their own cultural and religious practices. Faced with continued missionary opposition to adapting Christianity to African culture, some Christian leaders decided to leave mission churches and form their own independent churches that incorporated aspects of African cultural practice that they felt were not inconsistent with Christianity.

There is a wide diversity of belief and practice among A.I.Cs. Indeed by 1980, there were more than 7,000 different independent groups with a membership of more than twelve million in Africa. In spite of differences between A.I.C.s, scholars who study these movements divide the A.I.C.s into two broad groups.

I. Ethiopian Independent Churches. In spite of their name, the Ethiopian independent churches are not directly associated with either the country of Ethiopia-most Ethiopian churches are located in southern and West Africa-or with the long-standing Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Ethiopian churches received this designation because of the number of times that Ethiopia is mentioned in the Bible. To the early leaders of African Independent Churches, these representations of Ethiopia demonstrated God's long-term interest and involvement in Africa.

Ethiopian churches were founded by African Christians who were directly engaged with established mission churches but who were frustrated by the racism in these churches that kept them from achieving positions of leadership. Ethiopian churches did not differ much from mission churches in basic teaching and worship. The primary difference was in leadership. Whereas the leadership of mission churches was exclusively missionary, the leadership of the Ethiopian independent churches was exclusively African.

Two of the earliest Ethiopian Independent Churches were formed in the late nineteenth century in southern Nigeria where missionaries had worked for nearly a century. In 1889 a Baptist minister, Vincent Mojola Agbebi, broke away from the mission Baptist Church to form the Native Baptist Church. Three years later in 1891, Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African Anglican bishop, broke from the Anglican (Episcopalian) church in Nigeria to form the African Anglican Pastorate. In both cases, these distinguished

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African churchmen felt that the mission churches discriminated against African leadership.

From this beginning in Nigeria, many new churches were formed in West, East, Central, and Southern Africa by African church leaders who were frustrated by the racist attitudes of the established mission churches.

II. Zionist Independent Churches: Zionist independent churches are also known Spirit churches because they emphasize spiritual and physical healing through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. This emphasis reflects the influence of African religious belief and practice. Zionist prophets, as their leaders are called, in many ways are similar to priests and healers in African indigenous religions. Zionist worship is characterized by singing, dancing to drums and other African musical instruments, possession by the Holy Spirit, and healing of illnesses. Zionist churches brought together elements of Christian and indigenous African religious belief and practice. Christian Zionism is not a rejection of Christianity. Rather it is the adaptation of Christianity to African cultural values, beliefs, and practices.

Zionist Christians can be distinguished from followers of Ethiopian churches by their distinctive style of dress. Both women and men wear long gowns of solid colors. Each Zionist group has their own insignia that are often sewn on pockets or on their head-dress. Many Zionist groups, although Christian, follow the Old Testament Jewish tradition and observe Saturday as their holy day. Whether in the cities of Durban, Harare, Lusaka, Nairobi, or Kinshasa, it is not unusual to see groups of Zionist worshipers with their distinctive uniforms meeting in open spaces throughout these cities on a Saturday afternoon.

In spite of differences between African Independent Churches, there are important areas of unity and commonality. These areas of unity are important in what they tell us about African articulations of Christianity.

All A.I.Cs. are headed by strong charismatic leaders who claim a direct relationship with God. There is an emphasis on direct communication with God through prayers, but also through dreams

and possession by the Holy Spirit.

Women play active leadership roles in many A.I.Cs.

Adaption of Christianity to indigenous beliefs, values, and practice.

In the early twenty-first century, African Independent Churches, particularly those of the Zionist persuasion, are the fastest growing religious group in Africa. Experts estimate that by the middle of this century over one third of the Christians in the world will live in Africa, and of this number, half will belong to African Independent Churches!

YOUR TURN

Instructions: Please answer the following questions and complete the attached exercises. Please be sure to cite multiple specific examples from the texts for each question.

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1. Based on what you have learned, what reasons can you give for why most Christians in Europe and North America don't know more about the rich tradition of Christianity in Egypt, Aksum, and Nubia?

2. Why has Christianity been able to survive and thrive for nearly 2000 years when Christianity disappeared in neighboring Nubia?

3. Why do you think that Beatrice Kimpa Vita formed the independent Antonine Christian movement in the Kongo? What was the reaction of the Portuguese missionaries to this movement? Why do you think that they had this reaction?

4. The greatest expansion of Christianity in Africa began with the larger scale arrival of missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some scholars who study Christianity in Africa suggest that this rapid expansion of Christianity in Africa was facilitated by a symbiotic relationship between Christian missionaries and colonial governments. List the ways in which (i) Christian missionaries and their activities may have helped colonial governments, (ii) colonial governments may have assisted Christian missionaries in their attempts at converting Africans.

5. What were the two main reasons why some African Christians broke away from missionary churches to form African Independent Churches?

6. In which ways do African Independent Churches, particularly the Zionist Churches, incorporate aspects of indigenous African religions into their beliefs and practices?

7. African Independent Churches are the fastest growing churches in Africa. In your opinion why is this so?

8. Complete the attached Timeline: Christianity in Africa

Using information provided in the text and on the map Christianity in Africa, fill in the following important events and the dates when they occurred.

Expansion of African Independent Churches throughout Africa

1. Christianity introduced to Aksum 2. Portuguese missionaries arrive in Africa

3. Christianity introduced into Egypt

4. Beatrice Kimpa Vita begins Antonine independent church in the Kongo

5. Christianity introduced into Nubia

6. Major expansion of Christian m missionary work in Africa.

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Note to Teachers: Possible answers1. The narrative provides two broad reasons why so little is known about Christianity in North and North East Africa. First, there was a deliberate "silencing" of the Gnostics Christians by the faction of the Christian church centered in Rome. When Rome officially became Christian in the fourth century, the Roman church was able to silence dissenting Christian factions. Secondly, by the tenth century Islam had become the dominant religion in North Africa. Although the Coptic Church survived, it was very small in

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comparison to Islam.

