Most Africans who lived in the past used to live very differently from how we lived today.
Our ancestors never planted or never reared anything in the past.They had no possession of anything as land or cows has we have today.People used to move from place to place to find their new shelter .
They used to cook without using matches but made their own fire using stones as matches .They hunted down animals and gathered some fruits from forests to cook.
Many communities in the African culture had clothes made of wool which they used to make from animal skins.
Now let us discuss on the rituals and practices which our ancestors performed.Some of the communities in the 'Maa' culture ,one of the tribes in Africa ,had some cultures which they perfomed.This include before birth,at birth ,at marriage and at death.
Before birth ,it was believed that ,a woman who was pregnant was to cover herself all over the body and leave only eyes open in order to see.
This was to prevent the child from being Bewitched and the mother from dying or turning barren for witches existed.
Mothers used to wear charms made from grass which was believed to be planted by ancestors who died long time ago .The grasses were believed to be powerful and it sent back all the evil to the owner's family.
There was a well which had sacred water which only come ones a year . The water used to come half of the year i.e 30th June.That was the specific days of the waters to be seen.
All expectant women had to get their early and take a little of the waters for you were not supposed to take a lot for it couldn't be enough to all.
The waters were believed to have superpower which can heal any kind of disease the infant or the mother was having and also protecting them from evil spirits.
At birth,if a boy child is born ,he was to be taken to the parents of the woman to be shaved his hair to show acceptance to the family and community for they used to marry from the same community.
If a baby girl was born,she had to be kept indoors for a whole month and then given out to be booked by men for marriage.
If someone was to bear a babygirl as a firstborn,some communities used to kill the and offered sacrifice to ancestors for they believed having girls as firstborns is a curse.
If one was to bear twins ,they were to be killed because twins were regarded as a curse not only to the family but the whole community.
At death some communities used to burry their loved ones with their belongings which they believed that they were going to use them because they were going to start a new life.
If am man died first,his wife was to place cooked food on his right hand to signify that she will still be helping him in the next life.
If a woman was to die first ,a man was to sleep beside her casket for one night to signify security is given to the woman for she was scared for being alone without her husband.This meant that man was still providing security for her even in the next life to come.
After burial the remaining members of the family used to pour libations and offer sacrifice to the ancestors to
appease them asking them to take away the curse of death from their families because they believed one died because of evil spirits.
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