From John S. Mbiti to Jacob K. Olupona: A Literary Journey ... · Yoruba Culture (2000), sheds additional light on the close ties between “ordinary language,” African philosophy,

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The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs Michael Schwartz Library

2016

From John S. Mbiti to Jacob K. Olupona: A LiteraryJourney in ReviewRegennia N. WilliamsThe RASHAD Center, Inc.

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Recommended CitationWilliams, Regennia N. (2016) "From John S. Mbiti to Jacob K. Olupona: A Literary Journey in Review," The Journal of Traditions &Beliefs: Vol. 2 , Article 20.Available at: https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb/vol2/iss1/20

https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/mslibrary?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://library.csuohio.edu/engaged/https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/567?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/476?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/526?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/520?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/499?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/494?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/1195?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/475?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/475?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/545?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/506?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/495?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/495?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb/vol2/iss1/20?utm_source=engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu%2Fjtb%2Fvol2%2Fiss1%2F20&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPagesmailto:[email protected]

IntroductionThereisnoshortageofpublicdebate,policymakingactivity,andengagementwithscholarshiprelatedtoreligion,race,andrights–eitheronthecontinentofAfricaorintheAfricandiaspora.Asascholar-educator,Ihavetakenadvantageofcountlessopportunitiestoreflectupontheaforementionedtopics,andthisessaycontainssomereflectionsthataredirectlyrelatedtothefollowing:

1. Myteachingandresearchin2010,the40thanniversaryofthepublicationofJohnS.Mbiti’sAfricanReligionsandPhilosophyandtheyearinwhichIworkedasaFulbrightscholarinIlé-Ifè,Nigeria;

2. My2012participationintheGlobalLeadershipSummitinBloemfontein,SouthAfrica;3. Myteachingandlearningthroughoutthe2014-2015academicyear,when,after23yearsas

afacultymemberatClevelandStateUniversity,IannouncedmydecisiontopursueadditionalprofessionalopportunitiesoutsideofCleveland,Ohio;and

4. MyrelocationtotheWashingtonD.C.MetropolitanAreaontheeveoftheSeptember2016openingoftheSmithsonianInstitution’sNationalMuseumofAfricanAmericanHistoryandCulture.

Whatfollowsisadiscussionofthekeythemesexploredinavarietyofsecondarysources,andtherelationshipofthesescholarlyworkstolargerdebatesaboutreligion,race,andrecentstrugglesforhumanandcivilrights,primarilyinNigeriaandSouthAfrica—twoofthemostpopulouscountriesandlargesteconomiesontheAfricancontinent.Tomymind,thearticlesbythecontributorstothisspecialMbitiissuearevaluableadditionstoanalreadyrichbodyofscholarlyliterature.LiteratureReviewInhisclassicstudy,AfricanReligionsandPhilosophy(1970),JohnS.MbitideclaredthatAfricanreligionsandAfricanhistorywereinseparable,suggestingfurtherthat:

Sincepeoplearesointimatelyboundupwiththeirreligious

lifeandoutlook,theirhistoryconstitutesthehistoryoftheirreligion.Thisisanareaofstudywhichcallsforinterdisciplinarycooperationbetweenhistorians,anthropologists,andtheologians.2

Insubsequentworks,includinghisIntroductiontoAfricanReligion(1975),MbitialsostressedtheimportanceofAfricanreligionsinshapingDiasporiccultures,especiallyintheAmericas.Hereheobserved:

2JohnS.Mbiti,AfricanReligionsandPhilosophy(Heinemann:London;Doubleday,NewYork1970),1.

Regennia N. Williams (second from right) with (left to right) Joel Oke, Biodun Adediron and Yisa Yusef, faculty and administrators at Nigeria’s Obafemi Awolowo University, 2010. (Photo courtesy Regennia N. Williams)

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Williams: From John S. Mbiti to Jacob K. Olupona

Published by EngagedScholarship@CSU, 2016

TheAfricanheritagespreadwestwardsacrosstheAtlanticOceantoSouthAmerica,theWestIndies,andNorthAmerica.ThishappenedchieflythroughAfricanslaveswhoweresoldthere.Theymixedwiththeirmastersandindigenouspeoples,the(red)Indians,biologicallyandculturally,bybearingchildrenandinculturallife.Aftertheabolitionofslaveryinthenineteenthcentury,mostofthepeopleofAfricandescentremainedthereandbecameanintegralpartofthosecountries.OnlyafewofthemreturnedtoAfrica.Thereis,therefore,alotofAfricaninfluenceintheculturesoftheWesternHemisphere,thankstotherichheritagebroughttherebyAfricanpeoples,whodidnotgiveituporloseitaltogether.3

Yorubapeople,includingthosewhotracetheirancestrytotheregionsthatcomprisepresent-dayNigeria,havetraveledfromtheirtraditionalAfricanhomelandstotheAmericasforwelloveracentury.TheyarealsoamongthoseAfricanpeopleswho,inMbiti’swords,“didnotgiveup[theirrichheritage]orloseitaltogether.”Inonewell-knownearlytwentieth-centurypublication,TheHistoryoftheYorubas:fromtheEarliestTimestotheBeginningoftheBritishProtectorate(1921),SamuelJohnsondiscussedthebeginningofYorubainvolvementinthehistoryofthetradeinAfricanhumanityandsharedarelatedaccountoftheactionsofKingAoleofOyo.AccordingtoatraditionalnarrativeincludedinJohnson’sbook,thekinghelpedlaunchthe“transatlanticdiffusion”ofbothYorubapeopleandtheirculture:

Hesteppedintothepalacequadranglewithfacesternandresolute,carryinginhishandsanearthenwaredishandthreearrows.HeshotonetotheNorth,onetotheSouth,andonetotheWestutteringthoseever-memorableimprecations,“Mycursebeonyeforyourdisloyaltyanddisobedience,soletyourchildrendisobeyyou.Ifyousendthemonanerrand,letthemneverreturntobringyouwordagain.ToallthepointsIshotmyarrowswillyebecarriedasslaves.Mycursewillcarryyoutotheseaandbeyondtheseas,slaveswillruleoveryou,andyoutheirmasterswillbecomeslaves.”

