Book
An outline of Dahomean religious belief
The American Anthropological Association • (41) • Published In 1933 • Pages: 77
By: Herskovits, Melville J. (Melville Jean), Herskovits, Frances S. (Frances Shapiro).
Abstract
A collaborative work of Herskovits and Herskovits, this book systematically outlines the many dimensions of Dahomean religious beliefs. Combining information from existing accounts and original fieldwork, the authors describe Dahomey religion as a complex system consisting of a several gods, ancestral cults, personal spirits and magical powers. Relations among these powers are viewed as though hierarchical. Yet Dohomean did not worship to a universal God. Instead, each god was historically associated as the God of a specific community and/or locality. The authors argue that variations in degree of attachment and worship forms occurred only in the later years mainly due to population migration across different sections of the kingdom.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2016
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Western Africa
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Teferi Abate Adem ; 2014
- Field Date
- 1931
- Coverage Date
- 1863-1931
- Coverage Place
- southern Benin (Dahomey)
- Notes
- By Melville J. Herskovits and Frances S. Herskovits
- LCCN
- 34005259
- LCSH
- Fon (African people)
- Ethnology--Benin
- Benin--Religion