Women’s role in African Traditional Religion

WE live in a dynamic world. Some of the winds of change are not talked about but that does not mean they are not blowing.

IN FACT, the silent wind has the incredible ability to change the attitude of people towards values that identify them as a people with history, culture and ideology.

Psychological wars that are fought unannounced have an enduring effect on the mental campus of a people. Hard power has a direct effect, while soft powers seek to atone for negative wrought by hard power.

Smart power seeks to create a world where the vulnerable and the powerful both have enough space to stretch their wings in the air and fly as they journey to the destinations of their choices.

The above sentiments are plausible to the extent that they seek to qualify the female gender as a force that exists alongside the male gender. They also guide discourse on the status and role of women in shaping the African agenda, which impacts the global agenda, if at all.

Of extreme significance is the fact that while the female is weaker than her male counterpart, she is, interestingly, more resilient than the male who relies heavily on flattering power.

A woman is an incubator. When a man gives a woman a sperm, she takes charge of procreation and gives birth to an additional member of the human family — a baby.

A woman does not start and end with a baby. A woman enjoys a number of other accolades that come naturally. When a man gives a house to a woman, she converts it into a home and when she is given groceries, she gives back a meal.

Intriguingly, she is also known to pay back with a paragraph in response to a sentence that is uttered.

Resilience conjures a number of images of a noble nature.

Indeed strength as opposed to power, meekness as opposed to pride, forgiveness as opposed to self admiration, the innocence of a dove as opposed to the slyness of a snake; are some of the qualities associated with women, with some qualifying as women of valour, a Solomon that resides in a woman.

Are we therefore daring to imply that a man of legendary wisdom — Solomon is replicated in female genes?

Not yet, and yet, plausible; if only to give dues were they are owed.

Talk of strength, resilience, dedication, sacrifice, selflessness and immediately you imagine what a woman goes through when she is a pregnant for a staggering nine months.

There is a celebrated saying that goes, “A home can only be a home if manned by a woman/ Musha mukadzi”.

It remains a house if no woman gives it the grace that accounts for a homely environment.

When the concept of gender equality is bandied around, no man will be around to defend or promote that concept if asked to change roles and carry pregnancy for four and a half months in solidarity with a partner that is equal to him.

It is in the light of the foregoing glimpse that attempts shall be made to define African Traditional Religion as well as acquaint ourselves with the place of a woman in the practice of such religion.

ATR relates to indigenous African religions covering a diverse landscape impacted upon by ethnic groups that inform the customs, characteristics and language.

These variables also instruct the worldview of a particular religion. African religions deal with cosmology that relates to the study of the universe as a physical system.

In addition, the religion also deals with ideas, skills, arts and rituals of a given people in a given period and these activities inform the culture of people.

Religion, being a way of life, is intertwined with the culture and civilization of a people and accounts for a worldview peculiar to the African people.

ATR propagates peaceful co-existence and promotes good relations with those that may be of the different belief system. As outlined above, it is significant to capture an intellectual exchange that occurred when the white settler wanted to hang Prophetess Nehanda, popularly known as Mbuya Nehanda, in 1898.

She was accused of insurrection against white rule and was convicted and sentenced to death.

This happened during the Chindunduma wars, also known as the First Chimurenga of the late nineteeth century.

A missionary wanted to convert her to Christianity, baptize her and change her name to Monica. When told that her conversion to Christianity would not alter the death sentence because that aspect was handled by the physical and temporary world and that her conversion belonged to a higher order of spiritual and everlasting world, she refused to comply.

In doing so she cited the fact that no merit existed to change a belief system that had served generations faithfully. She was clearly appalled by a belief system that was intolerant to other beliefs and offended against the principles of her belief system that advocated peace and promoted good neighbourliness with members of different faiths.

◆ To be continued