AN EXPOSITION OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR AND HUMAN SOCIAL PATTERN IN TRADITIONAL AFRICAN WORLDVIEW

Résumé

Animals are believed to be endowed with life force in traditional African Worldview. This life force can be used to enhance or strengthen that of humans. There are deep underlying significant features in animals that give them a unique behavioral pattern. In the social sphere of human existence in traditional African worldview, snake is associated with (subtlety), lion (strength), tortoise (wisdom), dog (friendship), locust (destruction), bee (paradox), cat (longevity), owl (evil), and sheep (innocence). The expository method of this study is aimed at advancing the argument that the essential behavior of animals can be replicated in traditionalAfrican world view. This is done through charms, amulets and totemin human social relationships either for a positive or negative purpose. The study further reinforces and relates the concept of life force with similar concepts as telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance and clairaudience. The major finding of the study for further research is how the ontological and scientific relationship shared between humans and animals that produce such causal relationship can be reconciled.