African Test 1

Rivers

• Nile River

  • Largest river in the world

  • Split into the blue Nile and white Nile

  • 4,000 miles

• Congo River

  • Second largest river

  • 3,000 miles

Lakes

• Lake Victoria 

  • Largest lake in Africa

Mountains

• Mount Kilimanjaro 

  • Highest mountain in Africa

  • Located in Tanzania 

  • Over 19,000 ft

• Mount Kenya

  • Second highest in Africa 

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Video Notes: History of Africa & Religion

• 15% of the 1 billion population follow traditional religion, rest are christians or muslim 

• Ululation, clapping hands, mentioning ancestors 

• Africa believes in soul and spirit

• Death is the beginning of eternity 

• Spirits come back to watch over children, grandchildren, etc 

• During practices, they drink herb liquids that they froth first 

• Speak to nature and animals the same way they talk to humans

• In Islam men can take 4 wives 

• 5th century BC Jewish religion was introduced in Africa

• Alexandria founded by Alexander the Great

• Was a part of early christian development 

• Christianity arrived early in Ethiopia, in the first century 

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Pieter de Marees

• 1602 - Wrote book, Description and Historical Account of the Gold Kingdom of Guinee

• Studied how people worshiped in Ghana 

• Day of rest for African groups was Tuesday, not Sunday 

• Local priest would gather around people and talk to them on Tuesday

• Tuesday is the day of the goddess of the ocean (Abena Mansa)

• Every female born on Tuesday has the name “Abena” 

• “Mansa” means 3, she was the third of 3 females 

Max Muller

• 1879

• Wrote book, Sacred Book of the East 

• Talks about origin of religion

• Collected data based on a question (“what is religion?”)

• Found that language is the origin of religion 

E.B Tylor

• 1871

• Wrote book, Primitive Culture 

• Argued that religion couldn’t be just language

• Said basic form of religion was Anima 

• Said nature is full of life and spirit 

• There is power in nature 

• When we abuse nature we are abusing the spirit 

James Frazier 

• 1890

• Wrote book, The Golden Bough

• Magic was the first step towards religion 

• Human beings became aware of the powers of nature 

• Black people were the first to be taught

• Sacrifices from them were the 

Father Temples

• Virgin priest

• Wrote book, Bantu Philosophy, in the 1945

• Bantu people believed in vital force (power in nature)

• Ancient egyptians believed that religion was death

• Ase

Clifford Geertz 

• 1973

• Wrote book, The Interpretation of Cultures 

• Defined religion as a system of symbols 

R.S Rattray 

• Only european who was given access to the largest Akan group

• Studied the Ashanti people

• The Akan God (Nyame) is a sky God

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Shabaka (716-697)

• Known for the Shabaka Stone

• Restored ancient religious texts/writings

Ptah

• Oldest God known to the ancient egyptians 

• God of creation, art, and craftsmanship

Budge 

• Said God is a spirit self created 

• God has no beginning and has always existed 

Horus 

• Oldest sun God of ancient egypt 

• Acted as the heart and mind of God

Thoth

• God of wisdom

• Tongue of God

• Spoke for God 

William Bosman

• Wrote book, A New and Accurate Description of the Coast of Guinea: Divided into the Gold, the Slave, and the Ivory Coast

Iqbo

• African group who called God “Chukwu”

• Chukwu is the sun

• Chukwu is the source of knowledge

• 4 forms

  • Sun

  • Fertility 

  • Creator of Humanity

  • Creation  

Abusua

• A mother and her children 

• Constituted one blood line

• Physically you are the child of your mother

• Spiritually, you are the child of your father 

Nyame

• The Akan God (Sky God)

• 7 blood types/women

  • Asi (Sunday) , Adwo (Monday), Abena, Aku, Awo, Afi, Amin 

  • Whatever day you are born on you take that souls’ attributes 

  • Sunday borns are usually leaders

  • Wednesday borns are usually rich

• Every human being is one of seven blood types 

• Sometimes referred to as Odomankoma 

Brebre 

• Idea that God created slowly, patiently, majestically 

Odomombcomabowu 

• God created death before life 

• Death killed God 

• When you look at God you die 

OdoYeWu

• Love is death

• Do you love your partner enough to die for them

Sunsum

• Means shadow

• We are shadows of our true selves  

• God is spirit, you can’t see him

K.A. Busia

• Former prime minister of Ghana 

The Egyptian Book of the Dead

• 65 prayers and spells

•  78 ft

• Budge discovered it

• Heart is left in the body, everything else removed

• 42 gates, must answer question to move on

• Maat - goddess of truth 

• Spell - perform any ritual, magical pronouncement, the words that go along with the performance 

• King Shabaka 

  • Known for restoration of ancient religious texts

  • Restored the capital of ancient egypt

  • Known for Shabaka stone, at british museum, 

• 8 principle forms 

• Tutu - Ani’s wife