Promoting ancestry as ecodomy in indigenous African religions

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to offer a concrete contribution to the study of indigenous African religions and in particular to the support of creating a set of traditions from whose perspective one could engage in the study of indigenous African religions as well as of African spirituality in general. Bearing in mind that one of the most prominent features of these studies is the constant effort to decolonize the field in order to move beyond former imperialistic interpretations into specifically africanized postcolonial hermeneutics based on the recognition of distinctive African identities, I suggest a methodology which focuses not so much on the decolonization or post-colonization of the study of indigenous African religions, but rather on a unifying theme which has an evident constructive potential. Combining two notions, ancestry and ecodomy, this methodology seeks to support the development of current efforts to build African traditions in the study of indigenous African religions by pointing not only to an aspect which is common to most African religions, namely ancestry and the role of ancestors, but also to the need for a more positive tendency which is able to instill a constructive trend [as different from if not opposite to de- or post-colonization hermeneutics] in the study of indigenous African religions by using the notion of ecodomy. Defined in terms of a constructive process, ecodomy seeks to provide families and communities with a common element, that of ancestors, which is not only specific to African spirituality but also potentially capable of strengthening and improving the life of African people. Thus, this methodology based on working with ancestry as economy is applied to four distinct scholars and their specific approaches to indigenous African religions: John S. Mbiti, who believes that ancestors have mainly social, not religious roles; Issiaka P. Lalèyê, for whom ancestors make a connection between the social and religious aspects of life; Jacob K. Olupona, who restricts ancestors to religion, and Israel Kamudzandu, in whose philosophy ancestors can provide African societies with the possibility of moving beyond their indigenous religions into accepting other religious beliefs, such as those provided by Christianity.