I am creating a blog to open people’s minds to new ideas. It will be about my many interests such as astrology, astronomy, finances, science, history, mythology, religion, etc. I will also accept ideas from other people.
Introduction
The Igbo live in south eastern Nigeria. They are one of the biggest tribes in Africa!!!! They speak their own language. The Igbo people became a tribe after they came in contact with Europeans. Prior to contact with Europeans, they were a nation. Meaning they were composed of several tribes. A lot of them were brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. The Igbos have been around over 4,000 years!!!!! Some of them were even Kamau!!!! The Igbo had a kingdom that lasted a millennium. That kingdom never went to war. They had a republican form of government and their own banking system. They were ruled by a council of elders. They had their own lunar calendar and they are great mathematicians.
History
There is Igbo artwork that dates back to 2500 B.C.E. They may have been involved in the creation of martial arts in Kemet. The Nri Kingdom was founded in 900 C.E. It is one of the oldest kingdoms of Nigeria. It was the center of education, religion, and commerce. The kingdom was very peaceful and the kings had great Juju. The kingdom was started by Eri. Cowrie shells were used for currency. They had their own system of law. Disputes were handled by mediators. The Igbos tried to succeed from Nigeria in the 70's. There was a civil war and a lot Igbos got killed. They were treated unfairly by the government.
Language
The Igbo language contains many words from Metu Neter. It is a Volta-Niger language. Volta-Niger languages are a part of the Niger-Congo language family. Igbo has many dialects. People that speak this language say many proverbs. The Igbos used Nsibidi to write; then it became a language used by secret societies.
Religion
Their religion is called Odinani. Chukwu is the creator god. Everyone has chi. It is the life force (your spirit) and it is like a guardian angel. It determines your destiny. It is similar to Ori. Fate is what you make. You determine your own destiny. There are 3 worlds. The world of the dying, the world of the ancestors, and the world of the unborn. The deities of this religion are called Alusi. Ala is mother earth. She is also the alusi of fertility, creativity, and morality. The ancestors live in her womb. It reminds me of Sheol and Abraham's Blossom. Ala husband is Amadioha. He is the sky alusi. His animal is the ram and his color is red. He is alusi of love, peace, justice, unity, etc. He created humans when he threw a lightening bolt at cotton tree. The first man and woman came out of there. Children are held in high esteem.
Politics
They always had a republican form of government. A common phrase among the Igbos is "the Igbo recognize no king. They have a strong belief that everyone is sovereign. To be a leader in the community you can't have any vices.
Music
The like to play music on special occasions. They have different drums, gongs, and the udu. They have their own form of rap and highlife. They are great musicians!!!!
Art
They make masks, statues, doors, etc. They are very artistic. They have been making art for over a millennium!!!! They may be the descendants of the Nok tribe.
Customs
Women carry their baby on their back. This is good for the baby because of physical contact. They wear colorful clothes. People wear masks and dance to music. They also act.
Conclusion
They have a sweet religion, music, art, customs, and politics. They see everyone as sovereign. They have a secret language. They are the best tribe I wrote about so far.
Introduction
The Wolof live in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. They speak their own language. Most of them are Sufi and Sunni Muslims. They lived in the Sahara when it was fertile. They had their own kingdom and empire in the 1300s. Akon is Wolof.
History
The Wolof may simply be a mixture of the Mandinka, Serer, and Fulani. The Jolof kingdom came into being around 1350. It was started by a Berber prince and a Fula princess. For 200 years the Wolof kingdom paid tribute to a Serer kingdom. The various Wolof kingdoms fought each other and the Moors.
Language
Wolof is a West Atlantic language. West Atlantic languages are part of the Niger-Congo family. Wolof is related to Serer and Fula languages. Wolof is very popular in Senegal. Wolof has similarities to Metu Neter (the language of ancient Egyptians).
Music
The Wolof learned a lot about music from the Serer. The groits and blacksmiths perform music at festivals. They have several musical instruments. They are Xalam, saber drums, talking drum, harp and many other. They have their own dance moves. They are great at sculpting, painting, and make sweet threads.
Customs
Most Wolof men are monogamous, but many of them are polygamous. Marriage is based on their caste system. They are patrilineal; inheritance comes from the father. They have a rite of passage and a naming ceremony.
Conclusion
They are a great people!!!!! They have their own language and customs. They have a rich history. They are very musical, rhythmic, and artsy like most Africans. I think they should develop a class system or their caste system should be less rigid.
