Ng'angas - Zambian Healers-Diviners and their Relationship with Pentecostal Christianity

What is it about?

The article analyses pre-colonial religious beliefs, especially ancestral spirits veneration, and establishes pre-Christian beliefs in Zambia are influencing the Pentecostal Christianity. These eliefs are passed down the generations by healers-diviners, many of them members of different Pentecostal churches is. During field studies undertaken by both authors, it has been established that many Bantu speaking people still believe in some aspects of their native religions and see no contradiction in venerating ancestors, contacting them via ng'angas and being Christians. Some Christian, especially Petecostal, churches invite elements of ancient beliefs, others reject them completely. Ng'angas usually try to combine both religious system and mediate between them. Are they successful?

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Why is it important?

The article is importan because it analyses religious situation in Zambia. Even though it was conducted in the middle of coronavirus pandemic, with masks on during interviews, the authors managed to gain trust of informants, both traditional healers and Pentecostal churches leaders, and obtain primary data that have not been analysed in recent years.

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