#942: The African, and Spiritual, Origins of Carnival (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: markgill <markgill@ecosse.net>
 
This is an invitation to take a look at the article entitled
> > "The African, and Spiritual, Origins of Carnival" recently
> > posted to Africans Unbound Magazine on the website TheAfrican.Com.
> >
> > The article traces carnival back to West Africa, and also to
> > the Nile Valley, from which it was imported to Greece and
> > presumably thence to Rome.  Therefore, whether from the direct
> > West African connection, or indirectly via European import from
> > ancient Egypt, it is to Africa that must go the credit for the
> > creative genius that propels all the major carnivals, from Rio
> > to New Orleans, to Port of Spain.
> >
> > The article also explores the spiritual dimensions of carnival,
> > both in the ancient Nile Valley, and also in the traditional
> > religion of West Africa.  In the Nile Valley, its origins seem
> > to lie in religious festival honoring the deities Het-Heru and
> > Heru, who would correspond respectively to Oshun and Shango in
> > the traditional religion of the Yoruba.
> >
> > To find the article, click on: http://TheAfrican.Com
.