Withthisheraisedanddashedtheearthenwaredishonthegroundsmashingitintopieces,saying“Igbalaisọakiisọawo,bẹhẹnikiọrọmiosẹto!to!”(Abrokencalabashcanbemendedbutnotabrokendish;soletmywordsbe—irrevocable!)4

Johnson’sresearchfurthersuggests:“Bythe1840s,formerimperialsubjectshadfledsouthwardinlargenumbers,andslavetradershadcapturedtensofthousandsofrefugees,manyofwhomreachedCubaandBrazil.”ThisTrans-AtlanticdiffusionofYorubapeopleandculturecontinued,longaftertheabolitionoftheslavetrade,asdidscholarlyeffortstoanalyzethecomplexitiesofreligioninAfricancontexts.ThisisclearlyevidentinE.BolajiIdowu’sAfricanTraditionalReligion:ADefinition(1973).5

InOlodumare:GodinYorubaBelief(1996),Idowu,aYorubaman,movesbeyondthegeneraldiscussionof“Africanreligion”foundintheMbitistudiestotalkspecificallyaboutthetraditional

3JohnS.Mbiti,IntroductiontoAfricanReligion(Heinemann:Oxford,Ibadan,Nigeria,andPortsmouth,

NewHampshire,1975),3.4ObadiahJohnson(editor),SamuelJohnson(author),TheHistoryoftheYorubas:fromtheEarliest

TimestotheBeginningoftheBritishProtectorate(Memphis,Tennessee:GeneralBooks,2010,1921),192.5E.BolajiIdowu,AfricanTraditionalReligion:ADefinition(SCMPressLtd.,1973).

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beliefsofhispeople.AministerintheMethodistChurchinNigeria,Idowuapproachedhisworkfromatheologicalviewpoint,endeavoring,“asmuchaspossible,tolettheYorubathemselvestelluswhattheyknowandbelieve,astheyaresowellabletodo,throughtheirmyths,intherecitationsoftheirphilosophy,withtheirsongsandsayings,andbytheirliturgies.”6

Olodumarewasfirstpublishedin1962,andthe1996editionisa“revisedandenlarged”versionoftheoriginalwork.HeretheauthorcautionsreadersoftheEnglishlanguagetextaboutthechallengesassociatedwithdescribingthecultureofonepeopleusingthelanguageofanother.Nevertheless,hemakeseveryefforttoretainintranslationthemeaningsthatYorubaspeakersassociatewiththeirabundantoraltraditions. InALivingTradition:StudiesinYorubaCivilization(2003),LouisJ.Munoz,aprofessorofPoliticalScienceandFrenchStudiesatNigeria’sUniversityofIbadan,sharedhisperspectiveonthelegacyoftheYorubadiffusioninthelastofhis11chaptersforthisbook,“TheOdysseyofTradition:TheYorubaintheNewWorld.”Thestudyisbasedonhisongoingresearch,whichfocusesonmanifestationsofYorubareligionandcultureinCuba.MunozalsostressestheimportanceoflanguageandotherfactorsforthoseinterestedinAfrican-derivedtraditions:

ItisfascinatingtoseehowAfricancultures,beliefsandlanguagesarestillaliveinthegeographicandsocialcontextoftheAmericas.ItisthereforepossibletousedatafromAfricaandAmericatoanswerthemanyquestionsconcerninghistoricalevents,politicalandsocialinstitutions,beliefs,andcustoms.7

WhatMunozfoundtobetrueofAfricancultureinCuba,othershaveobservedindifferent

partsoftheAmericas,since,forsomeAfricans,theirTrans-AtlanticjourneysbeganinNigeriaandendedinBrazilortheUnitedStates.AccordingtotheU.S.CensusBureauandtheStateDepartment,forexample,approximatelyonemillionNigerianshavemigratedtotheUnitedStatessincethelate1960s,andtheynowliveinalmosteverystate.8Moreresearchisneeded,however,toshedadditionallightonthedevelopmentofYorubacommunitiesintheUSA.

In1990,theCentreforBlackandAfricanArtsandCivilization(Lagos)publishedOralTraditioninAfricaandtheDiaspora:TheoryandPracticefortheNigerianAssociationforOralHistoryandTradition.Accordingtotheeditor,thebook“isacompilationofpaperspresentedattheInternationalWorkshoponOralTraditionandOralHistory:TheoryandPracticeheldattheNigerianInstituteofInternationalAffairsin1987.”9Theworkshopandtheresultingpublicationwerepartofalargerefforttorealizetwoobjectives:

First,tobringaboutanexchangeofideasandknowledgebetweenscholarsofdifferentdisciplinesandmanycountries.Second,toproduceanawarenessamongNigerianand[other]Africanscholars,governments,andpublicinstitutionsaboutthepracticalneeds,

6E.BolajiIdowu,Olodumare:GodinYorubaBelief,RevisedandEnlarged(Lagos:LongmanNigeria

Plc,1996),ix.7LouisJ.Munoz,ALivingTradition:StudiesinYorubaCivilisation(Ibadan,Nigeria:BookcraftLtd,

2003),8TheU.S.hasapopulationofover300million,andapproximatelytenpercentofthatnumberis

foreignborn.FormoreinformationontheU.S.populationprofilein2000,visithttp://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/profile2000.html.2010StatisticalAbstractoftheUnitedStates,availableonlineatwww.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0052.pdf-2009-12-10,accessedJanuary4,2011.

9E.J.Alagoa(editor),OralTraditioninAfricaandtheDiaspora:TheoryandPractice(Lagos:CentreforBlackandAfricanArtsandCivilization,1990),ix.

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problems,andtechniquesforthecollection,documentation,andpreservationoforaldata.10

ThepublicationincludesworksbyscholarsfromNigeria,Mozambique,Kenya,Senegal,and

theUnitedStatesofAmerica.Aftertheworkshopparticipantsidentifiedthemanychallengesassociatedwithusingoraldata—includingthelackoffundingtosupportsustainedfieldwork,andotherscholarsjoinedtheirefforttoovercomethesechallenges.

