Info For You Lot Fang People: The Highly Spiritual Bantu People Of Due West Africa In Addition To The Largest Ethnic Grouping Inwards Equatorial Guinea, Gabon In Addition To Sao Tome In Addition To Principe

The Fang people are amalgamated Bantu-speaking people that forms a sub-set of the larger Beti-Pahuin ethnic grouping who inhabit the pelting wood regions of Cameroon, southward of the Sanaga River, the pelting forests of the northern one-half of Gabonese Republic southward to the Ogooué River estuary, Gabon, São Tomé together with Príncipe together with a small-scale fraction inwards northwest of Congo-Brazzaville.

Ethnic Fang woman someone Bwiti religious initiate (bandzi) with candle calorie-free during Bwiti initiation ceremony, Gabon. Courtesy lightmediation.net

 The fang people who live inwards generally interior rainforest are known to have got arrived at their acquaint locations from Adamawa plains inwards Northern Republic of Cameroon together with Nigeria inwards corking Bantu migration equally small-scale grouping or families of nomadic agriculturists.

                 Gabon ethnic Fang dancers. Courtesy http://mikamienvironmentalblog.blogspot.com/

 They are skillful warriors with heavily or a relatively powerful built-body construction and  and pride themselves greatly on their physical beauty. They are known equally the jungle fighters. Their knowledge of the jungle together with their powerfulness to live on together with business office inwards the lush tropical vegetation is legendary.
The Fang people are the largest indigenous grouping inwards Equatorial Guinea, constituting 80% of the population together with are comprised of 67 clans. Fang people inwards the northern component of Rio Muni speak Fang-Ntumu dialect, spell those inwards the southward speak Fang-Okah. The 2 dialects are mutually intelligible. Although they occupy most of the interior component of the country, their influence is chop-chop spreading to the coastal areas absorbing other native groups such equally the Benga, Combe, Baseke, Balengue, Bubi together with Bujeba. The 2 dialects are
mutually intelligible.

 At the fourth dimension French merchandise dominated the area, together with it was clear that the Fang had go drawn past times the prospect of direct merchandise with Europeans, rather than relying on coastal middle-men. Their complex royal history was marked past times forced labor on large farms, together with periods of violence.
 For farther reading on Fang history reckon "The origins of the Fang: language, civilization together with genes, Myth together with reality past times L. J. van der Veen (DDL, UMR 5596, Lyon) Research with J.-M. Hombert (Lyon), P. Mouguiama-Daouda (Lyon-Libreville), D. Comas (Barcelone), L. Quintana-Murci (Paris), L. Sica
(Franceville, Gabon) et al.

Settlement
Fang villages are located inwards wood clearings. They consist inwards a small-scale number of huts made of trunks, branches together with straw; the roof is conic or inwards 2 slopes together with the greatest component of the daily activity (cooking, cereal grinding, banana glue making inwards large mortars) is performed outside, equally the interior of the huts is dark, small, badly aerated together with it is only used for sleeping sheltered against rains.

Economy
The pelting forests surrounding the Fang is subjected to slash together with dismiss techniques, combined with crop rotation to yield agricultural products. By moving crops from twelvemonth to year, erosion together with soil depletion is avoided. The main crops grown are plantains together with manioc. Large knives are used to clear the forests, together with most of the tillage is done with a hoe.

                  Gabonese Republic Fang farmers. Courtesy http://mikamienvironmentalblog.blogspot.com/

Fang people also engage inwards fishing. Men fish using traps together with large nets. Women likewise tin can fish using rods together with hooks. In streams, men usage handbag nets, manipulated past times long sticks, for fishing. The Fang people also usage traps for hunting all variety of animals, from birds to elephants. Before the introduction of the dismiss arms, the Fangs hunted using crossbows, machetes, spears, arrows with Fe tips, from wood buffalo to antelopes, chimps, gorillas together with elephants. One of the most appreciated dishes past times the Fangs are the Goliath frogs (Conraua goliath), world's largest living frogs (30 cm or 1 human foot inwards body length, weighing 3 kg or seven pounds). Coastal Fangs also fish inwards the ocean from their frail canoes, together with ocean turtles are considered an exquisite dish.

Fang daughter from Republic of Equatorial Republic of Guinea with line-fishing net

Trade:
Recently, the Fang have got growing cocoa equally a cash crop together with trading asset. Much of the rainforest has been cleared to render timber. Petroleum exports also play a large role inwards the economies of Republic of Equatorial Republic of Guinea together with Gabon. Historically the Fang have got been encouraged to grow together with merchandise coffee, equally the climate is ideal for such growth.

Sexual partitioning of production
In subsistence farming villages men are responsible for hunting, livestock, spell women pass bulk of their fourth dimension tending to crops. In urban settings many men have got joined civil service together with armed forces, with women relegated to administrative positions.

Land tenure:
Villages are often areas inwards rainforest next to small-scale clearing for agriculture. Each hamlet is Pb past times a virile someone who is the descendant of the human being who founded the village, thus dry reason is passed downwards indefinitely.

Socio-Political organisation together with interaction
Single villages consist of a human being together with his wife/wives along with the resulting children, normally betwixt 7-10 people, with villages sometimes associating to shape clans. These clans tin can live inwards unopen association, almost creating super-villages.

Fang lilliputian girls from Sao Tome together with Principe

Mobility pattern: (seasonality): Villages remain on the same dry reason throughout the year, merely growing different

                                Fang human being from Equatorial Guinea

Political system: (chiefs, clans etc, wealth or condition classes):
One virile someone leader from each hamlet volition live component of ngil committee, which has judiciary, political, together with religious authority; committees volition live formed past times males from many unlike villages. Some villages volition associate to create clans. The ngil commission of the clan volition have got 1 preeminent virile someone or clan leader. Historically, the Esangui clan has exercised extreme power. This is an association of villages descended from a mutual ancestor. The firstly president of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Macias Nguema, was a fellow member of this clan.

