OF AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY AND CONVENTIONAL RELIGION

With the anti-Arab sentiment rising among black Africans on the heels of the inhumane treatment and enslavement of black Africans in Libya and across the Middle East, the debate has taken a new turn on social media, at least among Gambians (surprise!). The new narrative is the stance of Islam on slavery, the history of the contact between sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabs, the spread of Islam and the force-feeding of religious dogma and indoctrination of blacks to submit to the God(s) of the Arabs and subsequently that of the Christians from the western hemisphere.

Won’t do much help to invoke historical facts to debunk the claims of Islam’s spread by the sword to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond; the proponents of such a narrative have already made up their minds as to what to uphold and what serves their narrative. So the argument to be had now is whether those adhering to Islam today are under any duress to uphold the belief or not. So respecting people’s individual choices and values is the hallmark of a democratic and civilized society. Labeling, insulting, denigrating people’s beliefs or those they hold in reverence degenerates into a nasty situation fast and averting damage control is prudent; live and let live!

For those so called African idealists, the narrative that “African Spirituality” has been kicked to the curb in favor of “foreign doctrines” imposed on us is always a prominent presence. But what is African Spirituality? A lot of them will fall short of giving you a coherent answer to that effect; so are you really sincere about your pan African stance or you’re just projecting disdain for others using the shield of a “proud descendant” of great forebears with little to no insight as to what they stood for or believed in?

Let’s employ some logic here; logic may not always be true but truth always stands on logic.

There are two distinct narratives as to who we are; Creation vs Evolution – Faith or a lack of it. What category do you fall under?

If you are truly for African Spirituality then you believe in Creation; shocked? Then you’ve been a hypocrite all along.

See our ancestors believed in the “Supreme Being”, the creator of the universe and all life. They further believed that when we die, our souls are in fact returning to that Supreme Being. One other thing to take note of is that African Spirituality is all encompassing; spirituality informs every aspect of human life, from culture to the environment and especially the public sphere (governance) so let go of your separation of church and state mantra. Even sickness has spiritual significance.

This by no means encompasses all of the various versions of African Spirituality. The point here is that our ancestors believed in a Supreme Being and a life beyond death; which is why the spirits of the ancestors are invoked and the reason why shrines are built for them. Death is not the end but rather it is an ascension to the spiritual realm, a return to the Supreme Being Whom we invoke through those ancestors who have returned to be with Him.

You see the logic in this belief system? You and I are direct descendants of the ancestors; the Supreme Being is the giver of bounds and the healer, since our ancestors are with him it makes sense to call on them to intercede on our behalf, what if that is what the shrines are for? In fact that is the concept in some traditional African religions. Islam teaches that you and I are good enough and worthy enough to ‘face’ the Supreme Being and ask directly from the source and not use intermediaries like our ancestors or anyone else to intercede on our behalf. All that is required is to submit to His Majesty and be humble.

Beyond that African Spirituality is pluralistic and flexible; it does not see other spiritual belief systems as mutually exclusive but rather as a means to strengthen its own spirituality. When I was in tourism, I use to tell this joke when tourists asked me; “why are there many more Muslims than Christians?” I’d reply thus; “Africans have always been polygamous, the Christian missionaries came and said a man can only have one wife; the Africans rejected their call. Then came the Muslims and they preached polygamy of up to four wives and no more, the Africans listened and opened up to receive some more of the message of Islam.” That was a joke but it speaks to the all-embracing nature of African spirituality, which further explains why traditional belief systems are still upheld even with the adoption of Islam and Christianity, are you wearing a Juju? Exactly!

So, now that we can agree that African Spirituality upholds the belief in a Supreme Being, if you truly share that view then we move on to the logic of conventional religion – Islam and Christianity. I’ll lean more towards Islam since I know a little about that. The logical question to ask then is why were we created? What is the purpose of our existence, who is our creator?

How do we know our creator and our purpose?

Our purpose has to be communicated to us somehow, through some medium. From the Islamic perspective, if not that of others this is where the concept of Messengers and Prophets come in. Islam teaches that from Adam, to Muhammad (peace be on them both), the mission was the same, the message was the same; remind us of our purpose and who our maker is; worship the one true God – the Supreme being. So those of you claiming plagiarism understand the mission of the messengers; they come from the same source with the same message; One God – worship Him.

It’s not that simplistic, but you get the gist of it. The first man in this tradition was Adam, to whom was given guidance as to how to live this life; that guidance was passed down from him to his children. Like us today, after a few generations we deviate from the traditions of our forebears and every so often a reminder is sent to get us back on course, and on and on it went through the ages. In that long line of Prophets and Messengers were blacks as well, who are all considered Muslims by the way. When the Rastafarians claim that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie descended from the royal bloodline of King Solomon and David, they are unto something. According to Islamic scholars, Solomon (Sulayman – the greatest king that ever lived) and David (Dawood) peace be on them both were black. So too was Moses and Jesus; peace be on them all. In fact through scientific research, which caused some uproar recently, scientists concluded that the people who inhabited the region that Jesus was said to have emerged from at the time he emerged were of dark skin complexion. Before them, the last Prophet of Islam described him as having dark skin. The Islamic Scripture gives further evidence to this;

“And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers! (Quran 16: 36).