2. The narrative provides several reasons for the survival of Christianity in Aksum/Ethiopia. Aksum/Ethiopia had a strong centralized system of government and long before the arrival of Islam in the area, the government was thoroughly Christianized. In neighboring areas, Islam was successful because Moslem missionaries were able to convert the ruling class, but not so in Aksum/Ethiopia. Moreover, the strong centralized government and military were able to resist attacks from neighboring Moslem dominated peoples.

3. Beatrice Kimpa Vita formed the Antonine Christian movement because she was dissatisfied with the way the Portuguese missionaries and emissaries in the Kongo had weakened the Kongo kingdom. Moreover, she felt that Africans were not treated as equals in the Catholic Church, and that the church did not recognize the importance of Kongolese religious beliefs and practices. The Portuguese felt very threatened by the Antonine movement, tried to suppress it, and finally killed Beatrice by burning her at the stake as a heretic.

4. (i) Christian missionaries assisted colonial officials in a number ways: they taught that Christians respected and obeyed those in authority; they provided a European presence in areas where, at times, the colonial government had no presence, they helped provide educational and health services that the colonial government would not provide, in the process reducing opposition to colonial rule. (ii) Colonial governments provided missionaries with a peaceful environment in which they could do their mission work. Moreover, mission groups were often provided with land to build their mission stations by the colonial governments

5. First, some African Christians were very unhappy with the racist actions of some missionaries. Few if any Africans were given positions of leadership and responsibility in mission churches. They were treated as children, as inferiors. The leaders of the breakaway AIC churches felt that this was the only way for them to gain the authority and leadership positions that they rightfully deserved. Secondly, many missionaries denigrated African traditional cultural and religious beliefs as pagan or evil. However, many African Christians believed that their cultural beliefs and practices should be honored within the Christian Church. They did not see an inconsistency between most of the teachings in the Bible and indigenous beliefs and practices.

6. There are many ways in which AICs-particularly Zionist Churches-incorporate indigenous African religious beliefs and practices. First, is the emphasis on the spiritual world and revelation that can come to Christians through communication with the spiritual world, particularly through possession and dreams. Secondly, like indigenous religions, many AIC have a strong emphasis on healing within the church. Thirdly, performance, dance and instrumental-drums and percussion-are very important in most AICs.

7. Students should be able to come up with a variety of reasons why AICs have been so successful. Reasons could include the ability of AICs to connect the past "tradition" with the present, to combine elements of

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indigenous cultural beliefs and practices with outside "modern" influences. To many, AICs provide a home-a place of security-in an increasingly unsafe and insecure world.

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Indigenous African Religions Packet: Explore i

Africans do not have a word equivalent to the term "religion" there are a number of terms in African languages that describe activities, practices, and a system of thought that corresponds to closely to what most Westerners mean by religion. African religions are often closely associated with African peoples' concepts of ethnic identity, language and culture. They are not limited to beliefs in supernatural beings [God and spirits] or to ritual acts of worship, but effect all aspects of life, from farming to hunting, from travel to courtship. Like most religious systems [including Christianity, Islam, Judaism] African religions focus on the eternal questions of what it means to be human: what is the meaning of life, and what are the correct relations among humans, between humans and spiritual powers, and with the natural world? African religious systems [also] seek to explain the persistence of evil and suffering, and they seek to portray the world as operating with some degree of order and predictability. They uphold certain types of ethical behavior. . . These ideas are expressed in sacred oral [and written]traditions, handed down from generation to generation through the performance of ritual [dance and music] and through intensive periods of education, including rites of passage. Robert Baum in Africana: The Encyclopedia of African and African American Experience, 1999

This long quote is from a person who has studied African religions for many years. It summarizes some important issues related to indigenous African religions.

First, it is important to remember that while there are similarities between African religions, there are also differences. Just as there are differences in religious practice in the United States-not just between Christians, Moslems, Jews, Hindus, and others, but even within Christianity (Roman Catholics and many Protestant groups), Islam (Sunni, Sh'ite, Nation of Islam) and Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform)-so too there are differences in religious belief and practice among African religions.

Secondly, although the supernatural-God and spirit world-are important in African religions religious belief and practice are central to all aspects of life in Africa. That is, religious beliefs impact the way people live their everyday lives, from what they eat (or cannot eat), the way they farm, do everyday chores, hunt, make tools and clothes, arrange themselves in families, marry, divide work among family members, educate their children, treat illness, and bury the dead. Among indigenous African religions, religious belief and practice are not restricted to one holy day each week, be it Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, but are present in the most common daily activities as well as in special ritual ceremonies.

Thirdly, African religions provide people with what some scholars call a world-view. A world-view can be thought of as a system of values, attitudes, and beliefs, which provide people with a mechanism to understand the world in which they live and everyday events and occurrences. Maybe we can think of a world-view as being like a language. Can you imagine how hard it would be explain or understand everyday

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events and occurrences if we did not have language-words? Words are essential tools that help us explain and understand events and occurrences. But words come with their own meanings, we cannot simply change the meanings of words when we use them to explain or to understand events or why we live the way we do. Words and their meanings help shape the way we see, and therefore how we explain, events. Similarly, the world-view (values, attitudes, beliefs) that an individual learns from the time s/he is a baby provides a mechanism that influences how s/he understands all that happens to her/him, her/his community and the world in which s/he lives.

Fourth, African indigenous religions provide a system of morality that establishes right from wrong, good and appropriate from bad or inappropriate behavior. Just as with Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, children growing up in African religions learn right from wrong, and what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior in every situation that they face.

Fifth, like all world religions, rituals are important to African indigenous religions. Rituals are cultural or religious ceremonies that celebrate or commemorate specific events that have deep religious significance. Rituals serve to reinforce important religious beliefs through meaningful activities that bring comfort or joy and thus strengthen the unity of the followers of the religious tradition. Rituals are often associated with important human events: birth, marriage, death, planting, and harvest.

The Supernatural in Indigenous African Religions

Scholars who study religion in Africa tell us that all African societies have a belief in God. Some African religions believe in one supreme God who created the world and all that is in the world. Other African religions believe that there is more than one God; however even in these religions, usually one of the Gods is claimed to be the supreme God who was responsible for creating the world. Since there are many different language groups in Africa, there are many different names for God. Even within a single country there are often a number of different names for God.

