Abstract:
This paper identifies four perspectives on the idea of ecodomy as ancestry in contemporary studies on
indigenous African religions. Building on the notion of ecodomy defined by Geiko Müller-Fahrenholz as
constructive process in 1995, the paper investigates the works of John S. Mbiti, Issiaka P. Lalèyê, Jacok K.
Olupona, and Israel Kamudzandu with specific reference to the role of ancestors in indigenous African religions
as well as to their conviction that ancestors have a positive role in promoting peace, prosperity, and
security throughout the African continent. Defined as ecodomy, ancestry has therefore a distinct content in each
of the four perspectives: remembrance in Mbiti, death in Lalèyê, ritual in Olupona, and mediation in Kamudzandu.
Regardless of whether it is part of African religions in particular or African cultures in general, the idea of ancestry
is capable of providing African societies with a safe ecodomic environment for all indigenous Africans if
ancestors are respected and remembered (Mbiti) for their good life and death (Lalèyê) through proper rituals
(Olupona) which can function not only within or in correlation with indigenous African religions but
also in mediation with other world religions such as Christianity (Kamudzandu).
