Divination As A Moral Compass And Physical Imagery Of God In African Traditional Religion
Elizabeth Akpanke Odey, Peter Akpo Adams, Osmond Agbor Otora, Louis Ajom Edet, Akak Ekanem Etim, Emmanuel E. Etta, James Ajang Aboh, Ikike I. Ufford, Columba Apeh, Godwin Michael Effiom, Essien Udoaka Edem, Alex Abang Ebu, E. E. Alobo, Miebaka Nabiebu, Gabriel Etim-Ben Inyang
Architecture Image Studies January 6, 2026 DOI: 10.62754/ais.v7i1.851 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Divination Indigenous Ethnography Traditional knowledge Relevance law Igbo Epistemology Environmental ethics Aesthetics Anthropology of religion Belief system African philosophy |
| Key findings | Divination rituals are rites of passage that help individuals through personal crises and self-discovery, and diviners mediate conflicts to promote community harmony. |
Abstract
Divination is a pivotal aspect of African Traditional Religion (ATR). In African indigenous cosmologies and spiritual systems, divination is the means through which the Divine to speak with humans, offering insight, guidance, and solutions to community and individual. This communicative role is what is referred to as prophetic role of divination. Divination also performs diagnostic and therapeutic role, aiming to identify the hidden causes of tragedies, illnesses, and social strife and proposing solutions. Oracles, spirit possession, and symbolic items help diviners communicate with the spiritual world. Divination is examined as a religious activity, epistemic framework, and moral compass in African world view. It emphasizes its responsibilities in justice, leadership, health, and ethics, highlighting its relevance in current African spiritual life and its similarities to prophetic traditions in global religion. This research adapts a qualitative methodology, using ethnographic fieldwork, practitioner and community interviews, and historical text analysis for its data analysis. Kleinhempel's African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS) and Mezirow's Transformational Theory underpin this work. These theories suggest that divination as a cultural epistemology bridges the spiritual and physical. Findings reveals that divination rituals are rites of passage, helping people through personal crises and self-discovery. Diviners also mediate conflicts and promote community harmony. The study recommends that diviners and modern medicine should collaborate to provide holistic care.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Plantas con madre": plants that teach and guide in the shamanic initiation process in the East-Central Peruvian Amazon. Curanderos, apprentices, and herbalists in East-Central Peru, including Mestizo,... | 2011 | Qualitative study | n = 36 |
| Purging and the body in the therapeutic use of ayahuasca Healers and participants in shamanic tourism contexts of the Peruvian Amazon and... | 2019 | Ethnography with literature review | n = 227 |
| The Globalization of Ayahuasca Shamanism and the Erasure of Indigenous Shamanism Western tourists and indigenous peoples in Iquitos, Peru | 2016 | Ethnography | |
| Shamanism and Rock Art in Far Western North America Historic hunter-gatherer cultures of California and the Great Basin | 1992 | Ethnographic review and analysis | |
| Working with “La Medicina”: Elements of Healing in Contemporary Ayahuasca Rituals Ayahuasqueros and Western participants in shamanic tourism in Iquitos, Peru | 2012 | Ethnography |