WOMEN AND REINCARNATION IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL BELIEFS
This article examines the multifaceted role of women in reincarnation beliefs within African traditional religions, with a focus on Yoruba, Igbo, and related cosmologies. Drawing on philosophical and gender perspectives, it explores how women function as vessels for ancestral return, custodians of spiritual continuity, and agents in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Through an analysis of cultural practices, the study highlights women's significance in maintaining lineage harmony and moral order. Key findings underscore the empowering yet sometimes restrictive dimensions of these roles. The research employs a qualitative, interpretive methodology grounded in existing literature and ethnographic insights.
Keywords: Reincarnation, Women, African Traditional Religion, Yoruba, Igbo, Ancestral Return, Gender Roles, Spiritual Mediation.