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ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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The Interconnectedness of Life, Death, and the Afterlife in African Cosmologies

Authors: Ignatius Nnaemeka Onwuatuegwu, PhD;

The Interconnectedness of Life, Death, and the Afterlife in African Cosmologies

Abstract

This article investigates the African cosmological notions of life, death, and life after death, presenting a perspective fundamentally different from Western binary understandings. In African thought, death is not viewed as a final cessation but as a natural transition of the spirit and essence from the visible to the invisible realm, joining the community of ancestors. This understanding posits death as an "interruption" of earthly dwelling rather than a termination, emphasizing the continuous spiritual connection between the living and the deceased. The article highlights the African worldview's concept of three distinct yet interdependent phases of selfhood: spiritual selfhood preceding conception, social or experiential selfhood during earthly life, and ancestral selfhood following death. These phases are not isolated but exist in a collaborative and collective manner, underscoring the interconnectedness of individual existence within the broader cosmic cycle. Death is thus understood as a transformative transition into ancestral selfhood, where the deceased become part of the "living dead," actively participating in and influencing the affairs of the living. This perspective emphasizes a unitary conception of reality where life and death coexist harmoniously, with death marking the start of another stage of being and a form of collective immortality. The article concludes by highlighting that while reincarnation is a related concept, the African understanding of life after death primarily emphasizes the continuous presence, remembrance, and reverence of the spirits of the deceased, who remain vital members of the community across realms.

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green