MS01.01.03.B01.F06.020

6.
Whatever the West African was doing,
he was engaged in a basic religious
experience. It was a way of life
and it helped to order a way of
life between man and fellowman;
man and his environment and
man in relation to God.

The polytheistic concept of classical thought
in Egypt, Greece, Rome, etc is different
from West African in the sense that
these Gods in the non-African world
have equal powers. Not so in Africa -
they specialize eg: a God of War is not
competent in handling an epedemic -
that does not deal with war. He does not intervene
and take sides with people because of their beauty, feminity or fame.
God is about the Gods and he is also
about men - Myths explain how
the world, creation and human
beings came to be. (Africa is a
metaphysical landscape)

With the Expression of a social truth or social value
certain artistic symbols of art were
created - Religion is related to truth.
The Artist expresses the ideas of the community
to spectators, no performers - participants
are active in the African celebration of life
with very few or no onlookers.