Introduction
The Serer live in Senegal and Gambia. They consist of 8 clans. They are as followed: Seex, Serer-Noon, Serer-Ndut, Serer-Njeghene, Serer-Safene, Serer-Niominka, Serer-Palor, and Serer-Laalaa. They use to live farther north, but they left the region to escape Islam. They came in contact with the Mandinka and Wolof. They have there own language, religion, and kingdom.
History
They lived in Kemet a long time ago. They been in West Africa for more than a millennium!!!!!! Serer kings were called Lamane (master of the land). They ruled several kingdoms. Lamanes were high priests of the religion. Serer language is a Senegambian language; which is part of the Niger-Congo language family.
Religion
The Serer creator deity is Roog. It is a hermaphrodite. Roog maybe Ra. They believe earth started out as a swamp. They believe in a divine cosmic egg. The Dogon believe in a divine cosmic egg too. Sirius is represented as a 5 pointed star ; it represents the universe. Sirius is very significant to the Dogon too. The first couple got on a ark to leave heaven for earth. It is called the Ark of Yaabo-Yabo. There was peace on the earth. All humans, animals, and planets got along. That was ended when a lion raped a girl. She gave birth to a monkey because of this. Animals and trees fought humans, but humans were able to defeat them because they were giants. Roog got upset so he skrunk humans size and life expectancy; he took away trees ability to move and see. He allowed trees to hear and made animals unintelligent. They believe in a tree of life. I guess it kept people alive. They believe in heaven, earth and parallel earth, and place for the dead. They believe in ancestral and natural spirits. They call them pangool.
Conclusion
The Serer have a amazing history and religion!!!!!!!! They have sweet languages. I give them A+ because they're so great. They have a lot to teach.
Introduction
They live in Northern Ghana. It is about 1 million of them and they are mostly Muslim. They are the second largest tribe. They are patrilineal and they are farmers, fishermen, and hunters. They believe people got their spiritual power from their mother.
History
Tohadzie is the father of the Dagomba. He lived in the Mali Empire. An evil cow prevented people from getting water from a river. Tohadzie helped them kill the cow, so they could get water from the river. People from other villages attack the village he was in. In response to that; he created a militia to conquer the surrounding villages. He later married a Malian princess. He had a son that became a chief. The rest is history. The Dagomba had an empire may have lasted for 300 years. They were later defeated by the Asante. Mossi tribe came from a Dagomba princess and a Mende hunter.
Language
Their language is called Dagbani. It is a Gur language. Gur languages are part of Niger-Congo language family. Dagbani has 11 vowels. The word order is agent-verb-object.
Music
Drums and string instruments are a big part of this music. They dance to music to tell a story. They use music and dance to tell their history. Drummers are very important to the chief and they see themselves as royalty.
Conclusion
They are a great people. They farm, hunt, and fish. They have history that at least a millennium old!!!!!!! They have sweet language, music, and dance.
Introduction
The Dogon live in Mali. They have their own religion and do the same star dance as the Hopi. They are lovers of mother earth . Some them are able to see Sirius B with the naked eye. They make beautiful sculptures. Their artwork was influenced by pygmies that use live in the region. They have 4 calendars. One for Venus, Jupiter, Moon and Earth. They knew about blood in the body b4 the British. They understand quantum physics. They are patriarchal and very peaceful.
History
They originated in Kemet. They left Kemet in 400 B.C.E. They traveled to West Africa. They lived in the Mali Empire in Medieval times. Muslims tried to make them convert. They didn't want too, so they went to cliffs. When they got there they met giants (tall people) and pygmies. They moved out when the Dogon moved in.
Language
The language has many dialects and even more sub-dialects. They have a secret ritual language that is only for men. Their language is ancient and it may be a member of the Niger-Congo language family. The word order of this language is subject-object-verb.
Art
Dogon art is symbolic and it is kept away from the public. It has a lot of religious iconographies. Their art has layers of meaning. They make many different types of masks. Each mask has a different meaning.
Music
They use their voice, whistles, and drums for music. They perform music at every milestone a person has. They dance after they hunt. They are great drummers.
