creative power. Although there are mythical vari-
ations, they provide images of the cosmos and
pantheons of supersensible entities. Myths are
perceived as the key toward understanding life
and its provenance.
African religions are concerned with underlying
life forces, vital forces, energies, or other supra-
mundane powers. Such themes as belief in tran-
scendental reality, a Supreme Being, divinities,
spirits, ancestors, magic, sorcery, and witchcraft
are central, although the names, functions, rank-
ings in hierarchy, and emphasis vary from one
context to another. Some animals, forces of
nature, natural objects, and unseen forces qualify
as spirits, but African peoples assign the same
objects different hierarchical ranks.
The relationship between humans and spiri-
tual entities is expressed and achieved through
ritual action. Mediation plays an important role
in the African religious systems because the
source of power from the supreme deity cannot
be received directly. Beliefs and rituals associated
with spiritual forces constitute a distinctive pat-
tern of religious thought and action. The reli-
gious world is characterized by a multiplicity of
divinities, spirits, and ancestors; and beliefs and
practices concerning them are a dominant ele-
ment. Although the divinities and spirits are
proxy to the affairs of the living, they mediate
between the Earth and the sky.
Among the Zulu, three elements that are
capable of exerting amandla (power) are the
God of the Sky, the ancestors, and medicine.
They have a religious relationship to the sky, as
well as to the Earth, the abode of the ancestors.
The God of the Sky is a male-father figure,
whereas that of the earth is a female-mother.
Both are believed to have broughtabantu(the
people). Yoruba worldview divides the cosmos
into aye (earth) and orun (sky). The cosmos
is believed to be the creation of Olorun/
Olodumare(the Supreme Being), and the names
and attributes reveal its nature. Their religious
world is characterized by a multiplicity oforisa
(divinities), and beliefs and practices concerning
orisaare a dominant element. The divinities and
spirits are proxy to the affairs of the living: They
mediate between the human and spirit worlds.
They act on behalf of the Supreme Being and are
approached through ritual action.
Ancestors also play an intermediary role
between the mundane and supersensible realms.
They are the guardians and custodians of moral
and religious values of society. Most African
societies believe that death does not terminate
the relationship between the living and the Dead.
Death is only a stage in life. Only those who
lived a good life, lived to a ripe age, died a good
death, and are accorded a befitting burial can
qualify for the status of an ancestor. Among the
Zulu, the world below is divided into three lev-
els: the level of the unborn spirits, the recently
deceased spirits, and the ancestors. Theamalozi/
amathonga(ancestors) is of fundamental signifi-
cance. Their religious life revolves essentially
around veneration of ancestors, and this attracts
extensive ritual obligations. The relationship
between the living and the Dead is one of mutu-
ality, which excludes nonkin and reflects the
major emphases of Zulu kinship, particularly
patrilineal organization. The most important
ancestors for akraalare males, particularly the
former headman/priest. As religious powers,
ancestors are capable of acting for the good or ill
of their descendants. For this reason, they are
revered and treated with great respect. Special
shrines and rituals exist as contexts for maintain-
ing proper relationships with them.Spiritual Forces
Human beings also occupy a significant position
in African cosmological thought. The Zulu make
a distinction between three aspects of being that
are important for their religious thinking. They
distinguish amonginyama/umzimba(the physical
body), umoya/umphefumulo (vital force or
breath), andisithunzi(literally “a shadow,” per-
sonality or force of character). Once theumoya
leaves the body, then the person is dead. His
isithunzilives on as an ancestral spirit; it goes to
the ancestors who live in the nether world. Among
the Yoruba, each human being is believed to have
a dual makeup: theara(physical) and theemiand
ori (spiritual mien). Olodumare chargedOrisa-
nla, the arch-divinity with mouldingara, the phys-
ical body with clay, whileOlodumaresupplies the
emiby breathing life into man. As the principle of
predestiny,oriis the most importantorisaas far as
human welfare is concerned.Cosmology 179