Country Some Names for God

Angola Kalunga, Nzambi, Suku

Botswana Modimo, Urezhwa

Burundi Imana

Cameroon Njinyi, Nyooiy

Congo Akongo, Arebati, Djakomba, Katshonde, Kmvoum, Leza, Nzambi

Cote D'Ivoire Nyame, Onyankopon

Ghana Bore-Bore, Dzemawon, Mawu, Nyame, Onyankopon

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Ethiopia Arumgimis, Igziabher, Magano, Tel, Yere, Yere Siezi

KenyaAkuj, Asis, Mulungu, Mungu, Ngai, Nyasaye, TororutLesotho Molimo

Liberia Yala

Madagascar Andriamanitra, Zanahary

Malawi Cauta, Chiuta, Leza, Mulungu, Unkurukuru

Mozambique Mulungu

Namibia Kalunga, Mukuru, Ndjambi, Karunga, Pamba

Nigeria Ondo, Chuku, Hinegba, Olodumare, Olorun, Osowo, Owo, Shoko

Rwanda Imana

Sierra Leone Leve, Meketa, Ngewo, Yatta

South Africa Inkosi, Khuzwane, Modimo, Mwari, Raluvhimba, Ukulunkulu, Utixo

Sudan Ajok, Jok, Katonda, Kiibumba, Ori, Rugaga, Ruhanga, Wari

Swaziland Mkulumncandi, Umkhulumncandi

Tanzania Enkai, Ishwanga, Kyala, Kyala, Kyumbi, Mulungu, Mungo, Ruwa

Uganda Akuj, Jok, Katonda, Kibumba, Ori, Rugaba, Ruhanga, Weri

Zambia Chilenga, Chiuta, Lesa, Mulungu, Nyambe, Nzambi, Tilo

Zimbabwe Mwari, Unkulunkulu, Nyadenga

Whether or not a particular African religion believes in one or several Gods, the way God is viewed in most African religions is both similar and different than the way the monotheistic religions characterize God. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are the main monotheistic religions. These religions teach that there is only one God and that that God not only created the universe, God has complete control over that universe. Moreover throughout history, the one supreme God communicates directly with humans, and God is

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directly involved in the lives of humans.

Similarities between Monotheistic and African religions' Conception of God

According to Professor John Mbiti, a leading expert on African religions, many African religions share the following concept of God. These concepts are quite similar to the way God is viewed in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, the three main monotheistic religions.

God is creator of all things.

God sustains creation

God provides for and protects creation

God rules over the universe

God is all powerful (omnipotent)

God is all-knowing (omniscient-knows everything that happens in the world)

God is viewed as parent (sometimes as a father and sometimes as a mother)

God supports justice

Human-beings cannot directly know God.

Given these similarities it should not be surprising that Africans from all over the continent often accepted the introduction of Islam and Christianity into their communities.

Differences between Monotheistic and African religions' Concept of God

In spite of these similarities there are important differences in the way God and the supernatural are viewed in African religions in comparison to Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. In most African religious systems, God (or the Gods) after creation was not directly involved in the human society or the individual lives of people. Remember how in the creation stories the Gods were engaged in the creation of people, but after creation, the Gods usually withdrew from direct contact with human-beings?

The idea of an isolated God does not make the supernatural un-important in Africa religions. Indeed, the supernatural, or spiritual realm, is most important to African religious belief. Between an all-powerful God and humans is a pantheon of spirits. These spirits are directly engaged in the lives of human beings, and can act as intermediaries between God and humans.

Spirits in African religious traditions share some of the same characteristics of angels in the Christian, Islamic, and Jewish traditions. Good spirits help to protect against illness and misfortune and assist humans by providing rain needed for crops, as well as, fish and game animals used for food. However, not all spirits are good, some spirits are viewed as evil and are believed to be responsible for illness, premature death, and other forms of suffering and misfortune.

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Types of Spirits:The spiritual world, or world of spirits, is central in almost all African religions. Spirits (like Angels and demons in the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian traditions) directly communicate with and impact the lives of human beings, as individuals and as communities.

Good spirits provide protection against harm, misfortune, and disease, heal illness, provide children, rain for crops, fish, and wild game, and protection for livestock. The realization of these blessings are dependent on the appropriate behavior on the part of individuals. Good behavior, according African religious beliefs, includes following and practicing values and behavior established by society and culture, participation in religious rituals and practices, and proper respect for family,

neighbors, and community. Failure to follow these behavioral guidelines often results in the good spirits withdrawing their blessing and protection. The result? Illness, death, draught, and other misfortune.

Good spirits can be divided into the following categories:

Human Spirits: Most African religions firmly believe that people continue to live, through their spirits, after death. These spirits are often referred to as ancestral spirits. It is believed that spirits of the ancestors remain very interested in what happens in their families and communities. Most African religions divide ancestral spirits into two groups:

The Recent Dead Ancestors: After an elder dies her or his spirit remains actively interested and engaged in the life of their family and community for many years. The ancestral spirits are most concerned about the prosperity and security of their families and communities. They intercede with God on the behalf of their communities. However, if individual members of their families or communities as a group engage in inappropriate behavior, the ancestors show their displeasure by withdrawing their protection-their willingness to seek God's blessing on their descendants. Although this results in illness and misfortune, it is not the desire of the ancestors that their families and

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communities be destroyed. Rather, the ancestors hope that illness and misfortune will be seen as warning and result in people and communities stopping the inappropriate and offensive behaviors. Remember that African religions hold that following social and cultural norms and values is the only way to guarantee security and prosperity. No wonder the ancestral spirits want their descendants to behave appropriately!

The Spirits of the Long Dead: As time passes, the spirits of the recently dead gradually withdraw from the lives of their descendants and communities. It is believed that these spirits live with God. However, some ancestral spirits remain actively engaged for many generations. This is particularly true of the spirits of important individuals. For example, it is believed that the spirits of great rulers or founders of nations maintain their interest and power for a long time, perhaps centuries after their deaths. These ancestors are most interested in promoting the longevity of their kingdoms, nations, and communities. As with the regular ancestral spirits, these spirits intervene to protect their communities.