Religion
They believe in a creator named Amma. Amma is based on the Kemetic creator deity Amen. They feel Amma transcends humanity, so they mainly deal with the ancestors. In the beginning of time, there was a cosmic egg that had a male and female pairs of twins in them. One of the males got out of the egg without his sister. He is incomplete. He went on a rampage; his name Yurugu. They believe in beings called the Nommo. They were amphibious being that taught the Dogon civilization. They even died so the Dogon can eat! There similar creatures in Babylonian mythology. Some people believe the Nommo were really aliens from Sirus B (polo tolo). Polo Tolo means small star. Sirus B is a white dwarf star. Dwarf stars are very heavy and Dogon has known these for millennia!!!!! If you want to learn more sciencey stuff from the Dogon. Read books from Laird Scranton.There is a story about a woman having sex with a Nommo or something similar. Their children were dolphins. The spiritual leader of the village is called a hogon. A priest of Vodou is called a houngan. What a coincidence! They have serval cults that deal with different aspects of their society. Awe cult deals with the dead and they reorder spiritual energy.The Lebe cult deals with farming. Hogons are members of this cult. Binu cult that communicate with the ancestors. They may have other cults.
Politics
Hogons are the leaders of each village and high priest. They consult a council of elders when they make decisions. Hogons works with a priest, he has 3 bodyguards, announcer, and ambassador. There is a supreme hogon as well. He rules over all the hogons.
Customs
They celebrate the new year in May and June. They have lots of festivals. Their most important festival is called Sigi festival. Sirus B takes 50 years to complete its orbit around Sirus A. That is what the Sigi festival is celebrating. I think this is the time they dance the movements of the stars. They circumcise boys because they think foreskin makes men feminine. They circumcise girls because they think the clit makes them masculine.
Conclusion
The Dogon are a wonderful people. They have sweet festivals and I like their religion. They are very scientific and peaceful. They have exquisite art and they are very ancient.
Introduction
They live in Kenya and Tanzania. They are nomadic cattle herder. They are fearsome warriors. They are Nilotic people, they mixed a lot with Cushites. They learned a lot from the Cushites. They are patriarchal and elder men make decisions for the tribe.
History
They use to live in Kemet, but they decide to travel south in the 1500's. Other tribes were created when they mixed with Cushites. They were cattle stealers. Women make the huts for people to live in.
Language
They speak a Maa language. Maa languages are a part of the Nilo-Saharan language family. There are 9 vowels in the language. There word order is verb-subject-object.
Music
They don't use musical instruments often. They like to sing when it rains, during circumcision, and marriage. They do the Adumu dance to see who is the strongest warrior. They jump up and down.
Religion
They believe in a creator deity named Ngai. They believe everyone has a guardian angel. The angel takes people to heaven or hell after they die. Heaven is a land full of grass wth many cattle. Hell is the desert. Your behavior determines if you go to heaven or hell. They believe cows came from a fig tree. The first warrior was given a chant by the creator to bring people back to life after they die. He didn't use it until his son died. Because of his selfishness no can live forever. They have spiritual leaders called Laiboni. They lead rituals, divine, and they are medicine men.
Customs
They have a rite of passage for every major stage in a man's life. Young men have to do the Adumu dance as an initiation to warriorhood. I think when a male is circumcised he becomes a man in Massai society. The Massai hold strong to their traditions. They should be admired.
Conclusion
The Maasai seem older than the other tribes I wrote about. I think they're more ancient. I like their bravery and their stubbornness to let go of their traditions. They have a long history, religion, and many customs. They are a very interesting people.
Introduction
They are the biggest tribe in Ethiopia. They are a Cushite people and the ancestors of the Somalis. Most of them are Christians and Muslims today. They are the biggest group of Cushites in the world!!!!!! They experienced discrimination by the government. The government is run by Semites called the Amhara. The government tried to force them to learn Amhara. They are patrilineal and men rule the household. Most marriages are monogamous, but men who can afford it have multiple wives. Men wear robes and women wear skirts. They are mostly farmers and herders.
History
They use to be ancient Egyptians. Some pharaohs may come from them. They may be the oldest Cushites in the world. All other Cushites may be their descendants. They mixed with Nilo-Saharan people in the past. I assume they learned cattle herding from Nilo-Saharan people too. When they had their own nation, the men would elect the leader. Men were separated in different caste by age. Each man stayed in his caste for 8 years. In the past women had more authority. Some men from the Oromo tribe became emperors of Ethiopia.
Langauge
Their main language is called Afaan Oromo. It is the 4th most popular language in Africa. The government tried to stop them from using their language, but they persevered. Their languages are part of the Afroasiatic language family.
Food
They love coffee and most likely invented it. They drink beer and honey wine. They like bread, meat, chicken, milk, cheese, and butter. Most them eat 2 times a day.
Customs
They respect their elders. They help people and they are brave. They have songs for marriages, work, and war. They like to recite poetry. They know a lot about their family history. They have their own marriage ceremony. They like to wrestle, hunt, throw spears, field hockey, horseback riding, jumping, and swimming. They had rites of passage for each caste.
