The Religion In Africa and Cuba: How Different Are They Really?

[Warrior Princess]

The Religion In Africa and Cuba: How Different Are They Really?

Much has been made of the differences between the religion as it is practiced in West Africa, and how it is practiced in Cuba. While there are certainly differences between the practices in the two countries, how different are they? And how did they arrive there? It is a story of a failed attempt to systematically destroy the religion and our way of life on two continents, Africa and the New World.


Cuba

In Cuba, the religion was brought to its shores with the slaves. Upon arrival, the slaves were forced to practice Christianity in the form of Catholicism. And they were forced to learn Spanish as their main language. They were, of course, forbidden to practice their traditional religion so they took up the practice of hiding the orishas behind the saints. Different groups of Yorubas or LucumÃ*s were brought together as one group. There the LucumÃ*s began to look at themselves less as belonging to one or another Yoruba nation, and more as subsets of the larger LucumÃ* whole. In this way the LucumÃ* became homogenized into more of a single nation. In order that the religion survive under the harsh circumstances of slavery, they realized that they needed to restructure the religion somewhat to allow the religion to be best preserved. These decisions were made by councils of the best and brightest priests within societies known as cabildos. There it was decided that as families were often broken up upon arrival to avoid slave revolts, the basic grouping in the religion would become the ilé: the godfamily. This would allow each ilé to act as a secret cell, independent from the others. If one cell was broken the others would have a better chance of survival. This practice has been used in modern times by secret organizations such as the French Resistance in World War II.

It was decided that for the Religion of the Orishas to survive as a whole, it was necessary for each person, upon being consecrated as a priest, to receive a majority of the orishas at that time (Elegba or Elegguá, Ogún, Oshosi, Obatalá, Oyá, Oshún, Yemayá and Shangó). This is opposed to the practice in West Africa, where a priest of Obatalá would receive Obatalá and Elegba and no other orishas, and so on. In this way, if a cell was broken, there would be much less chance that the worship of a particular orisha would end with the destruction of that cell. Here the orishas became interconnected more than in Africa. Olokún became thought of as the root of all the roads of Yemayá and Oshún was to be regarded as the sister of Yemayá, etc. In this way, the orishas became a family in much the same way as the godfamily exists in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the United States.

It was impractical to have full fledged Igbo Orisha or Orisha Groves as they had in Africa. The Orisha Grove were consecrated groves dedicated to the worship of the different orishas. There the orisha worshippers practiced their secret rites such as the consecration of priests. No one who was not an initiate was allowed to enter. In the New World, any space was able to be consecrated by priests to serve this purpose and once again only initiated priests or priestesses may enter. In modern times Igbodu is often to be found in someone's garage or basement, anywhere that is away from the prying eyes of the profane, where our rites can be practiced.

Other practices changed as well. In Africa, the stories associated with the different signs in divination or Odu were and are recited as poems. This is an effective mnemonic device, a memory aid that is used by doctors in modern times to learn anatomy. In the New World, as a consequence of Spanish becoming the main language spoken and the loss of fluency in the Yoruba tongue, the stories or histories of the orishas are recited as stories called apatakÃ*s or 'things of importance' with the original Yoruba poems being recited as Suyeres, a kind of ritual language used to salute the odu. As the Yoruba tongue had no written form, in Cuba, the Spanish way of writing was adopted and accents were used to approximate the tonal quality of Yoruba speaking, though the religion has remained by and large an oral tradition and not a written one.