BarryHallen,forexample,facedthechallengeofworkingwithtranslationsandoraldataheadon,andtheresultingbook,TheGood,TheBad,andTheBeautiful:DiscourseAboutValuesinYorubaCulture(2000),shedsadditionallightontheclosetiesbetween“ordinarylanguage,”Africanphilosophy,andYorubareligionandspirituality.ForHallen,thosewhowouldunderstandthecomplexitiesofYorubaculturecannotaffordto“underrateortoignorethefactthatonthelevelofeverydayexperienceYorubadiscourseinitsownrightrevealsitselftobeconventionallycommonsensical,rational,andempirical.”11ThisunderstandingwasnotexclusivetothestudyofreligioninAfricancontexts.

AgenerationafterMbitiandIdowureleasedtheirpioneeringstudiesonAfricanhistoryandreligiousculture,twoAmericanscholars,C.EricLincolnandLawrenceMamiya,authorsofTheBlackChurchintheAfricanAmericanExperience(1989),alsoinsistedthatthestudyofreligioncontinuedtoilluminatethehistoryandculturesofAfrican-descendedpeoplesintheUnitedStates.Intheirwork,asociologicalstudyofChristiancongregationsinAfricanAmerica,theauthorssometimesusealongitudinalapproach.LiketheirAfricancolleagues,theyincludeoraldocumentsamongtheirsourcematerials.12

LincolnandMamiyawerenotaloneinutilizingthisapproachintheUnitedStates.MiltonSernett’sAfricanAmericanReligiousHistory,ADocumentaryWitnessalsotakesalongviewofthestudyofAfricanAmericanreligion.Inhisintroductiontothefirstdocumentinthiscollection,Sernettstated,“ThelineageofAfricanAmericanreligionisrootedintheculturaltraditionsofAfrica.”13Becausethisvolumecontainsmaterialsdatingfromthenineteenthcenturythroughthetwentiethcentury—amongthem,oraltestimonies—thecollectionremindsreadersofthevariedexperiencesofreligionistsinAfricaandAfricanAmerica.

Instudiesoftheincreasinglydiverse21st-centuryAfrican-basedcommunitiesintheUnitedStates,discussionsofAmericanreligionandspiritualityaresometimesjuxtaposedwithanalysesofclassandethnicity.ThisiscertainlytrueofTheNewBlackGods(2009)andAfricanImmigrantReligionsinAmerica(2007).14

Ofspecialinteresttoeducatorsatthepost-secondarylevelaretextbooksusedinundergraduatesurveycourses.TheAfricanAmericanOdyssey,apopularbookamongthosewhostudyandteachAfricanAmericanhistory,isoneexampleofthistypeofwork.The2010edition,completewithPresidentBarackHusseinObama’spictureonthecover,includedthefollowingreferencestoYorubahistoryandcultureinitsopeningchapter,“Africa”:

10Alagoa,OralTradition,x.11BarryHallen,TheGood,TheBad,andTheBeautiful:DiscourseAboutValuesinYorubaCulture,

(BloomingtonandIndianapolis:IndianaUniversityPress,2000),11-12. 12Lincoln,C.EricandLawrenceMamiya.TheBlackChurchintheAfricanAmericanExperience(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,1990).

13Sernett,MiltonC.AfricanAmericanReligiousHistory:ADocumentaryWitness(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,1999),13.

14SeetheintroductoryessaybyRegenniaN.Williams(editor),TheJournalofTraditionsandBeliefs1(Fall2009).

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TotheeastoftheAkanstates(inmodernBeninandwesternNigeria)livedthepeopleoftheYorubaculture.Theygainedascendancyintheareaasearlyas1000CEbytradingkolanutsandclothtothepeoplesofthewesternSudan.TheartisansoftheYorubacityofIfegainedrenownfortheirfinebronze,brass,andterra-cottasculptures.Ifewasalsonotablefortheprominentroleofwomeninconductingitsprofitablecommerce.Duringtheseventeenthcentury,theOyopeople,employingawell-trainedcavalry,imposedpoliticalunityonpartoftheYorubaregion.They,liketheAshanti,becameextensivelyinvolvedintheslavetrade.15

AsaresultoftheaforementionedpoliticalandeconomicchangesinYorubaland,thousandsofYorubapeoplewereforciblytransportedtovariouspartsoftheAmericasduringtheTrans-AtlanticEraoftheslavetrade.TheimpactoftheirinvoluntarymigrationcanbetracedthroughananalysisofYorubatraditionsinCandombleandSateria,twosyncreticreligionsoftheAmericas,andtheirrelatedvisualandperformingarts.The“AdditionalBibliography”sectionforthe“Africa”chapterofTheAfricanAmericanOdysseyincludesRobertSydneySmith’sKingdomsoftheYoruba(1988)andOyekanOwomoyela’sYorubaTricksterTales(1977).16Inthe21stcentury,internalmigrationintheAmericas,newimmigrationfromAfrica,andreligiousconversionsarefacilitatingthetransformationoftheculturallandscapeintheAmericanregionsofDiasporicYorubaland.

Already,scholarswiththerequisiteknowledge,interest,andtimearebeginningtointegrateYorubareligioushistoryintodiscussionsofreligionintheAmericas,inamannersimilartothatemployedbyMichaelA.Gomez,whosepublishedworksdiscussChristianityandIslaminAfricanandAfricanAmericanhistory.17AmongthescholarswhoaredocumentingtheinfluenceofAfricanculturesintraditionalWesternsettingsarethecontributorstoGlobalAfricanSpirituality,SocialCapital,andSelf-RelianceinAfrica,editedbyTundeBabawaleandAkinAlao,andThomasM.Ilesanmi,authorofTheReflectionsofaPriest.18Ilesanmi,apriestintheCatholicChurch,alsomadehisworkavailableonan11-trackaudiocompactdisc,“Rev.Fr.Prof.T.M.IlesanmiPresentsFolkTaleSongsLAILOLoleja,”(2009).19