 The firstly president of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Macias Nguema, was a fellow member of Fang Esangui clan

 Social organization, clans, moieties, lineages, etc:
Society is strongly patrilineal, with resources together with powerfulness passed downwards with virile someone descendants. Young bachelors silent live with father’s village, but 1 time of age, expected to espouse exterior of hamlet together with create novel hut with bride inwards unopen proximity to father’s

                               Fang man

Religious Belief
The Fang practiced a shape of monotheism with potent emphasis on ancestor worship. The Fangs believe inwards the existence of a mighty together with eternal god, called Mebe'e, who created the world together with all living creatures, but, disgusted with the evilness of his creation, He pretended non to know nigh the world together with left Ndzame, the mutual begetter together with ancestor of all the clans, to dominion the world.

Fang Bwiti annual ceremony  "Ayize Endendang" with initiates (Bandzi) carrying wooden touch-lights to the wood for secret ceremony

 Each someone considers his/her life is determined past times the influence of the spirits of the ancestors. To accomplish their mediation for solving the daily life hardships, the Fangs practise the cult of the ancestors. Ancestors are considered spiritual guides together with are highly influential inwards the lives of time to come generations. They also laid the moral measure for the Fang community, together with it is believed that the ancestors tin can communicate to their descendants through dreams together with visions. Although the ancestors who are honored tin can live both virile someone together with female, virile someone ancestors are to a greater extent than probable to live revered because of the patrilineal construction of Fang society.

The focus of the cult was inwards other times the bieri, a box made of tree bark inwards which they preserved the bones of an of import person, together with over which they placed a figurine representing his spirit. This figurine together with the masks used during the ritual dances represented Fang fine art works.

The Fang began assimilating aspects of Christianity together with bieri into a hybrid religion, bwiti. Many Christian missionaries mistook the reliquary figurines for falsely worshipped idols, together with attempted to destroy them. The missionaries did non sympathise that the Fang believed their masks together with figurines had no inherent powers. Instead these figures acted equally of import intermediaries betwixt ancestors together with the living.

                                                Fang Christians. Circa 1912
Fang Art
The ensemble of Fang peoples practise a cult devoted to ancestor lineages, the bieri, whose aim is to both protect themselves from the deceased together with to recruit their assist inwards matters of daily life. This familial cult does non monopolize the Fang’s religious universe, for it coexists with other beliefs together with rituals of a to a greater extent than collective character. It is the bieri, or ancestor sculpture, which has most plainly given ascent to the making of remarkable wooden sculpture.

Unidentified Fang creative someone (Betsi group); Gabon, Sculptural Element from a Reliquary Ensemble: Head, Before 1914, Wood, H.: 23.2 cm, Curtis Galleries

The statuary of the Fang tin can live classified into 3 main groups: heads on long necks, half-figures together with total figures, standing or seated. Carved with corking simplicity, at the same fourth dimension they exhibit a high grade of sophistication inwards the coordination of bulbous forms. The cervix is often a massive cylindrical form. The arms have got various positions: hands clasped inwards front end of the body (sometimes asset an object); held inwards front end of the breast or attached to it; hands resting on the knees inwards the seated figures. The bellybutton is often exaggerated into a cylindrical form. Legs are short, stunted. Usually at that spot is a domed, broad forehead together with the eyebrows often shape arcs with the nose. The eyes are often made of metallic roundlets. The bieri would live consulted when the hamlet was to alter location, when a novel crop was planted, during a palaver, or earlier going hunting, fishing, or to war. But 1 time separated from the reliquary chest, the sculpted object would lose its sacred value together with could live destroyed.

Fang Door. The Fang are non known for their doors but for their masks together with reliquary guardian figures together with heads (Bieri). The carving on this door imitates the proportions together with experience of Bieri figures together with heads | © Tim Hamill

The ritual consisted of prayers, libations, together with sacrifices offered to the ancestor, whose scull would live rubbed with pulverization together with pigment each time. With its large head, long body, together with brusk extremities, the Fang bieri had the proportion of a newborn, thus emphasizing the group’s continuity with its ancestor together with with the 3 classes of the society: the “not-yet-born,” the living, together with the dead. The relics were essentially skull fragments, or sometimes consummate skulls, jawbones, teeth together with small-scale bones. The bieri also served for therapeutic rituals and, higher upwards all, for the initiation of immature males during the corking so festival.

Reliquary from the Fang people of Gabonese Republic | ca. seventy years sometime | Wood together with fiber

The Fang used masks inwards their secret societies. The ngil (gorilla) masks were worn past times members of a virile someone lodge of the same call during the initiation of novel members together with the persecution of wrong-doers. Masqueraders, clad inwards raffia costumes together with attended past times helpers, would materialize inwards the hamlet later on dark, illuminated past times flickering torchlight. Fang masks, such equally those worn past times itinerant troubadours together with for hunting together with punishing sorcerers, are painted white with facial features outlined inwards black. Typical are large, elongated masks covered with kaolin together with featuring a human face upwards that was normally heart-shaped with a long, fine nose.

Reliquaries, Fang peoples, Cameroon, c. 1914.
The projecting stalk together with the flexed-knee pose allow the sculptured 
guardian figures to live laid atop bark boxes containing sacred relics.
From the book: African Art inwards the Cycle of Life

Apparently it has been linked with the dead together with ancestors, since white is their color. The ngontang trip the calorie-free fantastic toe lodge also used white masks, sometimes inwards the shape of a four-sided helmet-mask with bulging forehead together with eyebrows inwards heart-shaped arcs. The ngontang mask symbolizes a ‘young white girl’. The so, or ruby antelope was connected with an initiation that lasted several months; these masks sport long horns.

Figure from a Reliquary Ensemble: Seated Female Date: 19th–early 20th century Geography: Gabonese Republic or Republic of Equatorial Republic of Guinea Culture: Fang peoples, Okak grouping Medium: Wood, metal

Musical instruments – similar the harp, its ends sculpted into lovely figurines – allowed communication with the hereafter. Blacksmiths bellows, many quite beautiful, were sculpted inwards the shape of figures; at that spot are also small-scale metallic disks featuring heads, called “passport-masks”, the Fang attached these to their arms.
Special spoons were carved together with used to administer magically sustaining nourishment equally component of traditional initiation rites. An private man’s spoon was a preciously guarded possession that was carried on his someone inwards a shoulder handbag when he traveled together with was placed on his tomb when he past times away.

