Team Members: ____________________________________________
Block: ___________________
Africa: Trial Objectives Religious
Instructions: The following primary and secondary sources are designed to provide your legal firm with the information
needed to formulate arguments that will show that the societies you represent have met and exceeded the challenges
posed by the following three questions. Use your time wisely and provide responses with proof that your culture has shown
the best answers to these questions on earth for this time period. Be aware that other trial teams have access to this
information as well and will be looking for weaknesses in your arguments. Be prepared to defend your assertions.
1. How does this culture meet the spiritual needs of its members?
2. What influence does religion/philosophy play on the organization and behavior of society?
3. Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature, architecture, and
culture in this society?
Objective: How does this culture meet the spiritual needs of its members?
1. Trace the roots of the Islamic Sufism back to its roots in Egyptian religion. Describe the changes and continuities that
occurred.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How does the creation of Sufism show the African ability to incorporate new belief systems while maintaining the old?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Although the religion of ancient Egypt had disappeared many centuries earlier, scholars have only now begun to
recognize its lingering influences on the later religious practices of the Egyptians.
From the seventh century onward, Islam began to replace Christianity in much, but not all, of Egypt. However, the
orthodox Islamic faith as it spread throughout Egypt began to face a new challenge, which was represented by the powerful
Gnostic tradition centered in upper Egypt and Nubia. The established Christian Church believed that it had by the fourth
century stamped out Gnostic influences, which focused on the divinity within oneself rather than on external church
authority. However, Gnostic impulses began to resurface within portions of newly Islamized Egypt during the tenth century,
emanating, or surprisingly, from the same desert regions of upper Egypt and Nubia where the earliest Gnostic traditions
had flourished.
Abu al-Fayd Thawban ibn Ibrahim, known as Dhu al-Nun was born into this cultural environment of upper Egypt. He
grew up in a Coptic or Nubian family of Ikhmin. This particular city enjoyed a long history dating back to pharaonic times in
which it maintained a reputation for being an industrial center as well as a seat of learning. In Ikhmin and the surrounding
areas, special devotional emphasis had from earliest times been paid to the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and selfknowledge, Thoth. During the Greek occupation of Egypt after century B.C., Thoth became transposed into Greek god
Hermes Trismegistus, whose adherents, the Hermeticists, represented one of the earliest known practices of Gnosticism.
Islamic tradition credits Dhu-al-Nun with having introduced the Gnostic spiritual path, or Sufism, into the Muslim
religion, even though this religious tendency may have entered the religion from diverse sources, including Persia and Iraq
as well.”
(Secondary Source) “Intellectual Traditions of Pre-Colonial Africa”, Constance B. Hilliard, Ph.D., University of North
Texas Press. 1998.
1
Objective: Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature, architecture,
and culture in this society?
3. How does the Sufi expression of their love for God through poetry make Islam more accessible to all classes of society
and other cultures?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Guidest Thou not upon the road
The rider wearied by his load,
Delivering from the steps of death
The traveler as he wandereth?
Didst Thou not light a Beacon too
For them that found the Guidance true
But carried not within their hand
The faintest glimmer of its brand?
O then to me Thy Favour give
That, so attended, I may live,
And overwhelm with ease from Thee
The rigour of my poverty.
I die, and yet not dies in me
The ardour of my love for Thee,
Nor hath Thy Love, my only goal,
Assuaged the fever of my soul.”
(Primary Source) Dhu al-Nun of Nubia
2
Objective: Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature, architecture,
and culture in this society?
4. How are art and religion interwoven in West African society?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. In what ways do West African religious beliefs provide continuity to many other ancient human belief systems?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“The drum literature of West and central Africa represents one of the most intriguing literary forms known to human
culture. As Ruth Finnegan explains: “That this is indeed a form of literature rather than music is clear when the principles of
drum language are understood.” It is, in fact, the tonal quality of certain African languages that enables percussive
instruments to convey meanings in poetic form. The rhythmic patterns of the drums enhance the intelligibility of the
message.” The Ashanti ethnic group of the West African coastal state today known as Ghana represents one of the most
noted cultures in the region to have perfected drum literature…Ashanti theology acknowledges a belief in an Earth Spirit, a
Supreme God in heaven, and the spirits of the ancestors.
(Spirit of) Earth, sorrow is yours,
(Spirit of) Earth, woe is yours,
Earth with its dust,
(Spirit of) the Sky,
Who stretches to Kwawu,
Earth, if I am about to die,
It is upon you that I depend.
Earth, while I am yet alive.
It is upon you that I put my trust.
(Secondary Source) “Oral Literature in Africa”, Ruth Finnegan. London: Oxford University Press, 1970. Pp.
481-82
Objective: What influence does religion/philosophy play on the organization and behavior of society?
