The devastating influenza epidemic of 1918 ripped through southern Africa. In its aftermath, revivalist and millenarian movements sprouted. Prophets appeared bearing messages of resistance, redemption, and renewal. African Apocalypse: The Story of Nontetha Nkwenkwe, A Twentieth-Century Prophet is the remarkable story of one such prophet, a middle-aged Xhosa woman named Nontetha.
Ali Green (2009: 51) has observed that “[w]omen’s experiences of giving birth have historically been under-explored as a resource for theology, but this essentially female function, now bodily represented by the woman priest, clearly symbolizes aspects of the divine”.
Many older African American women perceive spirituality as an important resource in facilitating the self-management process of their chronic disease conditions. Research designs, which are congruent with theoretical frameworks of African American women, are important.
At first glance it would appear that despite women's vital participation in peace-making processes, they are for the most part marginalised or belittled. However; moving away from the idea of women as outsiders and/or victims, we find evidence of their involvement in projects initiated and driven by them and/or in activities in which they work in equal roles alongside men.
This briefing investigates traditional African healing as a meaningful space for African women to not only with and express their spirituality, but also to live the power that is inherent within that spirituality.