The supernatural is respected , sacrificed to, prayed to, obeyed because it gives life , sustains life , has power to decrease life, to take it away, to harm it one way or the other. The ancestors. The living - dead , are respected , venerated , sacrificed to. Prayed to, placated in various ways, reconciled with, because they are also believed to have power of life. The rulers , elders and leaders are respected because they are to have a fuller life which. They can communicate to others through blessings or which they can use to curse, disown and thereby decrease the life of people and even the animals and plants. One study in Zambia discovered that the visa people of chiluei island believed that the lake had very fish fish because some people has quarrelled with the chief.
The medicine man and woman hold a special role in society because they have power to heal and save life. Likewise the diviner who diagonises the cause of lack of life or misfortunes is respected. The witch doctor which saves life by warding evil which other people or force has sent to harm life is also a great honour. But the sorcerers who harms , the witch who practices anti social and anti life activities, is hated and has to move from place to places in search of permanent dwelling.
The parent is respected because he or she has transmitted life and protects life . as life grows so the respect and responsibility of that individual. African society is heirararchical and this hierarchy is based on growth of life. Old age is more respected because it is the idea of the fullfiller of life. Old age is more respected because it is the fullfiller of life, a life well lived and protected. That respect , however , demands of the old to offer wisdom, to share the younger the secret which make them live to a mature age.
Life is also valued according to the position one holds in the society. A father and mother of ten children has a fuller life than those with one or two. A husband with four wife was seen as blessed with a fuller life than the one with one life. The father and mother of twins is more respected because the supernatural gave them life at a go. A person blessed with a large herd of cattle or rich in other ways is seen as having a fuller life than the poor and destitute. A person with lots of friends in the community is having a fuller life than the gloomy individualist. A person who shares with other is well respected than the miser. It is from this understanding of life that all the relationships that govern the life of the Africans spring fourth. A person has not only one mother but a hundred of mother since all women ( including baby girls) of his mother clan are his mothers. He also has several fathers clan. He has several wife's, for all the sisters of his wife are his wives. It is this relationship which makes the clan and the entire ethnic group united into a community where everyone becomes related to others.
A person with fuller life will also go out of his clan or even ethnic group to make blood brotherhood with members of other groups. He thus gets relatives in greater numbers from there. Friendship and hospitality to strangers also promote life. One becomes enriched with the vital force of the friend and strangers win there blessings.
The medicine man and woman hold a special role in society because they have power to heal and save life. Likewise the diviner who diagonises the cause of lack of life or misfortunes is respected. The witch doctor which saves life by warding evil which other people or force has sent to harm life is also a great honour. But the sorcerers who harms , the witch who practices anti social and anti life activities, is hated and has to move from place to places in search of permanent dwelling.
The parent is respected because he or she has transmitted life and protects life . as life grows so the respect and responsibility of that individual. African society is heirararchical and this hierarchy is based on growth of life. Old age is more respected because it is the idea of the fullfiller of life. Old age is more respected because it is the fullfiller of life, a life well lived and protected. That respect , however , demands of the old to offer wisdom, to share the younger the secret which make them live to a mature age.
Life is also valued according to the position one holds in the society. A father and mother of ten children has a fuller life than those with one or two. A husband with four wife was seen as blessed with a fuller life than the one with one life. The father and mother of twins is more respected because the supernatural gave them life at a go. A person blessed with a large herd of cattle or rich in other ways is seen as having a fuller life than the poor and destitute. A person with lots of friends in the community is having a fuller life than the gloomy individualist. A person who shares with other is well respected than the miser. It is from this understanding of life that all the relationships that govern the life of the Africans spring fourth. A person has not only one mother but a hundred of mother since all women ( including baby girls) of his mother clan are his mothers. He also has several fathers clan. He has several wife's, for all the sisters of his wife are his wives. It is this relationship which makes the clan and the entire ethnic group united into a community where everyone becomes related to others.
A person with fuller life will also go out of his clan or even ethnic group to make blood brotherhood with members of other groups. He thus gets relatives in greater numbers from there. Friendship and hospitality to strangers also promote life. One becomes enriched with the vital force of the friend and strangers win there blessings.
The influence of life on the African people
Reviewed by Anonymous
on
September 03, 2017
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Reviewed by Anonymous
on
September 03, 2017
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