Given the importance of spirits of the ancestors, most African religions taught great respect for the ancestors. In addition to living appropriately, special shrines were often built to commemorate the ancestors. These shrines, while different in style, have a similar function to grave-stones in the Christian and Jewish traditions.

In addition, respect is shown by giving libations to the ancestors. That is, at least once a day, symbolic drink and food is presented to the ancestors. When Europeans first encountered these practices, they wrongfully thought that the people were worshiping the ancestors. In African religions, ancestors are not gods and they are not worshiped, but just as living elders are given great respect, even more so the spirits of the ancestors are remembered and respected. Moreover, ancestral spirits are not feared. Although their blessings are important to personal and community well-being, appropriate behavior is all that is required to maintain social harmony, longevity, and the ancestral contentment.

Nature Spirits

All African religions believe in the existence and importance of human spirits, however, not all African religions believe in nature spirits. Nature spirits are spirits that inhabit or live in nature. For example, several African religions teach that there are spirits that live in the skies. These spirits are important since they are believed to control the rain that is so important to the raising of crops and animals.

Other African religions hold that spirits live in and control rivers, lakes and oceans. These water spirits are also very important since they are believed to control the fish that live in the waters. Still other religious traditions believe that important ancestral spirits inhabit rocks, mountains, and trees.

As is the case with ancestral spirits, nature sprits are held to be good since they help to protect people and to provide people with essential items like water and food. In order to guarantee the good will of these spirits, African religions practice rituals and ceremonies that honor these spirits.

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Just as the early European missionaries misunderstood the role of ancestral spirits in African religions, so too they often misunderstood the beliefs regarding nature spirits. These outside observers thought that African religions held that God inhabits all of nature-trees, rocks, water, land-a religious system scholars call animism. African religions do not worship rocks, trees, the sky or rivers, as is the case in animism. Rather, important spirits who control the forces of nature are believed to live in the sky, rocks, trees and rivers.

Bad Spirits

African religious traditions, as with Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and other major world religions, hold that just as there is good in the world, there is also evil. Goodness is the result of the blessings of God and the spiritual world in response to good behavior on the part of individuals and communities. Suffering and misfortune to individuals and communities, in all of these traditions, are believed to be the result of either:

Inappropriate behavior on the part of individuals or communities, OR

The intervention of bad or disruptive spirits.

Just as there are good spirits these religious traditions hold that there are bad spirits (referred to as the devil or Satan in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism). In African religious traditions, bad spirits are responsible for causing much of the misfortune that individuals and communities suffer.

Most African societies have specially trained spiritual professionals who through special medicines and communication with the ancestral spirits can provide protection against the wiles of evil spirits.

Religious Leaders

Every religious tradition have individuals who perform specific religious tasks and duties. Each religious tradition has special titles for religious officials-rabbi, imman, minister, pastor or priest. In African religious traditions, there are different religious roles, these include priests, rain-makers, and healers (diviners, herbalists) In some African traditions, these various roles may be served by the same individual, in other traditions different persons may serve each position.

We should consider religious leaders to be professionals in that each position requires a long period of training. Moreover, these positions are often full-time leaving little time for activities beyond the fulfillment of their duties. We should also note that in most African religious traditions women and men serve as priests and healers.

Priests

The role of priests varies between religious traditions. One of the most important functions of priests in many traditions is to officiate at religious ceremonies and rituals. Religious ceremonies and rituals are very important to maintaining religious and cultural traditions. Ritual ceremonies celebrating birth, transition to adulthood, marriage, death, planting and harvest, or commemorating the life of a deceased ancestor are vital to maintaining a close-knit community. Such rituals also help to reinforce values and appropriate behavior within the community. Priests, who officiate at these rituals and ceremonies, play a central rule in

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promoting a strong and united community.

In some religious traditions, priests will be affiliated with a particular spirit or group of spirits. In this situation, priests will be in charge of a special shrine dedicated to the spirit, and she or he officiates at special ceremonies commemorating that spirit. For example in many African religious traditions, there are special shrines to commemorate the founding ancestor of the community. In addition to officiating at special ceremonies celebrating the ancestor, the shrine priest(s) serves as the voice of the ancestor spirit, communicating advice and admonition to the community.

How do the ancestral spirits communicate to their priests? As part of her or his religious practice, a priest will enter a trance-like condition during which time it is believed that the spirit of the ancestor enters or "possesses" the body of the priest. During the possession, the ancestor directly communicates with the priest, passing on information to the people.

Priest/Spirit Medium, rural Ethiopia Women participating in religious ceremony: Ethiopia

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Shrine to river spirit: Oshun River, Nigeria

Ritual masquerader dance celebrating Agbo Water Spirit, Nigeria

Rain-Makers

With the exception of the area of tropical rain forests in West and Central Africa, much of Africa is either arid or semi-arid and suffers from fairly regular cycles of drought. In vast areas of East, West, Central, and Southern Africa, farmers are dependent on rain for their very survival. Throughout these regions, rain is an important focus of religious practice.

Rain-makers through possession communicate with ancestral spirits to find the cause of the draught. Once the cause of the draught has been identified, the ancestral spirits will provide the rain-maker with a remedy. The remedy usually involves changing an inappropriate behavior that is believed to have caused the drought and offering special libations to the offended spirits.

Healers

Healers, often referred to as traditional doctors, are important in all African societies. Given what we know about African religious traditions, including healers as religious leaders should not be surprising. Good health is the believed to be the result of appropriate behavior that is living in accordance to the values, norms of traditions of the society. One of the primary causes of illness, then, comes from inappropriate behavior. In addition, illness can be the result of the work of bad spirits.

In either case, illnesses have a spiritual basis, that in turn, requires a spiritual remedy. In most African religious traditions, there are two methods of healing. In some traditions, these two methods are practiced by the same healer; in other traditions, there are separate practitioners. To be a practitioner of either type of healing takes experience and great skill developed over many years of training. Training to be a healer in

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Africa takes time and effort just as does training to be medical doctor in North America.

