The Herero people of Namibia - once called South West Africa.
Note their bright striking dress code. The Herero women's dress is derive
d from the Victorian era. German missionaries encouraged the women to wear clothes according to the fashion in Europe at the time.
d from the Victorian era. German missionaries encouraged the women to wear clothes according to the fashion in Europe at the time.The traditional religion is a form of ancestor worship, but many Herero mix it with forms of Christianity. There are many opportunities to witness for Jesus Christ in Namibia, but the Herero must be challenged about their superstitions and fears.
The majority of the Herero call themselves Christians. But the Herero church, the Oruuano, combines Christian dogma with ancestor worship and magical practices. For example, the Herero have a holy, ritual fire that symbolizes life, prosperity, and fertility to them. They believe in a Supreme Being, called "Omukuru", or the Great One. This is similar to the Zulu people who call God "Umkulukulu" which means the Great-Great One.
Trevor
ReplyDeleteThis is a good example of worship and culture - the blurring of the lines between what is perceived as Christsian and what is cultural make this very difficult to decide. The Catholic Church in various parts of the world is expressed in similar ways eg in the Philippines there is the syncretisic church (spanish name) that marries animism with Christianity. Even the "Church of the Black Nazarene" in Quiapo is a mix of superstition and Christianity as people queue for hours to touch and kiss the feet of a black statue of Christ in the foyer of the church.However, before we are too critical of others - I wonder what we bring over from our various cultures into our worship experience that is counter Scriptural??