Akan and Yoruba Religious Acts Research Paper - 275 Words

Akan and Yoruba Religious Acts (Research Paper Sample) Content: Yoruba and Akan Belief in GodNameInstitutionCourseDateAfrica native religions are difficult to generalize due to the diversity in them. However, some communities share common stories regarding their origin. They have a belief in a supreme creator who is above other smaller gods. They have the belief in power and intervention of ancestral spirits. They practice Sacrifices and libation for divine generosity and protection. Various rites of passage are passed on to the members of the communities to initiate them from one stage to another for instance childhood to adulthood. Humanity in African communities is a harmonizing relationship between nature and supernatural forces.Yoruba is one of the many ethnic groups found in Nigeria. They live southwest of Nigeria. The Yoruba are a very religious group of people. Their beliefs and religious practices cannot be underestimated. They believe the world has the visible world for the living and the spiritual world. Their supreme c reator is Eleda in the Yoruba language. They think he lives in the skies. They also have chief gods who represent various things. They include the Aganju, who is in charge of the volcanoes and rivers. They have the Ayao in charge of the air. There is also the Obatala in charge of human bodies, light, and moral uprightness and not forgetting Osua the god who is involved in intimacy, wealth, love and beauty. They expect one to grow spiritually, and those who diverge from spiritual growth are destined for misfortunes.One of the religious elements of the Yoruba is covenant keeping. Covenant is an agreement between two parties that comes with conditions and if broken it has serious consequences. The Yoruba people hold dearly to covenant keeping, and this is what has made their ties strong. Religiously, they expect one to be in covenant with his or her God. In Yoruba community, they take covenants in front of religious emblems. They mostly refer to them as oaths and various parties, for e xample, can take them between a wife and a husband, between two friends. Between two friends, they can come to agreement by talking later sealed by a fruit known as kola nut, which is an important fruit in the spiritual life of the Yoruba community. It is a taboo to speak ill of a person after sharing this fruit. If you break such a covenant, they believe it brings misfortunes such as death or diseases.Another example is a covenant between a husband and his wife. The pact between this two is a secret between them. The man cuts himself usually the left arm, and the woman does the same. Then, they each rub a kola nut on the blood and exchange for eating, and it becomes an oath. In general, religious objects that expect one to swear before representing their gods because they believe there is instant justice in this unlike in Christianity or Muslim religions where there is judgment day. It also instills fear. Kings and chiefs take oaths accompanied by ceremonies and breaking them has s erious repercussions. Divination is something they hold dearly. It is connected to the god of divination known as Ifa. He is a wise man who serves as an interpreter between all gods and humans. Only men would become diviners if your father were one or if they revealed to you through divination the Yoruba community. Divination is a way of getting to know why misfortunes are befalling someone, and it is only after they take rituals that the problem is found. The Yoruba have a rich religious culture and have upheld to it.One finds the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast. They consist of the Fante and Ashanti people. There are also other small tribes in the Akan such as the Atlanta, Akwamu, and Anyi. The Akan have common religious beliefs. Ashanti is the most influential in the Akan. The Ashanti have developed their unique science of the origin and development of the universe popularly known as cosmology hence referring the Akan religion to as Asyanti religion (Parrinder, 2014). They b elieve in the world of spirits and the world of human. They believe in a supreme creator whom they refer to as Odomankoma, who lives in the skies. They also believe in chief gods who help them on earth. They have a general name known as Abosom. Abosom receive their powers from their supreme creator (Brekyirihunuade). Priests are also placed under Abosom, and they act as mediators between the Abosom and human beings. Some of their rituals include pouring of libations.The Abosom are in three categories, namely, the state gods, clan gods and gods of the medicine man. However, worship of the ancestors is more than the Abosom. The Akan believe in divine providence from the supreme creator, and it is for that reason that they do not have objects representing the supreme creator (Opukuwaa, 2005). The Akan believe that every Abosom has a duty. For example some help in matters of agriculture, others fertility and health where local herbs were used to improve the fertility of women and others at combating negative influence of witches. The community believes the Abosom inhabit natural objects like water and rocks. For one to become an ancestor; it was compulsory that you live an exemplary life of honor. Life started from childhood to initiated adult to marriage then elder. If the elder had a high reputation, he would become an ancestor. Rituals done served as a linkage between the living and the dead. Songs and dances accompanied them.The ancestors punished those who are evil and reward those who do well in the community. Akan also believe in lower spirits powers known as Amman. They come in the form of beads and amulets worn on the wrist, neck or around the waist. They believe that these charms give them some protection from evil beings that are considered to manipulate the spirits for evil purposes.... Akan