Taoism Taoists normally worship privately at home using altars. Household worship includes altars for ancestors, home gods (like the Kitchen God discussed earlier), or regional deities. Li represents the sacred rituals associated with ancestor worship; like in other religions, a family’s ancestors react positively and negatively to respect and disrespect. Public celebrations include Grand Masters (priests) presiding over religious rituals and ceremonies. All facets of the rituals must be flawlessly performed. Four assistants aid the Grand Master when invoking the ancestral spirits; they dance, play music, or read a text the Grand Master enacts. The ritual representation includes the soul ascending to join the ancestors or other deities. Local priests serve as intermediaries between the natural and supernatural worlds. They function somewhat like spiritual mediums and shamans in that they use a variety of rituals and chants to get in touch with the spirit world and funnel powerful energies down to the human level. By doing so, they seek to help communities heal imbalances in the social Tao brought about by deaths or other calamities. Priests can marry and have children, and they pass their knowledge on to their eldest sons. They usually work for a fee and are sometimes traveling itinerants.Shinto Shinto priests or elders manage the community-financed shrines around Japan. The Ise Grand Shrine (Figures 4 and 5) is the most sacred to the culture for its dedication to Amaterasu (the female supreme sun goddess) and Toyouke, the harvest goddess. This most sacred of shrines is rebuilt for preservation purposes every 20 years. Fig. 4: The Ise Grand Shrine (Ancient History Encyclopedia)Fig. 5: The Ise Grand Shrine (Wu’s Blog) People honor the kami (spirits) at festivals: Some walk in parades, others impersonate deities, and most people observe the Japanese New Year’s festival. Also, Sumo (wrestling) is rooted in Shinto nationalistic tradition and kami worship. 3. Indigenous Religion in AfricaDeity Distinction The formation of religion begins with experience. Indigenous religions, also known as traditional or primal religions, are rooted in a supernatural experience with deities, spirits, ancestors, and nature. Although many tribal peoples worship numerous spirits, deities, and ancestors, there exists a distinct, supreme spirit above all others. This Great Spirit (known by various names) can be male, female, or genderless. The Great Mother, for example, represents the giver of all life; for this reason, many tribal communities remain matriarchal as opposed to patriarchal. The Mother spirit can represent birth, goddess, and/or earth. Worship of deities and ancestors varies from group to group and depends upon the region and historical familial community. A crucial truth in one group may not be the same in another group. So, even though you will encounter similarities between groups—for example, the Great Mother deity—not all of these groups wil.

1. Taoism
Taoists normally worship privately at home using altars.
Household worship includes altars for ancestors, home gods
(like the Kitchen God discussed earlier), or regional deities. Li
represents the sacred rituals associated with ancestor worship;
like in other religions, a family’s ancestors react positively and
negatively to respect and disrespect.
Public celebrations include Grand Masters (priests) presiding
over religious rituals and ceremonies. All facets of the rituals
must be flawlessly performed. Four assistants aid the Grand
Master when invoking the ancestral spirits; they dance, play
music, or read a text the Grand Master enacts. The ritual
representation includes the soul ascending to join the ancestors
or other deities.
Local priests serve as intermediaries between the natural and
supernatural worlds. They function somewhat like spiritual
mediums and shamans in that they use a variety of rituals and
chants to get in touch with the spirit world and funnel powerful
energies down to the human level. By doing so, they seek to
help communities heal imbalances in the social Tao brought
about by deaths or other calamities.
Priests can marry and have children, and they pass their
knowledge on to their eldest sons. They usually work for a fee
and are sometimes traveling itinerants.Shinto
Shinto priests or elders manage the community-financed shrines
around Japan. The Ise Grand Shrine (Figures 4 and 5) is the
most sacred to the culture for its dedication to Amaterasu (the
female supreme sun goddess) and Toyouke, the harvest goddess.
This most sacred of shrines is rebuilt for preservation purposes
every 20 years.
Fig. 4: The Ise Grand Shrine (Ancient History
Encyclopedia)Fig. 5: The Ise Grand Shrine (Wu’s Blog)
People honor the kami (spirits) at festivals: Some walk in
parades, others impersonate deities, and most people observe
the Japanese New Year’s festival. Also, Sumo (wrestling) is

