In 1996 during a meeting of
St. Martin de Porres Small Christian Community (SCC) in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania’s Mtoni Parish, a report was given by one of its members on the 1994
African Synod.  The person reported that the bishops, along with the pope, in
their final exhortation said that “dini za jadi” (Swahili for “traditional
religions”) should be respected.  When the time came for comments or questions,
one of the older members of the group asked if he had heard correctly that the
traditional religious practices of the past were now to be respected. They had
been told that these practices had nothing to do with Christianity and should to
be abandoned.  A lively discussion followed with others giving examples from
their own experiences of how certain customs that had been part of their
traditions were no longer practiced because of their accepting the Christian way
of life.  Others had examples of how some customs had been “Christianized” by
leaving out certain elements, for example, sacrifices involved in the rites of
passage.

  
There was keen interest and participation on the part of many of the people in
attendance.  Never once did they refer the problem to me, the priest, but they
handled it well among themselves.   One woman was right on target when she said
that the bishops aren’t saying to return to the religious practices of the past,
but to look at them with new eyes and respect, seeking out what might be in line
with their own Christian beliefs.  At the conclusion of the discussion the old
man remarked that if he had not asked his question they would not have had such
a good encounter.  His comment provoked laughter but beneath it there was
non-verbal acknowledgment that the issue was very real for all who were
present.   So serious dialogue with African Religion continues.