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suman
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suman

religious object
Written by
Molefi Kete Asante
Professor, Department of African American Studies, Temple University. His contributions to SAGE Publications's Encyclopedia of African Religion (2009) formed the basis of his contributions to...
Molefi Kete Asante
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

suman, in African religions, and particularly among the Akan people, a votary object that is used as a talisman or charm because of its perceived spiritual energy. A suman might be used to fend off evil spirits, to create protection around the defenseless, or to empower people to achieve something that they did not know they were capable of.

One receives a suman from a priest who has sanctioned its use as a spiritual object. Thus, it is not something that can be taken from the environment without being sanctified by the proper rituals of the religion. It can be used by diviners, healers, herbalists, and rainmakers to bring about good in the world. It can also be used to create chaos for one’s enemies.

Molefi Kete Asante