Indigenous or ethnic religions include those that are specifically defined by ethnicity. Conversion is often rare as it requires assimilation into the culture and people.¹ Folk religions may be part of an institutional religion but are usually differentiated by culture or geographic location.¹
Indigenous religions in the majority include those not considered to be 'world religions' (Christianity, Islam, and Buddism) but instead are often rural in nature, do not seek converts, and identify with specific ethnic groups.¹ Judaism and Hinduism can be considered both ethnic religions and world religions, but as they have their own categories they are not discussed here.
African traditional religions encompass a large number of indigenous religions. These include: the Berber religion, Bantu mythology, Odinani (Igbo), Vodun and Yoruba religions, and Serer religion.¹ As well, there are several derived religions from African diaspora. In Brazil, Candomblé, Umbanda and Quimbanda; in Jamaica, Kumina and Rastafarianism; in Venezuela, Marialionzanism; in Cuba, SanterÃa, Regla de Arará, and Regla de Palo; and in Haiti, Haitian Vodou.¹
Asian religions not covered in their own category can be found here as well, including Muism (Korea), Bön (Tibet), shamanism (Mongolian tradition), Druze (Arabic), Samaratanism (the Levant).¹ Sami, Inuit, and Siberian shamanism are also examples of ethnic religions.
In the Americas ethnic religions include the Native American religions of North America (Longhouse, Waashat, Tschadam, Drum, Earth Lodge, and other native religons and traditions), Peyotism, Maya religion, and Aztec religion.¹
The neopagan movement is the contemporary usage of pagan beliefs from history. The beliefs are very diverse but most believe in polytheism, pantheism, and animism.¹
Image source:
1. Wikimedia
Reference:
1. Cultural Survival. Indigenous Religions. Retrieved May 22, 2014, from http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/indigenous-religions
© BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com May 8, 2024, 2:27 am ad1c9bdddf