Africana Studies

Sacred Geometry

Symbols like circles and crosses in spirituality.

Three Levels of Consciousness

Mind, Spirit, and Soul in Ancient Egyptian belief.

Tehuti/Toth

Neter of wisdom and sacred scribe.

Maat

Neter of justice, weighs hearts against a feather.

Set

Neter of chaos and darkness, Osiris' brother.

Isis/Auset

Neter of beauty and magic, Osiris' wife.

Osiris/Ausar

Neter of rebirth and moisture, husband to Isis.

Horus/Heru

Neter of war, son of Isis and Osiris.

Ankh

Symbol representing life in Ancient Egypt.

Scarab/Khepera

Beetle symbolizing initiatory paths in mystery schools.

Crook

Symbol of power held by Pharaohs.

Flail

Symbol of divine authority held by Pharaohs.

Udjet

Eye of Ra, symbolizing protection and health.

Djed

Symbol representing stability in Egyptian culture.

Obelisk

Tall stone pillar, tapering to a point.

Duat

Underworld in Ancient Egyptian belief system.

Yoruba Belief

Change is the only constant in life.

Energy Movement

Expansion (light circle) and contraction (dark circle) cycles in the universe.

Yoruba Art Expression

Utilizes color balance to convey spiritual beliefs.

Yoruba Principles

Balance, Good Character, and Beauty in society.

Reincarnation

Rebirth within the same family systems but often in different roles

Babatunde

Yoruba name indicating reincarnation within families.

Orisa

Vibrational expressions of Divinity in Yoruba culture. (Consciuousness)

Iya Mi

Mothers who dispense justice for women's crimes.

Odu

256 sacred texts in Yoruba divination system

Babalawo

Father of the Mysteries in Yoruba tradition.

Kongo System

Practiced in Cuba, Brazil, and the Caribbean.

Kongo Cosmogram

Symbol representing life stages and directions.

Witchcraft/Sorcery

Selfish acts counter to Kongo cultural beliefs.

Afrocentric Time

Past, present, and future exist concurrently.

Existed earlier than written language in Egypt

Chronicles the passage of the soul through the underworld (the Duat) to the afterlife

​Parallels the path of the sun

(day= Life) (Night = underworld and death)

​Sun is reborn again after it passes through Nut's body each day.

Where is this religion practiced today

(North, America,South America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean). All over the world

What are African religions?

that all African religions are monotheistic, and that monotheism is practiced via polytheism.

How many Orisa are there in the Yoruba System?

400 + 1 Orisa

What did people from the Kongo and Angola regions have in common?

Africans from the Kongo and Angola regions of Africa Shared fundamental beliefs & languages

Where is the Kongo system practiced in this hemisphere?

(Cuba, Brazil, Spanish speaking Caribbean, & North America)

How are elements of the Kongo religion still evident in the Americas & Caribbean?

found in Cemeteries, protective rituals and objects placed around and outside of homes in the South

Maat

Weighs the heart of the dead also represents a crucial moment in the after life ju​​​segment

​7 Hermetic/ Kemetic principles know what they are

1.Principle of Mentalism

2.Principle of Correspondence

3.Principle of Vibration

4.Principle of Polarity

5.Principle of Gender

6.Principle of Rhythm

7.Principle of Cause & Effect

Who is responsible for creating the hermetic principles

Hermes Trismegistus (an ancient Egyptian philosopher)

​What is alchemy and how does it relate to the 7 hermetic principles

Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree

Think about how change expressed through their religion and their worldview?

expressed through the concept of "Ori" (one's personal destiny) and the practice of divination through Ifa as well as appealing to relevant Orisha

What are elekes? What is their purpose or function?

colorful beaded necklaces representing each Orisa also represents the connection of the individual to the community.

Esu

red and black or black and white, crossroads

Osoosi

green and brown, forest

Ogun

black and green, isolated in forest

Obatala

white, mountains

Yemoja

blue and white, upper ocean

Sango

red and white, fire

Oya Multi

colored, eggplant, and ochre, wind

What is the metaphor that can describe this spiritual expression (hint prism)?

facing the diverse challenges in our lives can lead to unexpected growth and clarity

Know the function of divination, why do folks go to a diviner?

In order to gain insight into a situation or practical decisions in one's life. Can not tell death

Why are ancestors important?

act as protective spirits and spruces of wisdom and guidance, also link to the divine providing support and intervention in the lives of their descendants

Why do the Yoruba believe that they stand on the shoulders of their ancestors?

they view their ancestors as a vital source of wisdom, guidance, and protection

What is trance possession (trance expression) and how does it function in Yoruba ceremony?

devotees may enter altered states believed to be induced by an Orisha, enabling direct communication with the deity

Understand the function of ritual

Ritual is an externalized action that connects to an internal process.