Herbalists: Extracts from plants-fruits, berries, roots, leaves, bark-provide the basis of the medicines used by traditional healers in Africa. Herbalist healers go through a rigorous training through which they learn about the healing properties of a wide variety of plants. When they finish their training, herbalist healers will be able to prescribe herbal remedies for many different illnesses.

Spiritualists/Diviners: Diviners treat illness primarily through facilitating the direct intervention of the spiritual world. If an illness is believed to be caused by inappropriate behavior on the part of the patient, a remedy or cure for the illness can only come through spiritual intervention. While a herbal healer uses plants to treat diseases, a diviner seeks input from the spiritual world to understand the cause of the illness and prescribe a cure. Usually a diviner is possessed by the same ancestral spirit with whom she or he has developed a special relationship.

In addition to treating specific illnesses, African healers-herbalist and diviners- also practice preventative medicine. Patients may come to the healer seeking protection from misfortune. Or a person undertaking a long journey may want a remedy that will provide safety on her trip. Another patient may want a remedy that will provide wisdom and clarity in making an important decision.

When Europeans were first observed African medicine and healing practices, they often had a negative reaction. They viewed these practices as being based on magic and not on science. These judgments were based on a misunderstanding of African views on disease and healing. Indeed, like "western" medicine, African healing is based on close observation of the patient and his or her disease and on the use of remedies-medicines-that have a track record for successfully treating a particular ailment.

During the past thirty years, Western trained doctors have gained a greater appreciation for African healing techniques and practices. Indeed, throughout Africa it is now fairly common to have Western trained doctors working with traditional healers in the treatment of patients.

Global Impact of African Religions

Indigenous African religions continue to be very important in many African societies. However, African religious beliefs and practices have not remained unchanged. The spread of Islam and Christianity has influenced the practice of indigenous religious practice. But just as importantly, as will be demonstrated in the next two sections, African religious belief and practice has influenced the way Islam and Christianity are practiced in Africa.

African religious belief and practice have also had an impact outside of Africa. Just as trade from Asia and Europe helped to facilitate the spread of Islam and Christianity in Africa, so too travel and trade facilitated the spread of African religious traditions into Europe and the Americas (See Module 15: Africa and the World). The Atlantic slave trade and more recently the new wave of immigration of African to Europe and North America assisted the transfer of religious practice to these areas.

Two of the most important examples of African religious expression in the Americas are the religions of Santeria in Cuba, and Brazil, and Vodou in Haiti. Both of these religious traditions have a growing

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following in the United States.

For more information on Santeria and Vodou, visit these websites:




OR go to your library and luck up these religions in the Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience edited by Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates Jr. Basic Books, 1999.

YOUR TURN

In preparing your answers, you may want to look the chart on the Spiritual World of African Religions.

1. Map Work. Using the list of the name for God in African languages and a political map of Africa which your teacher will provide Center on the map the names of God used in those countries. 2. Make of list of the characteristics of God in African religions. What are the similarities and differences between how African religions view God and the way the major monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) view God?3. In your own words, describe the importance of ancestors to African religions and societies.4. According to most African religions, what are the two main causes of disease and misfortune? 5. How can people promote security and well-being of themselves, their families and communities?

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Religion of Islam Packet: Islam in Africa: Expandii

Islam is one of the most important religions in the World. Indeed, more than one billion people identify themselves with Islam. That means that about one out of every five people in the world is a Moslem (follower of Islam)! The majority of Moslems live in western, southern and south-east Asia. Next to Asia, Africa is home to the next largest group of Moslems. Indeed, some experts estimate that almost half of Africa's population identify themselves as Moslems. More recently, Islam has spread into West Europe and North America. In fact, Islam is the fastest growing religion in France and Germany!

Islam was founded in what is today the country of Saudi Arabia in 610 C.E. According to Islamic tradition, Gabriel, an angel sent by Allah (God), appeared to the Prophet Muhammad. Through many revelations, Gabriel revealed to Mohammed what Islam teaches is the last of Allah's (God's) revelations to human-beings. The collection of these revelations are written in the Quran (sometimes spelled Koran), the holy book of Islam.

Islam teaches that throughout human history, Allah (God) was revealed through important prophets. The first great prophet was Adam-held by Christians and Jews, as well as Moslems-- to be the first human-being created by God. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus are also considered by Islam to be important prophets. However, while Moslems hold these Jewish and Christian prophets in highest esteem, they believe that Allah chose Muhammad to be the last and greatest of God's prophets. As such, God's revelations and guidelines contained in the Quran are God's final direct words to human-kind.

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In Arabic, the language of Muhammad, Islam means to Surrender or to Submit to the will of Allah. Moslems are people who chose to submit themselves to the will and guidelines of Allah (God).

Like all major religions, Islam has a rich and detailed theology, system of beliefs. You are encouraged to further investigate Islam and its teachings and contributions to world culture and civilization. You may want to visit the websites below.

http://www.beconvinced.com/http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm

Five Pillars of Islam

While Islam has a rich and complex theology, five major teachings, or pillars, provide the central tenants of the Islamic faith.

1. The Basic creed of Islam states "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is the prophet of Allah." This is a central belief of monotheistic religions-there is only one supreme God.2. Importance of Prayer. Prayer is central to the lives of Moslems. Moslems are called upon to practice two types of prayer. One type of prayer is personal prayers of devotion or special request. These prayers can be made at any time, and they are not governed by special rituals or formulas. The second type of prayer is ritual prayer, done as a communal activity, with specific words and knelling in the direction of the holy city of Mecca. These prayers are offered five times a day: at sunrise, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset, and before going to bed. At each Mosque (holy meeting place), the imam, the prayer leader, calls the congregation to prayer. There are no chairs in a Mosque, worshipers kneel through the prayer service. Before participating in any of the five daily prayers, Moslems ceremonially wash their face, hands, and feet, cleansing themselves before approaching God.

Friday is the special day of worship for Moslems. On Fridays, Moslems are supposed to attend prayers at their local Mosque. In addition to the daily prayers, the Friday service include readings from the Quran and a sermon.

