Channel: BBC News Africa

Category: News & Politics

Tags: colonialismafrican religion before christianitybbcafricanigeriaafrican religion historychristianitytraditional religionsouth africaafrican religion documentarybbc newsspiritualityafrican spiritualityreligionafrican religion before colonizationbbc africaorishasspirituality documentaryafrican religionbbc africa newsafrican spirituality documentaryafrica news

Description: Africa is rich with a variety of traditional religions and spiritual belief systems. However during the colonial period missionaries spread Christianity throughout the continent, and suppressed many of these pre-existing belief systems. Africans continued to follow their traditional belief, in smaller numbers than before, and these faiths still exist today. Younger African people, particularly women, have found these religions and spiritual belief systems can help them learn more about their heritage and forge their own identities apart from the colonial legacy of the continent. BBC Africa spoke to three practitioners of these belief systems, a sangoma, or faith healer, Amanda Gcabashe, an urban mystic, Mildred Otieno and an Orisha priestess IyalorisaOmitonade Ifawemimoas well as Professor Jacob Olupona, of Havard University, a leading expert in African indigenous religion Subscribe: bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: bbc.com/africa Facebook: facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica Twitter: twitter.com/bbcafrica Instagram: instagram.com/bbcafrica