I think part of the problem is one of semantics. Shamanism and Animism are similar forms of ancient beliefs about man and his relationship to nature. The two have very similar core elements even though some of the outward expressions of such beliefs may be different.

[www.sacred-texts.com]

With that in mind, one needs to really understand what is being conveyed by the various "animistic" or "shamanistic" religions then compare them based on similar ontologies not semantical analysis.

Part of the problem with early books written on African "animistic" practice is that the bias of the observer and misunderstanding producing a skewed vision of what animism or shamanism is. Be that as it may, many of the African societies feature "witch doctors" who engage in trances, communicate with spirits and so forth. This is quite common across many African societies.

The question of heka, magic and medicine is one of magic being a fundamental aspect of ancient belief in Africa concerning disease and afflictions and this was part of the overall history of medicine in Africa.

Pastoral societies obviously have beliefs that center around nature just like any other animist group.

FOr example:

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The Laiboni are the ritual and spiritual leaders of Maasai society, whose authority is based on their mystical as well as medicinal/healing powers. They are aided in their tasks by age-group leaders called olaiguenani, who are chosen before circumcision to lead their age-group until old age.
There is usually only one Laibon per clan. Their role is multiple: to officiate and direct ceremonies and sacrifices, to heal people of both physical and/or mental or spiritual ailments, and to provide advice to elders on the spiritual aspects of community matters. They are also prophets, shamans and seers, and are the ones -with help from the elders - who name the successive age-sets, and open and close the various ceremonies of age-set transitions. The post of Laibon is confined to only one family in the Nkidong'i location and is inherited.
They have no political power, although the British installed a number of them as quasi-paramount chiefs during the colonial period, whose rivalries ensured that the British would always remain in control. A Laibon also command a lot of power depending on his personality and, of course, efficacy. This was the case with Mbatiany (Batian, whom Mount Kenya's highest peak is named after), who managed to command many Maasai sections at the time of the British colonisation.

From: [www.bluegecko.org]

Just because you use cows and they are central to your belief system does not mean you cannot be shamanistic.

But anyway, there are so many cultures in Africa that you have to go on a case by case basis rather than making blanket statements. Just for Egyptian cosmology it would take a good amount of research to cover a religious system that lasted 3000 years in order to understand all its various and intricate rituals, expressions and beliefs. So of course you are not going to get much by trying to tackle such a large amount of material.

The largest ethnic group in Kenya, the Kikuyu, also have shamanistic elements in their religion:

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In the traditional religion of the Kikuyu, the elders, or the older people within a clan, were considered to be the authority of God (Ngai). They used to offer to Ngai propitiatory sacrifices of animals, in chosen places that were considered sacred, usually near a fig tree or on the top of a hill or mountain. Even today there are large sacred trees where people sometimes gather for religious or political meetings or particular feasts. Mount Kenya, especially for the clans who live on its slopes, is considered the home of God.

The medicine man was a powerful person in traditional Kikuyu society. People would come to him to learn the future, to be healed, or to be freed from ill omens. The primary apparatus of the medicine man consisted of a series of gourds, the most important of which was the mwano, or divination gourd. It contained pebbles picked up from the river during his initiation, as well as small bones, marbles, small sticks, old coins, pieces of glass and any other object that might instill wonder in the eyes of his patients.

From: [www.everyculture.com]

Again, the common thread is that the "medicine man" or traditional healer is where you see the magical elements most like shamanism in African culture. These are the priests and in most shamanistic cultures it is the priests who perform these rituals not just the every day person. Again, this all ties to Egypt as heka, which was recognized from very early times in Egypt as an important aspect of their theology.

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His cult was centered on the island of Abu (Elephantine) at Swentet (Aswan) where he had been worshiped since the Early Dynastic period. In the New Kingdom he was worshiped there as head of a triad with his wife Satet (a fertility goddess of the Nile and purifier of the dead) and daughter Anuket (a huntress goddess of the first cataract near Swentet, 'The Embracer'). There is a Greco-Roman temple for him at Iunyt (Esna) where he was given two consorts, Menhit (a lion headed war goddess, 'She Who Slaughters') and Nebtu (a local goddess of the oasis, 'The Guilded One') - one goddess became a form of the other - and a son called Hike (god of magic, 'He Who Activates the Ka'). He was also linked to the war-like creator goddess Neith at Iunyt (Esna). In Her-wer (Antinoe) he was thought to be the husband of Heqet, the frog goddess who gave the newly created being the breath of life before the child was placed to grow in the mother's womb.

From: [www.touregypt.net]

Again Hike or Heka is "He who activates the ka" or "invokes" the sprit, which again shows the ties between magic and the concept of the ka as an principle in all elements of nature that can be activated by magic.

More on Heka:

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Heka (Hike) was the patron of magic and therefore also of medicine. The Egyptian word for magic was "heka" (which literally means "using the Ka") and Heka was the personification of magic. His name (and the word magic) were depicted as a twist of flax and a pair of raised arms. The flax was often placed with the arms, and was thought to resembles two snakes. According to myth, Heka fought and conquered two serpents, and so two intertwined serpents became symbolic of his power. This symbol is still associated with medicine today.

He was generally considered to be the son of Menhet and Khnum and the three formed the triad of Latopolis (Esna) in Upper Egypt. He was also popular in Heliopolis where he was described as the son of Atum because of the latter´s association with Khnum.

The concept of Heka was central to the Egyptian way of life, and death. Ritual implements were used to help the deceased pass safely to the afterlife, but Heka was the means of accomplishing this task. Heka also helped Ra on his daily journey across the sky by warding off evil spirits and demons.

Although Heka had no formal worship, doctors and other healers were called "priests of Heka" and often sought his assistance. He was generally depicted as a man carrying a magic staff and a knife, the tools of a healer. He occasionally appears as a man choking two entwined serpents.

From: [www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2007 09:44PM by Doug M.