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The ancestors: Amathongo
Luisah Teish, author of the book Jambalaya, states “As we walk upon the Earth, our feet press against the bones of the Ancestors on whose shoulders we stand.”
This is the most powerful statement about the Ancestors, whom we call Amathongo (plural of Ithongo) in the IsiZulu Language. Sometimes we refer to these people as Amadlozi (pl. of Idlozi) which means something different from amathongo. Idlozi is the ‘spirit’ that possesses a person to become an African Uhlanya (healer), whereas Ithongo is a dead person whom we believe that he is not dead but alive in the land of the ancestors (kwela baphansi).
Malidoma Some in his book The healing wisdom of Africa about ancestors says: “Ancestors are at a disadvantage because they know how to improve things and yet they do not have the body required to act on what they know. We are at a disadvantage because although we have bodies we often lack knowledge to carry things out properly. This is why spirits like to work through us; the person with a body is an ideal vehicle to manifest things in this world. It is important to understand that when we feel that something is missing in our life, when we feel somehow disconnected or displaced, that these feelings are a sign for us to repair our connection with the world of ancestors and spirits.”
Amathongo are part of us, and people who happened to live with us on this earth. When we bury the dead, we are only burying the body, but not the spirit because the spirit continue to stay with us and they stay at their special place called Umsamo, an African Ancestral Shrine.
One of the most effective ways to connect with Ancestors is to set up an Ancestor umsamo (altar or shrine). Doing so provides us with an invaluable tool to help focus our attention and awareness of their presence in our lives.
These Amathongo are honored by doing various rituals or providing food at certain times. How you honor and revere your Ancestors is a personal thing. At your umsamo you can pray, talk, sing, chant, cry, meditate, recite poetry, etc. You can whisper or shout to them the most intimate details of your life. There is no right or wrong way to communicate with them and pay your respects. The important thing is that you do, and that you are sincere and genuine. It must come from your heart! In return, the Ancestors will provide guidance, encouragement, and support. In time, your relationship with them will grow and you may find that you look forward to a daily commune with your Ancestors. After all, its family!
We have been talking about the ‘spirit’, saying that our dead people we call ancestors are the living spirits and continue living like that. We worship them as spirits that bring guidance, wisdom and prosperity in our lives.
The biggest challenge facing an African Child in the present era is to find his/her identity. Such identity is being searched in many ways, others through various religions, and others through various ritual practices.
Most African people today are so much drowning in various religions. There are those who are trying to find meaning of life in Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All these are in search of the so called ‘the living spirit’.
The word ‘ spirit’ is used in the Bible in several different ways - the Spirit of God, the spirit of man, and the whole realm of ‘spirits’, good or evil. In the Old Testament ‘Spirit of God’ is one of the ways in which God’s action may be mentioned without actually making the anthropomorphic statement that God did this or that. Thus the ‘Spirit of God’ likes the Word and the Wisdom of God, becomes a periphrastic description of God’s initiative and action in the creation, providential ordering, redemption and eschatological deliverance of the world as a whole and of Israel in particular.
Our current modern difficulty is: do the dead so-called Ancestors also become ‘living spirits’ after death?
The answer is YES, they become powerful ‘spirits’ after death. Taking the Bible as our point of departure, in the Bible persons are not thus separate and distinct; they flow into one another. A man lives in his sons, who may receive a portion of another man’s ‘spirit’ and thus may in some sense become that other man. A man may reappear in history as another person, who, though he is not the same person, is nevertheless in some way identified with him. Linking up this with the Bible, a good example is that of Elija who in the biblical tradition becomes almost the same person as Elisha; the biblical way of expressing this is to say that a double portion of Elija’s spirit is upon Elisha (11 Kings 2.9; cf Deut. 21:17), or that ‘the spirit of Elija dost rest on Elisha’ (11 Kings 2.15; cf Ecclus 48.12). Elija acts through Elisha.
When the Spirit of Yahweh comes upon Saul, he prophesies after the manner of the ecstatic prophets and - very significantly - is ‘turned into another man’ (1 Sam; 10.6, 10 
Micah is contrasted with the false prophets because he is genuinely ‘full of power by the spirit of the Lord’ (Micah 3.8). Even Jesus himself is recorded attributing the prophetic words of David (Ps 110.1) to the activity of the Holy Spirit (Mark 12.36).
Therefore God gives words to his prophets through the operation of HIS Spirit.