Nation here does not mean our current nation states as can be spotted on the map, just for note.

So how would you feel if those ancestors and their messages were rejected because of their ethnicity?

See it is absolutely okay to not believe in what these various scriptures call to; but the people who adhere to them are not all just blind followers. If you do not consider yourself as being full of blind hatred or blind pride, then accord the same respect to those who adhere to different beliefs than you do. Ridicule and open contempt is a direct attack on an individual as our beliefs are an extension of who we are as humans. By all means if someone tries to impose their beliefs on you, repel them any which way you know how, but until then live your life and respect your fellow man.

If on the other hand you do not believe in the Supreme Being as the originator of the universe and life as did our ancestors; if evolution is what speaks to your rationality; then stop come off your liner that faithful people are subjecting themselves to foreign doctrine. Simple reason is that the concept of evolution is also a foreign doctrine to Africans which begs the question; how different are you in that case? If truth be told, the faithful are more African than you and your evolutionary theory, at least they are upholding the faith and teachings of some of those great ancestors sent as Prophets and Messengers; whose teaching are you holding on to?

SOLIDARITY OR REVERSE RACISM

We should, at all times be mindful of not becoming the very thing we condemn. The fact that we are condemning it means it is wrong, and two wrongs don’t make right. What is happening in Libya is despicable and should be strongly condemned the world over. Africa, here you are yet again left to fend for yourself. Fingers can be pointed in many directions, and understandably so. Some are more deserving of reprimand than others. Ultimately the fact remains that Africa needs to get her house in order, and by Africa it is you and I and all who claim some affinity from the Caribbean to South America and beyond.

When Ghadaffi was targeted for liquidation, the world seemed to have stood still as far as the western main stream media was concerned. 24 hour news reels fed the world with the moves that NATO was making in Libya, Benghazi became a household name everywhere. Fast forward to the stateless Libya we are witnessing today and the same western media and the war hawks they serve as mouthpieces for are oblivious to the atrocities being meted out against our fellow citizens. Ghadaffi’s tyranny and the denial of basic human rights to Libyans was highlighted to justify his removal, so we ask; what is worse than subjecting human beings to commodity status and systemic abuse as is obtaining in Libya today against black Africans. I am not sanctifying Ghadaffi or painting a rosy picture of the man, but a state he did preside over; and with the gift of hindsight we know such travesties will not happen under his watch. Bigoted Libyans, yes but slave markets I very much doubt will thrive under him. If those who screamed at the top of their lungs that Ghadaffi needed to go for the Libyan people to get the dignity they deserve are mute today, is it then farfetched to ask was human dignity really what motivated his ouster? Then why are Libya and Africans left to fend for themselves now with concern only over potential radicals crossing over to Europe? Wake up Africa!

Which points the next finger to the elephant in the room, the toothless, spineless African Union as far as the plight of the common African man and woman are concerned. Anyone can swoop in and remove any leader or engineer regime change anywhere in Africa with no consequence, not even a frown from the continental body. I think the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the AU is no news to Africans generally, but since we claim power belongs to the people, it is about time we exert people power on that body claiming to represent us. But the African himself as an individual is not blameless. Our total lack of faith in ourselves and what we are capable of is too demoralizing; add to that the penchant for wasting time on trivialities and naysaying.

In a redacted speech entitled The Black Revolution and Its Effect Upon the Negro of the Western Hemisphere, Malcom X stated; “No matter where the black man is, he will never be respected until Africa is a world power.” Tell an African this and he will laugh off the idea of an African world power as unrealistic, an impossibility not worth any effort as it will end in futility. Speak of an African union as was dreamed by the founders of the Organization of African Unity and the average African will start listing all the impediments that will make a unified continent an impossible venture.

The anger and emotions on display about the plight of Africans across the Arab world is very justified. That passion needs to be translated to action to put pressure of the leaders of the Arab world and by extension the UN and the international community to end the systemic racism in the countries within the Arab league. We can collectively take our individual national leaders to task to hold the leaders of these countries to account for whatever injustices are being meted out to Africans in the various Arab countries. Granted, Libya is a stateless society at this point in time but various regions are under the authority of various organized groups, some recognized around the world. At the very least pressure to facilitate the voluntary evacuation of victims should be mounted and further efforts to locate those that may be in some form of detention or bondage.

What we cannot and should not do is to target people for retribution because they are Arab or share kinship with the supposed oppressors. The anti-Islamic sentiments being displayed is a clear dividing line in those efforts to speak with a unified voice against the abhorrent practices in the Maghreb and across the Middle East. That is the kind of trivial issues referenced above that we have a penchant for escalating instead of focusing on the task at hand which is to galvanize and unite in efforts to bring attention to and seek redress for the plight of our brothers and sisters in bondage but instead we are focused on what Islam is or is not. That stance does one thing; engineer a debate around Islam with non-Muslims highlighting how Islam condones slavery and Muslims rejecting the false interpretation of their scripture; meanwhile the suffering masses endure torture, rape and forced enslavement when we could build consensus and hold our elected representatives to task in ending the plight of our brothers and sisters across the Arab world, the religious debate can wait.

