The American Minervan

Tag: Classical African Philosophy

  • Oral Traditions in Africa

    Oral Traditions in Africa

    The statement that oral traditions in Africa predate writing for example is well-supported by scholarly consensus in African historiography, linguistics, archaeology, and anthropology. The only people that initially denied these facts were scientists with bias during the colonial-era. Oral traditions tend to encompass storytelling, epics, proverbs, genealogies, praise poetry, and historical narratives transmitted verbally across…

  • Roots of the “Divine Spark” in African Religious and Philosophical Traditions

    Roots of the “Divine Spark” in African Religious and Philosophical Traditions

    The “divine spark” refers to the inner divine principle that makes a being fully human and capable of ultimate spiritual realization. The claim made by certain European racist occultists (e.g., some 19th-20th century esoteric racists) that Black Africans or people of African descent lack the “divine spark” (the Logos, Atman, Nous, scintilla animae) is philosophically,…