Inadditiontotheaudiorecordings,monographs,andeditedcollectionsbytheseAfricanandAfricanAmericanmalescholars,theworkofSheilaWalker,anAfricanAmerican-bornanthropologistwithfamilytiestothestateofNewJersey,helpedpavethewayforthegrowingfieldofDiasporicStudiesintheUnitedStates.Inanexcellent1988documentaryfilm,“Bahia:Africain

15DarleneClarkHine,et.al.,TheAfricanAmericanOdyssey,(Pearson/Prentice-Hall:UpperSaddle

River,NJ,2010),16.16RobertSydneySmith,KingdomsoftheYoruba(Madison:UniversityofWisconsinPress,1988)and

OyekanOwomoyela,YorubaTricksterTales(Lincoln:UniversityofNebraskaPress,1977. 17See,forexample,thefollowingworksthatwereauthoredoreditedbyProf.Gomez:Gomez,Michael(editor).DiasporicAfrica:AReader.NewYork:NewYorkUniversityPress,2006;ExchangingOurCountryMarks:TheTransformationofAfricanIdentitiesintheColonialandAntebellumSouth.ChapelHill:UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,1998;andReversingSail:AHistoryoftheAfricanDiaspora.Cambridge,UK;NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,2005.

18ThomasM.Ilesanmi,TheReflectionsofaPriest(Ile-Ife,Nigeria:ObafemiAwolowoUniversityPressLimited,2009)andTundeBabawaleandAkinAlao(editors),GlobalAfricanSpiritualitySocialCapitalandSelf-RelianceinAfrica(Lagos,Nigeria:MalthousPressLimited,2008).WhileinIlé-Ifè,Iattendedalecture-performancebyProfessorIlesanmi,“YorubaOratureandLiterature,”atObafemiAwolowoUniversity.

19Thiscompactdisc,“Rev.Fr.Prof.T.M.IlesanmiPresentsFolkTaleSongsLAILOLoleja,”ismarketedanddistributedbyRev.Ilesanmi,StPeter&PaulChurch,Lagere,Ile-Ife,OsunState.Formoreinformation,[email protected].

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theAmericas,”WalkerdescribesBrazil’sBahiaasthecapitalofAfricaintheAmericas.InherdiscussionoftheforcedmigrationofenslavedYorubapeopleandtheirreligioustraditionsto19th-centuryBrazil,sheenlightensviewersontherelationshipbetweenYorubareligionandartinsuchareasasdrumming,dancing,andspiritpossession.Eveninthedecorativearts,devoteespayparticularattentiontotheuseofcoloranditemssuchasmirrors.20“Bahia”haswithstoodthetestoftime.Morethan20yearsafteritsrelease,thisseminalworkisstillindemandamongthoseinterestedinusingdocumentaryfilmsinclassroomsandothersettings.

BeyondthisearlierpieceonBahia,WalkercontinuedtostresstheimportanceofunderstandingthelinkagesbetweenAfricanreligionandart,throughherresearchandwritingonAfricanChristianities,throughconferencesandrelatedpublications,andbyworkingtoestablishorstrengthenuniversity-basedAfricanDiasporicStudiesPrograms,includingtheoneatSpelmanCollegeinAtlanta,Georgia.21Inrecentyears,ProfessorWalker’sworkhasinspiredotherresearchandprogrammingactivitiesinCleveland,Ohio,includingthe2006conference,“Homegoings,Crossings,andPassings:LifeandDeathintheAfricanDiaspora.”Inacompanionbook,twooftheelevenchapters—mostofwhicharebasedonrevisedpapersfromtheconference—focusonthereligiousculturesofAfro-Brazilians.TheHomegoingsbookalsoincludesaspecialillustratedchapterbyHenryDrewal,“WhirlingCloth,BreezeofBlessing:DancingfortheDeparted—AncestralMasqueradePerformancesAmongtheYoruba.”22ItisnotanoverstatementtosuggestthatWalkerinspireseducatorsatthepost-secondaryleveltointegrateprofessionaltrainingandclassroomexperienceswithtravelandresearch,activitiesthatareprioritiesforscholarsinCleveland,Ilé-Ifè,andothercities.TheInitiativefortheStudyofReligionandSpiritualityintheHistoryofAfricaandtheDiaspora(RASHAD)iscommittedtosupportingtheactivities.

TheUniversity,theCommunity,andtheGlobalVillageRASHADhassetaloftygoalforitself:tofacilitateanongoinginterdisciplinarydialogueaboutreligion,spirituality,andrelatedculturalexpressions--onuniversitycampusesandthroughoutthecommunitiesthatsurroundthem.Foundedin2007and,forthefirsteightyearsofitsexistence,basedintheDepartmentofHistoryatClevelandStateUniversity,RASHADcontinuestoworkwithacademicandcommunitypartnerstoenhancethePrayingGroundsOralHistoryArchiveandotherlibrarycollections.Today,theinitiativeishousedintheRASHADCenter,Inc.,aMaryland-basednon-profiteducationalorganization.Inadditiontopublishingitsannualjournalandquarterlynewsletter,RASHADpresentslectures,paneldiscussions,performingartsactivities,libraryexhibitions,andotherpublicprograms.23

RASHAD’sworkisoneofthemanysourcesofinspirationforthisessay,andsomeoftheideasexpressedinthisliteraturereviewechosentimentsthathavelongappearedinRASHAD’sprogramdocumentsandinpublicationsbyHenryJohnDrewalandKathyCurnow.24BothprofessorshavedoneextensiveresearchinYorubaland,andDrewalservedascuratorforthe

20“Bahia:AfricaintheAmericas,”58min.Color1988Catalog#37747,isdistributedbyBrewer

MediaAssociates.Formoreinformation,[email protected]. 21SheilaWalker,AfricanRoots/AmericanCultures:AfricaintheCreationoftheAmericas(Lanham,MD:Rowman&LittlefieldPublishers,Inc.,2001).

22RegenniaN.Williams(editor),Homegoings,Crossings,andPassings:LifeandDeathintheAfricanDiaspora(Northridge,CA:NewWorldAfricanPress,2011).