3. Pilgrimage/Hajj. In 622 CE, the prophet Mohammed was forced by his enemies to flee for his life from the holy city of Mecca to a nearby city of Medina. This pilgrimage was a central event in the life of the prophet. Consequently, the Quran strongly encourages all Moslems to participate in an annual re-enactment of the Pilgrimage. In recent years, over a million Moslems from every continent participate in the annual pilgrimage. Individuals who are fortunate to complete the pilgrimage are allowed to add the honorific title Hajj to the front of their name.

4. Fasting. The Quran teaches the importance of fasting. Fasting, it is thought, helps people to focus on God by taking their minds off material needs, the most important of which is food. So important is fasting to the Islamic religion that one month each year, the month of Ramadan, is set aside for fasting. During Ramadan, Moslems do not eat of drink anything from sunrise to sunset. Small children, pregnant women, and people who are ill are not expected to practice the fast.

5. Zakat. Islam teaches that Moslems are responsible for the well-being all people. To assist people who less L36

http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm

http://www.beconvinced.com/


fortunate, Islam strongly encourages Moslems to share with the less fortunate. This obligatory contribution is called the Zakat.

Types of Islam

As in most major religions such as Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism, Islam is divided into groups, what Christians call denominations. The largest group of Islam is the Sunnah ("well-trodden path") and the next largest group is the Shi'ah. The vast majority of Moslems in Africa are Sunni (followers of Sunnah).

Islam in Africa

Islam spread to Africa very soon after the religion was founded in the Seventh century of the Common Era. Over the following centuries until the present day Islam has continued to grow in numbers in area of influence. This section will briefly describe the history and influence of Islam in Africa. (Click on link: Spread of Islam in Africa) http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11393

Early Islamic Movement in Africa

"Islam reached Africa through two gateways, from the east and from the north. From both directions the carriers of Islam navigated across vast empty spaces, the waters of the Indian Ocean and the sands of the Sahara desert. Both ocean and desert, which so often are considered to be barriers, could be crossed with appropriate means of transportation and navigational skills, and they were, in fact, excellent transmitters of religious and cultural influences. Densely populated lands, on the other hand, functioned as filters, their numerous layers slowing down the infiltration of religious and cultural influences."From Introduction to The History of Islam in Africa (2001)

Look at the map Spread of Islam in Africa.

Notice that North and East Africa are separated from the Arabian Peninsula where Islam began by the narrow Red Sea. Consequently, it is not surprising that soon after its founding Islam began to spread into nearby areas of Africa. As noted in the quote above, the vast Sahara Desert and the Red Sea and Indian Ocean were not great barriers to the spread of Islam. Arabs had lived, traveled and traded in desert conditions for centuries before the founding of Islam. Moreover, since the Arabian Peninsula is bordered on three sides by water, Arabs were experienced sea traders.

Egypt was the first African country to come under the influence of Islam. At the time of the arrival of the first Moslem traders Egypt was predominantly Christian. Indeed, Christianity had become the main religion in Egypt hundreds of years earlier soon after the formation of Christianity. It took several hundreds of years before the majority of Egyptians, including its new Arabic speaking rulers, became Moslems. However, a small minority of Egyptians remained Christian. These Coptic Christians continue to live in Egypt.

Egypt became a important gateway through which Islam spread to other parts of Africa. From Egypt Arab traders introduced Islam to the West into area called the Maghrib which includes the present day countries of Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Islam was not automatically accepted by the local Berber speaking populations. Indeed, Islam did not become the predominant religion across North Africa until the Twelfth

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http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11393


century C.E. The spread of Islam in North Africa was accompanied by Arab rule. Arab traders who first facilitated the spread of Islam gradually gained political control of North Africa from the indigenous populations. Consequently, North Africa became Arabic as well as Islamic. Today, Arabic is the official language of Egypt, the Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The spread of Arab political control and the Arabic language in North Africa is unique. Nowhere else in Africa did Arab political control accompany

the

spread of Islam.

Islam also spread southward out of Egypt along the Nile River valley into present day Sudan and Ethiopia. Christian populations in Nubia (north east Sudan) were able to resist the expansion of Islam for many hundreds of years. However, by the fifteenth century most of northern Sudan and Eritrea had converted to Islam.

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Arab traders had sailed down the Red Sea into the Indian Ocean and along the east coast of Africa for centuries before the formation of Islam. After Islam was established, in addition to material goods, Arab traders took with them their religion as they traded with Africans along the east coast. However, conversion to Islam was a slow process along the east coast of Africa. While Arab-Swahili Moslem communities formed along the coast as early as 780 C.E., it was not until the beginning of the 15th century that the majority of the coastal population in what is today Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania were Moslem.

Movements into the Interior of Africa

After taking hold in North Africa and along the coast of East Africa, Islam gradually spread southwards from the north into the Sahel region of West Africa and somewhat latter from the East coast westwards into the interior of East Africa.

West Africa

For nearly a thousand years prior to the coming of Islam to North Africa, Berber speaking peoples had been involved in trade across the Sahara desert with West Africans who lived in the Sahel regions of West Africa. You will remember that the Sahel region if the area just south of the Sahara desert, a semi-arid region that gradually merges into the West African savannah. The Bebers traded salt and other goods for gold and ivory from the savannah and forest regions of West Africa. We know that nearly one thousand years before Islam was introduced into the area West Africa was a major supplier of gold for the Roman Empire. Look at the map of trade ion Africa. http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/images/ancientafrhist.jpg

Islam was first introduced into West Africa south of the Sahara across the salt and gold trade routes. By the twelfth century C.E., many Berber traders had been converted to Islam. Although these Moslem traders did not actively try to convert West Africans to Islam, they did practice their religion during the time that they spent traveling in West Africa. Moreover, as time passed Moslem traders were accompanied on their journeys by Moslem clerics and scholars. These men of religion interacted primarily with local rulers. As men of learning, they provided advise to local rulers on matters related to trade, security, and governing. Gradually, Moslem advisors became important to West African rulers. This was particularly the case, as you will

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http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/images/ancientafrhist.jpg


remember, in the West African Empires of Ghana and Mali Remember the story of Mansa Musa the great king of Mali who made an impressive Hajj to Mecca?