In today’s lives we see many people being prophets, ‘Spiritual Healers’ in various ways. Those ‘spirits’ coming from their past forefathers/ grandmothers and we start calling them Izinyanga, Izangoma, Abalozi, etc.
This working of the Spirit amongst men is by no means confined to the sphere of prophecy: the Old Testament attributes to the Spirit such things as Joseph’s skill as a ruler (Gen 41.38); Joshua’s military genius (Num 27.18) the Craftsmanship of Bezallel and Oholiab (Ex 31.2-6); and Moral excellence (Pss 51.10f); 143.10). The same is evident to some of our great leaders, who attribute their leadership skills whether in Business or in Life as powers of the Spirit coming from their ancestors.
An African life is a constant apprehension of the supernatural powers of the Spirit of the Ancestors, who are living in us, it may be described as walking by the Spirit, being led by the Ancestral Spirit, or living Spirit ( Gal 5.16, 18, 25; Rom 8.4, 14).
It is the very same Spirit which is the Spirit of Power, enabling Christians to perform deeds beyond their own Strengths ( 11Tim 1.7; Acts 1.8; 10.38; Rom 15.13; I Cor 2.4; Eph 3.16)
The belief by African people in the ancestors and how they value them is not taken from the vacuum, but has this kind of history, which we have forgotten but are trying hard to bring forward as the Umsamo African Institute in researching on it and its Wisdom.
Ancestors are therefore real Spirits.
Dr Velaphi Ka Luphuzi ‘V.V.O.’ Mkhize is the founder and president of the Umsamo African Institute. His recent books are Umsamo: The New African Business Literacy (2008) and Umsamo: Iziko lamaThongo (2010).
Comments
Ngiyakuncoma mfokaKhabazela, ngifisa ukuthi bande abafana nawe.
Siyisizwe samaAfrika sidukile, yingakho nemisamo yethu isiyonakala. Uma kuduke umzali ingane izoyibona kanjani indlela? Sadukiswa ngamaMissionaries saphuma kakhulu endlelelni. Mina ngiyakholwa ukuthi njengoba zanda izigameko ezimbi emphakathini wakithi (e.g. ingane eneminyaka emithathu idlwengulelwani?) yizinkomba zokonakala komsamo.
Qhubekela phambili Ngunezi sikhona sokweseka kuze kube sekugcineni.
I would like to thank Dr mkhize for such a contribution to our tradition revival because we are a new and lost generation umsamo is here to take us back to our origin keep it up may God blessed u with many more years to come
i would also like to thank ubaba u Khabazela. we as young people of the descending africa do need such knowledge about ourselves because i think everyone is turning white, i dont mean to be racist but we need such knowledge about our culture so that we can stop embracing other peoples cultures. i am a Philosophy student and i would like to learn about the african philosophy in an african way.siyabonga kuwe gubhela sengathi angaqhubeka ngokusi conobela ulwazi ngobuthina ngoba asizazi
I like the thought about the ancestors having knowledge that we with bodies don’t have yet they don’t have the means to express it and we have the bodies the ancestors don’t have though we sometimes lack the knowledge we need so the spirits work through us. There is a similar belief in Eastern nations such as Japan where you see a lot of ancestor worship. Many people round the world pray to their deceased relatives, asking for wisdom and guidance and often times, people after doing so find the answers to the questions they are seeking while sleeping or meditating, leading to their further belief in the thought that the spirits of their ancestors are working through them.
Phoenix DUI Lawyer
Mina Baba
Baba Gubhela siyawabonga amthongo ngokusilethela umuntu okhuluma iqiniso ngemvelaphi yethu njengama-Africa. Thina ma-Africa sidinga ukubuyela enkolweni yakithi ukuze izinto zisihambele kahle. Bengingajabula ukwazi ukuthi ngaba kanjani yilunga le- Umsamo African Institute.
Thanks for differentiating between ithongo and idlozi. Can you also clarify the link of the two words (ithongo & idlozi) with ubuthongo and isidlozana.
Let me also clarify this. The sipirual man and spiritual power are not the same. In the case of Elija and Elisha, it was not Elija turned into Elisha. It was the spiritual power of Elija transferred upon Elisha. Jesus laid hands on His disciples and they received power like His, to heal and cast out demons. Both Jesus and His disciples lived a the same time. Therefore, it was not Jesus turned into His disciples, but His power was transferred upon them. The bible refers to this power as anointing.