Africa

Meanwhile, Africa did not fare much better. Here the religion was attacked on three fronts. Yorubaland was largely structured in the form of City-States much as ancient Greece used to be. To regard the Yoruba as a single nation is as naive as saying all Europeans are the same, where there are language and cultural differences between the diverse range of countries. The religion was practiced slightly differently from region to region and in different areas the orishas that were worshipped were different. Even in Ifá, which is arguably the most homogenous of the religious practices in Yorubaland, the very order of the divination signs or Odu are different between Ile Ife and Oyo. These City-States were invaded by successive waves of Fulani tribes who spread the religion of Islam by sword throughout much of the area. There were the effects of the slave trade itself where prisoners captured by warring City-States were sold to the Portuguese, Spanish and English who traded in human lives for a living. This decimated many of the religious groups and partially explains why some orishas much worshipped in Cuba and Brazil are virtually non-existent in modern day Nigeria. Then there was the effect of Colonialism itself. The Colonialists regarded the Yoruba peoples as little more than ignorant savages, children who were in great need of being 'civilized' by the superior Western Europeans who found the Slave Trade and the horrendous Middle Passage a morally acceptable practice. The Yorubas in Nigeria were forced to speak the language of their oppressors and were encouraged to give up their own language. Missionaries taught many of them to practice Christianity and to forget their own ways and religion and the populace were drawn towards the relative wealth of the larger cities where 'civilization' took a particularly harsh toll on the religion.

By the mid twentieth century, the Traditional Yoruba Religion was only practiced by an estimated 10% of the population, the rest had become either Christians or Islamic. Many of the Igbo Orisha had fallen into disuse and decay and many sacred posts were left unfilled due to lack of interest on the part of the young who were more interested in finding their fortunes in the cities and the 'modern world'. The practice of reading the merindilogun or cowrey shell divination had almost ceased to be practiced in Nigeria, with people frequenting Ifá priests or Babalawos almost exclusively.And the religion itself was having to adapt itself to a rapidly changing world, much as what had happened in Cuba and Brazil.

In recent times there has been a great resurgence of the religion, not only in Cuba and Africa, but in all corners of the world. In the sixties, the Austrian artist Suzanne Wenger married a traditional drummer in Oshogbo and became a priestess of Obatalá. She then set about renewing the ancient Orisha Groves there, creating and recreating great beauty where decay had set in. The religion as practiced in Cuba as well as Africa sparked the imaginations, the hearts and the souls of many, particularly in the United States. Pilgrimages particularly to Nigeria had a huge effect on the traditional religion. Where some Yorubas once saw only an embarassing past, they became proud. A renewed interest in the religion caused a massive movement to study and to document the religion in its original home. The groves became the beautiful receptacles of awe and mystery they once were and the worship of the orishas became respectable to the point of being included in the course of study in the major Nigerian Universities. The religion has become popular the world over, with the religion being featured in a recent edition of Vogue magazine. A recent conference on Orisha worship brought people from such diverse places as the Netherlands, France and Germany as well as Cuba, Puerto, Rico, the United States, Brazil, Trinidad and Nigeria. Here, due to the diversity of languages spoken, the main language spoken at the conference was Yoruba!


Conclusions

Our religion has suffered through exceptional hardship in its original home in Africa as well as its adopted homes in the Diaspora. The truths of this religion have been preserved in different ways on both continents. Things that were preserved in Cuba and Brazil had almost disappeared in Nigeria. Things that were preserved in Africa had been lost or forgotten in the New World. Truth in this religion is not to be found exclusively in any one place any longer.

There is an apataki or 'Important History' where Obatalá had a servant (Eshu) who was envious of Obatalá's exalted position in the world. This envy grew to the point that Eshu set about a plot to assassinate the Lord of All The Orishas. One day as he accompanied Obatalá to the side of a cliff on a tall mountain, he saw his chance. With one push he toppled the Great Orisha off the top of the mountain where he crashed among the rocks below. Pieces of Obatalá were everywhere.

Orunmila arrived on the scene a little while later, having heard of this great 'mishap' that had occurred. Knowing that the preservation of order in the world depended on it, Orunmila went about attempting to put all the pieces of the Great Orisha back together. While he was able to re-assemble most of the parts of Obatalá, the task was so great that not even the wise and patient Orunmila could find all the pieces that were strewn across the entirety of the world.

In the same way, the truths of our religion are strewn across the world, on two distant continents. Each area, be it Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico or even Nigeria, has only pieces of these truths. And it is up to us to try to complete as well as we can, the monumental task begun by Orunmila, so that our beloved religion may once again be whole. With Wisdom, Love for the Orishas and a true sense of Brotherhood (and Sisterhood) we just may succeed in this daunting task.