6. What was the earliest motivation for converting to Islam in West Africa? How did this change over time?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“The diffusion of Islam into West Africa tended to follow the Saharan trade routes across the desert. The urban populations,
whose economic well-being relied on the trans-Saharan trade, over time converted to Islam while much of the rural
populations of these same states retained their traditional shamanistic religions and ancestral worship at least until recent
times. With the Arabic language representing a lingua franca of this expanding Islamic world, the commercial city of
Timbuktu emerged as a vital intellectual center from as early as the fourteenth century.”
-(Secondary Source) “Intellectual Traditions of Pre-Colonial Africa”, Constance B. Hilliard, Ph.D., University of North
Texas Press. 1998.
3
Objective: Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature, architecture,
and culture in this society?
7. What is the relationship with African moral values and African art?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“African aesthetics generally has a moral basis, as indicated by the fact that in many African languages the same word
means "beautiful" and "good." It is consistent with the use and meaning of African art that it should be both beautiful and
good, because it is intended not only to please the eye but to uphold moral values. The ethical and religious basis of African
art may explain why the principal subject is the human figure; African art often appears in ritual contexts that deal with the
vital moral and spiritual concerns of the human condition.
It is important, furthermore, to display most African sculpture, especially masks and headdresses, in the round at about eye
level, because this is how they are seen on the heads of dancers. African carvers try to make masks and headdresses appear
visually interesting and to show different aspects as the dancer revolves before the people.
African artists praise a carved figure by saying that it "looks like a human being." Artists seldom portray particular people,
actual animals, or the actual form of invisible spirits. Rather, they aim to portray ideas about reality, spiritual or human, and
express these ideas through human or animal images.”
(Secondary Source) Susan M. Vogel, African Aesthetics, New York: Center for African Art, 1986.
4
Objective: Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature, architecture,
and culture in this society?
8. In what ways are traditional African spiritual practices connected to the earth? Why is this true?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. What kinds of artistic expressions arise from the spiritual ceremonies created by Africans?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“The "female" Chi-Wara headdress, representing the earth, always accompanies the male headdress during the harvest
dances. The baby carried by the female symbolizes baby human beings. As in the male Chi-Wara headdress, the long horns
stand for the desired growth of tall millet. The element of water is represented by the fiber costume attached to the
headdress. When danced by a pair of men chosen as exemplary farmers, the headdresses symbolically combine those
elements necessary for good agriculture: sun, water, and a solid rooting of the plant in the earth.”
(Secondary Source) Susan M. Vogel, African Aesthetics, New York: Center for African Art, 1986.
5
Objective: What influence does religion/philosophy play on the organization and behavior of society?
10. What does the Gelede festival indicate about African views of the feminine aspects of the spiritual world?
Would this influence the African view of women socially?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“The annual Gelede festival honors the creative and dangerous powers of women elders, female ancestors, and
goddesses, known affectionately as "our mothers." The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lower mask
and an upper superstructure. The lower mask depicts a woman's face, its composure expressing the qualities of
calmness, patience, and "coolness" desired in women. The static expression and simplicity of this portion of the
headdress contrasts with vitality and diversity of the superstructure. The design of the superstructure is intended
to placate the mothers by displaying their inner powers for all to see, thus pleasing them and ensuring the wellbeing of the community. Birds signify the dangerous nocturnal powers of women who act as witches. Snakes
symbolize the positive feminine qualities of patience and coolness. The snake coiled around the front also cautions
vigilance with the saying "the snake sleeps but continues to see." Gelede artists demonstrate their artistry and
mastery of the medium by developing complex imagery within the confines of the basic cylindrical mass of wood.
The elaborately carved example shown here (originally painted in bright colors) exhibits many different forms and
angles to view, as the dancer moves before his admiring audience.”
(Secondary Source) Susan M. Vogel, African Aesthetics, New York: Center for African Art, 1986.
6
Objective: How does this culture meet the spiritual needs of its members?
11. What is the relationship of the Supreme Being with the Isoko people? How does this religion create selfimposed control over behavior amongst the people?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Isoko Religion begins with Cghene the Supreme Being, who is believed to have created the world and all peoples,
including the Isoko. He lives in the sky which is a part of him, sends rain and sunshine, and shows his anger through
thunder. Cghene is entirely beyond human comprehension, has never been seen, is sexless, and is only known by
his actions, which have led men to speak of Cghene as 'him', because he is thought of as the creator and therefore
the father of all the Isokos. He is spoken of as Our Father never as My Father. Cghene always punishes evil and
rewards good, a belief that leads the Isokos to blame witchcraft for any evil which may happen to a good man. As
however Cghene is so distant and unknowable, he has no temples or priests, and no prayers or sacrifices are
offered to him direct. To bridge the gulf between himself and man, Cghene appointed an intermediary called oyise,
which is referred to as uko Cghene or 'messenger of Cghene.' This oyise is a pole about eight feet long made from
the oyise tree, erected after a seven-fold offering to Cghene, in the compound of the oldest member of the family,
and only in his. Before this pole the family elder throws his used chewing stick each morning and offers prayer for
the family and town. Through oyise, Cghene can be invoked in case of calamity or need.”