Religion
They believed in One God. They called him Waaqa and they created their own ethics called saffu. Creation is called Uuma. They had temples called qallu. Qallu had a big impact in Oromo society. The Ethiopian government suppressed their religion so most of them became Christians and Muslims.
Conclusion
The Oromo are a great and mighty people! They are my favorite tribe in Ethiopia. They have a long wonderful history, they eat good food, I think they invented coffee, they have sweet customs, and they're poets. I want to visit them and marry an Oromo woman. She can be one of my many wives.
Introduction They live in Nigeria, they have been there for centuries. The Ijaw are composed of 50 clans. They are farmers and fishermen. History The Ijaw use to live in ancient Kemet and Kush. Some of their ancestors lived around lake Chad in prehistoric times. The Ijaw have been living in West Africa for a millennium if not longer. They have multiple origins since they are composed of 50 clans. They are upset with Nigerian government for losing control of their homeland to oil companies. Language The Ijaw languages is a part of the Niger-Congo language family. There nine different languages. The pattern of their sentences is subject-object-verb. Food They eat fish, rice, bananas, yams, and mangos. They have a soup called Polofiyai it is made out of yams and palm oil. They have a seafood soup that they like to eat with fufu. They like to eat game meat. Customs They have a ritual for non-Ijaw people to become Ijaw. They have their own marriage ceremony. Marriage is the coming together of two families not just 2 people. After the introduction of Christianity, the Ijaw lost some their culture. Religion They are mostly catholic, but still retain some of their ancestor's ways. They communicate with the recently deceased to find out how they died. They worship water spirits called Owuamapu. They believed humans dwelt with water spirits before they were born. They have festivals to celebrate the water spirits. Ogbokuruama is what the festivals is called. Conclusion The Ijaw have a neat history and I like their food. They have sweet customs and interesting ideas. I like their religion, but they should have never adopted Christianity. I like their culture. References http://www.ijaw-naa.org/ijaw/home.htm http://finance.onlinenigeria.com/?blurb=669 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijaw_people#Religion_and_cultural_practices http://thepointernewsonline.com/?p=14349 https://korisamuel.wordpress.com/2015/10/25/christian-religion-and-loss-of-ijaw-traditions-and-customs/
Introduction
The Beja live in the northeastern regions of Africa. They are a Cushite people. In Kemet, they were known as the Medjay. They were fierce warriors. They are very poetic and nomadic. They are related to the Afar tribe.
History
In Kemet, they were guards and mercenaries. They are famous for herding camel. Some of them lived in the Axum empire and became Christians. They became Muslims in 1400's. They want to have their own country separate from Sudan.
Language
Beja is a Cushite language and it is a member of the Afroasiatic language family. It is spoken by more than 2 million people. This language has long vowels. It has been written in Geez.
Conclusion
They are a sweet people. They are similar to the Afar. They lived in ancient Egypt. They like poetry. The only sad thing about the Beja is I couldn't find much info on them.
Introduction
Ewe are ruled by chiefs and they live in Ghana and Togo. They are very family originated and they are close to their ancestors. They are democratic. They learned how to make kente cloth from the Akan. They have many great customs which I will explain later. History
I think they are related to the Yoruba since they use to live in the same area. They use to be ancient Egyptians and legend has it they lived in Lemuria. They created their own laws and courts. In the past, the Ewe were ruled by an evil king named Tobge Agorkoli. They asked a hunter for help; so he enchanted some drums that put the royalty to sleep. He told them to walk backward to confuse their pursuers. They ended up in Ghana. Language
The Ewe language has more than 10 dialects!!!!!!!!!! It is a Gbe language, which is a part Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by more than 3 million people. It is spoken in Ghana and Togo.
Music
They use bells, drums, and rattles for music. They have a drum orchestra. Their music has cross rhythms and polyrhythms. The master drum is called sogo. It can be played standing up or sitting down. It can be played with hands, sticks, or both. Some drums can make sounds like a voice they are called talking drums. West Africans would use drums to tell people messages over long distances.
Art
They are great sculptors. They made many statues and masks. They make sweet kente cloth. They use gold in their art sometime.
Religion
The supreme being is Mawa-Lisa, which is goddess/god combination. Se is what they call destiny. Their beliefs are similar to the Fon. They use to live near the Fon centuries ago. They have different cults that have different teachings. The Ewe were practitioners of Vodun, but most of them turned away from the ways of their ancestors and embraced the ways of the alien.