2. rooted in Shinto nationalistic tradition and kami worship.
3. Indigenous Religion in AfricaDeity Distinction
The formation of religion begins with experience. Indigenous
religions, also known as traditional or primal religions, are
rooted in a supernatural experience with deities, spirits,
ancestors, and nature. Although many tribal peoples worship
numerous spirits, deities, and ancestors, there exists a distinct,
supreme spirit above all others. This Great Spirit (known by
various names) can be male, female, or genderless. The Great
Mother, for example, represents the giver of all life; for this
reason, many tribal communities remain matriarchal as opposed
to patriarchal. The Mother spirit can represent birth, goddess,
and/or earth.
Worship of deities and ancestors varies from group to group and
depends upon the region and historical familial community. A
crucial truth in one group may not be the same in another group.
So, even though you will encounter similarities between
groups—for example, the Great Mother deity—not all of these
groups will worship her in the exact same way(s).Major
Concepts
Many indigenous groups around the globe use the circle as a
symbol for understanding life. For these groups, time is
cyclical, meaning that time is not divided into beginning and
end. Just like time, human life (birth, maturation into
adulthood, death, postdeath), seasons, and celestial movements
of planets are all cyclical phenomena. A relationship with these
cycles and spirits helps keep balance in the universe.
Most indigenous religions understand they are the stewards of
the world around them because their world is the Great Mother.
This type of caretaking implies a close relationship between
people and Mother Earth. In a familial context, all things—
animate (humans, animals) and inanimate (rocks, waterfalls)—
are considered part of the same family.
This kind of kinship helps to define animism, a belief that all

3. things are animated or possess a spirit. Animism requires the
believer to maintain a respectful relationship with all beings, as
these spirits are always working in the world in both negative
and positive ways. Animism is to believe that all things are
alive and indwelled with a spirit.
Engaging with God or spirits in a meaningful and impactful way
is defined as a primal experience and occurs when a person is
connecting with one or more deities or connecting with other
higher or past spirits. This primal experience usually creates a
life-altering experience such as going from nonbelief to belief
or gaining clarity or discernment.
Aspects of relationship with the spirit world include ancestor
worship, attention to natural creation or the cosmos, and
animism. Again, while there are strands of similarities,
indigenous communities tend to follow their own individual
rituals, practices, and ancestor worship.
Ancestors serve as integral parts of indigenous religions. The
dead are viewed like community caretakers; they are not feared
as evil forces, as might be in the case with some religions.
Because of their postdeath roles in the community, ancestors are
not to be forgotten; if they are, these relatives can disrupt the
society in a variety of ways, including causing illness or death
to an individual or afflicting an entire community. For this
reason, the role of the shaman and medicine people as mediators
is crucial to the survival and well-being of the community—
these mystical intermediaries need to know how to communicate
with the ancestors for the community to remain at peace.
A shaman (also known by other names, depending on the group)
mediates between humans and the spirit world. His or her
function in the supernatural relationship is to serve the needs of
the community such as harvests, hunts, and healings. A shaman
is either born into the societal role or, if the individual’s gifts
are recognized, may be chosen for the sacred role.
A medicine person possesses special healing talents and skills.
These practitioners work with the health of the entire person:
physical, psychological, and spiritual. Traditional healers

4. employ a variety of techniques—from herbs and massage to
ceremony and divination—in order to connect with the spirits
and heal the afflicted individual.
These mystical intermediaries possess skills to access different
realities and move between spiritual realms. Spirits can enter
and enliven these intercessors, causing states of spiritual
ecstasy as well as deathlike trances. The end goal is to
ultimately serve the community.Sacred Rituals and Festivals
Indigenous or aboriginal rituals and ceremonial events
encompass an extremely large scope because many groups do
not adhere to the same practices. This course will specifically
focus on three groups: Fon, Yoruba, and Zulu.
Fon
The Fon people of West Africa believe in Mawu (also spelled
Mahu), a female divine creator. Her twin Lisa (a male)
represents the sun, while Mawu represents the moon. Though
there is no permanent site of worship, the Fon people pray to
Mawu/Lisa.
Because this is a matriarchal religion, a Queen Mother presides
over all communal ceremonial events, such as marriages and
funerals.
The Fon practice vodun (spirit), more commonly known as
vodou or voodoo in other parts of the world. Some better-known
ritualist objects used for healing and spiritual growth are spirit-
inhabited objects or talismans (known as fetishes) comprised of
animal or human parts (Figure 3).
Fig. 3: Talisman Amulet Seal Juju Medicine Naija Jaz
(Babalawo Orisha)
Yoruba
Regional neighbors of the Fon and believers of reincarnation of
the familial line, the Yoruba believe in Olorun (Olodumare),
their divine creator with which they will eventually unite
through prayer and transcendence of the Iwa (personal
character). An orisha is a deity possessing a specific attribute of