Fang man, Stanislav Bengono Nvo, 1 of the few remaining players of the mvet inwards Equatorial Guinea. Courtesy bbc.co.uk

Adornment (beads, feathers, lip plates, etc.)
Headbands were often worn past times warriors, with ornate protrusion higher upwards forehead. The virile someone leader of the hamlet would vesture what is known equally a “ngil” costume during ceremonies. This leader was endowed with judicial together with political powers. The focal dot of the ngil costume was a large together with vertically stretched mask. The mask was a symbol of retribution together with was meant to strike fright into whatsoever sorcerers or criminals that may live attempting to impairment the village. They were often painted white to limited the powerfulness of dead spirits.
Women were non allowed to go the leaders of villages or clans, together with thus were prohibited from wearing ngil costumes. They were also forbidden from wearing the headband of the warriors.

Death together with afterlife
The Fang believe each someone is made of a body together with a soul. The soul gives life to the body. Therefore, when the body dies, the soul lives on. Ancestors are believed to possess fifty-fifty to a greater extent than powerfulness equally spirits than they had equally living people. This is peculiarly truthful if the dead had lived honorably together with had died inwards a similar fashion.
source:http://news.softpedia.com/news/Who-Are-the-Fang-People-79570.shtml
          http://www.zyama.com/fang/

The Bwiti Religion together with Tabernanthe iboga
- past times Giorgio Samorini
Introduction
The usage of vegetable hallucinogens past times humans for religious purposes is rattling ancient,  probably fifty-fifty older than its usage for healing, magic or teaching purposes. The  profound alterations inwards one's province of consciousness brought nigh past times the usage of a  hallucinogen has served equally a founding axis for religious systems, together with inwards the
evolution of established religions throughout the history of humanity.

Even today, nosotros are witness to the nativity of novel religious "psychedelic" movements.  Their renewed presence is evidence of the actuality together with at the same fourth dimension the atemporality of the values associated with the right social usage of sacred plants.  Two large religious movements which contain the usage of vegetable hallucinogens  have emerged during the past times 150 years, both syncretic of Christianity together with both  consolidated at the national together with ethnic level: the Native American Church of the  North American Indians, which uses peyote (Lophophora williamsii) together with the Bwiti,  practiced past times the people of Fang together with other locations of Occidental Equatorial Africa  which usage the iboga (Tabernanthe iboga Baillon, Apocynaceae).
During the outflow of 1991, spell on my ain personal enquiry inwards Gabon, I had my  first contact with the Bwiti religion. I visited Bwitists temples at several of the  villages scattered throughout the tropical jungle together with talked to officials together with  participants of the cult. I was allowed to participate inwards the Bwitist Easter festivities in
a small-scale hamlet nigh xl kilometers from the majuscule of Libreville. The inhabitants of  this hamlet (fifty people including many children) belong to the ethnic tribe Fang  (whose linguistic origin is Bantu), together with to the Bwitist sect Ndeya Kanga. I was  accepted with enthusiasm together with hospitality, together with existence the firstly white human being to
participate inwards their rituals, with a for certain grade of curiosity.

In contrast to the Peyotl Religion, conceived past times the Indians equally solely their ain  (it existence a redemption motion of their ain people), Bwiti is considered past times its  members equally a monotheistic universal religion, accessible to anyone who approaches  it with honor together with humility, dark or white. Even with those sects most syncretic  of Christianity at that spot is widespread promise that the white human being volition go to a greater extent than  familiar with the Bwiti. An officiating fellow member voiced his promise that someday the Bwiti  becomes known at the rattling center of western culture, inwards Europe, exactly equally Christianity  came to Equatorial Africa many centuries ago.
The Bwitist Easter lasts iv days together with nights, from Th to Easter Sunday. In  the evenings the sacred host, the Iboga, is taken collectively. I participated inwards the  iboga communion, sung together with danced with others during the iv nights, with a progression of the amount of iboga ingested, together with the enthusiasm together with merriment
experienced past times all. For me personally it was a surprise; I am familiar with the study  of hallucinogenic cults of the past, together with others which could live considered  ethnographic "residues" of such cults. In Gabon, inwards the Bwiti, I found a "psychedelic"  religious cult pure together with alive. Despite the vast bibliography inwards both the anthropological together with ethnographical fields available on the acre of study (see bibliography,  especially James Fernandez together with Stanislaw Swiderski), its importance has non been  fully understood past times western scholars inwards the multidisciplinary acre of hallucinogen  study.

