Chrissy Jaeger - Outside Source "Bakongo"

In African primal religion there is a lot of emphasis on ancestry. The belief is often that the ancestors play a part in the living’s experience, and influence life regularly. I wonder if this is not because of a need to remain connected with the family and remain a community even after death, or if it has more to do with the spiritual aspect of their culture.
In regards to the need for family and community, there is a certain degree of shared lives between generations. As one generation weans the next is built up to guide and protect the tribes. But, as these generations pass on, they still have significant influence because they are still intimately connected with their families. In fact, they are specifically connected to their families of which they came from. Many times when women do not have fertility they look to the deceased ancestors and believe they have a part in the infertility of that woman. This would be caused by the ancestor being angry that they have not been remembered properly. So, there are rituals that have to take place in order to fix the problem that has occurred between the living family and the dead.
This is different though from the idea of ghosts, ancestors are still very much alive, but just in a different realm. Ghosts are considered actually dead, but the ancestors still have applied to them a very real identity. I am not sure why there is such a distinction; again perhaps it is due to the need to remain connected to the family. But spiritually, these ancestors take on a sort of supernatural role. Much like those of witches or diviners, except that witches and diviners are alive, while these ancestors are not. But, the way that the ancestors interact with life is similar. I am still left with the question as to why they are such a vital part of the culture; the only sufficient explanation is that it helps to explain some inexplicable occurrences such as infertility.