Interrogating the Ontologies of Animal Totems (Dogs and the Green Snake) in Tiv Culture: A Pathway for African Animal Ethics

Abstract

This essay seeks to understand the relationship between dogs and the green snake, in a bid to illuminate their special status among the Tiv people of Central Nigeria. The Tiv are known for their great love for meat. The desire and love of meat propelled their ancestors into a culture of hunting and farming to ingratiate this insatiable need. However, respect and the conservation of a select breed of animals calls for a close study and special attention to understand why other animals are not edible. The Tiv share a common cosmological history and ontology with animals like dogs and the green snake. These animals are considered sacred and respected totems that the Tiv are forbidden to kill and eat. This research seeks to answer the question of how the Tiv people perceive the agency and special status of dogs and the green snake in their cultured area and the role played by animals in Tiv spiritual and cultural traditions. What ethical implications arise from these ontologies, particularly regarding animal rights, welfare, and conservation? These research questions will open diverse perspectives to the discourse on African animal ethics. This research also investigated and unveils the diverse perspectives on human-animal relationships and informs the development of an African animal ethics that incorporates indigenous knowledge systems. This research adopted a historicist, cultural, and evaluative approach in answering these questions. It argues that there are several similar totem practices in African cultures, many of which are gradually becoming obsolescent, which can be reclaimed and leveraged to liberate non-human animals to establish a viable African animal ethics.