Ashé O

- Efún Moyiwá

[Mekeda7]

E se ki o fi imo yii nibi!
Thanks for posting this info, sis!

[IfasehunReincarnated]

There are comments in this article that are manufactured lies which are consistently spread by White Latinos to exhalt or validate their own "ownership" of Orisa worship. Unforunately because many of us have not travelled to Afrika we think these comments are true. Many of these lies are told by latinos that have also never been Afrika. Ironic eh?

[Warrior Princess]

Originally Posted by IfasehunReincarnated

There are comments in this article that are manufactured lies which are consistently spread by White Latinos to exhalt or validate their own "ownership" of Orisa worship. Unforunately because many of us have not travelled to Afrika we think these comments are true. Many of these lies are told by latinos that have also never been Afrika. Ironic eh?

Hey, feel free to point out any inconsistencies you might see or anything you disagree with. I do not post ANYTHING as "absolute truth" because I know better, not just things written from others but myself as well.

On another note, I am pretty sure that a lot of them have never been to Afrika. Have you ever been to Afrika, Ifasehun? If so, where all did you go? How long did you stay? What are some differences you see between the way ATRs are practiced on the continent and how it is practiced here?

[Warrior Princess]

Oh most def, Sis! @Mekeda

[Mekeda7]

Originally Posted by IfasehunReincarnated

There are comments in this article that are manufactured lies which are consistently spread by White Latinos to exhalt or validate their own "ownership" of Orisa worship. Unforunately because many of us have not travelled to Afrika we think these comments are true. Many of these lies are told by latinos that have also never been Afrika. Ironic eh?

Please "school" us brother, I would like to know of these lies of which you speak....And i'm still on my iyaami research!

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Lie One: By the mid twentieth century, the Traditional Yoruba Religion was only practiced by an estimated 10% of the population, the rest had become either Christians or Islamic.

The percentage of true Orisa worshippers is a number that Yoruba cant even agree on, so how can a Cubano provide us with a figure? A large number of Christian and Muslim are also Ab'Orisa and take their most serious problem to the Egun and Orisa.

Lie Two: Many of the Igbo Orisha had fallen into disuse and decay and many sacred posts were left unfilled due to lack of interest on the part of the young who were more interested in finding their fortunes in the cities and the 'modern world'. The practice of reading the merindilogun or cowrey shell divination had almost ceased to be practiced in Nigeria, with people frequenting Ifá priests or Babalawos almost exclusively.And the religion itself was having to adapt itself to a rapidly changing world, much as what had happened in Cuba and Brazil.

The notion that Merindinlogun has fell out of disuse is silly. Every person that goes to Nigeria to get initiated as an Orisa Priest or gets that work done here by a Nigerian receives the Merindinlogun divination system and is taught how to use it. In fact there are SEVERAL types of divinations systems not just Opele, Ikin and Merindinlogun. The fact that the others are not mentioned here is telling. In fact, Opele and Ikin (Ifa divination) would not be used in every single ritual setting. It would be considered "over kill". Using Opele or Ikin to find out for example, what to feed your Esu would take a 5 minute procedure and make it last 20 minutes. And its not even custom to do so anyway. Esu speaks freely through Obi Abata or its own Merindinlogun.

Oh, thats another important fact: Every Orisa shrine, except Ifa, comes with a Merindinlogun divination set when presented to an new initiate (priest). Merindinlogun wouldnt fall out of use or favor, because the initiate would taught by prior priests.

Lastly I have communicated with Priests in Nigeria. The idea that people are going exclusively to Ifa Priests is a misnomer that is purposefully told, because many white latino Awo want to establish supremacy over Ol'Orisa. While some Shrines have fallen out of use, there are so MANY shrines that are still being used. There are MANY Orisa worshipped in Nigeria that we dont even know about over here yet! lol

Lie Three: In recent times there has been a great resurgence of the religion, not only in Cuba and Africa, but in all corners of the world. In the sixties, the Austrian artist Suzanne Wenger married a traditional drummer in Oshogbo and became a priestess of Obatalá. She then set about renewing the ancient Orisha Groves there, creating and recreating great beauty where decay had set in. The religion as practiced in Cuba as well as Africa sparked the imaginations, the hearts and the souls of many, particularly in the United States. Pilgrimages particularly to Nigeria had a huge effect on the traditional religion. Where some Yorubas once saw only an embarassing past, they became proud.

