A Philosophical, Cultural, and Literary Critique of Mental Illness in Birago Diop’s “Sarzan”

This paper is another contribution to the long list of articles and book chapters written about Birago Diop's work, “Sarzan.” Unlike most if not all interpretations of the eponymous hero's mental illness, this article reads Sarzan's nervous breakdown as an invitation to services, which are radically different from the ones he is mandated by the French administration to perform, yet integral to the customs of his village. To many critics, the mental degradation witnessed in Sarzan, is an ancestral correction inflicted to Sarzan following his desacralization of rituals and sites sacred to his community. But however, legitimate this interpretation may be, it is quite limited in light of various forms of recuperative rituals practiced in traditional Africa to address and cure disturbances related to the mind.

“Piercing the veil into Beliefs”: Christians Metaphysical Realities vis-à-vis Realities on African Traditional Medicine

This paper centres on the contentions between the use of African Traditional medicine and convoluted beliefs among some Christianity groups. It is argued that most Pentecostal churches in Africa vilify African cultural practices and deter their converts from using African traditional medicine. Feelings of disgrace and trepidation when asked about traditional healing frequently make it difficult, particularly for the individuals who have become Christians and have acknowledged western medicine, to reveal their insight into non-western treatments. Against this backdrop, the primary aim of this paper is to unveil the conflict between Christianity and the use of African traditional medicine. The broad aim is to create a platform for a conjectural dialogue towards appreciation for a ‘new world order’ that necessitates an integration of African Traditional Religion and Christianity through adopting a comprehension of cultural differences. The paper draws in the existing scholarly literature on the contention that Pentecostalism do not acclimatize with cultural practices of the African indigenous people preceding persuading them about switching to God who is introduced in the Bible. It has been established that as per the Bible and Christian teachings, the use of traditional medicine is a cursed thing. The authors recommend a confrontation of the healing crisis in Africa through fostering cordial cooperation and of biomedicine, African traditional practitioners and Christian groups.

Religious and Ethical Dress Code Dynamics in Africa : Igbo Traditional Society in Focus

Dress can be a reflection of the social world order, which is bound by a tacit set of rules, customs, conventions, and rituals that guide face-to-face interaction as observed in Africa and among people of Igbo descent. Africans are known for their cultural values and norms which their dress codes are significantly recognised in line with their national identity and symbols. The method adopted in this research work is qualitative to dissect these negative attitudinal changes in dressing that have led to increase in promiscuity, less zeal in education, crime and corruption. Findings showed that ‘riot’ in dress code are a reflection of lack of family values and orientations, parental negligence and irresponsibility. From late twentieth century to this twenty first century, there is a twist in the ethics of dressing that have defiled moral values, class, status, religiosity and cultural identity. For instance, before the above mentioned period in any gathering, one can easily differentiate the married from the singles, celebrities from other members of the society, the affluence from the poor, masquerades from human beings, the prostitutes, and gigolos from the decent. Today, there is ‘riot’ in dress code that some people dress like traditional priests and lunatics in the name of fashion or ‘fashion in vogue’. Women, both married and single dress alike which makes it difficult to differentiate the married from the single; this is also applicable to men. The focus of this research work on Igbo of Southeast Nigeria is for effective investigation. Again, Igbo people are adventurers which brings the globe as a village to them be it negative or positive including dressing. People ought to adhere to religious and social differentiations in dress code which recognise regional groups, classes, occupation, majority and minority groups, educational levels, persons of different ages, men and women.

Cultural and Religious Influences on Adolescent Sexual Behaviour and the use of Participatory Visual Methodology by Basotho Learners in South Africa

This article documents the use of participatory visual methodology to illustrate how a few Basotho learners in a life orientation subject in Grade 10 classes are influenced by culture and religion to converse a controversial aspect of the curriculum. The use of virtual methodologies forms an important part of indigenous knowledge system that shapes adolescent sexual behaviour affecting on imaginative outlook in South Africa, which interturn ignite on the Department of Basic Education (DBE) curriculum theme, 'relating to decisions making regarding sexuality', is an issue which fits into the broader topic of the Life Orientation subject in Grade 10. The theme is not adequately address in life orientation. Two hundred and forty learners participated in the project. The aim was to enable the learning community of life orientation to participate freely in a sustainable learning environment space for social justice. The Critical Emancipatory Theory of the Frankfort School was used as the lens couching the project. Participatory action research was employed as an approach in data generation; visual drawings were used as the instrument data generated, and a discourse analysis was also applied to reach the following findings: adolescents acquire resilience in sex and sexual behaviour due to cultural and religious influence. Religion has a profound impact in delaying sexual practices in adolescents. These findings have implications for school curriculum leaders, regarding the allocation of duties to teachers. The paper recommends the use of indigenes knowledge systems as creative approaches to teach difficult conversations in life-orientation classes.

Situating the Religious Market Theory in Ghanaian Religious Context : Merits and Demerits

This study reviewed the religious market theory in relation to the religious economy of Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal-Charismatic churches in Ghana. Using unstructured qualitative interviews and focus group discussions, the study discovered that the theory in its present western context ignored Ghanaian religio-cultural sensibilities that affect decision-making in every aspect of the Ghanaian's life. It also ignored ethical and human rights cases such as flogging or at times stepping on pregnant women for alleged involvement in sinful acts. In other cases, prophets/pastors touch women's private parts for alleged claims of casting out demons. These missing links in the theory appear to produce a distorted view of the realities of religious actors in Ghana. Thus, the analysis implicates the widening of the theoretical framework to encompass the missing links that significantly influence the behavior of religious actors in Ghana.

