Bir Ritüel Unsuru Olarak Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri’nde Müzik ve Dans

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 243 - 265, 30.06.2025

Bayram Akbulut

https://doi.org/10.47424/tasavvur.1656469

Abstract

Afrika kıtası, çok sayıda din, dil, kültür ve etnik grubu barındıran bü-yük bir çeşitlilik sunmaktadır. Bu çeşitlilik, müzik ve dans alanında da ken-dini göstermektedir. Müzik ve dans doğum, düğün, cenaze, hasat, savaş, ibadet ve festival gibi birçok sosyal ve dini etkinlikte merkezi bir role sahip-tir. Müzik ve dans, bireylerin ve toplumların duygularını, inançlarını ve kimliklerini ifade etmesinin yanı sıra, iletişim ve şifa gibi işlevlere de sahiptir. Afrika’da müzik ve dans, özellikle dini ritüellerde ruhlarla ve tanrılarla ileti-şim kurmak için kullanılan temel araçlardan biridir. Ata ruhlarına saygı gös-terme, ibadet etme ve manevi arınma süreçlerinde önemli bir rol oynamak-tadır. Ayrıca şifa ritüellerinde, toplumsal dayanışmada ve bireylerin manevi gelişimlerinde etkili bir yöntem olarak kullanılmaktadır. Bu açıdan müzik ve dans, Afrika toplumlarında sadece bir eğlence unsuru değil, aynı zamanda yaşamın ve inancın ayrılmaz bir parçasıdır. Çalışmanın amacı, Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri’nde müzik ve dansın ritüel unsuru olarak oynadığı merkezi rolü ortaya çıkarmaktır. Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri’nde müzik ve dansın dini ritüellerde, toplumsal bütünleşmede ve ruhsal iletişimde mühim bir rol oy-nadığını ortaya koyarak kültürel mirasın anlaşılmasına katkı sağlaması bu araştırmayı önemli hale getirmektedir. Araştırma, Afrika müziği ve dansının ne olduğu, karakteristik yapısı ve Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri’nde müzik ve dansın dini yönü ve fonksiyonu ile sınırlandırılmıştır. Çalışma, Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri’nde müzik ve dansın yalnızca estetik bir sanat formu değil, aynı zamanda toplumsal dayanışmayı güçlendiren, dini ritüellerde kutsal ile iletişimi sağlayan, bireysel ve kolektif kimliği pekiştiren ve hatta şifa uygu-lamalarında kullanılan çok yönlü bir ifade biçimi olduğu sonuçlarına ulaş-mıştır.

Keywords

Dinler Tarihi , Afrika , Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri , Müzik , Dans.

Music and Dance as a Ritual Element in Traditional African Religions

Abstract

The African continent offers a great diversity of religions, languages, cultu-res and ethnic groups. This diversity manifests itself in the field of music and dance. In Africa, music and dance have a fundamental place in many social and religious events such as birth, weddings, funerals, harvests, wars, worship and festivals. In addition to expressing the feelings, beliefs and identities of individuals and societies; music and dance also have functions such as communication and healing. In Africa, they are one of the main to-ols used to communicate with spirits and gods, especially in religious rituals. They play an essential role in honoring ancestral spirits, worship and spiri-tual purification. They are also used as an effective method in healing ritu-als, social solidarity and spiritual development of individuals. In this respect, music and dance are not only an entertainment element in African societies but also an integral part of life and faith. The study aims to reveal the cent-ral role of music and dance as a ritual element in African Traditional Religi-ons. This research is important because it contributes to understanding cul-tural heritage by revealing that music and dance play a significant role in religious rituals, social integration and spiritual communication in African Traditional Religions. This study focuses on defining African music and dance, examining their structural characteristics, and exploring their religi-ous aspects and functions within African Traditional Religions.The study concluded that music and dance in African Traditional Religions are not only an aesthetic art form but also a versatile form of expression that strengthens social solidarity, enables communication with the sacred in reli-gious rituals, reinforces individual and collective identity, and are even used in healing practices.

Keywords

History of Religions , Africa , African Traditional Religions , Music , Dance.