23Dr.RegenniaN.WilliamsfiledtheinitialArticlesofIncorporationfortheRASHADCenteronApril12,2016,inBaltimore,Maryland,USA. 24FormoreinformationontheRASHADInitiative,pleasevisittheprogramwebsiteatwww.ClevelandMemory.org/pray/,wherebackissueoftheTraditionsandBeliefsareavailable.AlsoseeRegenniaN.Williams(editor),TheJournalofTraditionsandBeliefs1(Fall2009).

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AfricanartcollectionforCSU’sBlackStudiesProgram.25Foryears,theseteacher-scholarshavehelpedAmericanstudentsunderstandthat,accordingtosomeYorubaoraltraditions,theworldbeganatIlé-Ifè.Theirwork,however,wasnotconfinedtotheacademy.

Inadditiontotheirteaching,bothfacultymembersworkedintandemwiththestaffandcuratorsattheClevelandMuseumofArt(CMA).In1990,forexample,Drewal,whocurrentlyteachesattheUniversityofWisconsin,servedasco-curatorforamajorexhibitonYorubaartforCMA,andthecatalogforthatexhibitcontinuestoserveasanimportantreferenceforstudentsofYorubahistoryandculture.26

Curnow,whohaspublishedontheartoftheKingdomofBenin,theItsekiri,andtheNupeofNigeria,hasintegratedactivitiesrelatedtoCMA’sAfricancollectionandspecialexhibitionsintohercoursesonAfricanarthistory.In2009,forexample,Dr.Curnow’sstudentswereamongthemanyClevelandersengagedintheformalstudyofobjectsin“ArtandPowerintheCentralAfricanSavanna,”atravellingexhibitionorganizedbyCMA’sConstantinePetridis,themuseum’scuratorofAfricanArtsince2008.27

InresponsetoagrowinginterestinAfricanartinthe20thcentury,CMAbuiltafascinatingcollection.Today,thecollectionincludesmorethantwentyworksofYorubaart,amongwhichareIbejitwinfigures,Egungunmasquerades,andadiviner’sstaff.ThepermanentcollectionandspecialexhibitionsaresupportedbyareferencelibrarycontainingdozensofgeneralworksonAfricanartandmonographsonYorubaart,includingOsunAcrosstheWaters:AYorubaGoddessinAfricaandtheAmericas(2001).PublishedbyIndianaUniversityPress,ÒsunacrosstheWaters,

[...]continuestheexplorationofYorubareligionbydocumentingÒsunreligion.ÒsunpresentsadynamicexampleoftheresilienceandrenewedimportanceoftraditionalYorubaimagesinnegotiatingspiritualexperience,socialidentity,andpoliticalpowerincontemporaryAfricaandtheAfricandiaspora.The17contributorstoÒsunacrosstheWatersdelineatethespecialdimensionsofÒsunreligionasitappearsthroughmultipledisciplinesinmultipleculturalcontexts.TracingtheextentofÒsuntraditionstakesusacrossthewatersandbackagain.ÒsuntraditionscontinuetogrowandchangeastheyflowandreturnfromtheirsourcesinAfricaandtheAmericas.28

OsunacrosstheWatersisalsooneofthemorethan150YorubaresourcesthatareavailableinCSU’sMichaelSchwartzLibrary.29

25FormoreinformationonClevelandStateUniversity’sAfricanartcollection,pleasecontactMichael

Williams,DirectoroftheBlackStudiesProgram,[email protected]. 26Formoreinformationonthisexhibit,seeHenryJohnDrewalandJohnPembertonIIIwithRowlandAbiodun;editedbyAllenWardwell,Yorùbá:NineCenturiesofAfricanArtandThought,(NewYork:CenterforAfricanArtinAssociationwithH.N.Abrams,1989).Alsosee,ArmandDuchâteau,Benin:RoyalArtofAfricafromtheMuseumfürVölkerkunde,Vienna(Houston:TheMuseumofFineArts,1994).

27FormoreinformationonDr.Curnow’steachingandresearchinterests,pleaseseeherfacultyprofileathttp://facultyprofile.csuohio.edu/csufacultyprofile/detail.cfm?FacultyID=K_CURNOW,AccessedJanuary4,2011.FormoreinformationonDr.Drewal,pleasevisithttp://arthistory.wisc.edu/bio/drewalbio.html,accessedJanuary4,2011.

28JosephM.MurphyandMei-MeiSanford(editors),OsunacrosstheWaters:AYorubaGoddessinAfricaandtheAmericas(Blooming:IndianaUniversityPress,2001.Formoreinformationonthistitle,visit:http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/.

29Formoreinformationonthesecollections,visitClevelandPublicLibraryatwww.cpl.org,CuyahogaCountyPublicLibraryatwww.cuyahoga.lib.oh.us,andtheOhioLINKLibraryatwww.ohiolink.edu.

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WhileonleavedfromCSU2010,myFulbrightFellowshipinIlé-Ifè,Nigeria,providedtimeforthinkingabouttheAfrican-centeredtraditionsassociatedwiththeYorubabeliefsystem,aglobalreligionwithanestimated40millionpractitioners.30Ilé-IfèalsoofferedopportunitiesforinteractionwithsupportivecolleaguesatObafemiAwolowoUniversity(OAU)andthesettingforcollectingoralhistoriesandcompletingotherresearchactivitiesrelatedtothemanyreligioustraditionsoftheNigerianpeople,workthathadalreadyprovedfruitfulforMeiMeiSanford,anotherFulbrightalumnaandtheco-editorofOsunacrosstheWaters.PublicationsinthisveinhavethepotentialtocontributetothecreationofwhatProfessorC.O.Adepegbadescribedas“abroadhistoricalstudyofthearts”ofYorubaland.31

