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The African Calendar and Cultural Festivals
By
Prof. Mathole Motshekga
B.Iuris (Unisa) LLM (Harvard) LLD (Unisa) Prof (hc)
Director: Kara Heritage Institute
Self Knowledge shall set you free
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ISBN NO: 978-1-920264-17
By Prof. Mathole Motshekga
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The African Calendar and Cultural Festivals
1. Introduction
2. The Philosophy of Origins
3. The Spiritual Cosmology
4. The Solar Cosmography
4.1 The Great Year
4.2 The Solar Calendar
4.3 The Lunar Calendar
5. Cultural Festivals
5.1 The African New Year
5.2 First Fruits Festival
5.3 The Harvest Festival
5.4 Initiation Festivals
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1. Introduction
Every human family has a philosophy and history of its origins and art of being. The
Calendar of a people records and articulates these essential elements of a people’s past,
identity, culture and traditions. African people inscribed the essential elements of their
intangible cultural heritage, indegeneous knowledge systems and calendar in Zodiacs, of
Meroe, Dendera, Great Zimbabwe and Maphungubwe etc. These Zodiacs contain a
spiritual philosophy, and cosmology on which the African Calendar is based.
An understanding of the African Calendar requires knowledge of the African spiritual
philosophy of origins and cosmology which underlie African cosmography. This
monogram deals first and foremost, with these elements.
2. The African Philosophy of Origins
At the beginning there was nothingness or non-being. The First Cause begot itself out of
this nothingness and came to be known as the self-begotten One or ultimate principle of
being. This Being manifested itself as a triune principle made out of Mind (male),
Thought (female), and Word (offspring of the two). This triune principle took the form
of Absolute Light that existed before the birth of the universe(s). The principle of oneness
or unity underlying all existence is, therefore, a triune principle of light known as the One
or the Good.
There are ten principles which emanated from the One and took the form of a spiral, ten
concentric circles or a python biting its tail. These symbols represent the Universal
virgin mother at the centre of the galaxy or in the region of the Milky Way.
The Universal Virgin Mother gave birth to the spiritual father, mother and child
symbolised by the three stars of the Orion belt. These stars are three in One and One in
Three and are also conceived as the spiritual father. The stars Sirius A and B that
emanated from the stars of the Orion belt represents the Cosmic mother and child. This
Cosmic family is also symbolised by the Solar ( ) emblem. This emblem represents
the Bull of Heaven and the four gods who guard the four quarters of the universe. The
Bull of Heaven and the cosmic spirit that emanates from it are represented by a wheel of
light which makes out the nerve centre of the universe. This wheel of light unfolded
itself into the great and little universe.
The Wheel of Light
Fig. A
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Fig. B
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3. Spiritual Cosmology
The Bull of Heaven or Wheel of Light unfolded itself into Seven Pleiades or Circumpolar
stars which interacted in the form of two interpenetrating triangles sharing a centre. The
lower and Upper triangles represented fire (male) and water (female) respectively. The
interaction of the two triangles reproduced the macrocosmic intelligence which
transformed itself into the twelve houses of the macrocosmic universe. The structure of
this macrocosmos is depicted by the following Bemben stone.
3.1 The Macrocosmos
G
8
7 6
5
B
E
9 4
A
3
10
2
11
12
1
D
H
C
F
Fig A
This macrocosmos replicated itself in a microcosmos
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3.2 The Microcosmos
5
G
6 7
8
B
E
4 9
A
10
3
11
2
1
12
D
H
C
F
Fig B
4. The Solar Cosmology
The two figures (A and B) make out the macro-microcosmic order consisting of the
following hierarchy of Gods:
• Bull of Heaven
• Four Beasts of Heaven corresponding to the four quarters of the Universe
• The Seven cows of Heaven represented by the seven Pleiades or circumpolar
stars
• The seven bulls of Heaven symbolised by the seven outer planets
The seven Pleiades or circumpolar stars and seven bulls of heaven make out fourteen
rungs of the ladder of heaven which link the Bull of Heaven (i.e. Father of Lights) and
humanity.
The twelve houses of the macrocosmos and twelve houses of the microcosmos
correspond to the twelve hours of the day and twelve hours of the night.
The aforegoing macro-microcosmic structure of the universe is the basis of the African
Calendar described below. There are three African calendars, namely, the Great Year,
the Solar and Lunar years. Each of these Calendars is described below. The subdivisions
of the twelve signs of the Zodiac are used for the computation of time.
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4.1 The Great Year
Each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac is divided into 30 degrees, making the total
number 360 (12 X 30) degrees. The Divine Light (Kara) that appear as the Sun (Ra)
enters the eighth sphere of the universe (i.e. microcosmic zodiac) and traverses. The
duration that it took from the birth of time to the completion of the first cycle is called the
Great Year. Of course from the beginning of the world to date there have been many
Great Years.
The Sun (Ra), that is, ray of Light emanating from the Divine Light (Kara) entered the
Zodiacal sign of cancer and traversed all twelve signs over a period of 25920 years called
the Great Year. This period is calculated as follows.