                                      Bwiti initiate

The History of Bwiti
Bwiti organized faith is widespread inwards Gabon, both inwards the interior of the jungle where it  originated together with inwards the capital, Libreville. During the in conclusion 20 years it has crossed  its frontiers together with reached Cameroon, Congo, Zaire, together with Equatorial Guinea. In the  latter, the Bwitist community is somewhat cloak-and-dagger because of the energetic
opposition of the Catholic missions.
According to the Bwitist genesis, the hallucinogenic properties of the iboga were firstly  discovered past times the Pygmies inwards the interior of the jungle. They inwards plough passed their  knowledge on the neighboring people, the Apindji together with the Mitsogho, who started the  first Bwitist rituals. Later on, this knowledge was passed on to the Fang, the Eshira  and other ethnic groups throughout southern Gabon. Within the Fang the Bwitist
movement, due to continuous reform together with review of its creed, go to a greater extent than together with  more distant from other tribal cults, which it inwards component substituted. In particular, the  original Bwiti assumed for certain characteristics of some other ancestral cult, the Byeri, inwards  whose rituals a unlike hallucinogen was used, alan (plural melan). The Byeri  advocated a private cult practiced past times the descendants of patrilinear families. At the  climax of the initiation ceremony, the initiate, nether the influence of a potent dose al the alan root (the euphorbiaceous Alchornea floribunda) was shown the skulls of his ancestors, together with upon seeing these he would live able to communicate with the spirits  of the dead.
For a long fourth dimension the Bwiti was considered an ancestral cult together with fifty-fifty today, the discussion  Bwiti is translated equally "dead" or "ancestor", however, equally pointed out past times Swiderski  (1990-91, vol. II:19), its right etymology may come upwards from "Mbouiti", the proper  name of a grouping of Pygmies currently occupying a part betwixt Gabonese Republic together with Zaire.  Originally, the practise of Bwiti included human sacrifice together with ritual anthropophagy.
This fact is remembered inwards the Bwitist myth nigh the regain of the iboga together with the  sacrifice of the firstly adult woman who ingested it, Bandzioku. Soon, however, Bwiti rid  itself of such savage components together with substituted these rituals past times sacrificing chickens.  The intelligence nigh Bwitist human sacrifices dwindled together with at that spot are immediately a few  remaining critics inwards some sectors of the Gabonese population, peculiarly the  Catholics who silent wage defamatory campaigns against the Bwitists.
To live sure, accusations of criminal sorcery together with the so-called diabolic illusions  produced past times iboga have got e'er been component of the history of Bwiti from its inception.  Subsequently, the persecution carried out past times the missionaries with the approving of  the French colonial authorities was felt past times the Bwitist communities peculiarly  during the years 1920 to 1940. Despite the burning of the temples, persecution together with killings of religious leaders the motion continued to grow.
Bwiti was together with silent is a thorn for the Catholic missions together with truly Bwiti continues to  gain novel footing inwards the combat for religious territory. Having courageously survived  years of constant persecution, Bwiti has been reformed together with contributed to the  awakening of a national together with anti-colonial conscience together with the nativity of the novel Gabonese Republic  Republic. The firstly president of the newly formed Republic was an initiate inwards the Bwiti  religion which contributed to its resurfacing together with to its growing acceptance.
Today, the Bwiti organized faith is good accepted past times a sector of the governing elite, since it is  considered a pop religious motion which keeps together with guarantees tribal values  which are considered fundamental to the spirit of the novel republic. Government  officials, members of the law together with the regular army are Bwiti initiates together with regularly exit  the metropolis to participate inwards the dark ceremonies taking house inwards the neighboring jungle
villages.
The Bwitists consider themselves Christians. That is, "the existent Christians", which is of  course a sore dot with Catholic missionaries who consider the Bwitists  bedevilled, dedicated to Satanic cults, spell disregarding the promiscuity with the  many Africans who frequent their parishes. Bwitist criticism of Christianity became  deeper together with to a greater extent than coherent when the expansionism practices replaced past times persecution: "The Catholic church building is a beautiful theory for Sunday, the iboga on the  contrary is the practise of everyday living. In church, they speak of God, with iboga,  you live God" (from words past times Nengue Me Ndjoung Isidore, ecumenical Bwitist  religious leader, presently Magistrate inwards the Libreville Supreme Court, quoted in
Swiderski 1990-91, vol. I:628). The iboga used past times the Bwitists during the initiation  rites together with inwards their dark communal "masses" substitutes the host of the Catholic  mass, inwards practise together with inwards concept, together with this exchange is the fuel for the harsh contact betwixt Catholics together with Bwitists.

Internal Structure
With a rich mythology, the fruit of an intelligent together with secular mix of the Afro-tribal  values together with the catholic biblical figures, together with an articulate theology which coherently  unites animistic concepts together with the characteristics of a Christian god. This syncretic  mix is continually evolving; inwards practice, since its inception Bwiti has never ceased to  renew itself, inwards its outward shape together with inwards its content. The complimentary interpretation of the  values expressed past times the Bwiti motion has resulted inwards the creation of many sects,  each with its ain founding begetter together with its ain peculiar human relationship with Christianity.
The presence of 1 Bwitist leader with an acuate critical hear or with a  prophetic/static-like lineament is sufficient to convey nigh a alter inwards the community  and a novel religious current.  Each Bwitist sect has its ain temple which is distinguished past times the various  decorations on the akun or key axis of the temple. The akun is covered with  symbolic motifs associated with the axis mundi or cosmic tree. Regarding content,
the Bwitist sects are unlike from 1 another, according to the grade to which  Christian values have got been absorbed. Among members of those sects leaning to a greater extent than  toward tribal values, the next is a mutual proverb: "Baptism together with Iboga are  incompatible", but for members of sects involved with Christianity it is not
uncommon that they attend Lord's Day mass later on having participated inwards the Bwitist mass Sat night.
The Bwitist communities are "open", that is, their rites ore non secret (the existent secret is the inability to communicate the experience of initiation) which gives liberty of  access to the non-initiates; this tin can live seen from its proselytism.
There is no rivalry with the unlike sects together with at that spot are individuals who have got been initiated into 2 or to a greater extent than sects. The sects consist of groups of 10 to 50 people, normally living inwards the same village, where the Bwitist temple is symbolically located inwards 1 of the most accessible streets. Surrounding the temple (abeñ ), iboga bushes ore cultivated together with respected past times all.
When no services are existence held, the temple is used equally a house for social gathering, a house for coming together together with talking, a infinite which offers protection. The temple also serves equally command centre since from its interior 1 has visual command of the village. The abeñ  is an ample hut, with wooden wails together with roof, consisting of 2 principal rooms, the ceremonial room together with the "sacristy". The entire construction resembles the construction of a human body, the pale supporting the roof is the spinal cord, the ceremonial room is the body, the "tomb" seen at the halt of the ceremonial is similar to an altar, together with the site for the musicians is considered its heart, the akun is its penis, the sacristy is its caput together with the 2 doors opening to the ceremonial room are its ears. In the interior of the sacristy a sort of niche built inwards the style of a tabernacle contains the powdered root of the iboga together with the ceremonial spoons used to administer it.
In each community members are divided betwixt the uncomplicated initiates (bandzi) together with the "officiating" members of unlike gradations. The term officiating is given next a learning catamenia together with superior initiations. During the ceremonies each officiating fellow member has a precise role; at the rattling top of the community is the nima, the religious leader, followed past times the yemba, an officiating fellow member who comments on the rituals existence followed during the ceremony. Then, follows the guardian of the temple together with the tabernacle, so the trip the calorie-free fantastic toe managing director together with the musicians with which the harpist has a special function. Together with these generally virile someone officiating
members is found the adult woman responsible for woman someone affairs (woman are the bulk inwards most Bwitist communities). All the officiating members of the cult live similar the ease of the hamlet together with are normally married (among the Fang, virile someone polygamy is prevalent).


The Initiation Rite
The bike of rituals of all Bwitist sects is based on a religious calendar similar to the Catholic one. The main departure existence that the Bwitist rites are conducted at night, equally are most rituals connected with the usage of hallucinogens. The members of the community acquire together at dark from Sat to Sunday, together with at Christmas together with Easter time, at which times they partake of the iboga (ngozé) equally communion.

