Book - Bantu Philosophy by Placide Tempels

 Summary

If there is a book among very few that succinctly captured indigenous spirituality as a systematic framework, it is this one. A revolutionary work written in the 1950s, the later times of devastating Belgian colonial atrocities in the Congo. The author, a Belgian Catholic priest, used metaphysics methodology to articulate the foundation of human experience for African indigenous peoples while living among the people, learning their language and seeing through their eyes. Of course this work was for European audience, whose majority at the time considered Africans sub-human. The work only display the superstructure of peoples existence since remote antiquity.

The findings concluded that indigenous Africans have a comprehensive, logical and systematic structure of reality with principles that underpin all their existential concerns. There is nothing devilish or animist in the system rather it embodies principles that equally highlight evil (practices) with repugnance. Although dynamic in evolution, this system is self-sufficient, and stood on its own compared to any other existential system and even proved superior in some instances. 

The main thrust of this understanding come from identifying the limits of Greek philosophy in itself and as extended by Thomas Aquinas, which concluded that being is distinct from force and that being is static. For indigenous Africans, being is not only active and dynamic but its activities and dynamism expresses its force. Each being therefore has a niche, a hierarchical place and an activity space. The highest being is the Supreme Being, the Creator God from who all beings and all force come from. The centre of this spirituality is human beings whose inter-personal interactions and relations with lower beings like plants, animals and spirits is dependent on the Creator God. Every creature embodies God, inherently possess an animating spirit and has active force.

Above all the principal purpose of each person/being is the acquisition and sustenance of force in all he/she does in the community. This purpose is guided by principles, ethics and morality of seeing/knowing oneself, seeing/knowing others/other beings and their attributes while acting ethically towards an equilibrium of interaction where one's force is undiminished. Since everything is spiritually connected to everything, a person can engage/practice in normal (natural) and supernormal (higher knowledge/spirit) exchanges with other persons, spirits and organisms. Supernatural events/outcomes flow from the Creator God only. Therefore reduction of force is analogous to sickness while its elimination is death. Anyone with the right disposition and knowledge, not just indigenous priests can engage lower beings & spirits to solve his/her problems.

This almost innate seeking of power or force is the basis of indigenous Africans view of all religious activities. This is a universal testimony across the world where Africans reside. Spirituality for indigenous African is about force addition through either spiritual vaccination or empowerment via direct experience of God. There is no chance or duality in this system. Being spiritual is activated in doing/acting spiritual i.e. a dynamic interaction with embodied and disembodied spirits. 

The author concluded that until the African appreciate his/her indigenous spirituality principles on their merit, any religious investment remains shallow. The same goes for non-African persons and (African/non-African) institutions frothing with superiority complex even in the present day. In most cases, for the latter indigenous Africans must uproot and dissolve their foundational principles, metaphysics and ancient spirituality on the grounds of imposed inferiority, devilishness and evil. A toxic grand narrative! These are far from the truth.

This book is highly recommended particularly for Africans. It is a door towards a massive hall of knowledge of numerous indigenous things stripped over the generations in the name of slavery, racism, colonisation, uncritical development and imposed modernity. A tree without solid roots cannot stand!

Life is beautiful!