Baba Khabazela ,siyabonga kakhulu ukusicobelela ngalokho oMumbo bakwembulela ukuthi usize thina sizwe esimpisholo ,ngizibona ngisizakala kakhulu njalo ngokuthekela loulwazi.UMdali ze akukhanyisele njalo usembulele
Njengama-Afrika sidinga ukumsekela uKhabazele ukuze aqine idolo aqhubeke njalo nokushumayela inkolo yesintu. Thina sonke lapha sikhona sidinga ukugqugquzelana ukuthi sibuyele enkolweni yama-Afrika, sifundisane sifundise nabanye, silwe njalo nemfundisoze ethi inkolo yethu ayibalulekile.
ewu! Kuzwisa ubuhlungu ngempela ukubona isiphithiphithi.esenzeka ngenxa yokuduka kwendlu emnyama ngenxa yenkolo yasempumalanga.
Sibonga kakhulu baba Khabazela ngokusivula amehlo ngoba sizimpumputhe kodwa sinamehlo. Cha bab’ Mkhize benginescelo lapha baba kunento esengiyibukisisile izithuba eziningana yenzeka kubafowethu ikakhulukazi iznsizwa uyibone insizwa izinto ziyihambela kahle ihlez ekhakho nina isebenze ilobole iganwe okukanye ingakaganwa uyaybona nansiya isiqala ulala uthi uyezwa kuthiwe wakha umuzi wakubo okub’hlungu esengikuqaphelile izithuba ezningana uthi eqala nje ethi uyangena kulowo muzi awbiza ngalesbongo sakubo uzwe kthiwa umphelele umsebenzi kusenjalo uzwe kuthiwa usehlukene nengoduso okukanye umfazi wakhe ksenjalo uzwe kthiwe uyagula phansi phezulu awuh! Uzwe kuthiwa sekumenele ngabe kudalwa yini lokhu Khabazela, ukujomba izigaba? Okukanye sikubona luyihlazo ukubizwa ngesibongo sakoMALUME uma siyi MLANJWANA? Okukanye kwenziwa ukoniwa kwezinto okudalwa ukushoda kolwazi? Ngabe kumele siqaphelisise kuphi Khabazela ilamule nazi iznsizwa ziphela imindeni ize inukane yodwa kubulawane. Ilamule wena waSEMBO.
thank you Khabazela i’m a young person and i strongly believe in africanism all the way. Please if u could write more stuff on this site i’m goimg to definitly get the book
Nice article can we please as Africans when we justify or state our existence reffer to the bible can we just say who we are wht we made of without any refference to the christian refference, who are we trying to buy in? And anyway we view life and do things differently even in the spirit world of grandfathers in my view there is no relation, i think we all know that but we always try to relate the stories of the bible with our grandfathers wisdom can we please stop and stick to our grandfathers wisdom with a modest approach - Ke Monesa Pula
ngicela amacontacts ka baba u VVO sengihlupheke kakhulu ngiwahambile amzwe kepha ngiyabona ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi inking inomsamo wami. angisazi ukuthi kumele ngenze njani.
baba if you can only give me a chance to meet you or talk to me over the phone give me guidance may be kungaba khona umehluko.
ngiyabonga ukuthi kube khona umuntu onjengawe God bless you.
kwaze kwamnandi la endlini…nami nginesifiso sokuxhumana nobaba VVO kengibeke olwami usizi hleze angibonise indlela…sizani bo…ngiyatholakala ku 0718604285
Ngiyafisa ukuxumana noKhabazela kodwa angiwatholi ama contact details akhe, please anyone who can help me with them, i have a serious problem regarding Umsamo so i need advice from ASAP, and my cell number is 076 411 9314 and my e-mail address is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). thank you.
UKhabazela utholakala ku .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Ungangithinta ku .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) uma ufisa ukuthola inombolo yakhe.
I really need direction for Khabazela for tomorrow(30 March 2012) I am having an appointment with him tomorrow morning. please help its urgent and my number is 0764119314
baba nginenkinga angazi ukuthi kufanele ngizibize ngokuthi ngingumzulu, umswati or umsuthu ngoba kumele ngibenzele bonke njengoba ngisephehlweni njengamanje,
Impucuzeko isisenze safana namalulwane wona angazazi nokuthi ayiliphi. Imvelaphi yethu sesiyibukela phansi okwezicathulo. Angimethulele isigqoko uSolwazi ngeqhaza alibambile lokusikhanyisela thina ntsha esizaleke kunesixakaxaka.
thank you baba Khabazela may god bless keep up tha good work. we are lost