Ritualisation in African Divination, or Optimism in Action

Divination is characterised by exceptional dynamism, which explains its continued existence in the postmodern era despite the decline of many other rituals associated with religious life in Africa. Its strength lies in a far-reaching ritualisation that facilitates regular communion with the ethnic and religious community. In the wake of a major cultural upheaval brought about by the revealed religions and on the cusp of globalisation, ritual represents the primacy of the sacred over the profane, which nourishes the intimacy of the divinatory sphere in a unique way by helping to optimise socio-cultural patterns of thought. Africa's world of rituals also encompasses song and dance, which break down barriers between peoples whilst serving as a shield against problems resistant to conventional treatment. The divinatory sphere thus establishes itself as a vital mystical and religious recourse even amongst Muslims and Christians, with ritualisation forming part of the cultural heritage as a sanctuary of all hope. Preserving ethnic sacredness allows people to recharge their batteries and heralds an appropriate resolution to 'diseases of civilisation' such as stress.