VIDEO:  Once every three years, devotees of the Voodoo deity Koku gather for a spectacular seven-day celebration called Kokuzahn. In most traditional African societies, the worlds of the living and the dead are perceived as equally real. A man lies with a mortar on his chest, while shea nuts are pounded in the vessel causing no harm to the man underneath. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African teak, although it is unrelated to the teak family. While you … IROKO = Milicia Excelsa = African Teak : Iroko is a large hardwood Tree from the west coast of tropical Africa the Tree is known to the Yoruba as Irókò or loko and is believed to have supernatural properties. It is there that they lose their childhood identities and gain their adult selves. African Ceremonies Inc, a 501c3 charitable foundation, is dedicated to the preservation of African tribal traditions through the photographic documentation of ceremonies and customs, thereby ensuring that the strength and essence of African culture is preserved for the history of mankind and for the education of future generations. This is one of the most poignant moments of his life, as he now leaves the peak period of warriorhood behind and prepares for the responsibilities of adulthood. It is easy to talk the talk and give advice Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture 1-30-2015 Beware of the naked man who offers you clothes is a proverb used to call out hypocrites; people who are single but give advice on how to have a happy marriage, a person who is overweight supplying dieting tips, environmentalists who do not recycle, people on social media who want to show you how to become rich when they are poor, and politicians who send their children to private school while making speeches on the virtues of public school. Ceremonies were used to help groups of people return to harmony; but, large ceremonies were generally not used for individual healing. In fact, most African languages lack a word that could be translated as “religion,” and many of the words associated with the idea have a meaning closer to “custom” or “proper behavior” than to “religion.” The arrival in Africa of CHRISTIANITY and Islam had a major impact on the development of African … South African apricot beef curry is an easy delicious slow cooker dinner recipe to make on a weeknight, ⚞ The Dipo Ritual to Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher pay homage to the rituals that mark every important occasion in tribal life — birth, initiation, courtship, marriage, royal coronations, seasonal rituals, healing exorcisms, and death. Once every 12 years, the Dogon hold a communal funeral ceremony known as the Dama to honor the passing of deceased villagers into the afterworld. Recording the Past, Supporting the Future. Representing panthers, Nufori are intended to frigthen as well as entertain. Humans are seen as a combination of physical and spiritual elements, which split into separate parts at the time of death, with the body returning to the earth and the spirit or soul passing on to assume its role in the afterlife. During harvest and planting seasons, Bwa animal masks enter the village to purify the community and protect it from harm. This is considered particularly important during the annual Donga stick-fight tournament, when males battle with six-foot wooden poles to prove masculinity and win the hands of the most desirable women. Survival of the Fattest Rich get richer Survival of the Fattest, obese Europeans starving Africa Survival of the Fattest is a sculpture of a small starving African man, carrying Lady Justice, a huge obese European woman who is a symbol of the rich world. It is an exhibit that both preserves and presents the power, complexity and celebration found within the rituals of African tribal life. Finally, at the end of the festival, the power of Koku leaves the bodies of the worshippers, and they lie exhausted on the sand. A vivid narrative exploring a Zulu ritual of the tomb unveiling, a solemn yet celebratory event amoung the South African tribe by Amanda Penn, a 2015 Narrative Travel Writing Contest 2nd-Place winner for TransitionsAbroad.com. African tribal rituals and ceremonies #3 Lifestyle, culture, People Traditions, tour to Africa 2 p1.Tribes War Dance South Africa. At the climax of the ceremony the men often fall into impassioned states during which their bodies become rigid and their mouths foam. African Tribes Rituals and Ceremonies, Lifestyle Traditions Culture Isolated episode #2 HD VIDEO Documentary This interesting documentary about Kaningara Tribe in New Guinea Africa. But, the person giving the advice does not act in a way that agrees with the advice they are giving. Himba women believe otjize adds to their traditional beauty-enhancing their attractiveness. African religiousness is not a matter of adherence to a doctrine but is concerned with supporting fecundity and sustaining the community.African religions emphasize maintaining a harmonious relationship with the divine powers, and their rituals attempt to harness cosmic powers and channel them for good. More than 30 percent of what is recorded in the Beckwith Fisher Collection no longer exists. The Foundation is also dedicated to carrying out community and individual projects, serving the needs of the groups with whom Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher have lived. Nor are all of them communal: many are personal, such as the passage from health to illmess. Fearsome in appearance, double-headed Senufo Wambele masks frequent burial grounds, guarding tombs and chasing away any evil energy that might linger there. The common experiences that they undergo during the intiation period also bind the individuals together and reinforce the idea of community. It takes six hours to complete and will remain in place for a week. Diviners are called upon to reveal the causes of illmess and suffering and to discern an individual's personal destiny. Brought out of the sacred forest to disseminate their wisdom, leafy Dokota masks dance with village women, who are the chief cultivators in Bedik society. photographers, but their dedication to preserving for all time the In almost every instance, as life changes, Africans appeal to spiritual forces for help and guidance. Priests serve as intermediaries to appeal to the spirits to cure both physical and psychological