Sacred Space of African Indigenous Forces of Nature: Environmental Ethics for the African Diaspora

摘要

The displaced Africans from the transatlantic triangular slave trade took the essence of African indigenous forces of nature including environmental ethics with them and those forces of nature sustained in them. These forces are everywhere in rivers, oceans, lakes, thunder, lightning and graveyards. It is argued that the Orisa are autonomous forces of nature and may express themselves through divination and mediumship possession. The paper explores the role of several African women displaced in Brazil and Cuba who were selected by the Orisa to safeguard and expand this Yoruba system. It highlights implications for gender in African indigenous knowledge systems. Finally, the paper concludes with recommendations for environmental ethics and policies that honour the forces of nature and that are central to peace, wellbeing and sustainable development.