African mythology

African mythology North Africans are predominantly Islamic, but the many peoples in sub-Saharan Africa have a rich and varied collection of traditional beliefs. Almost all recognize a supreme being who created the universe. There are also innumerable other gods, whose cults flourish in w Africa. Many Africans believe in the power of the spirit world. Spirits are thought to be capable of exerting a friendly or malignant influence (See animism). Many of these spirits are associated with agriculture and receive special offerings at harvest time. Belief in reincarnation is widespread in Africa, and ancestor worship is an important social ritual. The dead are feared because they possess greater powers than the living. Many Africans believe that people are reborn in living animals or in inanimate objects. Magic plays an important part in people's everyday lives. Medicine men make amulets, necklaces, and other kinds of charms which are believed to ward off evil. Other objects are used to protect crops and houses or to bring rain. Belief in magic proves more enduring than the traditional mythologies, which declined with the advance of Christianity and Islam.