Conclusion
The Ewe are wonderful people. They are great at creating art, music, religion and dance. They have an very ancient history. A diverse language and their own ethics. There my favorite tribe in Ghana because they are so magical. They get an A+.
Introduction
Afar live in the horn of Africa. They are nomadic and they come in two groups. Asaemara (red ones) are royalty, and Adaemara (white ones) are the commoners. They herd sheep, goats, cattle, and camels. They moved to Ethiopia to raise cattle 1,000 years ago to raise cattle. They are Sunni Muslim, but they still have traditional beliefs. They speak Afar and use butter to style their hair.
History
Originally the Asaemara and Adaemara were 2 different people. The Asaemara conquered the Adaemara. They later mixed together and became the same people. Some of Afar clans came from Yemen. The Afar use to be ancient Egyptians. They help Ethiopian kings defeat their enemies. They also supported a Muslim leader that tried to take over Ethiopia in the 16th and 19th century.
Language
Afar language has 4 dialects and it is related to the Saho language. It is Cushite language. Cushite languages are a part of the Afroasiatic language family.
Politics
They are ruled by sultanates. They are political and religious leaders. The Afar select their own leaders. The people don't pay much attention to the government unless it's for water or medical care. They have at least 4 kingdoms within 2 nations.
Customs
The men like to carry swords and guns while marching. They have many battle songs. Women build the huts and milk goats. People usually marry their first cousin. It is a common Semitic custom. Women vulvas get sewed up. It is a common Cushite custom. Men get circumcised when they reach a certain age. They carry talismans that have Koran verses in them. They like to sharpen their teeth. I think they want to look like reptoids.
Conclusion
The Afar people are sweet!!!!!!!!!! They are like the Spartans. They have colorful history and customs. I like their democracy and their songs and dances. They have faith in magic and they drink goat milk. They should stop cutting on genitals and the men should treat women better. I give them a B+.
Akan people live in Ghana and Ivory Coast. They lived in Ghana for more than 900 years!!!!!!!!!!!! They created Bonoman. It was the country that modern day tribes of Akan people radiated from. Their music is polyrhythmic and a lot of their artwork is made out of gold. They believe a supreme being, deities, and ancestral spirits. They are matrilineal and they have sweet culture.
History
They originated in east Africa. They were ancient Nubians and Egyptians. In Africans Who Wrote the Bible, the author wrote the Akan were Kemetic (Egyptian) royalty. They left their home and moved into west Africa. This may have something to with Axum taking over Nubia. Once they got to Ghana they created the Bonoman. When people would leave Bonoman they would become their own tribe. There are are probably 10 tribes that come from Akan. The Akan became one of the most powerful tribes in west Africa because they dominated the gold trade. They traded gold and slaves with the Europeans for guns and other goods. Because of this, a lot of Akan people ended up in the Americas. Their religion had an effect on the newly created religions in the African diaspora. Ghana is sorry for the role it played in the trans-Atlantic slave trade so it is giving free land to Africans in the diaspora.
Language
The language they speak is called Twi. It has three main dialects, Fante, Asante Twi, and Akawapim Twi. It is part of Niger-Congo language family; all languages of this family are tonal. Twi is the most popular language in Ghana. Akan is also spoken in Jamaica and Suriname. The Akan invented the Adinkra symbols. It was created by a king that was captured by the Asante. The Asante copied those symbols and put them on kente cloth. Each of the symbols means something.
Music They use a lot of drums, bells, and harp-lutes. The Ashanti (Akan) got a dance and type of music called Adowa. The dance is based on the movements of a small antelope. The dances tell a story. The music is played at funerals and public events, it is philosophical.
Art
They're gold at making gold and silver jewelry. They are good sculptures; they sculpted people and animals. They used gold a lot to make art. Akan Royalty wears a lot of bracelets and rings. A statue of a mother feeding her child is popular among the Akan people. It was also popular in Kemet!!!!!!!!!!
Food
They like to eat fish, meat, soup, stew, palm nuts, patties, tomatoes, peppers, corn, and onions. They make Omo Tu (rice balls) and fufuo (yam balls),and dip it in soup. It is a very popular dish. They love Jollof (stir-fry) rice it is popular in west Africa.
Religion
Brekyirihunuade is the name of their most high God. They have trinity as well. The most high God is beyond human comprehension, so they only deal with the ancestors and the abosom. Abosom represents nature great diversity. When people praise the abosom they get possessed by them.