-(Secondary Source) James W. Telch, 'The Isoko Tribe,' Africa VII (1934), pp 160-73; quotation from p. 163
Objective: How does this culture meet the spiritual needs of its members?
12. What is this cultures relationship with the natural world? Does this relationship need action by the people for
them to benefit from their god?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Ba-ila are a tribe of Northern Rhodesia.
Long ago the Ba-ila did not know Leza as regards his affairs-no, all that they knew about him, was that he created
us, and also his unweariedness in doing things. As at present when the rainy season is annoying and he does not
fall, when then they ask of Leza different things: they say now: 'Leza annoys by not falling': then later when he falls
heavily they say: 'Leza falls too much.' If there is cold they say 'Leza makes it too cold,' and if it is not they say 'Leza
is much too hot, let it be overclouded.' All the same, Leza as he is the Compassionate, that is to say, as he is
Merciful, he does not get angry, he doesn't give up falling, he doesn't give up doing them all good- no, whether
they curse, whether they mock him, whether they grumble at him, he does good at all times, that is how they trust
him always. But as for seeing his affairs, no, the Ba-ila do not know, all they say is: 'Leza is the good-natured one;
he is one from whom you beg different things. We Ba-ila have no more that we know.'
(Secondary Source) Edwin W.Smith and A.M.Dale, The Ila-speaking People of Northern Rhodesia, II
(London, 1920) p.199
7
Objective: How does this culture meet the spiritual needs of its members?
13. Is the God of the Mashona responsive to the needs of the people that believe in him?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
THE GOD OF MASHONA- SOUTHERN RHODESIA
Great Spirit!
Piler up of rocks into towering mountains!
When thou stampest on the stone,
The dust rises and fills the land.
Hardness of the precipice;
Waters of the pool that turn
Into misty rain when stirred.
Vessel overflowing with oil!
Father of Runji,
Who seweth the heavens like cloth:
Let him knit together that which is below.
Caller forth of the branching trees:
Thou bringest forth the shoots
That they stand erect.
Thou has filed the land with mankind,
The dust rises on high, oh Lord!
Wonderful One, thou livest
In the midst of the sheltering rocks,
Thou givest of rain to mankind:
We pray to thee,
Hear us, Lord!
Show mercy when we beseech thee, Lord.
Thou art on high with the spirits of the great.
Thou raisest the grass-covered hills
Above the earth, and createst the rivers,
Gracious One.
(Primary Source) Translation by F. W. T. Posselt, as quoted by Edwin W. Smith, 'The Idea of God among
South African Tribes,' in Smith (ed.), African Ideas of God: A Symposium (London, 1950), p. 127
8
Objective: Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature,
architecture, and culture in this society?
14. What role do the ancestors play in African belief systems?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
15. How did Africans incorporate Islam into their older beliefs without disrupting their original beliefs to much?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Indigenous Manding and Songhay beliefs are rooted in the concept of ancestor worship. Within this system, these
cultures strongly believe that the presence of an ancestor in a given place will protect it as well as those in it from
evil and misfortune. Spatially, this presence takes its form in clusters of conical earthen and/or stone pillars which
can be seen throughout the savannah. In her study of Islam and African cultures, Labelle Prussin noted that with
the advent of Islam in these areas, the pillar found its expression through the minaret of the mosque, thus, as the
author states, taking on multiple layers of meaning.”
(Secondary Source) The Baobob Project
9
Name: ________________________________
Block: _____________________________________
Trial preparation: Now that you have explored the basic outlines of the African religious systems it is time for your law firm to construct a series
of answers that will be used in the trials. For each question you must construct an opening statement that you will present to the court. Include
aspects of all of the societies you represent and then list specific examples you will use in your rebuttals during the trials. Divide the topics
between your legal team. Each of you will use the research from today to construct opening arguments. These opening arguments are required by
the beginning of the next class day. Teams that do not submit opening arguments will not be qualified to move on to the next research topic and
will be given the essay topics.
1. How does this culture meet the spiritual needs of its members?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence: Cite the source and summarize the evidence
a.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
b.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
c.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
d.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
e.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
10
Name: _____________________________________
Block: ____________________________
2. What influence does religion/philosophy play on the organization and behavior of society?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence: Cite the source and summarize the evidence
a.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
b.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
c.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
d.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
e.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
11
Name: ________________________________________
Block:__________________________
3. Is religion/philosophy or spiritual development in this culture a positive influence on art, literature, architecture,
and culture in this society?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence: Cite the source and summarize the evidence
a.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
b.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
c.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
d.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
e.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
12