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Essay Subject: Religion & ideology related to ecology & conservation in Kenya.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Religion & ideology related to ecology & conservation in Kenya. Paper Introduction: As do most African societies, the Bemba tribe of what was formerly Northern Rhodesia and now Zambia, believes in an harmonic approach between religion and the universe, between cultural beliefs and the environment. A matrilineal society, whereby all descent is traced through the woman, the Bemba have their own unique view of how this harmony should be observed and perpetuated. Thus, the purpose of this paper will be to discuss the Bemba in relation to the ways their religion and ideology relate to ecological use management and conservation. Included in this research will be a description of the Bemba people and their history in Africa. The Bemba were the major group or tribe of people in the North-eastern plateau region of modern Zambia. At one time the ruling tribe of this part of Central Africa, the Bemba still hold Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Richards, A.I. Thus, much of their magic andreligious activities were concerned with rites to save the childrens'health. As part of this structure, women are responsiblefor most of the food supply. Thevillage represents the civilized way of life, the bush the dangerousenvironment, one that must be placated through the spiritual world. New York: Frederick A. Fruits other products found in the bush (thesurrounding forests) such as honey, mushrooms, wild vegetables and huntedgame rounded out their diets. As a result, agriculture began to stagnate because of the lackof male labor to clear the trees, thus perpetuating the cycle of migrationand even greater deprivation (Kaplan, 1979, p, 87; Hall, 1965, p. 2 ). Africans tend to think of every aspect of the universe, includingreligion, as a whole. Zambia. mystical solidarity between human, and the vegetable, animal andthe inorganic. It is the symbol oftribal unity and political authority. While the supreme Creator concept plays only a small role in Bembareligion, the idea of maintaining harmony in the universe is perceived asall-important. 87). "The man, who cannot transmit blood, acquiresrights of access to his own matrilineal spirits by the hazardous route ofmarriage" (Maxwell, 1983, p. "Spirits were often linked with areas of land,the forces of nature (such as rain), specific shrines, or certain objects(such as trees, rocks, or statues)" (Kaplan, 1979, P. Included in this research will be adescription of the Bemba people and their history in Africa. 1983, p. health, the production of crops, fertility and success, orfur harm, such as illness, death or crop failure. "The Bembas' destiny is completely consummated by masteringthemselves in the discipline of tribal customs, the world by magical andtechnical manipulation, and divinity through cultic control" (Maxwell,1983, p. Zambia, a country study. Balance between nature andman's needs are achieved through proven methods of collecting food andwater supply while at the same time shrouding these practices in religiousbeliefs to help answer some of life's unanswerable questions. . 22). In addition, as mentionedearlier, they also believed in other powers or spirits in the world thatcould affect their lives. New York: Peter Lang. The Bembas are no exception. (1979). Since it isused to cook the village's food, it is imperative that it not infect thewhole eating group. London: Faber and Faber Limited.----------------------- 3 Chisungu. Uncontrolled, it candestroy the very life it can generate. According to the Bembas, "The trees of the bushare believed to have magic properties as well as economic use and even themost casual collection of 'medicines' will reveal as many as forty to fiftydifferent trees with well-known magic properties" (Richards, 1956, p. Further, every ceremony and magical practice proclaimshow all the ideas in the Bemba world intercommunicate and interpenetrate."The primary focus and ultimate concern of Bemba traditional religion arefor human fulfillment in community . Mastery of this state provides a feeling of superior poweramong the Bemba. (1956). Kaplan, I. For the Bemba, however, it goes even further, fortheir entire culture is guided by this belief. Thisbelief in the powers of unexplained or unknown realities is typical ofprimitive societies. As an oralreligion, the Bemba's beliefs are grounded in the tradition of passingstories and beliefs down from generation-to-generation by word-of-mouth. Though there is plenty of land, the soil is poor, and periods ofannual drought cause food shortages which border on famine some years.Thus, the woman's role in controlling and husbanding the food supply is keyto her family's survival. (1983). A small tribe in relation toother Bantu-speaking tribes, they have numbered around 15 , during thetwentieth century. The Bemba were the major group or tribe of people in the North-eastern plateau region of modern Zambia. 128).This loss is not only in food supply but in emotional and social support,for the dependency on rituals deteriorates as the society unravels(Bigland, 1939, p. "They depend on trees for the fertility oftheir millet gardens since they believe they can only sow their staple cropin the ash beds formed of burnt branches lopped off high trees" (Richards,1956, p. 25). Today, of course, processed foods have alsoentered into food supply. 29). New York.The Macmillan Company. As a matrilinial society, the Bemba's social structure is based an"men working in their wives' villages for a number of years-frequentlyuntil several children are born-and then returning to the village of theirown maternal uncle where they may inherit political responsibilities"(Kaplan, 1979, p. Washington, D.C.: TheAmerican University. Much of this reverence and fear of the world around them was focusedon preventing illness and death. 