Africism

Africism represents a system of religious thoughts and beliefs of the African people. The term, Africism, is an overarching term describing these many religious practices within Africa. These characteristics involve superhuman beings, the extra human beings, human beings, Supreme Being, and the world. The autochthonic aspect of Africism makes Africism easier to understand; although, different scholars have incorrectly defined these different sets of beliefs. Africism is an important all-encompassing word to describe the many sets of beliefs, traditions and practices on the African continent.

Africism’s definition breaks into five important categories. Firstly, the Supreme Being is recognized as above all. It can be described in a variety of ways, but the Supreme Being is present throughout African cultures. Secondly, the superhuman beings are part of the spiritual world. The hierarchical system considers some spirits among the ranks of Gods while others are immortal human souls. Thirdly, human beings are the key players participating in the rituals in Africism. They are separated by distance and cultures, but all share common religious traits. Fourthly, the concept of extra human beings involves mystical powers of magic, witchcraft, and sorcery. Each of these has their own positive and/or negative connotation. Lastly, the world is where all believers of Africism live. It is here where adventurers move through the world following their religious teachings. All of Africism’s characteristics may be separated by geographical or ethnic differences, but they are all united under the same prominent features.

Africism is an autochthonic subject. As the term autochthonal describes it is something that is independent of a land or continent is considered part of its products. There are many different religions within the African continent from the Beber religions, kushite religions, to the Basuto and Ashanti religions. Appreciating the autochthonal characteristic with regards to Africism can help you understand how it can encompass all these different religions even though they are in different locations geographically and ethnically. Without understanding the autochthonal nature of Africism, many scholars have attempted to brand the many different religions in Africa.

Many scholars have tried to put a name to the many religious sectors on the African continent without much success. Charles de Brosses branded the term Fetishism to describe these religions. Fetishism implied that these African people worship items or idols such as statues and dolls. Edward B. Taylor introduced the concept