What is the significance of the Drum in African religious systems?

a sacred instrument, serving as a primary means of communication, connecting people to their ancestors, invoking spirits, and acting as a central element in rituals and ceremonies

Why is call and response important in ceremony?

a way to communicate with the spiritual realm and to connect with ancestors.

Where is call and response evident in modern African Diaspora communities?

Rituals and social gatherings

What is Ase (Ashe)?

the spark of divinity that is in all things

16 tenets of Ifa (1-4)

1. one single god

2. there is no devil

3. except for the day you die and the day you were born there is nothing that can't be forecast

4. it is you birthright to be happy, successful and fulfilled

16 tenets of Ifa (5-9)

5. you should grow and obtain wisdom during the process

6. you are reborn through your blood relatives

7. heaven is home and earth is the marketplace. Constant passage between the two

8. We are part of the universe in a lateral not figurative way

9. must never inmate harm to another human being

16 tenets of Ifa (10-13)

10. must never harm the universe

11. Your temporal and spiritual capacities must work together

12. you are born with a specific path. It is your goal to follow it. Divination provides your road map

13. Our ancestors exist and must be honored

16 tenets of Ifa (14-16)

14. sacrifice guarantees success

15. the Orisa lives within us

16. you need have no fear

What is Synchretism?

combination of different forms of belief or practice

explain why this is expressed as +1 for the amount of Orishas?

signifies the vast and limitless nature of these deities

What is Iwa Pele?

good character, do the right thing for the right reason, at the right time

Why does Yoruba culture value coolness and balance?

Yoruba chromatic system incorporates the concepts of Hot and cool colors, that are beaded in balance

Why is Osun (Oshun) associated with the vulture?

her ability to transform with the vulture linked to death and rebirth

Why are birds associated with the divine feminine?

Considered bringers of fertility connected to the spirit realm

What are the basic tenets and beliefs?

single creator of the universe, named Nzambe, as well as number of other spirits and deities

What were the primary rituals?

conjuring, dreaming, possession by the seas to learn wisdom for the ancestors, traditional healing, and working with minkisi.

What names are used to identify spirit workers in the Kongo system?

Bakongo people

Central Cross of Kongo Cosmogram

Represents the axis mundi, connecting the physical and spiritual realms

Upper Cross (Ku Nseke) of Kongo Cosmogram

represents the physical world, the realm of the living

Lower Half (Ku Mpemba) Of Kongo Cosmogram

represents spiritual world, the realm of ancestors

Kalunga Line of Kongo Cosmogram

Dividing line between physical and spiritual realms, considered a liminal space with potent spiritual energy

What is an Nkisi/mikisi

A sacred object or container that is believed to hold spiritual powers or ancestral spirits.

What is an Nganga

spiritual healer, diviner, and ritual specialist in the traditional Kongo religion

What evidence is there of Kongo religion in the Burial rituals in southern USA?

items on Afro- American graves are often inverted

What is a Bottle tree? What is a Bottle tree?

hanging bottles helps trap evil spirits preventing harm to families

Why are Shiny objects

hub caps and mirrors, important in marking the 4 corners of one's property

How do the loa act to support the lives of humans?

act as intermediaries between humans and the supreme God, providing protection, healing, guidance, and assistance in daily life through their connection to various aspects of nature.

What is a veve? What is its function?

Symbolic drawing used in Haitian Vodou acting as visual representation of a specific spirit and beacon of contact.

How is Voudon represented in Haitian art?

Embroidered flags, paintings, sculptures, and other visual art forms

Who were the Haitian leaders who misused Voudon rituals to terrorize the Haitian people between 1957 and 1986?

Baby Doc, and Papa Doc, the Duvaliers

Why do African systems believe that rituals and sound have power to create negative and positive effects in the real world?

powerful tools to influence the spiritual realm, seen as direct channel for communication with these entities

What importance did religion have to the early captured and enslaved Africans?

Seen as a crucial source of hope, community, and resistance against the brutality of slavery. Also subjugated African Americans

In what ways has religion supported African people in the diaspora, throughout their history?

Offers a sense of identity and provided a spiritual framework for hope and liberation, often through covert expressions of their beliefs within adopted religions

How might Trance possession/expression show up in Black religious ceremonies?

Through rituals or mask, represents the interconnectedness of the living, ancestors, and the divine power thin the universe.