5. Olorun, the supreme god. Some of the more prominent orisha
include Yemoja, associated with the female protective mother
and nature; Oshun, attributed with beauty and fertility; Shango,
associated with virility and natural elements, like stones and
fire; Eshu, associated with evil and trickery; and Orunmila,
charged with the priesthood of overseeing Ifa, or the source of
knowledge of humanity, illness, and purity.
Yoruba Babalawos (priests) function to assist believers in
developing their Iwa (character) in order to grow spiritually,
ultimately uniting with Olorun. These practitioners may use
palm or kola nuts and cowrie shells as part of the divination
process. The cowrie shell divination process involves invoking
the orisha with any question before casting anywhere from 8 to
21 shells on a mat or the ground. The priest then interprets the
pattern in order to answer the question.
The Yoruba have several festivals; the two that this course will
delve into are the Yoruba Epa Masquerade and Gelede. The
Yoruba Epa Masquerade involves participants wearing carved
masks paying homage to important ancestors in their society.
Masks depict figures from mothers and farmers to kings and
priests. Gelede is an annual festival celebrating ancestral
mothers, female deities, and elderly women in the community.
This ceremony includes men wearing costumes and masks
(Figures 4 and 5), playing music, dancing, and singing in order
to appease and please the mothers so that they use their power
for the positive good of the community.
Fig. 4: H.J. Drewal and M. T. Drewal, Yoruba Gelede Mask,
Nigeria (1977) (University of Iowa)Fig. 5: Larry Dupont,
Gelede Mask (Omo Kerin)
Zulu
The Zulu, or “the people/children of the heavens,” comprise 10
million believers, the largest tribal group in South Africa. Like
the West African Fon and Yoruba, the Zulu practice ancestor
worship. The Zulu believe in unKulunkulu, the first man or
possibly the creator god. Their worship includes animal

6. sacrifices as well as drink offerings, particularly homemade
beer. In return, the ancestor helps guide or bless the person who
made the offer. Ancestors are known to manifest during times of
illness or even in animal forms, such as snakes. If evil spirits
cause problems in the community, the healer, known as a
sangoma, will communicate with the ancestors using prayer or
magic to remedy the issue.
Traditionally, the Zulu were buried, and this act is very
significant to the Zulu. If incorrectly buried, the spirits of Zulu
individuals may wander. The burial process for some regional
peoples includes animal sacrifice and supplementing the burial
with personal effects for the journey.
1. Sacred Rituals and Ceremonies
Land is a focal point for tribal communities, and indigenous
religions view the land and other natural surroundings, such as
flora, fauna, rock formations, and water elements, as family and
powerful entities. Indigenous people believe certain sites are
both sacred and spiritually energized. For this reason, these
spaces are used for ceremonial dancing, ritualistic worship and
sacrifice, theophanic experiences, and spiritual healing.
In addition to the land, certain objects carry spiritual weight.
Objects such as talismans, pipes, ceremonial garments, and
masks are passed down through familial lines, and with each
generation, they can gain more powerful spiritual significance.
For traditional religions, the role of the storyteller is crucial to
tribal identity. Because most indigenous groups adhere to oral
tradition, they do not write down their sacred stories, medicinal
practices, and tenets. Instead, storytellers are charged with the
role of memorizing a variety of stories: creation stories, familial
histories, songs, chants, prayers, historical events, and social or
community mores.
With time, some tribal communities have preserved their stories
through technological means: video and audio recordings,
grammars for languages, yearly celebrations, and cultural
exhibits open to the public.

