Biography
Fwangmun Oscar Danladi, a theologian, youth pastor, and activist in Nigeria, co-founded the 'Jos Green Centre,' a youth-led initiative focusing on eco-entrepreneurship and climate action. Oscar is pursuing a Master of Theology (ThM) in Religion and Society at Princeton Theological Seminary. His passion for creation care is evident in his efforts to promote livelihood and environmental sustainability through youth engagement and community projects across Africa.
Paper Abstract
In the Middle Belt cultures of Plateau State, Nigeria, cosmologies reveal a unique entanglement of bodies with land and soil, exemplified in practices like burying newborns' umbilical cords and returning corpses to ancestral homes. Often dismissed as fetish or animistic, these phenomena hold profound socio-religious significance, contributing to the global discourse on land relations. This paper investigates how the intricate interconnection of bodies and soil shapes identity, examining its implications for African responses to ecological crises through cosmological beliefs. The study contends that within the cultural richness of these communities, this entanglement can be a source of upheaval, violence, and disruptions. Using a socio-religious paradigm, the research aims to unravel the inherent complexities in the relationship between bodies, land, and soil, providing a nuanced understanding that enriches the theory of rooted-ness and routed-ness.