Abosoms
"Akonedi, Nana Akonedi, Akonedi Abena. Her shrine is at Larteh Kubease, in a Sacred house, sacred groves and sacred streams. She meets out justice and gives the final decision in difficult disputes related to chieftaincy, hierarchy, property, land, family and other major issues.
Nana Asuo Gyebi is a very popular ancient river Deity originally from Northern Ghana who traveled and resides in Larteh as well as other places throughout Ghana. He is a male Abosom who is a protector and a great healer. It is said that he came to the United States to help the lost children of Africa reclaim their spiritual past.
Nana Esi Ketewaa is a deified elderly female ancestor who died in childbirth. She is originally from the Central Region of Ghana. She is a protector of children and women seek her protection during and after childbirth. Nana Esi declares that we "are all her children".
Nana Adade Kofi is a male Bosom of strength and perseverance and is from the Guan area of Ghana. Nana Adade Kofi's sword is used to swear oaths of allegiance. He is the Abosom of iron, metals and is a warrior.
Tegare is the general name for a system of Deities from the Northern section of Ghana and is a very popular deity throughout Ghana. Nana Tegare is a hunter who seeks the truth, exposes witches, liars, thieves, and evildoers. He is a healer who is very skilled in the identification and use of herbs.
Tano is the general name for several gods which have their origin in the Tano River. These unusual and special river gods are very ancient and powerful. Their purpose is to maintain a family, social and national order. They are great healers of psychic-spiritual, emotional-mental, physical and social illnesses.
Nana Obo Kwesi is a war Abosom from the Fante region of Ghana. He is a healer, assists with the need for money and abhors evil doers.
Mmoetia is a system of dwarfs who have traveled and settled throughout Ghana. They live in the forest and are quite proficient in the use of herbs. They specialize in working with nature spirits for healing body, mind, and spirit and to address personal, family, social, financial and environmental issues. They can be playful, mischievous generally, or very cruel to evil doers and those who try to ignore them. They are considered the spiritual gatekeepers."
Ancestors watch over us and keep us safe. They are close to the creator. Akan people are close to earth mother.
Customs
They blow out an ivory trumpet for certain events. They have a naming ceremony. They have rites of passage, so people can become productive adults.
Conclusion
The Akan people are very ancient and have much wisdom. They have high regard for women. They are good singer, dancers, and artists. They have a neat language and symbol system. They have sweet meals. They believe in a creator, deities, and ancestors. They have ceremonies for major events in a person's life. They are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Introduction
Ifa is the religion and a form of divination created by the Yoruba people. Ifa was started by Orunmila. He was a prophet, now he is an orisha. Olodumare is the most high God of Ifa. The Irunmole are creative energies that caused the universe to be. Orishas are deified ancestors; they represent natural forces and parts of the psyche. The goal of Ifa is to fulfill your destiny. You must have Iwa-Pele (good character) and you should get your future divined. Ifa has many priesthoods, the Babalawos divine the future. I will explain more religious concepts in later paragraphs. The Yoruba live in southwestern Nigeria. During the transatlantic slave trade a lot of them were taken to the Americas. Ifa became very influential in the newly created religions in the African Diaspora.
Beliefs
Everyone has ori. Ori means consciousness and soul. When you align with this you will achieve inner peace. The main focus of a person that fellows Ifa is Iwa-Pele (good character). This is primary, without this your beliefs mean nothing. They have scriptures called Odu. There are 256 of these. They can help people solve any problem in their live. People of this faith don't believe in original sin. They believe we are all omo rere ( good and blessed children). Ife means love in the Yoruba language. It is paramount! A famous saying is "unconditional love is truth; everything else is illusion." They believe family members reincarnate.
Olodumare- He is the creator of all that was, is, and ever will be.
Irunmole- They are forces created by Olodumare to create the universe. They are like angels.
Orisha- They are deified ancestors. They are the gods and goddess of this religion. Some of them or all of them were irunmole before they became or orishas. A good example of this Orunmila. He witnessed creation. He started off as a irunmole, then he became human, and after his death he became an orisha.
List of Orishas
Eshu- He connects people to spirits. He tricks people so they can learn a lesson. He does this so people can fulfill their destiny. There is no malicious intent. He's my favorite orisha.
Ogun- He is the orisha of war, protection and technology. He found a place on earth where humans could live. He was married to Oya but she left him for Shango. He fought Shango because of this.
Oshun- She is a river orisha. She rules over love. She is like Aphrodite. She supports growth.
Obatala- He is the orisha of wisdom. He created humans out of clay. One day he got drunk and made handicapped people.
Oya- She represents transformation. She is the orisha of lighting, death, and rebirth.
