The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria

Endong; Floribert Patrick C.

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

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The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria

Endong, Floribert Patrick C.

Published in American Journal of Art and Design (Volume 2, Issue 2)

Received: 29 June 2017 Accepted: 11 July 2017 Published: 1 August 2017

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Abstract

Christianity has been an active agent of westernisation and modernisation in contemporary Nigeria. Being more westernised than nigerianised, the phenomenon has, in many respects, challenged the idea of traditional African culture and art. Hinging on radical, though arguable exegeses of the Bible, neo Pentecostal Christian vitalities have questioned and utterly demonised core Nigerian cultural values, particularly traditional African art. This paper challenges the thesis that traditional art is inextricably connected with ancestral worship and inherently satanic. Though some of its constitutive elements – notably statutes of deities and goddesses as well as masks and artefacts associated with rituals – may have some connections with specific tenets of animism and idol worshiping, other aspects as ‘clean’ textile products, relevant rhythms within traditional music and architectural designs are visibly not antithetical to Christianity. It will therefore be expedient to delicately sort syncretic arts from the “spiritually poisonous” ones. Only syncretic art (those that may be concurrent to the concept of practicing Christianity) should be combated within Christian circles. This is in line with the fact that, external campaigns aimed at destroying traditional Nigerian art are not only anti-Africanist but clear violations of the principle of secularity of the state, spelt out by the Nigerian Constitution.

Published in	American Journal of Art and Design (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
Page(s)	52-59
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Traditional African Art, Folk Culture, Pentecostal Christianity, Westernisation, Africanisation

References

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[2]	Endong, Floribert, Patrick C. (2015). ‘Glossolalia in the Nigerian Gospel Music: Aesthetic Feature or Archetype of a Pentecostal Identity?’. IJAHS: International Journal of Art and Humanity Sciences, 2(2), 14-20.
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[6]	Amadi, Elechi (2005). Ethics of Nigerian Culture, Heinemann Educational Books, Ibadan.
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[8]	Endong, Floribert Patrick C. (2015). ‘Western Christian Media as Vectors of Cultural Imperialism in Nigeria: A Case Study of The Watchtower and Awake’, International Journal of Media Science Works, 1(1), 1-8.
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[10]	Yemisi, Shyllon (2013). ‘Problem of Art Development in Nigeria’, PM News, No. 14, 86-88.
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[17]	Broussard, Chris (2013). ‘Debunking the Myth that Christianity is the White man’s Religion’, KING Newsletter, KING Movement, New York. Available [online] at http://www.debuning_the_myth_that_christianity_is_the.whiteman’sreligionking_newsletter.com. Accessed on the 28/10/2015.
[18]	Iheanacho, Ngozi N. (2014). ‘A Critical Look at Contemporary Nigerian Christianity’, IJTRT: International Journal of Theology and Reformed Tradition, 23(2), 78-99.
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Endong, Floribert Patrick C. (2017). The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria. American Journal of Art and Design, 2(2), 52-59. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

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ACS Style

Endong; Floribert Patrick C. The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria. Am. J. Art Des. 2017, 2(2), 52-59. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

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AMA Style

Endong, Floribert Patrick C. The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria. Am J Art Des. 2017;2(2):52-59. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13,
  author = {Endong and Floribert Patrick C.},
  title = {The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria},
  journal = {American Journal of Art and Design},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {52-59},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajad.20170202.13},
  abstract = {Christianity has been an active agent of westernisation and modernisation in contemporary Nigeria. Being more westernised than nigerianised, the phenomenon has, in many respects, challenged the idea of traditional African culture and art. Hinging on radical, though arguable exegeses of the Bible, neo Pentecostal Christian vitalities have questioned and utterly demonised core Nigerian cultural values, particularly traditional African art. This paper challenges the thesis that traditional art is inextricably connected with ancestral worship and inherently satanic. Though some of its constitutive elements – notably statutes of deities and goddesses as well as masks and artefacts associated with rituals – may have some connections with specific tenets of animism and idol worshiping, other aspects as ‘clean’ textile products, relevant rhythms within traditional music and architectural designs are visibly not antithetical to Christianity. It will therefore be expedient to delicately sort syncretic arts from the “spiritually poisonous” ones. Only syncretic art (those that may be concurrent to the concept of practicing Christianity) should be combated within Christian circles. This is in line with the fact that, external campaigns aimed at destroying traditional Nigerian art are not only anti-Africanist but clear violations of the principle of secularity of the state, spelt out by the Nigerian Constitution.},
 year = {2017}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria
AU  - Endong
AU  - Floribert Patrick C.
Y1  - 2017/08/01
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
T2  - American Journal of Art and Design
JF  - American Journal of Art and Design
JO  - American Journal of Art and Design
SP  - 52
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2578-7802
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
AB  - Christianity has been an active agent of westernisation and modernisation in contemporary Nigeria. Being more westernised than nigerianised, the phenomenon has, in many respects, challenged the idea of traditional African culture and art. Hinging on radical, though arguable exegeses of the Bible, neo Pentecostal Christian vitalities have questioned and utterly demonised core Nigerian cultural values, particularly traditional African art. This paper challenges the thesis that traditional art is inextricably connected with ancestral worship and inherently satanic. Though some of its constitutive elements – notably statutes of deities and goddesses as well as masks and artefacts associated with rituals – may have some connections with specific tenets of animism and idol worshiping, other aspects as ‘clean’ textile products, relevant rhythms within traditional music and architectural designs are visibly not antithetical to Christianity. It will therefore be expedient to delicately sort syncretic arts from the “spiritually poisonous” ones. Only syncretic art (those that may be concurrent to the concept of practicing Christianity) should be combated within Christian circles. This is in line with the fact that, external campaigns aimed at destroying traditional Nigerian art are not only anti-Africanist but clear violations of the principle of secularity of the state, spelt out by the Nigerian Constitution.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Endong

