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ID: 165231

Omenana as Postcolonial Mythopoetics: : an introduction to the writings of Remy Ilona / Isaac, Walter

Isaac, Walter	Journal Article
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This article is a brief introduction to the writings of Nigerian scholar and writer Remy Ilona. In his work, Ilona argues that an undeniable induction can be made that the Igbo of Nigeria are religio-cultural descendants of the ancient Israelites as depicted in the Hebrew Bible. This article argues that his ideas constitute a postcolonial mythopoesis that is not only cosmic in scope, but also responsive to the social problems engendered by modern slavery and colonialism.

Key Words

Postcolonialism ; Black Jews ; Jewish History ; Igbo ; Afro-Jews ; Mythopoetics

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ID: 165230

Who is a jew (in africa)? definitional and ethical considerations in the study of sub-saharan jewry and judaism / Miles, William F S

Miles, William F S	Journal Article
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Summary/Abstract

In recent decades, the fulcrum of African Jewry has shifted from long-established Ethiopian communities to emerging ones in West and Central Africa. This transition from “old” to “new” expressions of Judaism in Africa reanimates the question, “Who is a Jew?” The matter is problematized by the existence of multiple and diverse communities who purport Israelite lineage but eschew normative Judaism. This article offers a “concentric circles” model to bring conceptual and theological clarity to this issue. The outer circle or ring includes African “tribes” (as the term is used by African themselves) that claim ancient Hebrew lineage but still subscribe to institutionalized Christianity (Protestant or Catholic) or indigenous belief systems (animist or ancestral), or a combination of these. A middle circle or ring encompasses groups that have modified their practices and beliefs to resemble Jewish or Israelite religion but in fundamentally non-normative ways (e.g., practicing priestly sacrifice or retaining Jesus Christ as a Messianic touchstone). The core ring represents those African communities that do adopt normative Judaism, albeit with Africanized accretions. Some scholarly consensus regarding the legitimacy of wide-ranging claims to Jewish identity in Black Africa is critical to the analytical and ethical integrity of the study of African Judaism.

Key Words

Judaism ; Africa ; Nigeria ; Madagascar ; Identity ; Jewry ;
Igbo ; Jewishness ; Malagasy

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