disorders. Yoruba Oro Efe masks emerge from the sacred forest, invoking blessings for the annual Gelede festival, which ensures the continued protection of the mother God, Iya Nla. The institution to be chosen must be a venue for ongoing study and research, committed to making the Archive accessible to students, scholars, and the general public, thereby insuring that the legacy of Africa’s ancient cultures is preserved and understood by future generations worldwide. Not all of the transitions in life are dramatic: some are seasonal, such are the ritual blessing of the earth before harvesting crops or going hunting. In many African cultures, masquerades are used to dramatize and reinforce the spritiual and social values of the community. Himba women spend hours creating the red clay iconic hairstyles. The Maasai clan are a Nilotic ethnic group with … In this state, they … Children are encouraged to take an active part in communal ceremonies and thereby begin their first steps on a journey that encompasses all the realms of human experience. At the climax of the Manyatta ceremony, each Maasai Warrior initiate has his hair shaved by his mother. According to Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, death rituals in Africa are to ensure that the deceased is properly put to rest so his spirit is at peace and he can take his place among the protective ancestors. The fat woman is holding a pair of scales as a symbol of justice however; she is closing her eyes so the justice. Body painting is performed by the Surma both to beautify and to make men more formidable in combat. Nevertheless, the Himba women say it is appealing to them, a sort of make-up they cheerfully rub on every morning when they wake. Africa And The Culture Of Body Modification In effect, a large percentage of animals go into Batammariba funerals which are often associated with rituals such as the dance of drums (Tibenti) to honour deceased elders and the “turning over” ceremony performed on the funeral house. Their aim has been to document as fully and artistically as possible the traditional rituals that persist more or less unchanged, even in the modern world. Baobab Tree Senegal. In traditional Igbo ceremonies, the wives of the dead would go into isolation for two months and weep. In Africa, as throughout the world, marriage is one of the most significant events in a woman's life. Death is the final passage in a long chain of transitions. Increasingly, however, African marriages are compromises between strict family arrangements and the independent choices of couples. Together they send a plea to the spirit world asking for a successful harvest. Their numerous photographic exhibitions have received acclaim in museums and galleries throughout the world, including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, National Geographic Museum, Smithsonian Museum of African Art, Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, Borges Cultural Center of Buenos Aires, National Museums of Kenya, and venues in Australia, Europe, and Japan. A Boloye band accompanies acrobatic Nufori dancers as they tumble before mourners at a funeral. Masquerades: Bedik Harvest Masks, Senegal. Ceremonies West and Central African religious practices generally manifest themselves in communal ceremonies or divinatory rites in which members of the community, overcome by force (or ashe, nyama, etc. In all African societies, childhood is a time for learning responsibilities and skills that enable children to contribute to their communities. Otjize paste is often perfumed with the aromatic resin of African Commiphora Multijuga tree. The Himba of Namibia never leave a baby on its own or even put it down, lest the child be stolen away by some malevolent spirit. Zambia - Family Hires Professional Mourners. VIDEO:  Masquerades: Yoruba Gelede Masks, Benin. For Maasai babies, however, names are so important that they are bestowed by village elders soon after birth. The elders walk among them, chanting prayers and spraying them with mouthfuls of milk and honey beer. From ancient times, African societies have marked the transitioins of the life cycle, from birth to death, with rites of passage. Most interesting is Tattoo Skin cutting (Crocodile) ritual, which is very dangerous. Yoruba Egungun masks embody the spirirts of the ancestors, who return to their respective communities for several days each year to advise villagers and punish wrongdoers. Among the Massai, for example, a male moves from role to role - from young cattle herder to bachelor warrior to married family man to elder of the community - through a series of ceremonies extending over 25 years. Parents present their daughters to their clan priest responsible for the Dipo. From ancient times to today, Africa is rich with transitions of birth to death with hair rituals, traditions, and ceremonies. Feb 5, 2020 - Explore Love Africa Stays and Tours Co's board "Rituals, Ceremonies & Spirituality", followed by 222 people on Pinterest. This powerful exhibit of African tribal ceremonies reflects 30 years of commitment to preserving the endangered cultures and peoples of 90 tribes across Africa. In 2013, Kenya began a campaign toward the Maasai of educating the tribe on the negative connotations of ear stretching and an upper cartilage piercing. Tribal circumcision ritual becomes Africa's latest tourist attraction. During this time the two photographers would produce 14 universally acclaimed books. Ceremonies that mark the stages of life provide clear definitions of society's expectations of the individual, and they give him or her a sense of identity and belonging. In the Kunene Region of Namibia, a young Himba woman wears her erembe headdress of a married woman. Courtship and marriage traditions vary greatly. During this festival, masks representing all aspects of the Dogon world enter the village to reestablish order and drive out any remaining spirits that might bring chaos to the community. But they have left the modern world to photojournalists. The Wodaabe also place great emphasis on physical beauty and personal charm. Birth Ceremonies The people of Umtata in the south Eastern Cape of Africa have a Ceremony After Birth of a Baby called Sifudu, it similar to the ceremony performed by many other tribes across Africa to cleanse the baby following birth. 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