Department of Theatre and Media Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
Floribert Patrick C.

Department of Theatre and Media Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Endong, Floribert Patrick C. (2017). The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria. American Journal of Art and Design, 2(2), 52-59. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

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ACS Style

Endong; Floribert Patrick C. The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria. Am. J. Art Des. 2017, 2(2), 52-59. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Endong, Floribert Patrick C. The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria. Am J Art Des. 2017;2(2):52-59. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13,
  author = {Endong and Floribert Patrick C.},
  title = {The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria},
  journal = {American Journal of Art and Design},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {52-59},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajad.20170202.13},
  abstract = {Christianity has been an active agent of westernisation and modernisation in contemporary Nigeria. Being more westernised than nigerianised, the phenomenon has, in many respects, challenged the idea of traditional African culture and art. Hinging on radical, though arguable exegeses of the Bible, neo Pentecostal Christian vitalities have questioned and utterly demonised core Nigerian cultural values, particularly traditional African art. This paper challenges the thesis that traditional art is inextricably connected with ancestral worship and inherently satanic. Though some of its constitutive elements – notably statutes of deities and goddesses as well as masks and artefacts associated with rituals – may have some connections with specific tenets of animism and idol worshiping, other aspects as ‘clean’ textile products, relevant rhythms within traditional music and architectural designs are visibly not antithetical to Christianity. It will therefore be expedient to delicately sort syncretic arts from the “spiritually poisonous” ones. Only syncretic art (those that may be concurrent to the concept of practicing Christianity) should be combated within Christian circles. This is in line with the fact that, external campaigns aimed at destroying traditional Nigerian art are not only anti-Africanist but clear violations of the principle of secularity of the state, spelt out by the Nigerian Constitution.},
 year = {2017}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Influence of Westernised and Hybridised Christianity on the Appreciation of Traditional Art in Nigeria
AU  - Endong
AU  - Floribert Patrick C.
Y1  - 2017/08/01
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
T2  - American Journal of Art and Design
JF  - American Journal of Art and Design
JO  - American Journal of Art and Design
SP  - 52
EP  - 59
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2578-7802
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20170202.13
AB  - Christianity has been an active agent of westernisation and modernisation in contemporary Nigeria. Being more westernised than nigerianised, the phenomenon has, in many respects, challenged the idea of traditional African culture and art. Hinging on radical, though arguable exegeses of the Bible, neo Pentecostal Christian vitalities have questioned and utterly demonised core Nigerian cultural values, particularly traditional African art. This paper challenges the thesis that traditional art is inextricably connected with ancestral worship and inherently satanic. Though some of its constitutive elements – notably statutes of deities and goddesses as well as masks and artefacts associated with rituals – may have some connections with specific tenets of animism and idol worshiping, other aspects as ‘clean’ textile products, relevant rhythms within traditional music and architectural designs are visibly not antithetical to Christianity. It will therefore be expedient to delicately sort syncretic arts from the “spiritually poisonous” ones. Only syncretic art (those that may be concurrent to the concept of practicing Christianity) should be combated within Christian circles. This is in line with the fact that, external campaigns aimed at destroying traditional Nigerian art are not only anti-Africanist but clear violations of the principle of secularity of the state, spelt out by the Nigerian Constitution.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download