Mwari figurine
Much of the the culture and ancient traditions of the Bantu, the migrators that inhabited the area known as the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, is unknown due to the fact that the kingdom did not have its own written language and its oral traditions have not continued. Proof for various facts about the empire come from the ruins of the city of Great Zimbabwe, located east of the Kalahari Desert.
The city was built as a place of worship for Mwari, who the people believed was the creator of life. The people also acknowledged the capability of Mwari to sustain all things. The Bantu consulted Mwari in prayer through their family's ancestors. During times of difficulty, they would seek advice from a spirit medium who supposedly had direct contact with these ancestors. The chieftain, or king, of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe would have his own "Zimbabwe," an outdoor amphitheater or temple, which would serve as a designated place for the mediums to hear the ancestor's spirits. These beliefs were the authorized religion of the people of Great Zimbabwe, as the city was built as a religious center. This caused the belief system of the Zimbabweans to become centralized.
The religion of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe receives an A. The city of Great Zimbabwe with built as a religious center, signaling rich cultural unity. The Zimbabweans worshiped Mwari, the God they believed was the creator and sustainer of life, which gave meaning to the mundane. The people also had a way to deal with strife through mediums who would pray to Mwari through the people's ancestors. The king also supported the mediums by giving them a place for their work in his "Zimbabwe."
Sources: http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/africa/GreatZimbabwe.html, *Honors World History Notes, http://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/zimbabwe-religion.html, http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi520.htm
*Notes on Africa's physical geography taken 11/28/11
I enjoyed your movies. I liked how you didn't just have one movie on the background, but you added one, and it was about the ancient ruins. That movie was especially interesting. I also found it interesting that Great Zimbabwe had a high respect for their cows.
ReplyDeleteVery nice blog, needs video. Your sections are good although you should address unity more in the religion section.
ReplyDeleteMy videos are under "pages" to the right. Thanks!
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