26). . Thus, through religious symbolism, there is established analmost. Further, they believed that their blessings and misfortunes wereattributable to these supernatural spirits, not by chance (Richards, 1956,P. 25). 3 ). The religion and dogma of the Bemba are common to the traditionalreligious systems throughout the country of Zambia. 3 ). 97). "Mixing of blood" is the result ofsexual intercourse where, if ritually purified, can produce a new life.Blood also is used to arouse and incite the spirits. The Bemba have a healthy respectfor its power, it is a central metaphor of their social life for it lightsup the dark and invites others to share and celebrate. The lake of the royal crocodiles. (1965). But if itspills over, fire can become dangerous. At one time the ruling tribe ofthis part of Central Africa, the Bemba still hold to this position and feelthat their traditions should be kept alive. Water can give or destroy life. Thus, fire must be ritually contained and handled. 27). Praeger. 28). The Bembas'livelihood depends on it, with each year's growing cycle dramatizing theneed for this source of life. 29). Human harmony and environmentalpeace are ineluctably connected" (Maxwell, 1983, p. The Bemba have always distinguished between the village and the bushas a result of their belief in the mysterious ways of the forest. Thus it needs purification, forunpurified sex can pollute the fireplace of a home, "impair agriculturalproductivity, sour the beer for the village community, soften ablacksmith's metal, kill a child of the new generation or scare away game,contaminate the prayers and offerings of the spirits" (Maxwell, 1983, P.31). 24). Maxwell, K.B. Duringcolonial periods, a large portion of the male population migrated to themines in the south, leaving the rural areas containing a large proportionof women. Anexample is the use of fire in their slash-and-burn form of cultivationwhich enables the Bemba to survive in harmony with the land. 97). Blood finds its main importance in the matrilineal blood lines as ametaphor of life's power. "'Fire' symbolizes the life of the people, and it must be keptscrupulously free from contamination" (Maxwell, 1983, p. Hall, R. (1939). Wood is also used for housing, furniture,utensils and fire wood. They can be used by a magician for beneficialpurposes, i.e. References Bigland, E. The fivecharacteristics of their religion supporting this belief include:tradition, community, humanity, vitally dynamic and wholeness (Maxwell.1983, P. Amatrilineal society, whereby all descent is traced through the woman, theBemba have their own unique view of how this harmony should be observed andperpetuated. After the men have prepared the soil forgrowing, it is the women of the village who plant seeds and reap the mainmillet crop, as well as do the digging and sowing of the garden moundsaround the village where the vegetables are grown. Unencumbered by the written word, and the more reflectiveintrospective thinkings that come with it, this traditional religion of theBemba provides the necessary structure to continue the cycle of the past.Today, however, much of this harmony has been destroyed because of the pullof modern Africa, showcasing the fragility of this life cycle. Though they believed in a single high god,the Creator, their ancestors were much more immediate spiritual agents, forfamily included the dead as well as the living. 26), This process is known as "citemene," the Bemba word for "tocut" (Kaplan, 1979, p. The Bemba are described as typical forest people, living on highplateau land at the four-to-five thousand feet range on land covered withbush, scrub and low trees. "They were notinstitutionalized religions in the sense of fixed doctrines, scriptures, orrites" (Kaplan, 1979, p. "Part of the reason is thatorganization and distribution of food is essential for the security andwell-being of the tribe" (Maxwell. As a result, "Many forms of Bemba ritual centeraround the production of food" (Richards, 1956, p. Bemba myth and ritual. The impersonal magic forces of good and evil could be found inleaves, roots or bark of trees or in parts of animals or human beings whoact as activiating agencies. Further, much of theBemba ritual concerns the menstruating woman, who is said to be a "hot"medium, and the pregnant woman's blood which also is thought to beextremely hot. The fifth metaphor, sex, is viewed as a force needing ritual socialcontrol to keep its power at an acceptable level. For the Bemba, water, fire, blood, and sex are the key elements ormetaphors of life and thus are the tangents along which they set in motiontheir most sacred values. As do most African societies, the Bemba tribe of what was formerlyNorthern Rhodesia and now Zambia, believes in an harmonic approach betweenreligion and the universe, between cultural beliefs and the environment. Thus, the purpose of this paper will be to discuss the Bembain relation to the ways their religion and ideology relate to ecologicaluse management and conservation. 87). The death rate for children under threewas very severe as was death in childbirth. 195). As well as its importance in cooking, wateris also seen as a cooling and purification source with regards to sex,death, marriage, and ensuring the unbroken continuity with ancestralspirits (Maxwell, 1983, p. With these overriding or guiding forces in their daily life, theBemba's use of the environment is managed in such a manner as to generate alevel of harmony between man and the universe. Their pre-modern form of survival was based on a"shifting cultivation of the slash-and-burn type" with the staple foodsbeing finger millet along with sorghum, maize, beans, peas and cucurbits(Richards, 1956, p. Traditionally they have lived in villages of thirty tofifty huts separated by anywhere from five to twenty miles between villages(Richards, 1956, p. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.