African diaspora religions, also described as Afro-American religions, are a number of related beliefs that developed in the Americas in various areas of the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Southern United States. They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam.Fulop, Timothy Earl; Raboteau, Albert J., eds. (1997). African American Religion: Interpretive Essays in History and Culture . London; New York: Routledge. .
Characteristics Afro-American religions share a number of beliefs and practices. Central beliefs include ancestor veneration and include a creator deity along with a pantheon of divine spirits such as the Orisha, Loa, Vodun, Nkisi, and Alusi, among others. In addition to the religious syncretism of these various African traditions, many also incorporate elements of folk Catholicism including folk saints and other forms of folk religion, Native American religion, Spiritism, Spiritualism, Shamanism (sometimes including the use of Entheogens), and European folklore.
Various "doctoring" spiritual traditions also exist such as Obeah and Hoodoo which focus on spiritual health. African religious traditions in the Americas can vary. They can have non-prominent African roots or can be almost wholly African in nature, such as religions like Trinidad Orisha.
African diaspora religions in the present The nature and composition of the African diaspora have undergone significant changes over time: from the forced migration of African captives of the Old and New Worlds to the voluntary emigration of free, skilled Africans in search of political asylum or economic opportunities; from a diaspora with little contact with the point of origin (Africa) to one that maintains active contact with the mother continent, all culminating in the birth of a unique African who straddles continents, worlds and cultures.
Defining diasporas There are several difficulties in defining the African diaspora—indeed, in defining the term diaspora. Often, the term diaspora is used in a fuzzy, ahistorical and uncritical manner in which all manner of movements and migrations between countries and even within countries are included and inadequate attention is paid to the historical conditions and experiences that produce diasporic communities and consciousness—how dispersed populations become self-conscious diaspora communities.
List of Afro-American ADRs
The Bahamas Haitian Vodou Obeah Rastafari
Belize Dugu Obeah
Brazil Batuque Cabula Candomblé Candomblé Bantu Candomblé Jejé Candomblé Ketu Jarê Omolokô Quimbanda Tambor de Mina Terecô Umbanda Xangô de Recife
Colombia Alabaos Colombian Yuyu Lumbalú
Cuba Arará religion Cuban Vodú Palo Regla de Ocha (aka. Santería) Ganga-Longoba Espiritismo
Curaçao Montamentu
Dominican Republic Dominican Vudú
Grenada Big Drum Dance (Gwa Tambu)
Guatemala (Garifuna) Dugu
Guyana Comfa Obeah
Haiti Haitian Vodou Ibo loa
Honduras Dugu
Jamaica Convince Jamaican Maroon religion Kromanti dance Kumina Myal Obeah Rastafari Bobo Ashanti Nyabinghi Twelve Tribes of Israel
Nicaragua Dugu
Puerto Rico Sansé Espiritismo
Saint Lucia Rastafari Kélé Obeah
Suriname Winti
Trinidad and Tobago Obeah Rastafari Spiritual Baptist Trinidad Orisha Vodunu
United States
Hoodoo Louisiana Voodoo Spiritual church movement Espiritismo African Theological Archministry
Venezuela María Lionza Birongo
List of Blasian ADRs
Pakistan Sheedi Mela
Iran Zār
India Dhamaal Kappiri Muthappan
See also
Black theology Ring shout Traditional African religions African diaspora in the Americas
References
External links
Roots and Rooted