Yoruba gods protect ailing Fidel Castro from witchcraft and want to see him continue leading Cuba, the first priest of the Santeria religion to be elected to parliament said on Monday. africaresource.com/ Rasta, Vodou & Santeria - about.com Akua'ba, Veve, Eleggua, Legba, Agwe, Chiwara, Riscados, Gya Name, Lion of Judah, Rasta, Ethiopian Cross. altreligion.about.com/ Students will learn how symbols are used in some societies to influence spirts and to protect rooms. calacademy.org/exhibits/africa/discover/classroom/9.htm Call to Action Quilting Project - African Symbols Adinkra symbols were first used as decorative elements in one of the most highly valued, hand-printed and hand-embroidered cloths of West Africa. calltoactionquilt.org/ For the Luba, the three circles represent the Supreme Being, the Sun and the Moon. This combination of circles symbolizes the unfailing continuity of life. civilization.ca/cultur/tervuren/tera04e.html African Symbols and Proverbs as a Source of Knowledge and Truth All over Africa, visual images and ordinary objects are used symbolically to communicate knowledge, feelings and values. As symbols play such an important role in the African conception of reality, a sound understanding of African patterns of thought and feeling requires an appreciation of the nature and function of symbolism as a medium of communication in African culture. crvp.org/book/ Most African art serves a practical purpose. For kings, even the smallest piece of jewelry helps secure their honored positions by publicly demonstrating royal wealth. dia.org/collections/aonwc/africanart/symbolsofroyalpower.html Symbols of South Africa SA Flag, National Anthem, National Orders, Coat of Arms, National Tree, National Bird, National Fish, National Flower, National Animal. info.gov.za/faq/symbols.htm African Writing Systems Writing Systems are components of knowledge systems. By definition, they are philosophical because they assist in synthesizing ideas, thoughts, and deeds through the use of signs, symbols or other pictorial renderings. library.cornell.edu/ The art of a particular culture can reveal ever changing human images and attitudes, so awareness of a people's indigenous art, visual and cultural symbols can become an important medium for cross-cultural understanding. The asafo is a political-military institution of the Akan. Even though its social and political functions have been well documented, the expressive and aesthetic culture of the Asafo institution has received limited scholarly attention. Some of the symbols Akan use to incorporate their political beliefs include adinkra cloth symbols such as denkyem funafu, aban, kurontire ne akwamu, ohene tuo, adwo, tumi te se kosua, asase, and adwa. marshall.edu/akanart/akanartintro2.html Designed to help young people devlop an appreciation and respect for Africa - its diversity, its wealth in peoples and cultures, and its rich history. nhm.org/africa/ Information about textile traditions in Africa, including patterns, symbols, motifs, designs, and weaving, among others. quiltethnic.com/textiles.html African Art Links to galleries. tribal-explorer.com/ An illustrated guide to the African symbols called Adinkra used in Ghana, West Africa, with an adinkra index and high-quality adinkra images. welltempered.net/adinkra/ University of Wisconsin: Africology There are hundreds of "Lwa" (Haitian deities) who hail from West and Central Africa. They are spirits that inhabit the cosmos; they are cosmic, energetic forces representing or represented by natural forces, emotions or values that are important to the Haitian people. www4.uwm.edu/letsci/ |