Shango- He is the king of the orishas. He is very dominate. He is the god of thunder. He is very marian like Ogun.
Yemaya- She is the orisha of the ocean and motherhood. She helps people become fertile and divine.
These are the most important orishas. There are many others, but this will suffice.
The egungun are the ancestors. Men will wear colorful clothes and a mask to celebrate the ancestors.
Priesthoods
Babalawos: They are priests of Orunmila. They use a form of divination called Ifa. They use palm nuts and a divination chain to divine.
Doctors/herbalist: They fellow Osanyin (orisha of medicine).
Male Elders: They were priests of Obatala. They gave the king advice on how to govern.
Shango Priests: Kings were initiated into this priesthood.
Ogun Priests: They were the warriors.
Farmer Priests: They made sure farming was done properly. They were followers of Oko (orisha of farming).
Ifa in the Americas
During the transatlantic slave trade many Yoruba was brought to the Americas. Ifa is the mother of Santeria, Umbanda, Quimbanda and Trinidad Orisha. Exu and Pomba-Gira spirits of Quimbanda are based on Eshu. It had a big impact on Haitian Vodou. Some the Orishas even became Loa (Vodou deities)!!!!!!!!! Click here if you want know more about the Yoruba tribe.
Conclusion
Ifa is a wonderful religion created by the Yoruba. They believe in a creator, creative forces, deities, and ancestors. They believe good character is a must for fulfilling your destiny; and everyone is naturally good. Everyone has a Ori and it is always changing. They have there own scripture and divination system. Love is also important it is a part Iwa-Pele. They have priesthoods that have different functions in society. They were brought to the Americas and had a big impact on religions that area. Sad to say most Yoruba are Christians today. They turned away from the ways of their ancestors. One day someone may show them the beauty of their own religion, so they can go back to it.
0. Ancient Egypt was a highly advanced African civilization. They had many technological innovations and many religious beliefs; most of which became the basis of other religions. They believed in the trinity, virgin birth, resurrection, a second death, judgment day, chakras, Tao, yin-yang, and many other beliefs. The Egyptian priests meditated, did yoga and magick. Most of Greek philosophy came from Egypt. You can read about it in a book called Stolen Legacy by George G.M. James. They had a solar calendar that had 365 days and 12 months. They created this calendar 6000 years ago!!!!! They had makeup in 4000 B.C.E. They also had breath mints, wigs, water clocks, and sundials. The Egyptians turned papyrus into paper.
1. Anu (Nubian) people created the Ancient Egyptian Civilization. The Retu (Oromo) inherited from them. The Retu became the dominant group during dynastic times (the country was ruled by one government). The Anu had more sway during predynastic times (the country had more than one government). The Ancient Egyptians were composed of 42 tribes. They each created their own nome (county/district).
2. Those nomes came together and formed 4 kingdoms. They each had their own national symbol. The symbols are as followed: the kingdom in the north had the bee, the kingdom in the middle had the reed, and 2 kingdoms in the south had the hawk. 3 of those kingdoms combined and went to war with the bee kingdom.
3. Narmer was the king of the south and he defeated the king of the north ( Scorpion King). This happened 3100 B.C.E or millennia before. Egyptian history has been down-dated so it can match Biblical history.
4. The Old Kingdom started around 2700 B.C.E. This is the time pyramids were built. Imhotep designed the first pyramid. It was called the Step Pyramid. He was an architect, doctor, magician, priest, etc. He is the father of medicine. He was worshiped by Egyptians and he was the Greek god of medicine. The Giza pyramids were built during the reign of Khufu. The last male Pharaoh of the Sixth Dynasty was Pepi II. He ruled for 94 years.
5. The First Intermediate Period was caused by governors not respecting the authority of the Pharaoh. The Libyans took over Lower Egypt and created the 9th and 10th dynasties. Theban royalty took over Upper Egypt. They created the eleventh and twelfth dynasties. Mentuhotep II defeated the Libyan kings and established the Middle Kingdom.
6. The Middle Kingdom lasted for 400 years. Egypt conquered Nubia and Canaan during this period. During this time the Egyptians learned a lot about math and science. This is evident in the papyri that written were during this period.
7. The 2nd Intermediate Period was caused by the Hyksos invasion. They were Semitic people from the Middle East. They were very war-like and they had powerful weapons. They ruled lower Egypt for a century or 2. Josephus believed the Hyksos were Hebrews. Ahmose I kicked the Hyksos out of Egypt and started the New Kingdom.