It takes the sun 72 years to traverse one degree and 2160 (30 X 72) to traverse one house
of the zodiac. It, therefore, takes 25920 (2160 X 12) years to traverse all twelve signs of
the Zodiac. Since the beginning of time the sun has completed millions of great years.
Thus the Orthodox creation date of 4004 BC is inaccurate. This is given as the year in
which Adam was created. But long before this year the ancient Empires of Khem or Ta
Shema, ancient Ethiopia and Egypt had long been founded and their civilisations was
already advanced. Thus the African pre-dates the Adamic lineage. More specifically,
African descended from Ptah (the master architect of the universe), not from Adam and
Eve.
4.2 The Solar Year
The sun enters the celestial sphere through the gate of cancer (Khepera or Haramanuba)
and returns through the gate of Capricorn (Anuba). The sun and the moon are born out of
the internetion of the God of North ( ) and the God of the South ( ) who
interpenetrate each other at the equator.
The Interpenetration of the Gods
Ntu
Ra
Ma
Ra
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The union (Ntura) of the God of the North (Ntu) and God of the South (Ra) reproduces
the union (Mara) of the female (ma) and male (Ra) principles at the equator.
Thus the Area of the Great Lakes around the equator came to be known as the Land (Ta)
of the Gods (Ntura or Mara). In one word the Land of the Gods is called Tantura or
Tamara. This land is also known as Punt or Afura i.e. the land of the king, sun or God.
The Solar year starts on the 23 rd September when the Sun appears below the body of the
Zodiacal sign of Leo. This marks the begin of the African New Year. The African year
is divided into three seasons of four months each. These seasons are Summer (September
to December), Autumn (January to April), and Winter (May to August). The African
year is also divided into four quarters, the two solstices and two equinoxes.
4.3 The Lunar Year
The moon has no original light. It derives its light from the Sun. This light traverses the
fourteen stations of the moon corresponding to the seven Pleiades or Circumpolar stars
and seven outer planets. Thus for 14 days the Solar energy descends into the Sub-lunary
world carrying the Solar Light to energize the world. For the remaining 14 days the
moon ascends to the heavens to recharge through its reunion with the Sun. Thus the
Lunar cycle takes 28 days. During the two dark days of the Moon the Moon (Ma) and
the Sun (Ra) are reunited, as female and male, to reproduce new Solar energy before a
New Lunar Cycle. Thus Africans revere the Sun and the moon individually or
collectively as Mara or Mari. The Primal shrine of the androgyne God Mara is at
Kumara or Tamara i.e. the source of the Nile at the foot of the mountains of the moon.
The Lunar Cycle is made out of 30 (28+2) days. Each house of the Zodiac consists of
three groups of ten stars called the decans. The moon takes 10 days to traverse each of
the three groups of ten stars. Thus a Lunar consists of 3 weeks of 10 days each. The
moon spends 30 days in each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac, bringing the total number of
Lunar year to 360.
At the completion of this annual lunar cycle the Union (Mara) of the Moon (Ma) and the
Sun (Ra) reproduces the five elements of ether/spirit, water, fire, earth, and air. On each
subsequent day, bringing the total number of a lunar year to 365. The union Mara of the
Moon (Ma) and the Sun (Ra) is a reflection of the androgyne planet Venus (Mara) mother
of the planet Mercury (Kara). This planet Venus is also a reflection of the Queen of
Heaven and Earth called Musasi or Mudjadji, popularly known as Mwalinkulunkulu or
Muhale. Many peoples of Africa South of the Sahara worship this Goddess under
different names. Hence, African communities were largely matriarchal in nature.
The patriarchal systems in Africa was introduced by the patriarchy in the Old Testament
and the New Testament which disposed of the female God Sophia or Shekhina and only
recognised Jehovah and Jesus who are both male. This patriarchy was made part of the
secular law under colonialism and Apartheid.
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In African Religion matriarchy is still alive. The Goddess Muhale or Mwalinkulunkulu
who was worshipped by the Barozwi dynasty at Maphungubwe, Great Zimbabwe
atMudzimungale at Lwandali, now Tshiendeulu in the Zoutpansberg, is still worshipped
at Masase, Mberengwa, Southern Zimbabwe, Makonde in the Vhembe district and
Maulwe, Balobedu district in Limpopo province.
In ancient and medieval Africa the goddess Muhale was also known as Saba or Sapha
(Greek Sophia i.e. Wisdom). This goddess is also known as kore or koremukuru.
5. Cultural Festivals
There are five cultural festivals which correspond with the seasons to the seasons of the
year. The African Year is divided into four quarters of three months each and three
seasons of four months each. These African Cultural festivals are discussed below.
5.1 The African New Year
On the 23 rd August the sun appears between the paws of the celestial Lion (Tau or Simba)
in conjunction with the star regulus (i.e. little king). A month thereafter, on the 23 rd
September the sun appears below the body of celestial lion (Tau or Simba), marking the
beginning of the African New Year.