References

• Adegbite, Adesina. “The Impact of African Traditional Dance: Orósùn Example.” Journal Media and Communication Studies 2/6 (2010), 133–137.
• Akbulut, Bayram. “Afrika Hıristiyanlığının Ayırıcı Özelliği Olarak Şifa Bağışı.” Uludağ Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 31/2 (2022), 443–461. https://doi.org/10.51447/uluifd.1063469
• Arslan, Hammet. “Afrika Topluluklarında Tabiat Kültü ve Tabii Unsurlara Atfedilen Güçler.” Bartın Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi 4/8 (2017), 2–16.
• Arslan, Hammet. “‘Geleneksel Afrika Dini’nde Tanrı Tasavvuru.” Bartın Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi 2/4 (2015), 7–26.
• Arslan, Hammet. “Krallar, Şefler ve Bilgeler: Afrika Topluluklarında Önemli Şahsiyetler.” İlahiyat Alanında Araştırma Makaleleri. ed. Nurullah Agitoğlu - Mehmet Sait Uzundağ. 102–129. Ankara: Gece Akademi, 2019.
• Bebey, Francis. African Music: A People’s Art. African Arts. New York: Lawrence Hill Books, 1975. https://doi.org/10.2307/3335127
• Chernoff, John Miller. African Rhythm and African Sensibility: Aesthetics and Social Action in African Musical Idioms. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1981. https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v6i3.1173
• Chikowero, Mhoze. African Music, Power, and Being in Colonial Zimbabwe. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2015. https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v10i2.2045
• Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. London, 1789. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139583657
• Green, Doris. “The Creation of Traditional African Dance / Music Integrated Scores.” Journal of Movement Arts Literacy 4/1 (2018), 1–14.
• Green, Doris. “Traditional Dance in Africa.” African Dance: An Artistic, Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. ed. Kariamu Welsh. Trenton: Africa World Press, 1998. https://doi.org/10.2307/1161262
• Gregory, Andrew H. “The Roles of Music in Society: The Ethnomusicological Perspective.” The Social Psychology of Music. ed. David J. Hargreaves - Adrian C. North. 123–140. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198523840.003.0007
• Gyekye, Kwame. African Cultural Values. New York: Sankofa Publisher, 1996.
• Hammet ARSLAN. “Afrika Topluluklarında Atalar Kültünün Önemi ve İşlevi.” Bartın Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi 3/6 (2016), 7–27.
• Idanreland, “Idanre People (Makanres)” (Erişim 06.12.2024). https://idanreland.com/idanre-people- makanres/
• James, Christopher. “Melodic and Rhythmic Aspects of Indigenous African Music.” Folklore Studies 3/ (1992), 15–28.
• Jones, A. M. “African Music.” African Affairs 48/193 (1949), 290–297. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a093756
• Kidula, Jean Ngoya. “Music Culture: African Life.” Music in the Life of the African Church. ed. Roberto R. King et al. 37–57. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1163/157006610x497563
• Locke, David. “Improvisation in West African Musics.” Music Educators Journal 66/5 (1980), 125–133. https://doi.org/10.2307/3395790
• Manganyi, Jele S. - Buitendag, Johan. “A Critical Analysis on African Traditional Religion and the Trinity.” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 69/1 (2013), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v69i1.1934
• Mapaya, Madimabe Geoff. “The Study of Indigenous African Music and Lessons from Ordinary Language Philosophy.” Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences 5/20 (2014), 2007–2014. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p2007
• Mbaegbu, Celestine Chukwuemeka. “The Effective Power of Music in Africa.” Open Journal of Philosophy 05/03 (2015), 176–183. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpp.2015.53021
• Mbiti, John. African Religions and Philosophy. New York: Anchor Books, 1970.
• Mbiti, John. Introduction to African Religion. London: Heinemann, 1975.
• Merriam, Alan P. “Characteristics of African Music.” Journal of the International Folk Music Council 11/ (1959), 13–19. https://doi.org/10.2307/834848
• Monteiro, Nicole - Wall, Diana. “African Dance as Healing Modality Throughout the Diaspora: The Use of Ritual and Movement to Work Through Trauma.” Journal of Pan African Studies 4/6 (2011), 234–253. http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol4no6/4.6-13AfricanDance.pdf
• Munyaradzi, Givewell - Zimidzi, Webster. “Comparison of Western Music and African Music.” Creative Education 3/2 (2012), 193–195. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2012.32030
• Ndubisi, Ejikemeuwa - Kanu, Ikechukwu Anthony. “The Value of African Music: The Past, the Present and the Future.” Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies 3/ (2022), 20–36.
• Nnamani, Nnamani Sunday. “The Role of Folk Music in Traditional African Society: The Igbo Experience.” Journal of Modern Education Review 4/4 (2014), 304–310. https://doi.org/10.15341/jmer(2155- 7993)/04.04.2014/008
• Nwafor, Ofobuike. “The Development of Indigenous African Dance: A Paradigmatic Appraisal of Nkpokiti of Umunze.” Creative Artist: A Journal of Theatre and Media Studies 7/1 (2013), 179–196.
• Oikelome, Albert. “The Music of the Dance: A Study of Music and Dance in African Culture.” Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) 13/ (2019), 185–202.
• Ojuade, Jeleel Olasunkanmi. “The Nigerian Dance and the National Question.” Nigerian Theatre Journal 7/2 (2004), 236–247.
• Otto, Karolyi. Traditional African and Oriental Music. London: Penguin, 1998.
• Primus, Pearl. “African Dance.” African Dance: An Artistic, Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. ed. Kariamu Welsh. 3–13. Trenton: Africa World Press, 1998. https://doi.org/10.2307/1161262
• Britannica, “Shilluk People”, (Erişim 20.01.2025). https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shilluk
• Sowande, Fela. “African Music.” Journal of the International African Institute 14/6 (1944), 340–342. https://doi.org/10.2307/1156558
• Tume, Oluwatosin Kooshima. “Music and Dance as Emotions of Bridal Processions: An Assessment of the Obitun Performance of the Ijumu People of Kogi State.” Gender Politics: Women Writings and Film in Northern Nigeria. ed. Ahmed Yerima. 165–180. İbadan: Kraft Books Limited, 2012.
• Wakaba, Philip Ndungu. Preserving Traditional Agikuyu Music: The Development of a Comprehensive Teaching Guide. Ball State University, 2009.
• Ward, W. E. “Music of the Gold Coast.” The Musical Times 73/ (1932), 797–799. https://doi.org/10.2307/919789
• Welsh, Kariamu. African Dance. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004.
• Wilmore, Gayraud. “Historical Perspective.” The Cambridge Companion to Black Theology. ed. Dwight Hopkins - Edward Antonio. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1017/ccol9780521879866.003
• Younge, Paschal Yao. Enhancing Global Understanding Through Traditional African Music and Dance: A Multicultural African Music Curriculum for American Middle Schools. West Virginia University, 1998.