8. Egypt had its biggest empire during the New Kingdom. During the 18th dynasty, there was a queen that ruled Egypt named Hatshepsut. She sent soldiers to Punt for trading. After her death, someone defaced her monuments, so people would forget her. Thutmose III was her step-son and nephew. He ruled after her. He conquered 350 cities. He created the biggest Egyptian empire ever!!!!!!!! Akhenaten was the great great grandson of Thutmose III. He promoted the worship of one god. He created his own cult called the Aten cult and had his own capital created. He wrote hymns to Aten; some Psalms in the Bible are based on them. He had temples to other deities shut down. During his reign, art became very realistic. His wife was Nefertiti. His son was king Tutankhaten. He changed his name to Tutankhamen because he went back to the old religion. Egyptians were mad at Akhenaten for closing their temples so they destroyed his monuments. The Aten cult may be the ancestor of Judaism. Some scholars believed Moses was a priest of the Aten cult. Other scholars believe he was Akhenaten. Sigmund Freud wrote a book called Moses and Monotheism, which addresses this. Akhenaten had a daughter called Scota. Scotland is named after her. Ramses the Great had 100 kids, and many buildings were built during his reign. Ramses III defeated the sea people and Libyans when they invaded. These battles sunk the economy. After his reign, the Amen priesthood took over.
9. Third Intermediate Period was caused by the pharaohs losing power, protest, corruption, and famine. During this time, Egypt was ruled by people of other nations, mostly Libyans.
10. The 25th Dynasty was created by the Nubians. They created the last Golden Age in Egypt. Taharqa was the most famous Pharaoh of this dynasty. A lot of buildings were constructed during his reign. The Egyptians helped Judah fight Assyria, but Assyria was still able to defeat Judah. Assyria conquered Egypt and they had a puppet king in Lower Egypt. Necho I was the name of the puppet king.
11. Persia conquered Egypt on 525 B.C.E. They were cruel to the Egyptians. Later on, the Greeks took over Egypt. The ruling dynasty was called Ptolemies. Cleopatra was the most famous person of this dynasty. The Greeks created Alexandria in Lower Egypt. It was a city of great learning. There was a library there that had over 100,000 books on many diverse topics. Egyptian priests, Greek philosophers, Magi, Buddhist Monks, Brahmins, Jews, and people of other ethnic/religious groups were in Alexandria. They exchanged ideas and debated. The old testament was translated into Greek in Alexandria. Different cults were created during this time. Such as Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, Neopythagorean, Isis Cult, and others.
12. The Romans conquered Egypt in 30 B.C.E. Egypt had a surplus of grain that fed the whole Roman Empire. Christianity became the main religion in Egypt during Roman rule. Egypt has its own style of Christianity called the Coptic Church. Legend has it that St. Mark brought Christianity to Egypt. Many Egyptians embraced Christianity because it contained beliefs they already had. Byzantine took over after Rome and Coptic priests had religious and/or political issues with the rulers of Byzantine.
13. Arabs invaded Egypt sometime in the 7th century C.E. They were full of Islamic zeal, the invasion was a Jihad. They murdered a lot of Coptics. They had Turkish slaves known as the Mameluke. Eventually, Mamelukes took over Egypt and ruled it for 400 years. After that Egypt became apart of the Ottoman Empire.
14. The French ruled Egypt for a few years and then the British took over. Egypt later won its independence from Britain. The country is now called the Arab Republic of Egypt. The word Egypt comes from Aegyptos; this is what the Greeks called Het-Ka-Ptah. It was a city.
15. The natives of Egypt called it Kemet (Black Land), and Ta Ma Ra (land, water, sun) and Land of the Sun Hawk. Some ancient Egyptians stayed in Kemet and still can be seen today on the internet. A lot of Egyptians left Kemet when it was invaded. They became many different African tribes. They are as followed: Ancient Nubian, Beja, Afar, Oromo, Maasai, Yoruba, Igbo, Serer, Dogon, Ijaw, Wolof, Akan, Dagomba, and many more. Ancient Kemet is still alive in heart of those tribes.
16. Freemasonry is based on the Egyptian Mystery School. The symbols, signs, poses, and ideas all came from Kemet. There were many mystery schools around the world. They were spiritual colleges. People learned liberal arts, science, history, etc. Christian emperors shut down the mystery schools because they were seen as a threat to Christianity.
References
http://essaysbyekowa.com/The%20Anu.htm
https://www.cemml.colostate.edu/cultural/09476/egypt02-02enl.html
Albert Churchward
wikipedia.org
youtube.com
