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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:'Ile' (earth) and sustainability: motherhood symbolism, sex metaphor, and ritual essence in African indigenous spirituality
Author:Ňgúngbilé, David O.
Year:2009
Periodical:Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies (ISSN 0030-5596)
Volume:41
Issue:2
Pages:84-101
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:African religions
cosmology
ecology
Yoruba
Abstract:In African religious spirituality, the connections between men, nature and spiritual entities play an important role, in symbolic, metaphorical and functional ways. This paper reflects on the subjects of symbolism and metaphor in interpreting sustainable development from the point of view of indigenous spirituality. It examines Yoruba indigenous cosmology, which has a great concern for ecology. The paper identifies the relationships of human beings to 'ile', mother earth as expressed in myths and ritual practices, which connect virginity, nurturing and cleansing in human sexual life to the processes of creation, procreation and re-creation of ecological spaces. Ref., sum. [Journal abstract, edited]