                         Bwiti dance

Apart from those times when they all acquire together, the private initiation rite is experienced past times those desiring to bring together the community together with it consists primarily of the ingestion of a large dose of iboga, much larger than when taken during the normal ngozé. This factor takes the initiate to an altered province of consciousness, to static-mystical states, to a direct contact with the sacred. The occurrence of such initiation leads us to consider Bwiti equally a consummate psychedelic religion, that is, having an initiating affect which results inwards corking alteration of the individual's consciousness. Among the Bwitist the minute of initiation is the minute of greatest illumination together with must live taken into consideration for the ease of the initiates' life: inwards each
minute of crisis, the Bwitist goes dorsum to the fourth dimension of initiation, thus putting himself at the best strategic dot of observation.

At the initiation rite, the ingestion of the hallucinogen is preceded past times an offering to the jungle together with its trees, together with a confession inwards front end of the officiating members together with a ritual bath. The confession covers all past times life. The omission of sins may final result inwards a "bad trip" with disastrous consequences together with fifty-fifty permanent madness, together with should the omitted sin live related to homicide, the expiry of the initiate volition ensue.

The effects of the massive dose of iboga (a few hectograms of the powdered root) which the initiate must ingest lilliputian past times lilliputian during seven to 12 hours, in conclusion 3 consecutive days together with nights. During this fourth dimension the initiate volition remain lying downwards on the flooring of the sacristy, assisted past times a span considered equally the "father" and
"mother" of the initiation process. Besides the "parents" other members of the community are present, they volition accompany their time to come blood brother inwards his long journeying to the sounds of the harp or inwards silence. Any of the acquaint members may ingest iboga during these nights: a companion during the "great journey" also experiencing the effects. The initiate's consciousness volition undergo changes to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than intense, becoming to a greater extent than separated from his surrounding reality until he loses touch. At this time, normally during the 3rd night, an officiating fellow member volition pinch the initiate with a thorn to ensure his separateness with exterior world. If he does non react, it is understood that he is undergoing the climax of the experience. The minute is acknowledged inwards western terminology using the term beatific vision or epopteia. This minute is referred to past times all Bwitists so "baptized" equally going to the root of life itself together with direct dialogue with god.

During the vision, the initiate undertakes long journeys to the dry reason of the dead, who serve equally mediators with the divine. He may also encounter his ancestors or other persons known to him. Others observe celestial figures during their journey, the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, St. Peter, shedding their divine light. Others have got direct
encounters with God. The hallucinations experienced during the trip are total of profound symbolic meaning, personal equally good equally cultural; the world of the jungle with its trees, plants, together with animals acts equally an experimental together with imaginative substrate for the visions. Always during the vision the spirits of the dead, Jesus Christ or any
other entity tells the initiate his novel name, the maiden call (nkombo), a call which is added to the initiate's proper names.

As an ecstatic religion, the Bwiti relies on the hallucinogen together with the subsequent personal psychic experience to duly innovate its doctrine. It is the maiden experience which brings nigh an deed of faith, an deed which follows the minute of illumination; this deed of faith inwards Christianity e'er must precede whatsoever demo of conviction: "il faut voir pour croire" ("one must reckon to believe") is a mutual saying inwards all Bwitist sects, inwards polemic contrast to "it is plenty to believe" equally the Catholic mission preach. Bwiti is a "revealing" religion, that is, it constantly reveals: it reveals itself to the private during each initiation.
The corking bulk of the founders of Bwitist sects were inspired to start a novel sect during personal experiences with iboga, "by revelation". On the other hand, at that spot is no shortage with the Bwitists of prophetic currents of exquisite ecstatic character. Such is the instance of Ekan Ngoua, founder of the sect Essum David, who was considered past times all a mystic; he died during the 1960's together with has followers with the many communities proliferating exactly about his religious discourses: "I have got seen God, for the iboga is God, I am a prophet. When I was initiated, I was non seeking iboga, it was non something I willed, it was God itself who took aver me. I am a prophet, I know what comes from afar, I know what volition laissez passer on off tomorrow. When God talks to me, when the Spirits utter to me, they say me what must live done with iboga. (...) I must unify all Bwitist sects together with flora only 1 iboga religion" (cf. Swiderski 1990-91, vol. I: 465-6).

Following the 3 days together with nights of the initiation, the initiate wakes upwards to what he considers a novel life. Some times energetic intervention on the component of the officiating fellow member is necessary to woke upwards the initiate together with at times the loss of consciousness may go along into the next days. This is interpreted equally a positive sign since if is taken to live contact with the divine. Only on rare occasions has the initiate failed to wake upwards together with died. As inwards the rare instance of a "bad trip", iboga is non considered the cause, it is the private who is responsible, because of his impurity together with bad thoughts.

Upon awakening, the private relates his experience to the community, together with others have got the chance to corroborate their visions. After this, he is considered a bandzi inwards every regard. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 long slumber which may in conclusion days concludes the rite of initiation. This iboga baptism may live experienced at whatsoever age, equally is the Catholic
baptism. Currently, inwards some sects at that spot is a vogue to initiate relatives, especially their children, from ages 8 to 10, which is followed past times a 2d initiation equally adults.
The corking liberty of interpretation of the Bwitist canon allows for large changes inwards the modalities of the initiation. In some sects the initiates are complimentary to undertake farther potent experiences with iboga, but these are non to live undertaken without the assistance of an officiating member.

The Night Ceremonies
The ngoze, or customary dark ceremonies stand upwards for the Bwitist mass; these are times of collective religious fervor together with joy together with feasting, they are prepared for communion with iboga together with for a unopen agreement with all participants. It is also a fourth dimension for loving each other, together with this leads to a collective feeling during the
in conclusion part of the ceremony inwards the early on morn hours, the entire community experiences a collective flow of emotions resulting inwards what the Bwitists telephone outcry upwards nlem myore ("one pump only"), that is, a province inwards which "the people sympathise 1 another," together with they go equally one. Fernandez (1965) has termed it "a province of symbolic consensus." It is a mental province of proficient volition towards others, which is typical of a for certain stage of the psychedelic experience, the in conclusion component of the "rebirth" phase.

