Description
Book SynopsisThis edition updates the scholarship on ancestor worshipwith the addition of three new chapters. Beginning with Akan theology and ending with sacrifices, the study examines Akan conception of God, the abosom (gods and goddesses) relative to creation, centrality of the ancestors' stool as the ultimate religious symbol housing the soul of the Akan, and organized annual propitiatory festivities carried out among the Akan in honor of the ancestors (Nananom Nsamanfo) and abosom. The book, therefore, serves as an invaluable resource for those interested in the phenomenon of African religion, because it provides real insight into ancestor worship in ways that are meaningful, practical, systematic, and as a way of life by an Akan Traditional ruler (?dikro) and a professor of Africana studies.
Trade ReviewAnthony Ephirim-Donkor’s African Religion Defined is a masterfully written and insightful study of African religious experience. He offers a richly detailed examination of Akan cosmology and practices laced with engaging personal accounts. The book represents a major contribution to the field of Akan studies and to discussions about the nature and meaning of African religion….The work will be useful in both undergraduate and graduate school courses and will challenge students and scholars to reexamine categories and assumptions about African religions. -- Samuel I. Britt, Gordon Poteat Professor of Asian Studies and Religion, Furman University, South Carolina
Challenging the nation in some quarters that equate African religions with animism, Ephirim-Donkor examines the religious and cultural practices of the Akan…and argues that ancestor worship as practiced by the people is quite similar to other world religions. Influenced by the works of Clifford Geertz and Wallis Budge, Ephirim-Donkor maintains that the souls of the Akan dead are symbolically housed in the ancestors’ stool, the very seat and embodiment of temporal and spiritual power among the Akan….This exciting volume, which includes three new chapters, is a must have for those interested in African religions. -- Baffour K. Takyi, professor of sociology, the University of Akron, Ohio
Table of ContentsGuide to Pronunciation Preface Chapter 1: Akan Theology Chapter 2: The Abosom Chapter 3: Cosmology Chapter 4: Ancestor Worship Chapter 5: Annual Festivals Chapter 6: Ancestors’ Stool Chapter 7: Becoming a Living Ancestor Chapter 8: Witchcraft Chapter 9: Sacrifices Glossary Bibliography Index About the Author
