African Metaphysical views before colonialism

http://libproxy.library.wmich.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hia&AN=H001530943.01&site=ehost-live

Examines the explosive growth of African religious sects and cults in Nigeria, and their ties to Christian and Muslim missionaries. While traditional Christian and Islamic religious doctrines oppose local metaphysical and superstitious practices, New Age religions incorporate Nigerian cultural heritage into their fanaticism. Widespread in Nigeria, New Age religions tolerate polygyny, an obsession with drumming as an integral part of worship, and animist rituals. Nigerians view traditional Christianity and Islam as the religions of conquerors, and they prefer sects or cults to fulfill their religious yearnings. [B. S. Shlevin]


http://allafrica.com.libproxy.library.wmich.edu/stories/200211250027.html

This article explains why it is important for leaders to conquer cultural myths including the metaphysical views shared by many tribes in Africa. I found interesting about this article the ways in which issues are pointed out as well as the roles that literature portrays cultural myths within literature.

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/images/features/nigeria_dancers.jpg

This picture presents to me, although it is from a disease prevention website, what Africans enjoying their metaphysical practices may have looked like. Metaphysical views acted as a way for Africans to share religious tribal traditions, elevating themselves through that seperation between the balance of the physical and spiritual worlds.