It is interesting to Federal Reserve annotation that the Bwitists value it together with recognize it; an indicator of the transcultural aspects of some of the effects of the hallucinogens.  The ngoze choose house all twelvemonth on Sat dark through Lord's Day morning. Some communities prefer to run into every month, 2 months, or 3 months, for three
consecutive nights. At Christmas together with Easter, considered the 2 corking Bwitist festivities, the ceremonies are performed inwards ritual cycles of iv or to a greater extent than days.

At the kickoff of the ceremony, exactly about 8 p.m., the participants ingest the iboga communion: they kneel together with each receives a dose delivered past times an officiating fellow member straight to the oral fissure inwards a spoon. As with the Christian host, iboga is non to live touched with the hands. To facilitate deglutination, a small-scale amount of H2O may live drunk. The amount of the dose varies according to the private together with has been determined past times the officiating fellow member distributing it. Throughout the dark together with until a predetermined hour, anyone may asking additional iboga with the approving of the officiating members.
The Bwitists are good aware of the importance of the dosification of the hallucinogen to convey nigh the desired positive results for the collective experience. For example, they know that with potent doses it is to a greater extent than probable the individuals volition lose their sense of reality, which is opposite to the spirit of the ngoze. Therefore, the custody together with distribution of iboga is inwards the able hands of the officiating group.  Throughout the dark the participants dance, play together with sing. They clothing inwards unlike colors, white, blue, yellow, according to their detail sect or the twenty-four threescore minutes catamenia of the week. With their faces made upwards with white kaolin, they autumn nether the effects of iboga together with trip the calorie-free fantastic toe long together with exhaustive dances of the most pure African tribal spirit.

The dances are guided past times precise choreographic schemes. The most mutual trip the calorie-free fantastic toe is a long business of people who displace inwards the interior of the man-temple; each someone repeats the motion of the someone inwards front end together with this motion originates with the firstly human being together with moves downwards the business from firstly to last. All this to the musical rhythm of several musical instruments: the musical bow, batons together with other percussion instruments, together with during the 2d component of the night, the sacred harp (ngombi). Once inwards a spell they rest, drink, express joy together with brand merry.
The drinks offered past times the participants at the kickoff of the ceremony are distributed with a for certain ritualism during the ease periods. Besides orangeade, together with coca cola, preferred past times the women, at that spot is also beer, palm wine, together with several battles of potent liquor widely consumed past times the men. The presence of alcohol at the ngoze, a masked presence next its ritual distribution, is non novel with cults using hallucinogens, but it contrasts with the full general vogue which sees it equally incompatible with the ingestion of alcohol When questioned nigh this, the Bwitists response was that alcohol allowed them to trip the calorie-free fantastic toe for long periods, equally many of the dances are over 1 threescore minutes long equally confirmed past times the lookout adult man of 1 of the officiating members. Some also said that alcohol was used equally a physical enhancer, spell the hear was dominated solely past times the effects of iboga.
Outside the cult, the Bwitists do non quaff alcohol, so that its presence at the ceremonies is non due to a chronic social use. During the ngoze I saw many times the interchange together with consumption of cola-nuts which have got stimulant properties (they contain caffeine) so it may live that the Bwitists usage alcohol equally a physical stimulant equally well. Some sects, however, do non allow alcohol during the rituals together with the novel ecumenical motion presently developing inside the Bwiti religion, excludes alcohol from the rituals of all sects.
The unlike cycles of music together with dancing contain symbolic together with precise meanings associated with Bwitist mythology. During the dark ceremony at that spot are 2 distinct phases: the firstly 1 lasts from sundown to midnight, it is characterized past times motifs illustrating the creation of the world, together with the nativity of Adam together with Christ. The 2d stage lasts from midnight till dawn, together with is influenced past times the imagery of expiry and
destruction, the expiry of Christ, the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the universal flood, the expiry of the night. Towards the halt of this in conclusion part, the whole community enters a province of total participation, the nlem myore, "only 1 heart."
With the coming of dawn, the ceremony volition halt with a collective meal.

