ancestor spirits
Venerated deceased relatives
Ancestor spirits are the souls or supernatural essences of deceased family members, believed in many cultures to maintain influence over the living.
They may be venerated, appeased, or consulted for guidance: The shrine honors our ancestor spirits.
In some traditions, ancestor spirits protect descendants; in others, neglected spirits cause misfortune.
The concept spans African, Asian, Indigenous, and ancient European religions.
- spirit mediumsThose who channel the dead
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
- initiation ritesFormal admission procedures
- altarSacred ritual table
- libationsRitual drink offerings
sacred sites · divination · ritual drumming · clan symbols · animism · collective memory · oral traditions · spirit guides · sacred bloodline · shamanism · offerings · spirit possession · filial piety · spirit world · creation myths · death anniversary · rituals · ghosts
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- afterlifeheaven, hell, paradise, purgatory, limbo
- masksface mask, ceremonial masks, surgical mask, N95, ski mask
- ancient religiongods, goddesses, pantheon, deity, polytheism
- Dia de los Muertosofrenda, calavera, sugar skull, sugar skulls, marigolds
- Indigenous AustraliaAboriginal art, Dreamtime, dreaming, corroboree, didgeridoo
ancestor spiritsdescendants
Those who come after
future generations · posterity · progeny · offspring · heirs
ancestor spiritsdemons
Malevolent supernatural beings
malevolent spirits · evil spirits · nature spirits · hungry ghosts · elemental spirits