A Journey into African Spirituality: An Exploration of Its Key Values, Traditions, and Healing Methodologies
This paper explores African spirituality by examining its core values, traditions, and healing methodologies. Employing a qualitative research design and ethnographic method, data were collected through individual interviews with twelve parents (Sample 1) and a focus group discussion with fifteen community members and traditional leaders (Sample 2) in a deeply rural African community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Participants were recruited with the assistance of community elders for their in-depth knowledge of this faith tradition. Thematic analysis generated three overarching themes: understanding African spirituality; spiritual beliefs and practices within African spirituality; and healing methodologies. The findings reveal a complex system of interconnected beliefs and practices that shape African communal life, highlighting the role of spiritual rituals in sustaining the well-being of families and communities.
Authors
- Nonsikelelo Precios Mthethwa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4800-4006)
- Raisuyah Bhagwan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1584-9432)
Institutions
- Durban University of Technology (ZA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Religions
- Published
- 2025-10-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101300
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- African cultural and philosophical studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.93