LocalHistoryandGlobalAfrica:ASeminarfortheNewMillenniumMypost-FulbrightteachingandresearchhavebenefittedtremendouslyfromtheavailabilityofscholarlyworksinAfricanandAfricanAmericanreligionandhistory.Forexample,inthespring2015sectionofmynewlycreatedseminar,“LocalHistoryandGlobalAfrica”(HIS401),ClevelandStateUniversitystudentswerechallengedtoenhancetheirunderstandingofthehistoriesofseveralAfrican-basedcommunities.ThroughtheanalysisofprimaryandsecondarysourcesthatwereaccessibleviatheCSUMichaelSchwartzLibrary’sHIS401ResearchGuide—andstudyingandwritingabouttheassignedreadingsandotherresourcesrelatedtotheirself-selectedresearchtopics,studentsgainednewinsightsontheinfluenceofAfricanpeoplesandculturestheworldover.32AlsoworthnotingisthefactthatmanyclassdiscussionsfocusedontheAmericanexperiencesofAfrican-bornindividualsfromthecountrieslistedinTable1.Asthepopulationfiguresindicate,thesenumbersarenotinsignificant. Africa’svariegatedculturallandscapeandthecontinent’sdiversepopulationarethemainsubjectsofAtHomeinAfrica:Design,BeautyandPleasingIrregularityinDomesticSettings(2014).33Inthebook’ssixteenchapters,authorKathyCurnow,again,shareshervastknowledgeoftheculturesandreligioustraditionsassociatedwithseveralAfricanethnicities,mostofwhichareconcentratedinWestAfrica.Fortheirfirstmajorassignmentforthesemester,seminarstudentsjoinedsmallgroups,acquiredexpertiseononeoftheethnicitiesdiscussedinthechapteroftheirchoosing,anddeliveredanin-classPowerPointorPrezireportontheirchapter’scontent.Astheseminar’sinstructorofrecord,severalofmyin-classpresentationsfocusedonthreeofthesubjectethnicitiesforthisbook—Hausa,Fulani,andYoruba—allofwhichareconcentratedinNigeria.ExamplesfromCurnow’s“YorubaHouseholds”chapterrevealthelogicbehindthestudy’sorganizationandthecomplexculturesthatthesubjectgroupscreated.

30EstimateprovidedbytheYorubaCouncilofElders(YCE),andcitedinatalkatObafemiAwolowo

UniversitybyDr.Ogunyemi(DepartmentofHistory)inthefirstquarterof2010.The40millionfigureincludes30millioninAfrica—primarilyinNigeria,Benin,andTogo—and10millionintheDiaspora.

31C.O.Adepegba,“YorubaArtandArtHistory”in‘DejiOgusremiand‘BiodunAdediran(editors),CultureandSocietyinYorubaland(Ibadan,OyoState,Nigeria:RexCharlesPublications,1998),158.

32GratefulacknowledgmentisherebygiventoClevelandStateUniversityreferencelibrarianFrancesMentchforcreatingtheHIS401ResearchGuideandleadingaspring2015speciallibraryworkshopforHIS401students.Formoreinformationontheguide,pleasevisittheMichaelSchwartzLibrary’swebsiteathttp://researchguides.csuohio.edu/c.php?g=219373.

33KathyCurnow,AtHomeinAfrica:Design,BeautyandPleasingIrregularityinDomesticSettings(Cleveland:TheGalleriesatClevelandStateUniversity,2014).

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Table1.TheNewAfricanDiasporatotheUnitedStatesPopulationbyCountryofBirth:2008-2012

*SelectedCountriesforTopicsDiscussedinHIS401,Spring2015

COUNTRY POPULATIONKenya 95,000Liberia 71,000Nigeria 221,000

SouthAfrica 83,000

Source:ChristineP.Gambino,EdwardN.Trevelyan,andJohnThomasFitzwater,TheForeign-BornPopulationfromAfrica:2008-2012,AmericanCommunitySurveyBriefs,U.S.CensusBureau,October2014,page3.

EverychapterinAtHomeinAfricabeginswithaculturallyspecificaphorism,statedinbothanindigenouslanguageanditsEnglishtranslation.InthecaseoftheYorubachapter,theopeningsuggests:“Ifawomanhasn’tlivedinatleasttwohomes,shedoesn’tknowwhereshe’sbetteroff.”35ThisstatementcouldapplytotheevolvingrolesofYorubawomenoverthecourseofthelifecycle;perhapsastheymovefromtheirparents’homestothehomesthattheysharewithspousesandchildren,orastheymovefromthedomesticspheretothedailycommercial“homes”ofYorubaland’smarketwomen.Thestudyofrace/ethnicitywithinthelargercontextofYorubahistoryandtraditionalculturealsoilluminatesthewaysinwhichgendercontinuestoshapereligion,especiallyinandaroundNigeria’sOsunstate,anareanamedforafemaleYorubaorishadeity.36 Curnow’sanalysisoftheintersectionsofYorubaartandreligionalsoremindsreadersofthefollowing:

[S]ide-by-sideduringthe[20th]centurywerethreereligiousstrains:theoldreligionbasedonorishadeities,aswellasIslamandChristianity.Thelasttwofaithswereintroducedbeforethenineteenthcentury—ChristianitybythePortugueseatIjebuinthefifteenthcentury,IslamviaHausaandNupecontactsbyatleastthelateeighteenthcentury—butitwasinthemid-twentiethcenturythatadherencetobothofthesereligionsaccelerated,gainingbothnumbersandfervor.37

35Curnow,AtHomeinAfrica,214.36FormoreinformationonOsun,seeJosephM.MurphyandMei-MeiSanford(editors)

OsunAcrosstheWaters:AYorubaGoddessinAfricaandtheAmericas(Bloomington:IndianaUniversityPress,2001).AdditionalinformationonevolvinggenderrolesisavailableinMarjorieKenistonMcIntosh,YorubaWomen,Work,andSocialChange(Bloomington:IndianaUniversityPress,2009).

37Curnow,AtHomeinAfrica,222.