It often took many years for West African leaders to be fully convinced of the virtues of Islam and to convert. It was not until the leaders of a kingdom or state had converted that an effort was made, usually with the full support of the leader, to convert ordinary citizens. As you can imagine, the process of conversion of an entire nation or kingdom was a long process. It often took several generations before the majority of the people in a particular kingdom or society was practicing Moslem. This gradual process resulted in a situation where people would adopt some Islamic practices and beliefs while maintaining some of their indigenous beliefs and practices. Gradually, Islamic practice became more predominant, but often elements of indigenous belief and practice would continue. This process of gradual conversion and adaptation is testimony to the openness and flexibility of both African indigenous religious systems and Islam.

By the time the kingdom of Mali was replaced by Songhai, Islam had become the primary religion of the peoples of the Sahel. Between the 17th and 19th Centuries, there was an expansion of centralized kingdoms in West Africa that were governed by Moslems and whose governance was greatly Influenced by Islam. Prior to the colonial era, most of the Savannah region of West Africa from Senegal and Guinea through Mali, Bukina Faso, Niger and Northern Nigeria was under the control of Moslem rulers.

To learn more about one aspect of the importance of Islamic practice in contemporary West Africa, visit the web exhibit Drinking the Word of God: Expressions of Faith and Well-Being in Two West African Communities

, http://museum.msu.edu/?q=node/73

East and North East Africa

Islamic expansion from the coast where Islam had a strong presence as early as the tenth century C.E into the interior of North East Africa was frustrated by the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia. By the 19th century, Islam had become the dominant religion to the north, west and east of the mountain kingdom, but Ethiopia was able to maintain its Christian faith. To the east of Ethiopia, Somalia and costal Eritrea became Moslem.

Further to the south along the coast of East Africa, Arab traders had established a system of city-states including Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa, Dar-es-Salaam, and Kilwa by the 18th century. In addition, Arab traders gained control of the Pemba and Zanzibar, two islands off the coast of Tanzania. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, a new vibrant culture developed as a result of the integration of Arabic and indigenous African peoples and cultures. The new culture and people are the Swahili who developed a new language KiSwahili which is a mixture of Arabic and several African languages. Today, KiSwahili is the most widely spoken language in East Africa.

In spite of the political, economic and cultural success of the Arab-Swahili city states, Islam for many years did not spread into the interior of East Africa. However, a change in the economy of the east coast in the 19th century resulted in the spread of Islam into the interior of East Africa.

The Arab-Swahili had traded with the interior of East Africa for many centuries. This trade however was L40



carried out through the use of trading partners from the interior. These African partners brought goods from the interior-primarily gold and ivory-to the coast where they traded their items for goods -primarily cloth and glassware-that the Arab traders imported from Arabia and south Asia. Consequently, unlike the West African Sahara trade, Moslem traders had very little contact with the interior of East Africa.

This situation changed in the late 18th and 19th century. Arab-Swahili business-persons began to develop coconut plantations along the coast, and sugar and spice plantations on the coastal islands. In order for these plantations to prosper, the owners needed a cheap supply of labor. To meet this labor need, the Arab-Swahili plantation owners began to import slaves from the interior of East Africa. The Arab-Swahili were not the first persons to develop a slave trade in East Africa. As early as the 17th century, the Portuguese, who then controlled the coastal region of Mozambique, had raided and traded for slave in the interior of east-central Africa. Some of these slaves were sent to work in Brazil and others to work in South Africa.

The Arab-Swahili were not able to depend on their established trading partners to provide slaves, since these partners had no tradition of raiding for slaves. In order to obtain slaves, the Arab-Swahili themselves went into the interior of East Africa in search of slaves. To assist them in this endeavor, some slave traders developed special relationships with established kingdoms in the interior. Through their contact with these new trading partners, Islam was gradually introduced into some regions of the interior of East Africa. This expansion, however, was interrupted soon after it began by the introduction of European colonialism in the late 19th century.

While the East African slave trade, like the Atlantic slave trade, is abhorrent, it is important to remember that Islam was not the only religion to condone slavery and a slave trade. The Christian church in Europe and the Americas supported slavery and the Atlantic slave trade until the beginning of the 19th century.

Southern Africa

Islam was most recently introduced into Southern Africa. The demand for cheap labor was responsible for the introduction of Islam into this region. As you remember, the southern tip of Africa was the first area of Africa to be colonized by Europeans. In 1652, Dutch colonial settlers arrived at what today Cape Town. The Dutch settler-farmers needed cheap labor to work on their farms. In response to this demand, the Dutch began to import slaves from Dutch colonies in South East Asia (Malaysia and Indonesia). Most of these slaves were Moslem. Throughout the years of slavery and after emancipation in the early 19th century, the descendants of these slaves maintained their strong religious affiliation with Islam. Today, there are nearly one million Moslems living in the area around Cape Town.

A second group of Moslems came to South African in the 19th Century. At this time, British settler-farmers had developed huge sugar plantations in the province of Natal. Slavery had been abolished, but these farmers were able to recruit inexpensive labor from India. Today, there are more than one million people of Indian heritage living in South Africa. Approximately half of the population belongs to the Islamic faith.

Although a large majority of South Africans are Christians, Islam continues to be an important religion in contemporary South Africa.

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Impact of Islam on Africa

Mosques in Africa

Muhammad Ali Mosque, Cairo Mosque near Sapu, Gambia

Mosque at Garian, Libya

Inside Grand Mosque, Bamako, Mali

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Central Mosque, Jenne, Mali 16th Century Mosque, Agadez, Niger

Great Mosque at Touba, Senegal

Mosque in Dakar, Senegal

Mosque Mogadishu, Somalia Jumma Musjid Mosque in Durban, South Africa - the largest Mosque in the southern hemisphere.

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Over the past thousand years, Islam has grown to become one of the most influential forces in Africa. Nearly half of all Africans claim affiliation with Islam. Adherence to the core principles-the Five Pillars-of the faith impacts the way people the lives of people and the communities in which they live.

It is impossible to summarize all the ways in which Islam influences Africa. However, in concluding this section on Islam, it is important recognize a few factors that we have not adequately addressed.

