By Ramadhani Kupaza
Environment & Development Consultant
+255784892338
Unlike the scientific view of the origins of life in the universe, modern religious institutions and traditional belief groups in Tanzania interpret that the origin of humankind starts from divine creation. The modern religions and traditional belief groups in Tanzania preach about the existence of an invisible supernatural power that has created the biological components of the universe in the form of humankind.
With regard to the survival of humankind, the modern religions and traditional belief groups in the country encourage humans to act responsibly. Responsible human actions are those which adhere to the regulations laid down by the supernatural creator. From that perspective, leaders of the religions and traditional belief groups condemn any actions by their followers that conflict with the guidelines provided by the supernatural creator. The religious institutions and traditional belief groups remind their followers to practice actions that align consistently with the instructions of the supernatural creator.
As a supplementary action, traditional belief entities often incorporate witchcraft into their practices. Followers believe that witchcraft is capable of regulating or deregulating human actions based on extraordinary powers that witches derive directly from the supernatural creator. An interesting debate would be how witches gain access to the powers of the supernatural creator, if they do.
Beyond the survival of humankind, which is based on the regulated actions of human beings, the modern religions in Tanzania advance explanations that the supernatural creator protects humankind through symbolic representations in the form of cosmopolitan individuals of the past. These cosmopolitan individuals are characterized by their distinguished, broad-based wisdom.
In contrast, many traditional belief groups in Tanzania establish that the supernatural creator protects humankind through related ancestors rather than through cosmopolitan individuals. The traditional belief groups elaborate that the dead and the living in a family are connected spiritually. In particular, the dead in a family act as intermediaries between the supernatural creator of the universe and the living members of the family to which they belonged.
In terms of the continuity of humankind, the modern religions in Tanzania refer to the existence of spiritual places set aside for the dead to stay before the end of the world. The religions elaborate that, at the end of the world, the supernatural creator will conduct interrogation sessions with everyone in order to reveal the rewards or punishments that each person deserves. The supernatural creator will use a scale of obedient and non-obedient units to assess everyone’s actions before he or she died. The value of the rewards or the extent of the punishments for each individual will depend on the value of that individual's positive or negative scores on the scale.
Unlike the teachings of the modern religions in Tanzania, the traditional belief groups do not dwell on the issue of rewarding or punishing the dead because, according to traditional beliefs, life is a continuous process with no end. Therefore, the continuity of humankind, from traditional perspectives, is interconnected with the worldview that death is a passage from the physical world to the spiritual one, with the dead remaining part of their family and acting as their guardians. The genetic connections through DNA encourage many traditional believers to adhere to their beliefs.
However, members of some ethnic groups in Tanzania do not believe that dead ancestors act as guardians of the living. Such ethnic groups believe in the survival or protection of humankind directly from the supernatural creator through symbols such as mountains or through certain species of trees or animals. These discussions clarify the debate that traditional believers do not believe in symbols. Instead, they believe in the supernatural creator through symbols.
In Tanzania, many people combine scientific views with modern and traditional beliefs in their livelihood practices, albeit privately. Combining these various perspectives in livelihood practices coincides with the expert view that when religions focus on understanding the natural world (or the mind) rather than strict dogma, and science focuses on facts rather than materialistic philosophy, they often complement each other, with science explaining "how" and religion offering "why."
For the experience of the divine perspective on the origins of humankind, tourists visit indigenous and natural sacred sites in Tanzania, including Ol Doinyo Lengai, Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, Amboni Caves, and Kondoa Rock-Art Sites. Tourists also visit Islamic historical sites in the country, including Kilwa Kisiwani, Songo Mnara, Kaole Ruins, Kizimkazi Mosque, and Tongoni Ruins. From the Christian perspective, tourists visit Azania Front Lutheran Cathedral and Karatu Lutheran Church, among other sacred sites.
