Ancestors as Elders in Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	Ancestors as Elders in Africa
Author:	Kopytoff, Igor
Year:	1971
Periodical:	Africa: Journal of the International African Institute
Volume:	41
Issue:	2
Period:	April
Pages:	129-142
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Subjects:	ancestor worship Suku (Democratic Republic of Congo) Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
External links:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/1159423 https://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pao:&rft_dat=xri:pao:article:4011-1971-041-00-000010
Abstract:	In this description of some activities and relationships among the Suku of south-western Congo (Kinshasa) the description conforms to the generalized pattern of African ancestor cults and is congruent with Fortes's analysis. Showed is that there are difficulties in characterizing the Suku complex as an 'ancestor cult' and additional data on Suku lineage structure are brought in. Contended is then that Fortes's analysis, while pointing in the right direction, does not go far enough because it does not take the final step of shedding the ethnocentric connotations of the very term 'ancestor'. Also is tried to show that by viewing 'African ancestor cults' as part of the eldership complex, more simply can be accounted for many of Fortes's generalizations and at the same time some of the problems he raises can be made redundant. Bibl., notes, table, French summary.