The African New Year is marked, in particular, by the appearance of the Bull of Heaven,
also known as the Father of Lights (Ramasedi) and the four beasts of heaven which guard
the four quarters of the universe. This five light beings are represented by the Solar ()
emblem. The Father of Lights (Abakara or Ramasedi) is the physical manifestation of
the Self-begotten God called Ptah, Mutangakugara or Umveliqani. Thus the African New
Year is both a Spiritual and Cultural celebration.
In October the Seven Pleiades or Circumpolar (Khelemela/Isilimela) stars appear to
announce the ploughing times and the time of rain-ceremonies. The Bull of Heaven
(Nyandara) or Father of Lights (Abakara)/Ramasedi) and the Seven Cows of Heaven
(represented by the Seven Pleiades or Circumpolar (Khelemela/Isilimela) stars manifest
themselves as the wheel of Light of Solar wheel that moves the visible universe.
or
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The appearance of the Bull and Seven Cows of Heaven (Nyandara) or Father of Lights
(Abakara)/Ramasedi) in the form of the Solar wheel in October every year marks the time
for worshipping the Father of Lights and the seven stars which emanated from him. Thus
Africans conceive the Godhead and its messengers (i.e. angels) as light, not human,
beings. The Father of Lights (Abakara) is also known as Shambe, Nyambe or Sambe,
Hamptah or Champtah (i.e. the Word of God Ptah).
The African Worship of the Word (Ham or Zambe) of God Ptah is known as Memphite
theology and it is recorded in the Sabaka stone which was produced by the Ethiopian
Pharaoh Sabaca who ruled the united empire of Ancient Ethiopia and Egypt.
5.2 First Fruits Festival
The seeds planted in October germinates and grow in November when Nature is reborn
and both the plant and animal kingdoms increase. In December the First Fruits are ready
for harvesting and consumption. There are special rituals, governed by the phases of the
moon which must be performed before the First Fruits are consumed. These rituals are
associated with the New and Full moon as well as the summer solstice (December 21-25)
The summer solstice marks the birth of the five Grand ancestors of humanity and, in
particular, the Son of the Sun (Usara/Osiris). The First Fruits that are consumed during
the time of the summer solstice symbolise the five Grand Ancestors of humanity. These
ancestors are Usara (Osiris), Har-ar (Horus-ur), Sethe (Set), (M)usasi (Isis), Naphta
(Nephtys). The first born children of these Gods are Hara (Horus), Son of (M)usasi and
Usara and Anuba, Son of Sethe and Naphta.
African Festivals Days
23 September: African New Year
21 October: Rain-making ceremonies
21-25 December: Birthdays of the Grand Ancestors, symbolised by First
Fruits festivals
6 January: Sacrifice of a black bull to mark the beginning of the
harvest season symbolised by the coronation of Faro or
Thobela – the harvest God.
21 March – 20 April: During Easter when the Sun enters the Zodiacal sign of
Aries special rituals are performed to thank God and Gods
for the successful harvest.
7 May: This day is called Mohale’s day and all work is prohibited.
People brew beer, drink and celebrate this Goddess of
Heaven and Earth known by diverse names.
25 May: The Birthday of the Word or Son of the Goddess and
Beginning of Initiation Schools
19 – 23 July: Birthday of the Child of Light (Hahul Ihy)
15 – 23 August: Birthdays of the Gods (Neteru) of the First Time (Zep Tepi)
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5.3 The Harvest Festival
In January (6 th ) a black bull is sacrifice to the Bull of Heaven (or Father of Lights and
Royal Ancestors who are intermediaries between the nation, god and gods. The sacrifice
is made to ensure that Godhead enjoys the harvest before humanity. The actual time of
the harvest takes place from the 21 st March when the Sun enters the zodiacal sign of
Aries. In this period the Sun is called King or Monarch (Faro) who is sacrificed to
nourish humanity.
The King or Monarch (Faro or Fura) is also called Thobela or Ingwenyama, the 4
messengers between the Gods and humanity.
The sacrificial Lamb (Faro or Thobela) is reborn during the first full moon after Easter.
The rebirth of this Monarch is followed by the rebirth of the Lunar Goddess (Maia),
mother of Sambe or Nyambe (the Word or son) of the Goddess on May 7. This day
marks the beginning of the Winter Season. In the Maphungubwe and Great Zimbabwe
May 7 was celebrated as Muhale’s day. On this day all work was prohibited and people
stayed at home and feasted.
5.4 Initiation Festivals
On the 25 th May the star Canopus (Naka) appears before sunrise to announce the birth of
the Word (Sambe/Nyambe) of the Goddess Maia or Muhale. The person who sees this
star first reports to the royal court and is rewarded by a black cow symbolising the Queen
of Heaven and Earth. The appearance of the Canopus star also announces the beginning
of winter and initiated period.
The initiation rituals prepare the youth for adult life which include: respect for authority,
mutual respect for men and women, community service and reverence for god and gods.
These initiation rituals are followed by birth of the Gods in July and August.
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