Timeless Taboo: New Attacks on African Spirituality

June 6th, 2011 - By TheEditor

by Ezinne Adibe

On January 13, 2010 Pat Robertson, founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network,  stated that Haiti “swore a pact to the devil.”  This was one day after a 7.0 earthquake rocked the island nation resulting in massive loss of life. The “pact” Robertson so confidently mentioned to various media outlets was a reference to the Haitian Revolution, more specifically, the Bwa Kayiman (Bois Caiman) Ceremony in August of 1791.

The event is significant because Africans of varying ethnicities joined together in a traditional ceremony to affirm that they would no longer remain enslaved.  The insurrection in Saint-Domingue (modern Haiti), in what would become known as the Haitian Revolution, resulted in the establishment of a Haitian republic in 1804.  The “devil” Robertson spoke of was a reference to the African gods invoked by Haitians to overthrow their French oppressors.

This practice of referring to anything in the realm of African spirituality as evil or devilish is a continuation of the propaganda used by missionaries, slave traders, and colonizers ever since they ventured onto the continent.  Enslaved Africans were treated as a people without culture.  They were reduced to being treated as cargo.  Africans were viewed as heathens because they had their own religious traditions prior to the introduction of Christianity and Islam.  These traditions include ancestor veneration, systems of initiation and respect for the natural environment.

African Traditions in the Americas

African spiritual systems, which fall under the category of African Traditional Religion (ATR), are the traditions that have sustained us since time immemorial.  Enslaved Africans brought these traditions to such places as Haiti, Brazil, Cuba, New Orleans, Florida, and South Carolina. They can be seen in the burial custom of placing items on the graves of deceased family members, knowledge of certain ritualistic and medicinal practices, known under various names as juju, hoodoo, rootwork, etc.  They can be seen in the tradition of adorning trees with bottles, vessels, and other objects to protect the household through invocation of the dead as noted in places like Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia.

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  • Lincoln Perry

    Things Fall Apart…..Chinua Achebe.

  • Awotunde Agbosi

    "@Stuck in da matrix….Our email address is egbe.kilombo@newafrikanvodun.com. Hit us up if you'd like to talk more about the actual living of the way of life of our indigenous West Afrikan culture.

  • StuckInDaMatrix

    @ Seakiel and Awotunde, Hotep and thank you for responding to my post! I admit in these trying times my being and faith is being tested and it has made me angry at Caucasians and their power structure. After reading both of your posts, I know now that anger is not the way, as it disconnects me from mother nature and the source and also anchors me into this paradigram (sp?) when I should be concentration on elevating my frequency. So for your posts I am most humbled and grateful as everything happens for a reason! And, I will be checking out your website Awotunde thanks for the link! Peace and blessing brothers and sisters Namaste.

  • lb

    This article is very biased and doesn’t touch on the fact that many of these tribal practices are ridiculous. It makes Christianity look like it was introduced by the West. Look back at the history of Ethiopia and Eritrea (Abysinnia), they have deep roots in Christianity that have lasted for more than 1000 years. In all honesty, this feels like an attack on white people more than anything else. Also, I find that they are only talking about spirituality from a West African perspective and completely excludes the rich past of East African spirituality and culture. Pieces like this cause a greater divide among the people of Africa, especially when it casts a dark shadow over Christianity. It fuels the argument that East Africans aren’t true Africans because a great many of them worship in a church. When say African religions you can’t only speak about the tribal religions, you must respect and include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

  • Awotunde Agbosi

    @Stuck in da matrix….Please feel free to check out our site, New Afrikan Vodun at http://www.newafrikanvodun.com. We created this site a few years ago for Afrikan (black) people wishing to return to and learn more about their indigenous culture. Feel free to contact us also.

  • V

    @ Baba Awotunde Agbosi & others who are ill informed,
    Wiccans DO NOT, NOR have ever practiced the burning of anyone, digging up, disgracing graves, or the like. There is a Law or Rede if you will that Wiccans and most Neo Pagans follow; “An it harm none, do as you will.” In our respective belief systems we honor all life, respect the Earth, respect our bothers, sister, & elders, work towards Peace & understanding, also most are active in their communities striving to make this World a better place for all. Please do not put these horrible things that people do in the name of religion on Wicca or any other Earth based belief system because you will be sorely mistaken about their practices. I think it’s important to have an open mind & open dialog about our different belief systems. If we do not, then these untruths will continue to hurt many. This article has sparked a desire for me to learn more about African belief systems, for that I am truly grateful.
    Talia, well said thank you.
    Peace to All. :*)

    • http://www.bing.com/ Elora

      Full of salient pniots. Don’t stop believing or writing!

  • Talia

    I am a middle age white eclectic wiccan. We do not & have never believed in burning anyone. We follow a tenent of “One goal, many paths”. We have been burned, drowned and hung throughout history for our belief system. Which is nature based,God & Goddess driven faith which is similar in many ways to the African traditions. It is sad enough that both faiths (I dislike using the word religions) have been misrepresented by christians who feel their way, which is younger & corrupt, is the only “true” way. The one thing that should not happen is us now spreading untruths, ignorance & prejudice about our similiar paths. Wiccans were burned! Some christians would see it happen again..

  • Awotunde Agbosi

    Great and concise work Ezinne. I’m proud of you!

  • http://www.newafrikanvodun.com Baba Awotunde Agbosi

    @Guest who posted Jne 6, 2012…. None of that is part of authentic Afrikan traditions. People are making up stuff by the day and stamping an Afrikan name on it. I am initiated to several priesthoods in this tradition and am a fully coronated Afikan king. That was said to say that if ANY such non sense were in our traditions I would know it. You state the article is biased and sugar coated? Do you live an Afrikan way of life or are you simply getting your information from the white media or books written by whites who want to demonize Afrika? Of course, the latter is the answer. You mentioned that it was an “African ritual” where the lady burned her baby. That was NOT an Afrikan ritual at all. In fact, it resembles more of the white NEW AGE WICCAN stuff that they do. Any ritual involving the burning of humans, digging up graves, etc is not Afrikan at all but definitely betrays evidence of EUROPEAN influence. It’s similar to the whole “voodoo doll” controversy. The sticking of pins in dolls is an old european folk custom which stems from when they would capture an alleged witch and stick NAILS in her for confession. Unfortunately many in Aiytian (Hatian) Vodun allowed this non Afrikan practice into their tradition. I always say know your subject before speaking on it. Sometimes it can save you a lot of time and embarrassment.

  • Why

    Why all the euro/Christian hayte? What about the invading and enslaving arabs who pushed Islam Just as hard and still do (darfur)?

  • Pharaoh1983

    First of all amen to this article that you have put together so well and concise. You speak of many truths in the article and it disgust me and sorrows me as well. The constant destruction of African traditional culture; by way of labeling it witch craft and not Christian/Islamic, is cultural genocide. To erase ones culture is to erase ones identity……and the Europeans/ Church have done a good job of it.

  • StuckInDaMatrix

    Is this really a surprise? African spirituality will continue to be attacked because it holds the true answers to our destiny as melinated people. Brothers and sisters we are gods in human form. We have nine strands of DNA that will enable us to ascend and interact with the universe and the cosmos. Caucasian genetics are recessive and thus, they have to keep up genocides, wars, and oppression and attack the Black mother because she spells their elimination from this earth. Prepare yourselves Black people because if you have no sense of who you are you are going to be screwed.