Editorial Board Editors Molefi Kete Asante Ama Mazama Temple University Temple University Editorial Board Chinua Achebe Marta Moreno Vega Bard College Caribbean Cultural Center Kwame Gyekye Isidore Okpewho University of Ghana Binghamton University, State University of New York Maulana Karenga California State University, Kofi Asare Opoku Long Beach Lafayette College ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AFRICAN RELIGION EDITORS MOLEFI KETE ASANTE TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AMA MAZAMA TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Copyright©2009bySAGEPublications,Inc. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedorutilizedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical, includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthe publisher. Forinformation: SAGEPublications,Inc. 2455TellerRoad ThousandOaks,California91320 E-mail:[email protected] SAGEPublicationsLtd. 1Oliver’sYard 55CityRoad LondonEC1Y1SP UnitedKingdom SAGEPublicationsIndiaPvt.Ltd. B1/I1MohanCooperativeIndustrialArea MathuraRoad,NewDelhi110044 India SAGEPublicationsAsia-PacificPte.Ltd. 33PekinStreet#02-01 FarEastSquare Singapore048763 PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica. LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData EncyclopediaofAfricanreligion/editors,MolefiKeteAsante,AmaMazama. p.cm. “ASAGEreferencepublication.” Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN978-1-4129-3636-1(cloth:alk.paper) 1. Africa—Religion—Encyclopedias. I.Asante,MolefiK.,1942-II.Mazama,Ama,1961- BL2400.E532009 299.603—dc22 2008027578 Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper. 08 09 10 11 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Publisher/AcquisitionsEditor: RolfA.Janke AssistanttothePublisher: MicheleThompson DevelopmentalEditors: YvettePollastrini,JacquelineA.Tasch ReferenceSystemsManager: LeticiaGutierrez ProductionEditor: TracyBuyan CopyEditor: HeatherJefferson Typesetter: C&MDigitals(P)Ltd. Proofreaders: TheresaKay,ScottOney Indexer: JulieShermanGrayson CoverDesigner: JanetFoulger CoverPhotography: JanayE.Garrick MarketingManager: AmberlynErzinger Contents List of Entries vii Reader’s Guide xi About the Editors xv Contributors xvii Introduction xxi Entries A 1 N 439 B 85 O 469 C 149 P 517 D 191 Q 555 E 229 R 557 F 257 S 583 G 279 T 645 H 303 U 679 I 325 V 685 J 353 W 703 K 359 X 729 L 375 Y 731 M 397 Z 741 Appendix: African Names of God 747 Bibliography: African Religious Sources 751 Index 797 List of Entries Abaluyia Anukis Bata Drums Abasi Apep Batonga Abela Apis Bats Abosom Apuleius Batwa Abuk Asamando Bawon Samdi Adae Asante Baya Adinkra Symbols Asantehene Beads Adu Ogyinae Asase Yaa Beja Africism Ashe Bemba Afterlife Aten Bes Age Groups Atum Bete Agricultural Rites Ausar Birds Agwe Auset Birth Aida Wedo Ax Blessing Air Azaka, the Loa Blood Aiwel Azande Boats Akamba Bobo Akan Ba Bois Caiman Akhenaten Babalawo Bokonon Akhetaten Baga Bondo Society Alafin of Oyo Baganda Bondye Altars Bakongo Book of the Coming Forth by Amen Bakota Day(TheBookoftheDead) Amenhotep Balanta Boukman Amma Balengue Bubembe Amokye Bali Bubi Amulet Baluba Bulls Ananse Bamana Bulu Ancestors Bamileke Bumuntu Ancestors and Harmonious Bamun Burial of the Dead Life Bantu Philosophy Animal Images Banyankore Calamities Animals Banyarwanda Candomblé Animatism Bariba Caves Animism Barotse Ceremonies Ankh Bassa Chagga Anubis Basuto Chaminuka vii viii ListofEntries Chewa Elders Haya Chi Eleda Healing Children Eniyan Health Chiwara Ennead Heka Chokwe Epa Society Heru, Horus Circumcision Epistemology Hoodoo Clay Esu, Elegba Hotep Clitorectomy Eternal Life Houngan Color Symbolism Evil Hounsi Congo Jack Ewe Hunting Conjurers Eye of Horus Husia Convince Ezili Dantò Hutu Cosmology Ezili Freda Cowrie Shells Ibibio Creation Fa Ibis, Symbol of Tehuti Crossroads Family Idoma Cultural Relocation Family Rites Ifa Curse Fang Igbo Faro Ikin Dagu Fatiman, Cécile Ilé-Ifè Danbala Wedo Fertility Imhotep Dance and Song Fetish Incarnation Dausi Fire Incense Death Flag and Flag Planting Infertility Desounen Fon Initiation Destiny Food Intermediaries Diaspora Fula (Fulbe) Invocations Dinka Funeral Iwa Diola Iwa Pele Dioula Ga Iyalorisha Disease Gamo Religion Divination Systems Gèlèdè Jok (Acholi) Divinities Ginen Jola Dogon God Juju Dogon Religion and Science Goddesses Justice Dreams Gola Drum, The Govi Ka Duala Groves, Sacred Kabre of Togo Dwat Gulu Kalûnga Dyow Initiations Guro Khnum Gurunsi Khonsu Earth Gwobonanj Kimbundu Efik Kings Egungun Hapi Kintu Myth Cycle Ekoi Harvest Kirdi Ekpo Secret Society Hathor Kisalian Graves ListofEntries ix Kumina Ngai Palo Kurumba Nganga Pedi Kwa Ba Ngewo Personhood Nkisi Petwo Lakes Nkulunkulu Peul Laveau, Marie Nkwa Phoenix Lele Nommo Placenta Lightning North America, African Plants Lobi Religion in Pocomania Lomwe Nuer Poro Society Lovedu Number Potomitan Symbolism Lugbara Predestination Nyame Luo Pregnancy Nzambi Lwa Priests Procreation Oaths Maasai Proverbs and Teaching Obatala Maat Ptah Obeah Magic Puberty Ocean Makandal Punishment Oduduwa Mambo Purification Odu Ifa Mami Wata Pyramids Offering Maroon Communities Pythons Ogboni Society Marriage Ogdoad Mawu-Lisa Queens Ogun Medicine Ohum Festival Medicine Men and Women Ra Okande Mediums Rada Okomfo Anokye Mende Rain Olodumare Min Rain Dance Olokun Montu Rain Queen Olorun Moon Red Ontology Mossi Reincarnation Opening of the Mouth Mountains and Hills Resistance to Enslavement Ceremony Mount Cameroon Rites of Passage Oracles Mount Kenya Rites of Reclamation Oral Text Mummification Rituals Oral Tradition Muntu. See Bumuntu Rivers and Streams Ori Music Origin of Religion River Tano. See Tano River Mutwa, Credo Vusamazulu Orisha Rocks and Stones Orisha Nla Ruhanga Naming Orunmila Nana Buluku Oshun Sacrifice Nanny Oumfò Sangoma N’domo Ovaherero Sankofa, Concept Neb Ankh Ovambo Sankofa, Film Nehanda Oya Santeria