“How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look…?”

LESSONS FROM CATALONIA

If only we’ll look close enough, and reflect/ponder deep enough, there are lessons unfolding right in front of our eyes that we could learn great lessons from. It is a tragedy if one always has to learn the hard way; through bitter experience when lessons could have been learnt from others’ experiences.

Observe every public fora closely in the New Gambia and without fail you will hear talks of ending ‘tribalism’ and creating a Gambian Identity. The proponents of such notion fall short of defining what a Gambian Identity is or is meant to be. The all too familiar line that we need to put country first and ditch ‘tribal’ identities/loyalties gets thrown at anyone who dares ask. What is ‘tribe’ without identity? Who says such identity is anathema to patriotism; that you can’t be a member of one ‘tribe’ and be patriotic as well; creating a mutually exclusive scenario where non-exists.

Take America for example; since we like referencing them so much. With all its racial identities, and the ever present instances of racism one will always find American to be patriots and proud of their country. Americans will tell you that their individual rights and identities are respected and celebrated. They feel a sense of belonging despite the bigotry and hate emanating from one group towards another in certain cases; the law always protect rights and accords individuals the freedom to celebrate their cultures, beliefes and identities. Black History Month, Cinqo De Mayo, Chinese New Year, etc. are all elevated to the national stage without threatening the existence of the state or the union while at the same time according these groups a celebrated identity.

The United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Nothern Ireland, but to us British culture, especially English culture is what we identify the Kingdom by even though the Welsh, the Scots, and the Irish are not exactly of the same culture as the English. Each has their unique customs and even languages. There are even claims of cultural components to the Scottish independence bid. More pronounced of such cultural components in pro-independence movements is that of the Catalans.

For a large part, to us Africans Europeans and westerners are seen as homogeneous groups with national identities. We hardly ever see any sub cultures within those countries, much the same as we’re identified by a large majority of them as African, period.

In a recent article published in Public Radio International, Christopher Woolfe wrote:

In 1714, under a new dynasty, Madrid abolished the ancient medieval liberties and institutions of almost all the different former kingdoms under Spanish control. That was also the start of discrimination against the Catalan language, as Castilian Spanish became the official language. The 19th century saw a renaissance of Catalan literature, which helped revive a sense of separate identity…. There were various efforts at self-rule in the early 20th century, but then along came the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Catalonia and most of the minority regions of Spain sided with the leftists and fought against the fascist forces of Gen. Francisco Franco — who was aided by Hitler and Mussolini…. During Franco’s 36-year rule, all minorities were suppressed: their language, their music and even their dancing. Spanish was the only language permitted in schools. Franco also moved poor Spaniards from elsewhere in Spain to Catalonia to dilute the Catalan population. It's this period that caused many Castilians to become dismissive of Catalan, as though it were just a bad dialect of their "pure" Spanish. After Franco’s death in 1975, Catalans signed up for a new constitution that gave them considerable regional autonomy and control over their language and education. For the last 30 years, most school subjects have been taught in Catalan. That era of discrimination and its legacy help drive modern Catalan nationalism today. (Woolf, 2017)

The recent surge and rise of right wing politics in Europe and America speaks to such cultural identities in part. All such political movements have a strong stance against immigration, the dilution of European or American culture is often referenced alongside jobs and violence. But at the core is the issue of identity that “too much immigration” is seen to threaten.

Suppressing any group identity is akin to colonialism and domination, and eventually colonialism faces resistance without fail. The call to Gambianize us and forget our tribes is taking on a similar trajectory. One group will emerge dominant without fail and that sense of superiority will eventually be challenged.

So I ask again, what is really meant by a Gambian Identity? And it has nothing to do with patriotism. One can embrace one’s culture and its attendant variables while fostering harmony and peaceful coexistence with everyone else. If every Gambians identity is highlighted and propelled onto the national stage, the members of that group feel valued and a part of a bigger ideal, an ideal they will always be ready to defend and uphold. That is the key to fostering brotherhood and celebrating diversity; not the opposite approach of suppressing individual identities and trying to force one ‘national’ outlook for all. Since we cannot import any new cultures to define who we are, one of the current ones will emerge dominant; by design or by accident and with time that dominance will be challenged. Let's celebrate each other.

To end; here is a challenge for those who keep peddling the narrative of ‘tribalism’ taking over our country; give examples or instance of such tribalism you speak of. My bet is, all the answers collected will fall under two categories;

• ·         It is personal; speaks more to individual experiences of bigotry than a collective effort by any group at suppressing others or denying them their due citizenship rights.
• ·         The second category will be an affirmation of my theory, a theory I will reveal after the answers are collected'.

So challenge your friends and people you know who believe such propositions to be true. Unless there is an alternative description to the word "tribalism", you’ll find the answers shocking to say the least.

Works Cited

Woolf, C. (2017, October 20). The Roots of Catalonia’s Differences with the rest of Spain. Retrieved November 11, 2017, from www.pri.org: https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-10-20/roots-catalonia-s-differences-rest-spain