Bwitist Mythology
Bwitist mythology consists primarily of a complex theogony together with mythology dealing with the origin of Iboga together with the Bwiti know it equally "The History al Muma." Despite the evidence of its primary structure, the mythology is acre of study to many variations, equally evidenced past times the differences with the sects together with the various ethnic groups. This is also seen inwards the various interpretations of the myth that have got arisen during the in conclusion century resulting inwards the creation or reform of the Bwitist movements (cf. versions taken from Fernandez 1972; 1982 together with Swiderski 1980; 1990-91).
The Bwitist do non have got written texts for dissemination of their beliefs, except for some "catechisms" which are hard to read but may live considered equally a timid attempt. Given the novel electrical flow stage of internal coordination together with matrimony of the many expressions of the Bwiti religion, it is anticipated that before long at that spot volition live Bwitist bibles together with catechisms where the rich mythological patrimony of this organized faith volition live recorded.
At the vertices of the Bwitist genealogic theogony is the 1 god, Nzame Mebeghe, a
god similar to the Christian god, yet less angry together with vengeful (there is no Bwitist
hell), but which marks Bwitism equally a monotheistic religion. In the beginning, Nzame
created an egg from which triplets were born, Eyene, None together with Gningone, which
to a greater extent than or less check to the Sacred Trinity, the Father, Son together with Holy Spirit. This
in conclusion 1 is substituted past times a feminine figure, Gningone, considered the woman raise of the
Black race; inwards some sects this figure takes the house of the Virgin Mary. Among the
Fang, equally good equally with other African groups everything related to woman raise earth, to
the feminine principle, together with fecundity retains its primary value together with this has brought
nigh a special condition for the Catholic Marian cult.
To live sure, the Bwitist interpretation makes reference to the Bible, both the Old and
the New Testament together with does so inwards depth. For example, the master sin of Adam and
Eve, Obola together with Biome, considered twins, is seen equally an incestuous act; the Tree of
Good together with Evil, or the tree of knowledge, is identified equally the iboga; Abel's remains
go the remains of the ancestors (bieri); the Universal Flood becomes the
Ozambogha, the Fang's hard journeying from Republic of Cameroon to Gabon, an event
historically placed at the kickoff of the century.
The "History of Muma," the history of the regain of iboga together with the origin of the
Bwiti has several unlike versions non only with the Fang people, but also among
the Apindgi, the Mitsogho, together with the Eshira. In spite of the fact that the Bwitist trace
dorsum the origin of the knowledge of iboga to the Pygmies, together with though some Pygmy
tribes are said to silent usage iboga, non much is known nigh the iboga rituals inwards this
archaic group. Among the Fang, the myth goes equally follows.
Bandzioku, normally of pygmy ancestry, lost her hubby during the crop of fruit in
the forest. He fell from a tree together with expiry surprised him. His body remained hidden in
the wood together with Bandzioku, later on looking inwards vain for her husband¹ s body, was
inconsolable together with returned to the hamlet together with equally prescribed past times tribal rule, she married
her blood brother inwards law. One twenty-four threescore minutes catamenia she went line-fishing together with built a cyberspace to choose handgrip of Siluros, but
through a hole at the bottom instead of Siluros, human bones come upwards up. They were
the bones of her firstly husband. After she had deposited the bones on the shore of
the river, an creature came together with took them away. Bandzioku followed the creature until
they came to the Kakonangonda cave. From the interior of the cave the voices of the
spirits of the dead called out to her, "Bandzioku, do you lot wish to reckon us?", . . . "yes"
she answered. Then the spirits fed her the root of the flora growing inwards a corner of
the entrance of the cave: it was the iboga. After she ate of it Bandzioku could see
together with utter to the spirits of the dead, together with with them was the spirit of her first
husband. Before departing, the spirits asked her for an offering (okandzo), she gave
them what provisions she had together with returned to the village.
The next twenty-four threescore minutes catamenia she got upwards early, gathered nutrient supplies, together with went dorsum to the
cave to brand offerings, continuing to do so for several days. Her 2d husband,
thinking she had a lover, decided to follow her without existence seen. When she come
upwards to the cave, the spirits hollered "Muma, Muma" (which indicates the presence of a
non-initiate) together with asked her who had she brought. Bandzioku had thought she was
alone, she turned together with saw her husband. He was upset together with asked her whom she was
talking to; she pointed to the iboga flora together with gave him of the root to eat. Thus, the
hubby likewise was able to reckon together with communicate with the spirits, including the spirit of
his dead brother. At that moment, the spirits asked the human being for the okandzo,, the
obligatory offering; he gave them what lilliputian he had. The spirits rejected the offering
together with he had no other alternative but to offering his married adult woman (which was what the spirits really
wanted). In this style was how Bandzioku was sacrified together with strangled. The man
took the iboga dorsum to the hamlet together with built the firstly Bwitist temple. The in conclusion human
sacrifice, mentioned inwards every version, comes from the cultural surroundings from
which the firstly Bwiti appeared together with is associated with the sometime cult to the ancestors.
Other aspects of this cult must live seen equally coming from a to a greater extent than archaic tribal
mythology together with having undergone stratified re-interpretations throughout the times.
The Duna Mushroom
There is surprisingly some other fact inwards other versions of the myth; together with iboga,
a mushroom named duna plays a important symbolic role. In these versions, the
spirit of the dead say Bandzioku to pose the iboga roots on top of the mushroom,
using it equally a plate or a basket. They could also inquire her to eat the iboga root placed
on top of the mushroom, or they could asking that she eat iboga together with the
mushroom. Fernandez (1972: 246; 1982: 636) had already pointed out the
importance together with the urgency to depository fiscal establishment check whether or non this mushroom found inwards the
reality together with mythology of the Fang is psychoactive, but to this twenty-four threescore minutes catamenia its taxonomic
classification is non known. Raponda-Walker & Sillans (1961: 457) have got made
reference to an opparently edible mushroom called dune past times the Fang, duna in
Bakele, together with kuna inwards Mitsogho; it is said to resemble a large funnel-shaped hat, with
many vegetating filaments, which may live the size of a human head. The mass of this
white mass, dried together with mashed, is used inwards for certain sorcery rituals. Fernandez'
informants also made reference to the evidence of the ingestion of this mushroom in
its powdered shape to obtain psychedelic effects, such practise also exists inside the
Bwiti (Fernandez 1972: 246). Yet, to the people of the Nganga Dissumba sect, the
duna mushroom is the symbol of the encephalon of the firstly human being to pop off (Swiderski 1990-
1991, vol. V: 79).

In the course of teaching of my ain personal investigation of the Bwitists equally good equally other
individuals encountered inwards Gabon, I confirmed the fact that this mushroom is still
component of the collective retentiveness of the Fang. For example, a human being named Joseph in
Libreville informed me that this mushroom is associated with sorcery, that it grows
inwards the nearby forest, that it is round, its external coler is dark together with it is white within.
It is ingested with ather vegetables to obtain visions during sleep. Its bark is used to
industry fetishes. According to this man, the mushroom was never used
together with iboga. The Bwitist chants of sometime brand reference to non-specified
mushrooms which may comport symbolic association with the tatoos, together with surprisingly,
also with lightning (Raponda-Walker & Sillans 1962: 217-8). Apart from the Bwiti, in
the folklore together with pop tales of this geographical area, at that spot have got been recent
ethnomycologic reports of special interest.
All this seems to signal that inwards this zone of Equatorial Africa at that spot exists the
knowledge together with utilization of psychoactive mushrooms, especially inwards the past.
Besides, the human relationship of human being together with psychedelic mushrooms would non appear to be
a recent evolution inwards Africa, equally is demonstrated past times recent ethnomycologic studies
(cf. Samorini 1992). It may live that with the regain of other hallucinogenic
vegetables (a/an, iboga) the mushrooms (at to the lowest degree the duna mushroom) may have
been gradually substituted inwards the religious rituals. Its electrical flow use, therefore, could
only involve for certain singular Bwitist environments, or inwards association with the iboga,
or sorcery.

Psychotherapeutic Aspects of the Cult
There is no lack with the Bwitists of individuals with corking involvement inwards the healing of the sick. We reckon this ofttimes inwards the practices inwards which the hallucinogen plays a key role inwards the identification of the have of the disease together with its possible cure. For the Bwiti, this psychotherapeutic aspect of the usage of iboga brings many communities together with fifty-fifty entire sects together, which inwards plough come upwards closer to the aims together with practices of the Ombwiri, an influential healing lodge existing inside the same ethno-geographical boundaries equally the Bwiti. The Ombwiri also involves the usage of iboga. Through the ingestion of the plant, the sick someone makes contact with the imbwiri, genies with human shape living inwards the invisible world, divided into water, Earth or air,
together with this communication results inwards either the cure, or al to the lowest degree of import information equally to the sickness together with how to cure it (for example, which plants to use).