and Yoruba Religious Acts Research Paper - 275 Words Akan and Yoruba Religious Acts (Research Paper Sample) Content: Yoruba and Akan Belief in GodNameInstitutionCourseDateAfrica native religions are difficult to generalize due to the diversity in them. However, some communities share common stories regarding their origin. They have a belief in a supreme creator who is above other smaller gods. They have the belief in power and intervention of ancestral spirits. They practice Sacrifices and libation for divine generosity and protection. Various rites of passage are passed on to the members of the communities to initiate them from one stage to another for instance childhood to adulthood. Humanity in African communities is a harmonizing relationship between nature and supernatural forces.Yoruba is one of the many ethnic groups found in Nigeria. They live southwest of Nigeria. The Yoruba are a very religious group of people. Their beliefs and religious practices cannot be underestimated. They believe the world has the visible world for the living and the spiritual world. Their supreme c reator is Eleda in the Yoruba language. They think he lives in the skies. They also have chief gods who represent various things. They include the Aganju, who is in charge of the volcanoes and rivers. They have the Ayao in charge of the air. There is also the Obatala in charge of human bodies, light, and moral uprightness and not forgetting Osua the god who is involved in intimacy, wealth, love and beauty. They expect one to grow spiritually, and those who diverge from spiritual growth are destined for misfortunes.One of the religious elements of the Yoruba is covenant keeping. Covenant is an agreement between two parties that comes with conditions and if broken it has serious consequences. The Yoruba people hold dearly to covenant keeping, and this is what has made their ties strong. Religiously, they expect one to be in covenant with his or her God. In Yoruba community, they take covenants in front of religious emblems. They mostly refer to them as oaths and various parties, for e xample, can take them between a wife and a husband, between two friends. Between two friends, they can come to agreement by talking later sealed by a fruit known as kola nut, which is an important fruit in the spiritual life of the Yoruba community. It is a taboo to speak ill of a person after sharing this fruit. If you break such a covenant, they believe it brings misfortunes such as death or diseases.Another example is a covenant between a husband and his wife. The pact between this two is a secret between them. The man cuts himself usually the left arm, and the woman does the same. Then, they each rub a kola nut on the blood and exchange for eating, and it becomes an oath. In general, religious objects that expect one to swear before representing their gods because they believe there is instant justice in this unlike in Christianity or Muslim religions where there is judgment day. It also instills fear. Kings and chiefs take oaths accompanied by ceremonies and breaking them has s erious repercussions. Divination is something they hold dearly. It is connected to the god of divination known as Ifa. He is a wise man who serves as an interpreter between all gods and humans. Only men would become diviners if your father were one or if they revealed to you through divination the Yoruba community. Divination is a way of getting to know why misfortunes are befalling someone, and it is only after they take rituals that the problem is found. The Yoruba have a rich religious culture and have upheld to it.One finds the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast. They consist of the Fante and Ashanti people. There are also other small tribes in the Akan such as the Atlanta, Akwamu, and Anyi. The Akan have common religious beliefs. Ashanti is the most influential in the Akan. The Ashanti have developed their unique science of the origin and development of the universe popularly known as cosmology hence referring the Akan religion to as Asyanti religion (Parrinder, 2014). They b elieve in the world of spirits and the world of human. They believe in a supreme creator whom they refer to as Odomankoma, who lives in the skies. They also believe in chief gods who help them on earth. They have a general name known as Abosom. Abosom receive their powers from their supreme creator (Brekyirihunuade). Priests are also placed under Abosom, and they act as mediators between the Abosom and human beings. Some of their rituals include pouring of libations.The Abosom are in three categories, namely, the state gods, clan gods and gods of the medicine man. However, worship of the ancestors is more than the Abosom. The Akan believe in divine providence from the supreme creator, and it is for that reason that they do not have objects representing the supreme creator (Opukuwaa, 2005). The Akan believe that every Abosom has a duty. For example some help in matters of agriculture, others fertility and health where local herbs were used to improve the fertility of women and others at combating negative influence of witches. The community believes the Abosom inhabit natural objects like water and rocks. For one to become an ancestor; it was compulsory that you live an exemplary life of honor. Life started from childhood to initiated adult to marriage then elder. If the elder had a high reputation, he would become an ancestor. Rituals done served as a linkage between the living and the dead. Songs and dances accompanied them.The ancestors punished those who are evil and reward those who do well in the community. Akan also believe in lower spirits powers known as Amman. They come in the form of beads and amulets worn on the wrist, neck or around the waist. They believe that these charms give them some protection from evil beings that are considered to manipulate the spirits for evil purposes....

