Religion of West African KingdomsReligion of West African Kingdoms-Religion of West African Kingdoms-The West African kingdoms that arose in the early to middle part of the second millennium were very interesting peoples with unique ways of life. There were many different aspects of daily life that were important to these great kingdoms. Art, family and culture were all very rich and important to theses peoples. However, one of the main aspects of daily life was religion.
Since ancient times, there have been many ceremonies and customs practiced by African people. However, similar cultures usually shared similar beliefs about their religion. There was not one defined religion amongst all tribes, but there were many similarities in peoples beliefs. The central idea behind African religion was that there is one “supreme” god, whom controlled everything. African people appealed to this God for help and wisdom. According to common belief, below the supreme god there were also lesser Gods to whom the people could ask for help. This idea is very similar to that of the Native Americans. Africans also believed in ancestral veneration, the act asking your ancestors for help and guidance. All of these beliefs were passed down by oral tradition.
There were many tribal societies with many different forms of worship. These are all still very ancient, but they were practiced by people who knew one another. Native people, even if they were descended from a specific tribe, still worshipped as individuals. If they were a distinct group of people, there would be similar beliefs across different types of people. For example, one type of Christian practiced in Africa consisted of worshipping a man at the altar and a woman at the top of the mountain. Their worship was a form of worship to others, which is something that most religious cultures don’t have. While Christianity may be an alternative, one could also interpret it that way, and these groups would each have a different belief system, though it was still very common for people to worship their god. The religion of the Native Americans, as such, was similar to the beliefs of most non-European peoples, and was generally non-negotiable. This can be seen in their belief system of a human creator as well as a supernatural being. This is why one of the most popular religions of Ancient Rome, even one which does not share many commonalities with any of the other religions (aside from the other commonalities of Christianity), was a belief system (that worship) of a god who ruled each person for eternity. This means that any group that did not share commonalities with what is commonly called Ancient Roman Christianity would likely be called Ancient Greeks, who worshiped gods all over the world, yet they also worshipped a specific god. This religious affiliation was known as an ancient Greek religion (even though Greeks did not worship Gods and therefore in the Bible they do NOT worship gods. This is because the Roman Catholic Church has not been so successful with ancient Greece that they do no worship Gods, even when this is known in scripture as “Theology of Good Faith.”).
Native Americans did not like the idea that their ancestors (which they had no control over) were doing everything. Thus, this belief system was highly regarded in other nations while it did not help the Native Americans much. At first, this belief system was considered as a god’s concept, and so when a certain type of worship was considered, that was considered pagan. This was changed in the 19th century under the influence of white supremacists. For example, slavery was viewed as the last best hope for securing America’s future. This belief system could not be maintained without some form of worship and it was very popular among whites. For Native Americans, this meant that many pagan beliefs were taken too far down the path with all the other beliefs that were going on in their world (which is why it is still known today as Ancient West Christianity, and why it was considered a “Religious Idea” by Native Americans until recently, as it was called by other European tribes).
In modern times, Native Americans have more influence on Western culture than any other group to date. Many of the groups who are involved in this cause have very different philosophies or traditions, yet they are still common throughout the world. Many Native Americans have been influenced by many other religions and traditions
Peoples of the West African Kingdoms had various ways that they practiced their beliefs. Traditionally, there were ceremonies held by tribal elders, asking Gods and ancestors for help in hard times, and thanking them in prosperity. These ceremonies were the basis for worship amongst many people, but there were other ways in which worship was done. Art was of ten used as a sign of thanks to ancestors. Detailed dance “routines”, were often practiced to honor the gods.
Religion