Bamiléké Traditional religion


Reality of a traditional religion Bamiléké

Almost all the people have instituted priestwood, sanctuaries, ceremonies and sacrifices to come near divinities. We must recognize that the pratice of sacrifices among the Bamiléké comes from traditional religion. In this religion we find priests (Kamsi, successors, etc) and sanctuaries (diesi)..

The origin of Bamiléké traditions is vague and does not come from the God of the Bible. Some trace their origins to Egypt from a people that had its gods in the Qaaba of the Mecca (See Origin and History of the Bamiléké people). According to Bamiléké tradition, the sacrifice offered by a Bamiléké traditionalist calls on a god named “si”. This “si” (the god here below) is according to some, the same as the one in the Bible. Sacrifices in Bamiléké trasdition are meant to appease the anger of their ancestors or draw from them protection, healing or prosperity. In the pratical approach of sacrifice among Bamiléké traditionalists, the notion of sinning against God does not come up and by consequences the so-called penitence of the one making the sacrifices is in vain. The Bamiléké traditionalist that makes sacrifices has no moral obligation to repent after having made a sacrifice. He is automatically acquitted of debt towards a “wicked ”deceased” parent or an “insatiable” god, and has their peace. The Bamiléké's decision to make sacrifices does not generally proceed from a sudden consciousness of his faults, but from a convergence of unfortunate or fortunate circumstances. The interpretation of these events is not the fruit of maturity but of obscure metaphors on the part of charlatans (the skull of the father is in the rain…). Following sacrifices offered to these divinities, the Bamiléké traditionalit lives under the constant threat of another blow from a hidden enemy that follows him constantly, so he will carry out other rites of protection or purification. The Bamiléké traditionalist does not come from his pratices free of guilt, but rather filled with fear. The Bamiléké traditionalist has no guarantee that after the sacrifice he will truly be protected. He is at the mercy of all charlatans who invent stories day in and day out for their clients.

Bamiléké religion is in a transition that is progressively pushing it from animism to Unitarianism. Unitarianism is a form of monotheism that believes in an infinite God that exists only in one person (Si) as opposed to Christianity, which has one God that is in there distinct persons (trinity). Animism is a belief implying the existence of personal gods and impersonal forces or spirits.

THIS IS AN EXTRACT OF THE BOOK "Project :Bamiléké"

© Bantu Hope Ministries