Workplace Health and Safety - Free Essay Example

Introduction In a workplace, there are many types of hazard that may cause harm or adverse effects. These hazards include chemical, psychosocial, physical, and ergonomic among others. Health Canada coordinates the workplace Hazard Materials Information Systems. Health Canada also monitors the workplace radiation exposure as a measure of contribution to the occupational health and safety (OHS) issues in the country. Other measures to ensure the safety of employees at the workplace include the provision of resources on specific hazards and their control through risk assessment, identification, and inspection in order to keep the workplaces safe and healthy. Also, Labor legislation is a key factor under the jurisdiction of Canadas provinces and territories. According to Nelson article â€Å"Essentials of Managing Human Resources† human resource management is more than just, training, paying or hiring people, it involves process, programs, practices, and systems in an organization that emphases on the effective deployment and development of its employees. The following is a summary of the article. In order to ensure health and safety at the workplace several key factors are needed, these factors include the creation of a culture of a safe and healthy working environment by the management. This environment ensures a sense of well-being demonstrated through actions and behaviors of the employees; the other factor is the definition, analyzing and designation of the work whereby everyone understands what they have to do, when and in what order by the working groups or teams; planning, recruiting and selecting the right workforce with the right skills in the organization; training, orienting and developing the employees to assist them in performing better with the right equipments will also ensure safety; the managers ought to manage the employees in such a manner that the organizations’ goals are met and in time; the other factor is the rewarding and recognition of the exemplary employees; the employees relationship with supervisors, managers or other representatives should be positive and constructive to prevent Posttraumatic stress disorder among the employees and to ensure that the employees feel satisfied in their working areas (Nelson, 5). Line managers directly interact with the employees hence their contribution to the organization is vital. Professional HRs should ensure that they guide the supervisors or the line managers with the necessary skills to run their jobs. They will assist the supervisors to develop steps to improve the performance of the employees hence ensuring safety, healthy and understanding among the employees (Nelson, 7). The Canadian economy largely depends on the exports ranging from mining to forestry. Canadian companies attribute their success in the global marketplace to the employees. Investing in the people is a key factor for any organization to succeed: the investments include specialized training and pieces of equipment to the staff who in turn provide exceptional services to the clients (Nelson, 10). This ensures safety and healthy working conditions for the employees. In this 21st century, the world is focusing on a healthy planet and sustainable economic growth through advancements of technology. With these changes in the world, the organizations should focus on the use of clean energy to ensure safety and a healthy globe (Nelson, 17). Many studies have demonstrated that organizations that focus on the health and safety of the employees prevent Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the employees and hence demonstrate higher profitability, and overall they demonstrate stronger organizational performance (Nelson, 221). Employees’ capabilities are improved through determination of their talent and improving their skills through training. Transparency, focus and understanding the companies, and the employees interests increase the organization profitability too (Nelson, 313). Moreover, Organizations that are supportive to the elderly and family of the employees through parental leaves, job sharing, part-time work, day-care, flexible work schedule increase the productivity and increases the talent pool in addition to promoting healthy and safe working environment to the employees (Nelson, 25). According to Diane, et al., the total amount of economic and society costs on the psychological injury and mental illness in the workplaces is staggering. These costs are a result of unchecked working conditions of the employees or the organizational negligence on its employees (Diane, et al. 42). The organizations or the employers, the government and other stakeholders, have been looking for strategic solutions for this problem for many years. This Diane, et al., study on â€Å"employer’s perceptions and attitudes toward the Canadian national standard on psychological health and safety in the workplace† uncovers the organizational approachability to a deliberate inclusive standard for dealing with psychological health and safety in the workplace. The study was inclusive, and it involved people from different workplaces including construction, healthcare, health promotion, occupational health, manufacturing industries among others. Psychological health and safety are a key factor if any organization is to be successful in its performance and profitability (Diane, et al., 45). There is a need for the implementation strategies and simplified engagement of the standards that can be tailored to the distinction between sizes and types of industries (Diane, et al., 46). Some organization needs to work towards the safety, health and mental health such as PTSD more than other fields. However, according to Diane, et al., 47 organizations that mostly require enlightening psychological health and safety may be the least receptive. Conclusion Health, safety and Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) a mental condition caused by experiencing serious injuries, or violence or even witnessing death are common in some workplaces. The organizations should work towards developing anti-stigma awareness and PTSD training to educate the supervisors and the staff on the risks involved. The ministry of labor requires organizations to submit their PTSD Prevention Plans at times. This move is helpful to the employees who at times have to work under very risky conditions. Some provinces such as Alberta are putting new rules in place to investigate and prevent deaths and serious injuries in the workplaces. This move includes the signing of memorandums between the labor ministry and the police services. Criminal charges or charges for workplace violations are warranted to ensure the safety of the workers while they are performing their duties. Awareness of the health, safety, and prevalence of the mental health in the workplace is rapidly g rowing in the country. However, legislation, enforcement, practices, and policies have lagged behind despite their efforts. Inadequate efforts to curb this problem is a health and safety hazard hence all employers and legislation should strive to mitigate and ultimately aim to eliminate all forms or hazards in the workplaces. Workers have the right to work in an environment that is healthy, safe and free from all possible causes of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).