SeealsoDivination Systems; Healing; Medicine
Further Readings
Adegbola, E. A. A. (Ed.). (1983).Traditional Religion in
West Africa. Ibadan, Nigeria: Daystar Press.
Bascom, W. (1969).Ifa Divination,Communication
Between Gods and Men in West Africa. Bloomington:
Indiana University Press.
Beier, U. (Ed.). (1966).The Origin of Life and Death:
African Creation Myths. London: Heinemann.
Brookman-Amissah, J. (1989). The Vocation of
Traditional Priests in Akan Society.Cahiers des
Religions Africaines, pp. 87–99.
Field, M. J. (1961).Religion and Medicine of Ga People.
Accra, Ghana: Presbyterian Book Depot.
Idowu, E. B. (1962).Olodumare,God in Yoruba Beliefs.
London: Longmans.
Ilesami, T. M. (1991). The Traditional Theologians and
the Practice of Orisa Religion in Yorubaland.Journal
of Religion in Africa, 21 , 216–226.
Iloanusi, O. A. (1984).Myths of the Creation of Man and
the Origin of Death in Africa. New York: P. Lang.
Iwuagwu, A. O. (1975). Chukwu: Towards a Definition
of Igbo Traditional Religion.West African Religion,
16 , 26–34.
Janzen, J. M. (1991). “DoingNgoma”: A Dominant
Trope in African Religion and Healing.Journal of
Religion in Africa, 21 , 290–308.
MEDIUMS
Mediums are individuals, most often females, who
become possessed with powerful spirits that give
them the ability to cleanse the land, make rain,
cure illnesses, and eliminate incest from a commu-
nity. They may function as priests or priestesses
who are the caretakers of the spirit. Men or
women might be chosen, often by divine interven-
tion, to be mediums for either male or female
spirits. There is no firm gender rule as to how
mediums are selected in a society.
Although this practice reaches back to
ancient Kemet, it is still found in numerous com-
munities in contemporary Africa. Many medi-
ums become famous for their ability to channel
the spirit’s energy and power for the absolute
protection of their communities. This has been
demonstrated in the lives of mediums who lived
in southern Africa during the past two centuries.
Among the Shona of Zimbabwe, for instance,
the great spirit ismhondoro, and the mediums
who servemhondoroare able to resolve issues
that are the results of a failure to obey the ances-
tors, incest, or evil deeds.
Some of the women mediums are referred to as
spirit wives of the High God, and, as such, they
hold a special place of privilege and respect within
the society. In Malawai, among the Chewa people,
the women who are mediums are also mbona,
that is, spirit wives, who are the principal rain-
makers. In ancient Kemet, women with special
abilities and skills were called the “god’s wife” in
much the same way. They were the ones who pos-
sessed the most intimate knowledge of the spirits
and could convey that knowledge and wisdom to
the community.
The medium functions as one who is able to
hear and understand the word of the Supreme
God and then translate that message to the
people. In most instances, the medium arrives
at her or his state of receptivity through music.
Once ecstasy is reached, the medium is capable of
speaking the words of the Supreme God to the
masses. In some cases, the medium priestess might
be in charge of political decisions and actions as
well. This is usually the case where the people
believe that the medium is in direct contact with
the Supreme God. For example, among the
Chewa, the Supreme God is Chauta, but this
name could also be used by the priestess rain-
maker, who is directly responsible for the produc-
tivity of the community. If there is a problem of
incest, evil, famine, sickness, or drought, then it is
Chauta, the priestess, who is the physical, on-
Earth representative of Chauta, the Supreme God.
According to Shona history, during the 16th
century in northeastern Zimbabwe, the main rain-
making shrine was a lake surrounded by beautiful
cypress trees managed by priestesses. Dzivaguru,
the Great Pool, was venerated by the spirit wives
of the Supreme God. They were appealed to for
sacred seeds that would grow despite the drought
in the territory. Later, the priestess Chapo was
named as the great keeper of the rain charms in
much the same way as the priestesses among theMediums 421