RELI 2732 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Polytheism, Ushabti, Tefnut
21 Mar 2018
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Lecture 3 - death in the ancient world. Indigenous religions: death and afterlife for the african indigenous religions . Yombe (zambia) living with spirits : professor asked us to take note: an anthropologist stated that the birth of a baby in the yombe tradition, is not the birth of a person. In this tradition, there is a difference between biological and social existence, meaning the unborn/born baby is not classified as a person before ritual. The baby becomes a social person, when they are socially accepted in a group which in turn they become a person. A woman"s womb, is socially referred to a house and also belongs to the community. Through ritual, the baby becomes a person and is then protected by its people. The father meets at the door of the house (womb?) and purifies the baby with smoke and water and introduces the baby to the community.
