Greek and Indigenous African Festivals: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The association of indigenous Africans with nature is not a peculiarity. In the Greek world, the Dionysus festival was a compendium of various festivals and were celebrated at the dawn of civilization in Athens and the Anthesteria was considered the oldest of such festivals. Many days of the year were dedicated to the celebration of the festivals. Using aesthetics as a springboard, the study examines the psychological and philosophical undercurrents of festivals in the two cultural environments and concludes that entertainment and religious reasons were the underlying imports of the performances of festivals the world over.

Keywords: Aesthetics, Eje, Masquerades, Festivals, Performance, Costumes