What are Traditional Sacred Groves?

Sacred groves are places where there are a few trees to several acres of forests or natural vegetation dedicated to local folk deities or tree spirits. They are usually set up or controlled by local communities or villages. There are three types of sacred groves that were formed by communities in the past including traditional sacred groves, temple groves and groves around burial or cremation grounds.

Traditional sacred groves are built with religious meanings and functions. They are usually regarded as the places where village deity lives and protects the community. And in another way, the community is responsible to take controls of its sacred groves and protects its usages; for example, the schedule for sacrifices. Because of this relationship, traditional sacred groves have once widely spread among many regions in Africa. People established many sacred groves outside all settlements. Osun-Osgogbo Sacred Grove in Nigeria is one of the best representatives for sacred groves. It is the last remnant of primary forest left in Southern Nigeria. And it is also one of the largest sacred groves that have survived to nowadays. Because of its magnificent importance and traditional culture value, Osun-Osgogbo was inscribed in the list of UNESCO world Heritage Site list in 2005. The Yoruba goddess of gertility is the deity that people in Osun believed in. More than four centuries ago, they began to build the sacred grove and kept maintaining it. Not only the place are well remained, but also the culture is delivered generations by generations. Even now, the traditional residents in Osun-Osgogbo hold a huge celebration called the Osun-Osgogbo festival in August every year. It attracts hundreds and thousands of Osun worshippers, historia...

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... taboos and constraints passed down through oral history. They have such a great value on historic and religious studies, and people pay a lot of attention to protecting and maintaining them. Usually local sacred groves are locally controlled by small flexible societies. The management is easy and effective. At the same time, community members protect and take care of the grove due to their religious belief. Also, protection of sacred sites and natural resources are inseparable. What is more, the community rules conserved an intact forest. For example, no dry foliage or fallen fruits can be touched in some sacred groves, deadwood or dried leaves may be picked (but no cutting of live tree or branches), and hunting and logging usually strictly prohibited. Based on all these protections from individuals and societies, scared groves should be protected greatly.