Religion in Africa- Explore how the Lemba cult of the Congo conforms Essay

Religion in Africa- Explore how the Lemba cult of the Congo conforms to the understanding of an ngoma-type cult of affliction - Essay Example Westwards, the rapids on the Zaire River required the trade to the coast to follow the routes on the land. For three centuries, all trade used the same inland routes. The Lemba controlled the trade on the north bank (Janzen, 1982). They kept the routes open and regulated the local markets (Janzen, 1982). In addition, they ensured that the rapid international trade did not destroy their local communities. The Lemba cult of the Congo conforms to the an ngoma type cult of affliction. By the mid-eighteenth century, a total of fifteen thousand slaves were shipped annually from the parts of Malemba, Cabinda and Loango (Janzen, 1982). The slaves were drawn from the inland societies which viewed trade as disruptive despite its economic advantages. The conflicts of interest between the social order and trade explain somewhat why the Lemba, a word meaning â€Å"to calm† (lembikisa) became associated with therapeutic affiliations- a â€Å"drum of affliction† (nkonko or ngoma) (Janzen, 1992). The Lemba’s illnesses are described in a variety of ways. For example, possession by Lemba’s ancestors, which is common in the drums as a mode of affliction to any illness affecting the heart, head, sides and abdomen, that is, the vital organs ofa human body, a typicalmiraculous recovery from a deadly illness, typical witchcraft symptoms and difficulty in breathing to mention but a few (Akombo, 2003). The erratic list of Lemba symptoms, however, tells little about it than it does the identification of the individuals who were afflicted in the Lemba community (Awanbor, 1982). Normally, it was the religion’s elite, chiefs, prominent healers, judges and especially the individuals engaged in mercantile work (Comaroff & Comaroff, 1993). The ability of such persons to harness success in commerce, as wellas their aspiration to wealth, is what made them vulnerable to the envy and evil thoughts by their kinsmen and thus in some sense marginal in the society and