The role of the female body in contesting and negotiating space in sports for women in rural and urban Zimbabwe

This article examined attitudes, knowledge, behavior and practices of men and society on Gender bias in sports. The paper examined how the African female body was made into an object of contest between African patriarchy and the colonial system and also shows how the battle for the female body eventually extended into the sporting field. It also explored the postcolonial period and the effects on Zimbabwean society of the colonial ideals of the Victorian culture of morality. The study focused on school sports and the participation of the girl child in sports such as netball, volleyball and football. Reference was made to other sports but emphasis was given to where women were affected. It is in this case where reference to the senior women soccer team was made to provide a case study for purposes of illustration. Selected rural community and urban schools were served as case references for ethnographic accounts which provided the qualitative data used in the analysis. In terms of methodology and theoretical framework, the paper adopted the political economy of the female body as an analytical viewing point in order to examine the body of the girl child and of women in action on the sporting field in Zimbabwe. In this context, the female body is viewed as deeply contested and as a medium that functions as a site for the redirection, profusion and transvaluation of gender ideals. Using the concept of embodiment, involving demeanor, body shape and perceptions of the female body in its social context, the paper attempted to establish a connection between gender ideologies and embodied practice. The results of the study showed the prevalence of condescending attitudes towards girls and women participation in sports.

Pentecostalism and African diaspora : a case study of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), in North America

Pentecostalism as a new wave of Christianity became more pronounced in 1970's and beyond in Nigeria. Since then scholars of Religion, History, Sociology and Political Science have shown keen interest in the study of the Churches known as Pentecostals because of the impact they have made on the society. The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was established by Pastor Josiah Akindayomi in Lagos,Nigeria in 1952. After his demise, he was succeeded by Pastor Adeboye Adejare Enock. The problem of study of this research was an examination of the expansion of the Redeemed Christian Church of God to North America, Caribbean and Canada. The missionary activities of the church could be regarded as a reversed mission in the propagation of Christianity by Africans in the Diaspora. The methodology adopted was historical. The primary and secondary sources of information were also germane in the research. The findings of the research indicated that the Redeemed Christian Church of God was founded in North America by Immigrants from Nigeria. Pastor Adeboye Enock Adejare had much influence on the Church within and outside the country because of his charisma. The Church has become a place of refuge for many immigrants. They are also contributing to the economy of the United States of America. However, the members of the Church were faced with some challenges, such as security scrutiny by the security agencies. In conclusion, the RCCGNA was a denomination that had been accepted and embraced by Nigerians and African immigrants in the United States of America.

Mmapoo ga a nyalwe, the challenges of tradition versus modernity from a social work perspective

African culture and tradition are questioned and tested on whether they fit to be part of the changing world. This makes folklore an endangered species as most cultural beliefs and traditions are seen to be out-dated. The instruments used to measure these cultural beliefs and traditions are transformation and globalisation. Folklore, which is currently treated like an appendage to disciplines such as languages, indigenous knowledge systems and anthropology, is now targeted. The authors aim to demonstrate the synergy between folklore and social work in which the social work values and principles are applied and analysed in terms of the figurative language; mmapoo ga a nyalwe. The authors advocate for an interdisciplinary approach, hence the focus is on folklore, language and social work. The theoretical consideration for this article was system theory with its proposition that people are part of the system and their connectedness, wholeness and their feedback in the system is valuable.

A comparative analysis of pilgrim identities in Matthew 21:12-13 and that of Bernard Mzeki’s pilgrimage

The paper is a comparison of pilgrim identities between the Passover Feast and Bernard Mzeki pilgrimages. Bernard Mzeki is one of the most celebrated martyrs in the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe and worldwide. 18 June is reserved as the day of celebrating his martyrdom. Anglican pilgrims from all over the world travel to Bernard Mzeki shrine in Marondera, Zimbabwe in honour of his sacrificial life towards the propagation of the gospel. The form critical approach helps in the reconstruction of the identities of Passover pilgrims and the Comparative analysis help in comparing the two. The paper established some significant similarities in terms of the pilgrim identities of the two, while certain peculiarities had been considered as well. Though religious pilgrimages are purpose of worship and encounter the Holy One, not all pilgrims attend the festival for these primary focuses. Some have different purpose hence the quest for these different pilgrim identities.

Christian faith and economic development : a case study of some Christian workers in Ghana’s public sector in Kumasi

This study assessed Christian faith in relation to economic development of Ghana using some Christian Workers in Ghana's public sector in Kumasi as a sampled case study. Sectors studied were the judicial service, the public education sector, the health and the police services. Christian faith used in the study referred to normative values that would inform activities of individual Christian workers in the public sector economy. Consequently, the framework of the study is obtained from New Institutional Economics that is employed for the analysis of the relationship between values and economic performance. The data came via unstructured individual and group interviews, supplemented by observation and related literature. The study has shown that apart from a few who actually translated their faith into productive lives, majority of Christians in the unit of analysis have participated one way or other in corrupt practices that to a large extent, undermined the economic development of Ghana.