| ANDREAS GEROLEMOU |
| Creativity Through African Divination We as the western society often believe that Sangomas cast spells, play voodoo, contact their ancestors, and use animal blood to create magic potions. But if we were to put all the fantasy aside and look solely at the process, at the method, we would understand it better. If I simplify divination, it would go like this: a question is asked, and by using a bunch of symbols, an answer is formulated. The question can be anything, anything relevant to the problem at hand, like career choices, illnesses and relationship problems. The use of the symbols is the process that gives you possible answers. Each individual item is a key that helps the Sangoma remember an aspect of society. Like love, money, masculinity and fear. When these objects are thrown down, they fall randomly to the floor. The Sangoma would then interpret the objects according to their position and how close they are to each other. The answer doesn't have to be a prediction of the future, but is more like a piece of advice. Now, why is this important to understand? Why would we need a system like this? Firstly let's not forget that divination has been here for thousands of years. And not only in Africa but also in China with the I Ching, in Egypt with astrology, in France with the Tarot, English tea-leaf reading, Palmistry from India, China, Babylonia and Egypt, and so many more. For divination to have lasted so long means that there was and still is a need for it; our need to know and harness our fate. And one way to try and control destiny is to create a system like divination. A way to find answers to our problems. What if we were to take one of these methods and reinvent it to help us today? With challenges in design or in any situation where creativity is necessary. By breaking the method down so that we can see that anyone can use it, not only people that have a calling, but also the rest of us, like you and me. http://nitagundua.blogspot.com/ [email protected] |