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InCurnow’sgeneraldescriptionofYorubaart,onefindsthefollowing:“CompartmentalizedburstsofpatternswithinpatternscharacterizethesurfacequalitiesofYorubadesign,whichrevelsinsharpcounterbalancesofsculpturalforms.”38AwayfromtheWestAfricanregion,Curnowalsoinvitesreaderstoconsider,amongotherthings,thelongviewofSouthAfrica’shistory,encountersbetweentheZulupeopleandtheBritish,anditsdomesticarts,amongotherthings.39

Publishedasacatalogforanexhibitionbythesamename,AtHomeinAfricaisrichlyillustratedwithcolorandblackandwhitephotographs—manyofwhichwerelicensedthroughCreativeCommons,whichmeantthatinterestedstudentscouldrefertothesesamesourceswhensearchingforimagesfortheirfinalprojects.40Alsoworthnotingisthebook’slengthybibliography.Withapproximately400entriesrelatedtoAfricanartandhistory,thebibliographyservedasaninvaluablecourse-relatedresource.41

Inanotherrequiredmonographforthisseminar,It’saBlackWhiteThing(2014),SouthAfricanhistorytakescenterstage.Tothehistorian’sstandardlistofdocumentaryevidence,DonnaBryson—along-timereporterandlaterBureauChieffortheAssociatedPressinJohannesburg,SouthAfrica—addsinformationgleanedfrommanyhoursoforalhistoryinterviewswithstudents,faculty,staff,andadministratorsattheUniversityoftheFreeState(UFS),oneofSouthAfrica’soldesthistoricallywhiteinstitutionsofhigherlearning.WiththeassistanceofthestaffofCSU’sCenterforInstructionalTechnologyandDistanceLearning,studentswereabletoparticipateinavideoconferencewithBryson,whoagreedtoanswerquestionsaboutherworkfromherhomeinColorado.42

Whileconductingresearchforthebook,BrysonlearnedofthespecialrelationshipbetweenUFSandCSU.BothinstitutionsareamongthemanyinternationalpartnersintheUFSLeadershipforChangeProgram,whichcontinuestosendoutstandingstudentleadersabroad,sothattheycanstudydiversityinavarietyofcontexts,evenasSouthAfricanscontinuetostrugglewiththevestigesofapartheidandthenation’sracializedpast.UFShostedtheGlobalLeadershipSummitthatbroughtadelegationofCSUstudents,faculty,andstaffmemberstoSouthAfricain2012,andUFSRectorJonathanJansen—aFulbrightalumnuswithaPhDfromStanfordUniversity—alsoholdsanhonorarydoctoratefromCSU.HeisthefirstBlacktoholdthetoppostatUFS.43

JansenfacedhugechallengesasheplannedhisstrategyforbridgingtheracialdividebetweenWhiteAfrikanersandSouthAfrica’speopleofcolor.Indescribingsomeofthosechallenges,Brysonwrote,

JansenalsohadtotacklethequandaryofwhyyoungSouthAfricanswhohadnoreal

memoryofapartheidwerereplicatingtheirparents’approachtoracerelations.ManyyoungAfrikaners,JansenknewfromhisyearsonthestaffattheUniversityofPretoria,comefromisolatedfarmingcommunitiesandsmalltowns.Andwiththeendofapartheid,manyhadabsorbedtheirparents’uncertaintyabouttheirplaceinanewSouthAfrica,andtakenontheirsenseoffearandloss...

38Curnow,AtHomeinAfrica,214.39Curnow,AtHomeinAfrica,263-278.40ForacompletelistingofthesourceslicensedthroughCreativeCommons,pleaseseeCurnow,At

HomeinAfrica,ii.41Curnow,AtHomeinAfrica,279-286.42DonnaBryson,It’saBlackWhiteThing(CapeTown:Tafelberg,2014).Thedistancelearning

sessionwithDonnaBrysontookplaceonFebruary23,2015.SpecialthankstoMarkHackett,VideoConferencingSpecialistwithCSU’sCenterforInstructionalTechnologyandDistanceLearning,forhissupportofthisactivity.

43ForadetailedbiographyofDr.JonathanJansen,pleasevisitthewebsitefortheUniversityoftheFreeStateathttp://www.ufs.ac.za/adhoc-pages/rectorate/prof-%28jd%29-jonathan-jansen.

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Manyoftheblackstudentsalsocamefromruralareas.EventhosewhowerepoliticizeddidnothavemuchexperiencelivingandworkingwithwhiteSouthAfricans.Apartheidhadseentothat.Tocounterthis,Jansendevisedaplanaimedat“complicatingtheirculturalandlinguisticandpoliticallives.”[...]Hefocusedonfirst-yearstudents,freshfromtheirfarmsandsmalltowns,aswellasfromthecities,becausetheyhadnotyetbeenmoldedbyuniversitytradition...[B]y2013theF1participantshadgrownto150students,whoweresenttosomeofthefinestuniversitiesinAsia,WestAfrica,Europe,andtheUS.44

Inherconclusion,Brysonwrote,“[A]sIlistenedtothestoriesofSouthAfricans,Iwasstruckbyhowmuchtheyhadlearnt(sic)bygettingawayfromhome.Andlisteningtothem,IalsorealizedhowmuchI’velearntfromleavingmyownhomeland.”45Overtime,peaceactivistLeymahGboweewouldmakesimilarstatementsasaresultofherdramaticallydifferentexperiencesinWestAfrica.

ThecivilwarinLiberia,anationwithahistoryoftiestotheUnitedStatesofAmericadatingtotheearlynineteenthcentury,isexaminedinGbowee’smemoireMightyBeOurPowers:HowSisterhood,Prayer,andSexChangedaNationatWar(2011).WrittenwithjournalistCarolMithers—andintroducedtoHIS401seminarstudentsbyLiberiannativeJoyYokie—thisbookchroniclestheriseofLiberianwomen’speaceinitiativesduringthelatetwentiethcentury.46Theauthorwasaco-recipientofthe2011NobelPeacePrize—alongwithLiberia’sfirstfemalepresident,EllenJohnsonSirleaf,andTawakulKarmen,aYeminijournalistandpeaceactivist.Inawardingtheprize,theNobelcommitteesaidthatLeymahGbowee:

...mobilised[sic]andorganised[sic]womenacrossethnicandreligiousdividinglinestobringanendtothelongwarinLiberia,andtoensurewomen'sparticipationinelections.ShehassinceworkedtoenhancetheinfluenceofwomeninWestAfricaduringandafterwar.47

44Bryson,It’saBlackWhiteThing,92-93.45Ibid.,233-234.46LeymahGbowee,MightyBeOurPowers:HowSisterhood,Prayer,andSexChangedaNationatWar

(NewYork:BeastBooks,2011).CSUalumnaJoyYokieisamaster’sdegreecandidateinKentStateUniversity’sSchoolofLibraryScience.