The success of Islam in Africa is partially the result of its ability to respect and absorb other traditions . As indicated above, for the most part the spread of Islam in Africa was gradual. Moslems did not, for the most part, attempt to force Africans to convert to Islam. The conversion of individuals and whole communities took place over a period of time. Consequently, African converts often continued to practice some aspects of African traditional religions at the same time that the adopted the core principles and teaches of Islam. While Islam requires obedience to the five pillars, the religion is tolerant of other beliefs and practices as long as they don't contradict these basic principles. Of course, the spread of Islam was also facilitated by the fact that many traditional African religions are also flexible and adaptable.

The practice of Islam in Africa has been influenced by African religious belief and practice. Even in the most thoroughly Islamic societies in Africa you can observe the influence of African beliefs and practice. For example, the practice of Islam in Africa is more mystical than it is in other parts of the world. What does this mean? Mysticism has to do with the belief in a spiritual world, a world which humans can access and use to assist themselves in becoming better human beings. We have learnt that the spiritual world is very central to African religions. Scholars, who study Islam in Africa, believe that the importance of the mystical in African practice Islam reflects an African contribution.

Another African influence in the practice of Islam in Africa are the Islamic Brotherhoods or Islamic Orders that are very important, particularly in West Africa. Islamic Brotherhoods bring together believers who work together. Scholars believe that the existence and importance of Islamic Brotherhoods reflect communal nature of African society.

The Importance of Education to Islam. From its beginning, Islam taught the importance of education. Everywhere in the world Islam has spread, it has fostered education. Early in its expansion in Africa, Moslem scholars built libraries, and opened schools and libraries. Cairo, with a number of Islamic universities, became a center of learning and scholarship. In West Africa, Moslem scholars developed an impressive library and university at Timbuktu in Mali. Islamic scholars from Africa and other areas of the world traveled widely in the Islamic world debating and sharing ideas. To learn more about the importance of Timbuktu you can access the following web-sites.http://www.danheller.com/timbuktu.html

http://www.angelfire.com/ga/timbuktu13/ http://squierj.freeyellow.com/Timbuktu.htm

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http://squierj.freeyellow.com/Timbuktu.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/ga/timbuktu13/

http://www.danheller.com/timbuktu.html


http://www.tombouctoumanuscripts.org/ http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/timbuktu/

In addition, to libraries and universities, Islam was dedicated to teaching the young. Education for the young focused on learning to read and understand the Quran. Consequently, Islamic schools are often called Quranic Schools. Quranic schools existed in North, West and along the coast of East Africa, long before Christian missionaries introduced Christian schools in Africa.

Students doing lessons at a Quranic school in Somalia

Islam promotes human welfare. Like the Bible-the holy book of Judaism and Christianity-the Quran is full of directions on how people should live. Fairness and economic justice are central teachings in the Quran. Indeed, remember that one of the central pillars of Islam is the contribution of the zakat of social tax. The zakat is meant to assist those in the community who suffer misfortune. The practice of zakat has helped to alleviate the impact of poverty in many African communities.

YOUR TURN

1. Graphic Organizer: Your teacher will provide you with a graphic organizer on the Five Pillars of Islam.

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http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/timbuktu/

http://www.tombouctoumanuscripts.org/


2. Time-Line: Using information contained in the text and on the map Islam in Africa, complete the time-line Spread of Islam in Africa.

3. Writing Assignment: Read the following description of the Hajj to Mecca taken by Mansa Musa king of Mali in 1324 C.E. After reading this selection, write an argument to support or refute how his Haj reflects Islamic beliefs, citing evidence from the texts to support your case.

Mansa Musa was probably the greatest king of the Empire of Mali. He ruled Mali for twenty-five years (1312-1337). As far as we know, Mansa Musa was the first Moslem ruler in West Africa to decide to follow the

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Islamic instruction to participate in a Hajj (pilgrimage) to the holy city of Mecca. To get to Mecca, in present day Saudi Arabia, Mansa Musa and his entourage had to travel more than 3000 miles across the Sahara desert (look at a map of Africa). According to the Arab historian al-Umari who witnessed the pilgrimage when it passed through Cairo, Egypt, Mansa Musa's entourage included 100 camels each loaded with 300 pounds of gold, 500 servants each of whom carried a four pound gold staff, his senior wife with 500 attendants, and more than one thousand subjects. Mansa Musa gave away so much gold on his way through Egypt that the value of gold actually dropped! As a result of this Hajj, Mali became famous. People from Asia, North Africa and Europe learned for the first time of this great empire in West Africa. More importantly, while in Mecca and Cairo, Mansa Musa purchased many books and recruited many leading Moslem scholars to return with him to Mali. These scholars were responsible for the opening up of libraries in Mali and a university at Timbuktu.

Before you write your story, you may want to do a web search on Mansa Musa. A good place to start would be -- http://www.blackhistorypages.net/pages/mansamusa.php

A 14th Century C.E. lithograph of Mansa Musa celebrating his power and his Hajj to Mecca.

Timeline: Spread of Islam in Africa

Using information provided in the text and on the Map Islam in Africa, fill in the following important events and their dates.

1. Introduction of Islam into Egypt 2. Spread of Islam to South Africa:

a. *** Slaves from South East Asia

b. *** Farm workers from India

3. Spread of Islam to the coast of East Africa

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http://www.blackhistorypages.net/pages/mansamusa.php


4. Spread of Islam down the Nile River valley into Nubia (Sudan)

5. Spread of Islam to the Maghreb (North Africa)

6. Spread of Islam from the East Coast of Africa into the interior of East Africa

7. Spread of Islam into Sahel and savannah region of West Africa

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Indigenous


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Comparison of Indigenous, Christian and Muslim Religions in Africa

When Introduced to Africa

Concept of God

Effects on History

Role of religion

Rituals Positive and negative impact

Main beliefs

Indigenous Religions

Christian Religions

Islamic Religions

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i ibid

ii Ibid

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IAAAS SocialScience Grade9 Q3Lesson

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Transcript of IAAAS SocialScience Grade9 Q3Lesson