When I started this blog in 2020, I was preoccupied with academia. It was a world to which I had desperately sought belonging for years. In fact, at that point, I would have argued that my frustrations from being repeatedly shut out led to the creation of the blog. True as that might have been, it was only half the truth.

The other, and very relevant, half of the truth is that I am interested in spirituality beyond academia. It also bears to wonder how I, a person who had learned more about faith and God outside of organized religion, believed that the only way to apply and use that knowledge was within the structures of academia. My scope of thinking was quite limited indeed, though my Chi was ardent in steering me right.  

African Religions was created to streamline my thoughts on the spiritual beliefs and practices of the various peoples of Africa. The decision to name the blog African Religions was, in fact, a misnomer because Africans did not recognize religion as separate from any other aspect of existence. Across the Continent, the various peoples of Africa were guided by customs and traditions that were informed and guided by spiritual reasoning and understanding. 

There was no separation between the spirit and matter, all informed each other, and thus, all affected each other. All was one. Then entered division, followed by conflict and stoked by the need to be superior so as to wield the most power, etc., etc. ‘Religion,’ rather than a vehicle to the spiritual and thus the divine, quickly became a social tool for amassing and controlling power. The more power a group had, the more their spiritual beliefs, or simply religions, spread. This can be seen with the three largest organized religions in the world and the bloody conflicts that have trailed their paths through the corners of the world where they currently thrive.

There is nothing wrong with religion as a term that encapsulates the spiritual beliefs and practices of various people. For example, in naming this blog African Religions, in just two words I have been able, hopefully, to indicate that the discourse here will center on the spiritual dimensions of various African peoples. But, I am learning to be a better writer and have since learned that it is best to say exactly what you mean and as succinctly as possible.

So, in the spirit of saying what I mean, the blog is now named African Spiritualities or Afrospiritualities.com. 

There is tremendous power in language, and using the word ‘religion’ to refer to the beliefs and practices of Indigenous Africans alludes to a power many of them did not have. Otherwise, they would still be largely present and there might have not been the need for this blog to be created as an attempt to document as much information on them as possible. 

Anyway, a short musing to say we are back. Thank you for being here.

Martha Laraba Sambe