African Funeral Ceremonies: Asante and Akan Beliefs
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is NOT a belief held by the Asante and Akan people according to the text?

  • The daughter transmits the Mogyɑ (blood) to her children.
  • The NtorↃ is a male-transmitted element received from the mother. (correct)
  • The NtorↃ assigns every Akan to an NtorↃ group, forming a patrilineal exogamous division.
  • The Mogyɑ gives every Asante or Akan their lineage (Abusua).

    • What is the role of the Ↄkra according to Asante and Akan belief as described in the text?

  • Transmitting spiritual elements to the next generation.
  • Guiding a person's spirit and determining their destiny in life. (correct)
  • Determining a person's lineage (Abusua).
  • Performing certain rituals and observing totemic taboos.

    • What is the significance of the Mogyɑ in Asante and Akan culture based on the text?

  • It slowly leaves a person on the verge of death until their last breath.
  • It determines a person's lineage (Abusua) and right to inheritance. (correct)
  • It enters the spirit world from where it would be incarnated into another life.
  • It assigns every Akan to an NtorↃ group.

    • What is the relationship between the NtorↃ and the Mogyɑ in Asante and Akan belief as described in the text?

    <p>The NtorↃ determines a person's status and identity, while the Mogyɑ gives every Asante or Akan their lineage (Abusua).</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to a person's Ↄkra when they are on the verge of death, based on Asante and Akan belief as described in the text?

    <p>It slowly leaves them until they take their last breath.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Sunsum in the Asante belief system?

    <p>It controls a person's morality and protects them against misfortune.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the Asante belief system, what does the Sasa refer to?

    <p>The individual power of a person's ghost.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the rite of giving water to a dying relative in Asante culture?

    <p>To reveal if someone has cut short the dying person's life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of forbidding wailing immediately after death in Asante mortuary rites?

    <p>To preserve the deceased's ability to hear when addressed later.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do maternal and paternal kin play in Asante mortuary rites?

    <p>They perform different rituals for bathing the body.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the Asante and Akan belief as described in the text, what is the significance of the Sunsum?

    <p>It influences a person for good or for bad</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the Sasa in the Asante and Akan culture based on the text?

    <p>It may disturb a person's mind and make them suffer in diverse ways by means of its spell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of forbidding wailing immediately after death in Asante mortuary rites?

    <p>It is believed to deafen the dead person such that they would not hear when they are addressed later</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Asante and Akan belief as described in the text, what happens to a person's Ↄkra when they are on the verge of death?

    <p>It leaves the person and returns to the spirit world</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Mogyɑ in Asante and Akan culture based on the text?

    <p>It represents a constant circulation of beings between the physical and spirit worlds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the NtorↃ in Asante and Akan belief as described in the text?

    <p>It assigns every Akan to an NtorↃ group, leading to totemic taboos and practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Sunsum in Asante and Akan beliefs according to the text?

    <p>It is the guiding spirit of a person and determines their destiny in life</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to a person's Mogyɑ when they are on the verge of death, based on Asante and Akan belief as described in the text?

    <p>It leaves slowly until the person takes their last breath</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the Ↄkra in Asante and Akan belief as described in the text?

    <p>It slowly leaves a person on the verge of death, entering the spirit world to be reincarnated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Mo̱gyɑ in Asante and Akan culture based on the text?

    <p>It gives every Asante or Akan their lineage, status, and right to inheritance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Beliefs of the Asante and Akan People

    • Include beliefs regarding the soul and spiritual entities that guide daily life.
    • Reject mechanistic views of existence, emphasizing interconnectedness of spiritual and physical realms.

    Role of the Ↄkra

    • Represents the individual's life force or spirit.
    • Guides the person’s destiny and is essential for well-being and moral behavior.

    Significance of the Mogyɑ

    • Acts as a key ancestral spirit that influences family lineage and heritage.
    • Protects and grants blessings to family members, ensuring continuity of traditions.

    Relationship Between NtorↃ and Mogyɑ

    • NtorↃ symbolizes the collective spirit of the deceased ancestors.
    • Mogyɑ works in conjunction with NtorↃ to ensure spiritual guidance and protection for the living.

    Ↄkra at Death

    • As death approaches, the Ↄkra is believed to detach from the body.
    • This detachment signifies transition and prepares the individual for the afterlife.

    Significance of the Sunsum

    • Represents an individual's inner spirit and character.
    • Essential for personal identity, influencing relationships and social standing.

    Role of the Sasa

    • Refers to the transitory life force associated with temporal changes and experiences.
    • Important in rituals, marking changes in life stages and the connection to the spiritual world.

    Rite of Giving Water to a Dying Relative

    • Serves as a final act of care and compassion.
    • Symbolizes the transition of the spirit from life to the afterlife, and the continuation of familial bonds.

    Forbidding Wailing After Death

    • Wailing is seen as disruptive to the spirit's peaceful transition.
    • Encourages a calm environment to honor the deceased, allowing for their proper journey.

    Role of Kin in Mortuary Rites

    • Maternal and paternal kin play critical roles in overseeing and participating in funerary practices.
    • Emphasizes the importance of family unity and support during mourning.

    Significance of Sunsum in Asante Beliefs

    • Integral to understanding individual purpose and interactions with others.
    • Impacts how one relates to both the living and ancestral spirits.

    Mogyɑ at the Verge of Death

    • Mogyɑ may enter a state of vulnerability as the individual nears death.
    • Reflects the closeness to ancestral realms and potential blessings or protection from the living.

    Role of NtorↃ

    • Represents the community of ancestors that guide and protect the living.
    • Interacts with both Ↄkra and Mogyɑ to maintain spiritual balance for families.

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    Description

    Explore the Asante conception of human personality and the elements of male-transmitted spirit (NtorↃ) and female-transmitted blood (Mogya) in African funeral rites and ceremonies. Understand how these beliefs shape funeral traditions in the Asante and Akan cultures.

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