Nganga
Encyclopedia
Nganga is a Bantu
term for herbalist or spiritual healer
in many African societies and also in many societies of the African diaspora
such as those in Haiti
, Brazil
and Cuba
.
In Haiti, the term for voodoo high priest, Houngan
, is derived from the word nganga.
In Cuba, the term nganga refers to a certain creation made with an iron pot into which several items are placed. It also refers to the spirit of the dead that resides there.
In South Africa
, the nganga has a medicinal role, in contrast to the sangoma
, who deals with the spirits. In Swahili
, mganga refers to a qualified physician or traditional healer.
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
term for herbalist or spiritual healer
Faith healing
Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...
in many African societies and also in many societies of the African diaspora
African diaspora
The African diaspora was the movement of Africans and their descendants to places throughout the world—predominantly to the Americas also to Europe, the Middle East and other places around the globe...
such as those in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
In Haiti, the term for voodoo high priest, Houngan
Houngan
Houngan is the term for a male priest in the voodoo religion in Haiti . The term is derived from the Fon word "hùn gan". There are two ranks of houngan, houngan asogwe and houngan sur pwen...
, is derived from the word nganga.
In Cuba, the term nganga refers to a certain creation made with an iron pot into which several items are placed. It also refers to the spirit of the dead that resides there.
In South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the nganga has a medicinal role, in contrast to the sangoma
Sangoma
A sangoma is a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling in traditional Nguni societies of Southern Africa .The philosophy is based on a belief in ancestral spirits...
, who deals with the spirits. In Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
, mganga refers to a qualified physician or traditional healer.
See also
- African traditional religions
- InyangaInyangaInyanga is a Zulu word for a traditional herbal healer.An inyanga is a traditional South African herbalist, herb doctor, or medicine man or woman. The Southern African word inyanga is related to the Central African nganga, meaning a priest and medicine man...
- N'angaN'angaAmong the Shona people of Zimbabwe, a n'anga is a traditional healer who uses a combination of herbs, medical/religious advice and spiritual guidance to heal people...
- QuimbandaQuimbandaQuimbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion practiced primarily in the urban city centers of Brazil. Quimbanda practices are typically associated with magic, rituals involving animal sacrifice and marginal locations, orishas, exus, and pomba gira spirits. Quimbanda was originally contained under the...
- WitchdoctorWitchdoctorErin Johnson, better known as Witchdoctor, is an established member of Atlanta’s Dungeon Family collective which includes members such as Goodie Mob, OutKast, Cee-Lo , Big Rube, & many others...
External links
- Nganga Kiyangala Congo religion in Cuba
- African Intellectual Heritage: A Book of Sources By Molefi K. Asante, Abu Shardow Abarry ISBN 1566394031
- THE STORY OF ZOMBI IN HAITI
- The African Religions of Brazil: Toward a Sociology of the Interpenetration By Roger Bastide ISBN 0801886244
- An Anthology of Kongo Religion