In add-on to iboga, the Ombwiri have got an of import vegetable admixture made from a large grouping of plants called ekasso. The grooming must live ingested past times the sick human being at a precise minute during the ritual. It is non clear, at to the lowest degree for this writer, if this mixture has psychoactive properties or if it is used to acquire the body ready for ingestion of iboga.In the myth on the origin of the Ombwiri, which is somewhat similar to the history of Muma for the Bwitists, the spirits of the dead signal the firstly adult woman to ingest it, the iboga equally good equally the ekasso, together with thus contact them. Today, inwards many unlike Ombwiri communities, iboga is 1 of the principal ingredients of the ekasso.

Fang Bwiti priest

Around 40 imbwiri genies are known, each 1 identified nether the grouping of illnesses it tin can cure, or usage for penalisation when taboos are broken inwards their ain acre of action. The Ombwiri temples are similar to the Bwitist, with a key symbolic axis together with surrounded past times iboga plants tended with care. The novel ecumenical Bwitist motion foresees the unification, or rather the incorporation of the Ombwiri to the Bwiti organized faith together with the number of members initiated inwards both cults continues to grow (Swiderski 1972). At the acquaint time, inside the Bwiti, at that spot are emerging serious ecumenical movements which are trying to unify the sects rather than abolish them.
 
                             Bwiti fang Cameroun
Erudite religious leaders working with the unlike communities reckon the demand to unify the cults together with redefine the rituals nether a mutual liturgical plan. Their principal aim is to obtain recognition past times the Government of Gabonese Republic which would pose the Bwiti on the plane of Christianity together with Islam. One of these leaders, Owono Dibenga Louis Marie, has during the past times few years created the "Iboga Youth Movement," so that the novel generations may acquire amend acquainted with the Bwitist creed. He is also a founding fellow member of the "Missama Abiale awu Enin Mbe Mbe" (the Iboga Initiates Association), ofttimes abbreviated equally "MA2E", which sets the vogue for the interchange betwixt the sects, a requirement if unification is to choose place.
 
The syncretic imagination together with the tremendous dynamism which characterize the Bwiti throughout its history have got contributed to brand it a continually expanding established religion, a spiritual motion which may inwards the nigh time to come go 1 of the corking pure African religions of Western Equatorial Africa.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Notes
1 Iboga, or eboka (Tabernanthe iboga Baillon) is a perennial shrub, with small-scale yellow
flowers together with orangish fruits of elongated oval shape. Its thick roots (both, primary and
secondary) are used equally hallucinogens. The roots are scraped, dried together with powdered;
its flavor is an aromatic bitter together with when ingesting it, the interior of the mouth
becomes numb. The iboga flora is considered "mature" later on iv years. Because of
this the Bwitists have got adopted a scheme whereby the plants are rotated past times age
group, together with the secondary roots ore partially eliminated inwards each flora so that it may
go along living together with producing other roots. The most of import active factor of
the roots is the indole alkaloid ibogaine (Raponda-Walker & Sillans 1961; Pope
1969; Gollnhofer & Sillans 1983).
- Fernandez J.W., 1965. "Symbolic Consensus inwards a Fang Reformative Cult." Amer.Anthrop., vol. 67: 902-929.

- Fernandez J.W., 1966. "Unbelievably subtle words: representation together with integration inwards the sermons of an African
reformative cult." Hist.Rel., vol. 6: 43-69.
- Fernandez J.W., 1972. "Tabernanthe iboga: Narcotic Ecstasis together with the Work of the Ancestors."  In: Furst, P.T.
(Ed.), Flesh of the Gods. The ritual Use of Hallucinogens. New York, Prager, pp. 237-259.
- Fernandez J.W., 1982. Bwiti. An Ethnography of the religious Imagination inwards Africa. Princeton, University Press.

- Gollnhofer O. & Sillans R., 1983. "L'iboga, psychotrope africain." Psychotropes, vol. 1:11-27.
- Mary A., 1983. La naissance à l'envers. Essai sur le rituel du Bwiti Fang au Gabon. Paris, L'Harmattan.
- Pope H.G., 1969. "Tabernanthe iboga: an African Narcotic Plant of Social Importance." Econ.Bot., vol. 23: 174-
1 84.
- Raponda-Walker A. & Sillans R., 1961. Les plantes utiles du Gabon. Paris, Lechevalier Ed.
- Raponda-Walker A. & Sillans R., 1962. Rites et croyances des peuples du Gabon. Paris, Pré sence Africaine, ed.
1983.

- Samorini G., 1992. "The oldest representations of hallucinogenic mushrooms inwards the world (Sahara Desert,
9000-7000 B.P.)." Integratian, 2/3: 69-78.
- Samorini G., 1993. "Adam, Eve, together with Iboga." Integration, 4: 9-10.
- Swiderski S. 1965. "Le Bwiti, socié té  d'initiation chez les Apindji au Gabon" Anthropos 60: 541-76.
- Swiderski S. 1970. "La harpe sacré e dans les cultes synchré tiques au Gabon" Anthropos 65: 833-857.
- Swiderski S., 1971. "Notes sur le Ndeya Kanga, secte synchré tique du Bouiti au Gabon." Anthropos 66: 81-119.
- Swiderski S., 1972. "L'Ombwiri, socié té , d'initiation et de gué rison ou Gabon" in: Religioni e Civiltà, Bari,
Dedalo Libri, 1: 125-205.
- Swiderski S., 1975. "Notions thé ologiques dans la organized faith syncré tique Bouiti au Gabon." Eglise et Théologie 6:
319-364.
- Swiderski S., 1979. "Les recits bibIiques dans l'adaptation africaine." J.Rel..Africa, 10: 174-233.
- Swiderski S., 1980. "Essai d'interpretation structurale et psychoanalytique du mythe au Gabon." in: Perennitas,
Studi inwards onore di Angelo Brelich, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, pp. 52 1 -539.
- Swiderski S., 1990-1991. La organized faith Bouiti, V vols., Ottawa, Legas.
 Photo credit:http://www.iboga.ch/fr/abbe1/index.htm
                      http://www.iboga.co.za/bwiti-the-tradition-of-iboga

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