7. For specific rituals and ceremonies, you will look at the Sioux
nation, Australian Aborigines, and Torres Strait Islanders—
three of the most researched and written about indigenous
communities.Sioux
The Sioux (Little Snakes) nation is comprised of 13 political
subdivisions within 7 tribes:
· Mdewakanton
· Sisseton
· Teton
· Wahpekute
· Wahpeton
· Yankton
· Yanktonai.
These tribes reside in areas in the United States Great Plains
and southern Canada and, depending on the pronunciation, are
known as Nakota, Dakota, or Lakota.
Historically, the buffalo was a central focus for the Sioux, and
the sacred animal provided the Sioux people with much of their
needs for physical and spiritual survival, including food,
clothing, and tools. When colonization occurred, the buffalo
became nearly exterminated from the region, and the nomadic
Sioux could no longer rely on the animal, detrimentally
affecting their survival as a people.
The buffalo is so deeply respected that White Buffalo Calf
Woman is the great mother spirit of the Sioux people. Her pipe
that she gave the people symbolizes Sioux unity.
The Sioux nation also believes in the Great Spirit, known as
Wakan Tanka. In order to keep cosmic relational balance with
Wakan Tanka, ritualistic practices such as the vision quest,
sweat lodge, and dances are regularly conducted. A vision quest
requires a person to seek and return with a vision that will
benefit the community. Wiwanke Wachipi (otherwise known as
the Sun Dance) served as an integral part of Siouxan religion
and is still practiced today in some communities. The blessings
and prayers made while dancers dance benefit the entire
community. The self-sacrificial dancer can dance up to four

8. days without food or water. The dancer stares at the sun, slowly
moving with the sun. The lack of food and water is
supplemented with piercing the chest or back in order to insert a
stick that tethers the dancer with a long rope, leather strap, or
piece of cloth to a center pole or tree. During the dance, and the
subsequent tearing away from the tree, spiritual ecstasy replaces
physical suffering.Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait
Islanders
The Australian Aboriginal teachings have largely been private
to their communities for centuries in reaction to colonization.
However, the teachings about Dreamtime and their relationship
with the land and sea have recently come to life. The Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander religion is tied to the
Dreamtime—time encompassing past, present, and future. These
groups credit ancestral spirits with creating humans, natural
life, and specific sacred worship sites. Some tribal communities
believe the ancestors were spirit animals such as snakes.
Some northern Australian Aboriginal groups consider Uluru
(Ayers Rock), depicted in Figure 1, as an extremely sacred
place, as it holds many cave paintings (Figure 2) by their
ancestors. Australian rock art is important to Aboriginals
because it provides evidence of their existence for thousands of
years, and it depicts their attachment to the spirit and animal
world.
Fig. 1: Uluru (Parks Australia)
Fig. 2: Uluru Cave Paintings
In addition to nature, cultural heritage is equally important to
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes. The
Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival began in the 1980s and brings
approximately 20 tribal communities from all over the Cape of
Australia to celebrate their cultural heritage. Events include
dance, song, music, and other events. Dance is a form of
storytelling and identity for all indigenous people. Watch Video
1 to learn more about the importance of the Aboriginal dance
that takes place at the Laura Festival.

9. Student’s Last Name 2
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
PHIL 202 OL
Due Date
Working Title
Goal: Discuss the views on ancestors in African Indigenous
religion, Daoism, and Hinduism.
Project A Outline (Point-by-Point Model)
I. Introduction
Working Thesis: Though ancestors play an important role in
African Indigenous religion, Daoism, and Hinduism, these
religions view them in unique ways.
a. Ideas for engaging the audience.
b. Citation from one scholarly article on general religious views
on ancestors.
II. Body: Paragraph 1) African Indigenous religion
a. State one way in which African Indigenous believers view
their ancestors.
b. Expound on this idea, including any relevant background
information.
c. Cite a quote from the text to reinforce your claim put forth in
the topic sentence.
d. Your analysis regarding African Indigenous ancestral
practice or concept discussed in the topic sentence.

10. III. Body: Paragraph 2) Daoism
a. State one way in which Daoism regards its ancestors.
b. Expound on this idea, including any relevant background
information.
c. Cite a quote from the text to reinforce your claim put forth in
the topic sentence.
d. Your analysis regarding Daoist ancestral practice or concept
discussed in the topic sentence.
IV. Body: Paragraph 3) Hinduism
a. State one way in which Hinduism sees its ancestors.
b. Expound on this idea, including any relevant background
information.
c. Cite a quote from the text to reinforce your claim put forth in
the topic sentence.
d. Your analysis regarding Hindu ancestral practice or concept
discussed in the topic sentence.
V. Conclusion
a. Discuss importance to the overall theme of ancestors here.
b. Make conclusive comments regarding why these religions are
notably different and worthy of individualized attention.
Works Cited
List sources alphabetically. Use MLA 8 for correct formatting.