47Formoreinformationonthisontherecipientsofthe2011NobelPeacePrize,pleasereadtheBBCstoryathttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-15211861orthestoryontheNobelPrizewebsiteathttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2011/.

Dr. Regennia N. Williams (third from right) and participants in the UFS Leadership for Change program during a 2011 visit to CSU. (Photo courtesy Regennia N. Williams)

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Thebooktellsthestoryofthe14-year-longwar,theunimaginablelevelsofviolenceinflicteduponLiberia’scivilianpopulation,andtheroleofGboweeandotherChristianandMuslimwomenincreatingaclimatethatwasconducivetopeace.Theirweaponsofchoiceincludedprayervigils,interfaithreligiousservices,marches,sit-ins,andothernon-violenttactics.ThewarhadbrokenoutjustasGboweegraduatedfromhighschoolin1989.Itendedin2003withanegotiatedcease-fireamongwarringfactionsandtheindictmentofPresidentCharlesTayloronchargesofwarcrimes.48ForGbowee,thewarwastransformativetosaytheleast.Initswake,thesinglemotherofsixcontinuestochampionthehumanandcivilrightsofallwomen—regardlessofreligion,race,andethnicity.Conclusion

Solong,Sofaraway

IsAfrica.NotevenmemoriesaliveSavethosethathistorybookscreate...

--LangstonHughes,“Afro-AmericanFragment”49

OnJune30,2010,IboardedaplaneinLagos,NigeriaforthefirstlegofajourneythatwouldtakemebacktomyhometownofCleveland,Ohio.AsIpreparedtopublishthisessayin2016,Iwasover300milesawayfromCleveland—andevenfurtherawayfromNigeria,Liberia,andSouthAfrica.Nevertheless,thethreeR’sareeverpresent.Today,religion,race,andrightsareasvitaltoourunderstandingofAfricaastheywerein1970,whenKenyan-borntheologianandscholarJohnS.Mbiti’sAfricanReligionsandPhilosophywasfirsthailedasagroundbreakingwork.OnEasterSunday2015,withtheendofmyteachingcareeratCSUinsight,andjustdaysaftertheslaughterofmorethan100KenyancollegestudentsbyMuslimgunmen,Nigeria’soutgoingpresident,GoodluckE.Jonathan,usedsocialmedia,ratherthanabook,toreachouttomembersoftheglobalcommunity,knowingthatmanyotherEuropean,Asian,andAfricannations—includinghisnativeNigeria,werealsoplaguedbysectarianandpoliticalviolence.50

Socialmediaingeneral,andFacebookandTwitterinparticular,areimportantvehiclesforreachingglobalaudiences.Iwould,nevertheless,beremissifIdidnotendthisreviewofthesubjectliteraryjourneybyreferencingtworecentandincrediblyinformativebooks:EddieS.Glaude,Jr.’sAfricanAmericanReligion:AVeryShortIntroduction(2014)andJacobK.Olupona’sAfricanReligions:AVeryShortIntroduction(2014).Inapproximately150pages,bothauthorsmanagetodiscusscenturiesofreligioushistory,andmajordebatesandopenquestionsabouttheirrespectivetopics.Bothpocket-sizedvolumesalsoincludeindexesandextensivebibliographies.

InOlupona’swork,onefindsadiscussionoftheintellectualclimatethat,nodoubt,influencedMbiti.Notingthat,“Inthe1960s,Africanuniversitiesencouragedarevitalizedstudyof

48Forthedetailsofthebeginningandendingofthewar,see,especiallychapters2and16inGbowee,

MightyBeOurPowers.49Toread“Afro-AmericanFragment”initsentirety,alongwithotherHughespoems,pleasesee

ArnoldRampersad(editor),TheCollectedPoemsofLangstonHughes(NewYork:Knopf,1994).50Formoreinformation,pleasevisitPresidentGoodluckJonathan’sFacebookpageat

https://www.facebook.com/jonathangoodluck?fref=ts.

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Africanreligions,reflectingAfrica’snewnation-statestatusandemergentspiritoffreedomandpride,”theauthorgoesontosuggest:

Gradually,thestudyofAfricanreligionsdevelopedasan

autonomousfieldwithinthecomparativehistoryofreligion.However,manyofthesignificantfigureswhohelpeddevelopthefieldweretrainedinChristianreligiousstudies,manyintheology.SuchscholarsincludedJohnMbiti,GeoffreyParrinder,BolajiIdowu,andFatherPlacideTempels.Inmanycases,thesescholars,whohadbeentrainedinmoreconventionalreligiousstudies,cametostudyandteachAfricantraditionalreligionswhentheyrecognizedthatitwasvitalforsomeonetodoso.However,theirtrainingpredisposedthemtoseeAfricantraditionalreligionsthroughthelensofChristiantheology,forwhichreasontheirworkhasoftenbeencriticizedbysubsequentgenerationsofsecularscholars.Inspiteofthis,theirworksoftenremainquiterelevantandindeedhaveremaineddurableclassicsinthefield.51

ItwastherecognitionofboththecriticismandthedurabilityofMbiti’sscholarshipthatfueledourdesiretopublishthisissue.TheresultsofourresearchsuggestthatthosewhowouldgainabetterunderstandingofthehistoriographyofAfricanandAfrican-derivedreligionswilllikelybereferencingMbiti’spioneeringworkforsometimetocome.

51 JacobK.Olupona,AfricanReligions:AVeryShortIntroduction(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,

2014)), xxi-xxii. See Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., African American Religion: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014).

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Cleveland State UniversityEngagedScholarship@CSU2016

From John S. Mbiti to Jacob K. Olupona: A Literary Journey in ReviewRegennia N. WilliamsRecommended Citation

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From John S. Mbiti to Jacob K. Olupona: A Literary Journey ... · Yoruba Culture (2000), sheds additional light on the close ties between “ordinary language,” African philosophy,