At a time in society where up to 20% of couples have unexplained infertility issues in America and this figure averages between 10% to 20% around the world, looking back at our ancestors and their beliefs may be beneficial, at least in the sense of putting a different perspective on this issue. Today you are going to read about some of the fertility Goddesses and Gods of Africa. Even if it all seems way out there to you, that’s ok. But if nothing else it shows us that our ancestors and those who continue to practice fertility rituals today, do not take their fertility for granted, as those who have experience issues with infertility know will appreciate only too well.

In Africa the word fertility and the rituals associated with fertility, were and are practised with three different aspects in mind. Fertility of the human, in terms of breeding; fertility of the earth, in terms of seeds and agriculture being bountiful; and the third aspect being their belief that the previous two aspects are intertwined with the spirits of the ancestors, which they keep maintained with rituals at burials. Today there are still fertility rituals and practices throughout Africa.

Ala (also known as Ale, Ane, Ali, Ani)
Ala is a popular Goddess and Earth Mother, who is an African Goddess of fertility, earth, mortality and death. She is the most important Goddess in the Odinani system of beliefs and cultural practices, the purpose of which is the restore harmony, peace and love between humans and the deities. Odinani is carried out by the Igbo people of West Africa, and her name (Ala) in the Igbo language translates to earth/or ground.

Her symbol is the crescent moon and her image is often seen with a small child in her arms. Dead souls, the souls of ancestors rest in the sacred womb of Ala. In terms of human fertility, she is in charge of the productivity of the land.

Today the Goddess Ala is still worshipped in Nigeria by the Igbo people. She is both Queen of the Dead and the Creator Goddess. The Igbo believe that the world is populated with both visible and invisible forces. They regard reincarnation as a bridge between those living and the ancestors who have passed.

Asase Ya (also known as Asase Yaa, Aberewa
Asase Ya is an Ashanti Goddess, whose name means the soil, the earth; and she is the Ashanti people’s Earth Goddess of Fertility. Located in central Ghana, the Ashanti people live in extended families. They believe that the mother’s family are the most important and that children inherit the flesh and blood from the mother and the soul from the father.

The Ashanti people believe in a combination of supernatural and spiritual powers. They believe that animals also have souls, as do trees and plants. They believe in the existence of witches, forest spirits or monsters and fairies.

Many rites are practised by the Ashanti for puberty, birth, marriage and death. In their culture the entire female child’s life was spent preparing to be a mother. Even today the Ashanti fertility doll is used by women who wish to give birth. They have the fertility doll prayed over and then strap it to their back as if it were a real baby, and attend to the doll as if is alive, as such giving it life.

Deng (also know as Denka)
Deng is the God of fertility, rain and the sky, of the Dinka people of Southern Sudan. The Dinka believe in a single God called Nhialac who they see as the creator, but they regard Nhialac as being a distant God from human affairs.

They can contact Nhialac however via special spiritual entities called Jak and Yath, which is done by a variety of different rituals. The Dinka have healers and diviners who administer these rituals.

However the war and famine have caused endless sadness and upheaval to the Dinka. On 9th July 2011 a UN led ceasefire resulted in the new Republic of South Sudan being proclaimed.

The hardships the Dinka people have suffered led to them being a tribe who once believed that they were favoured by God but these circumstances led them to see themselves in a negative light, believing that God was punishing them.

Mbaba Mwana Waresa
Mbaba Mwana Waresa is the Zulu Goddess of Fertility, Rain, Agriculture, Rainbows and Harvest. She is loved for the belief that she gave humans the first beer! She is also celebrated for her search for true love, as she left her beautiful home in the clouds to find love and was so moved by the song of a herdsman that she chose him, after many tests.

There are many fertility symbols and rituals practised by Zulus. Zulu beads have been worn since ancient times and today are still a highly important aspect of Zulu Culture. The bead is based upon the egg shape, therefore fertility symbols.

They consider the marula tree to be the marriage tree, and will do a cleansing ritual at this tree before marriage.

In order to ensure lots of healthy children, Zulu women make a small fertility doll traditionally without facial features. There are examples of Zulu fertility dolls carrying babies.

These examples of African Goddesses and Gods illustrate the core of fertility culture of humankind. Each culture has its own version of this story.