Course Description: This course offers an introduction to African indigenous religious systems that have originated south of the Sahara.  How have African peoples conceived of, and related to, God and other divine powers? What answers do they offer to fundamental questions concerning the meaning of life and humanity’s place in the world?  How have their religious beliefs, traditions and ritual practices shaped their societies, histories, and collective identities? Drawing on ethnographic, historical and religious studies scholarship, as well as film and literature, we will explore a variety of indigenous religious forms and institutions.  These forms include traditional cosmologies, sacrifice, initiation, spirit mediumship, healing and devotional practices.  We also assess the historical impact of colonialism on African religious cultures and consider developments in indigenous religions in the postcolonial era. We concentrate on African traditional religions, but Islam and Christianity are discussed in the final third of the course.