Yearning For African Yoruba Gods : Transformation of "anti-White/Christian" Ideology in the Yoruba American Socio-Religious Movement

  • KOIKE Ikuko
    京都大学大学院人間・環境学研究科博士後期課程

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Other Title
  • アフリカの神を求めて : ヨルバ・アメリカ人の宗教社会運動における「反白人・反キリスト教」主義の変容
  • アフリカ ノ カミ オ モトメテ ヨルバ アメリカジン ノ シュウキョウ シャカイ ウンドウ ニ オケル ハン ハクジン ハン キリストキョウ シュギ ノ ヘンヨウ

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is, through the historical study of the Yoruba American socio-religious movement, to analyze the transformation of their movement's form and their relationship to "Africa." This article, then, presents how "anti-White/Christian" ideology, once defined as a critical basis for Yoruba American campaign, has been changed. "Yoruba Americans" are defined as African Americans worshipping Orisa (African Yoruba gods) and practicing Yoruba culture and religion. African Americans have organized a variety of social campaigns in order to improve their low status in society A series of these social campaigns intended to mitigate racial discrimination while bringing revolutionary changes to the United States of America where racism, or biological determinism, has been reproduced and reinforced as a socio-political system. Seeking for their own identity and position in the U.S. society, Yoruba Americans trace their ancestral origin back to Yorubaland in West Africa, identify themselves as Yoruba, and worship Orisa. This paper suggests the following: (1) the Yoruba American socio-religious movement no longer employs the collective resistance form, or "anti-White/Christian" ideology, in contrast to when it was formed in the 1960's. Due to this transformation Yoruba American campaign could free its devotees from the dichotomy choices between "to be oppressors or to remain oppressed" in the U.S., and inclines to have more and more Orisa worshippers involved in regardless of their "race" and religion. With circumstantial and methodological flexibility Yoruba Americans succeed in sustaining their hard crusade for freedom and right over the years. (2) Since 1995 the Yoruba American movement has a tendency to construct a mutual relationship with "Africa" through a face-to-face dialogue. This interactive correlation, however, is supposed to be different from (neo) colonialist relations, which have been built through many earlier campaigns by African Americans. The only imaginary/creative object without voice was "Africa" for African Americans in the past. African Americans with subjectivity, on the other hand, took advantage of "Africa" for their self-interest and satisfaction. Yoruba Americans, therefore, have the potential to either deconstruct or transform colonialist relations, or objectification of "Africa" and its peoples, that often existed between Africans and African Americans throughout history. This article consists of three analyses: the formation of the Yoruba American socio-religious movement, its transformation, and finally, its new direction.

Journal

  • Religion and Society

    Religion and Society 9 (0), 91-112, 2003

    The Japanese Association for the Study of Religion and Society

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