Its true that Suzanne took up the task of designing and coordinating the reconstruction of the Osun Shrines in Osogbo. But the work was done by Afrikans. In fact many "muslim" artisans reverted back to Orisa worship in the process of doing the work. Whats important to note is that she was inspired and authorized by an Afrikan. An Obatala priest whom she had married. She didnt do this on her own, of her own volition, while Afrikans stood around and watched. She simply said "hey, I am an artist and if it would be okay I would like to plan and organize people to repair this shrine. Would that be okay?" Not to take any of her efforts away from her, when some Afrikans live as perpetual Cynics, she did put in work. But not in a vaccum.

Also Suzanne never claimed to make other Yoruba proud of their heritage again. She never claimed to a part of any movement to make Yoruba a "worldwide sensation". She never made these claims. Other white people did. and white Latinos are among those people.

Conclusions

Lie Four: Our religion has suffered through exceptional hardship in its original home in Africa as well as its adopted homes in the Diaspora. The truths of this religion have been preserved in different ways on both continents. Things that were preserved in Cuba and Brazil had almost disappeared in Nigeria. Things that were preserved in Africa had been lost or forgotten in the New World. Truth in this religion is not to be found exclusively in any one place any longer.

The white latino has been pushing this agenda for a long time. lol They have been saying silly things like "there is no Ifa priests in Afrika anymore" and "they lost these rites" or "Cubanos saved the culture" and the truth is, that white latinos are BENT on owning Orisa culture. And the Orisa tell those that bother to ask that it aint kosher. Just ask! White latinos tell flat out lies and then we black people repeat these things, even avoid talking to people that go to Afrika on a regular basis, because the white latinos tell us to! Complete lunacy.

Afrikan initiated NATIVE AMERICANS into Orisa culture first. We did so not because Afrikans in the caribbean didnt want it, we did it because they were losing their families to genocide. We made them a part of our family. Later on we allowed some whites to get involved. Eventually lineages developed that were primarily ran and perpetuated by white people in Cuba. This is somehow never discussed. I suppose some people consider it rude.

But in any case, they didnt do us a favor. We did one for them. Period. We dont owe them anything. Especially since these same people later tried to bar entry to Afrikans, like Adefunmi I.

I have lots of Lucumi friends and family. I would die for some of them. But I wont perpetuate a lie, even for family.

It serves the white latino Orisa community, the same people that opposed Castro, to create a general sentiment that people should not look to Afrika for complete rituals because for them its an issue of power and conquest.

I really dont think this forum is the best place to address that reality in full detail. For one, I dont think you should take my position alone. I am confident that in a setting with multiple Ab'Orisa (devotees) that I would fair well, as I have in the past. Also, I would challenge everyone to get to know lots of devotees and the truth will come to light before long. Just remember one thing. the white latinos that brought Orisa here in the 50s were ousted by Castro not because they worshipped the Orisa (because he does too), they were ousted because they among the white people that allowed Cuba to be America's whorehouse. These white latinos where friendly with America before they got here. And they helped perpetuate economic exploitation in Cuba. They tried and continue to try to use Orisa to control us, not work with us in a lot (but not all) instances.

Lastly, I have not been Afrika. However my initiation is through an Ile that's lineage is directly from Nigeria. I have elders and friends that have and do continue to go. What poignant is that even white people come back from Afrika calling white latinos liars about the condition of Orisa in Nigeria.

By the way, how do these white latinos know so much about Orisa in Afrika, but fail to mention Benin, Togo and Ghana? Orisa is all over the place. They also fail to demonstrate how they could know anything when for many years they discouraged their rank and file from going to Afrika or talking to anyone that had lived or visited?? Did they pay private investigators to collect this information?



Aside from these big issues of white conspiracy, Lucumi remains a powerful, meaningful and legitimate representation of Orisa culture. In reality darn near every lineage has the same challenge, to not be overshadowed by the goals or agenda of white people that end up getting involved. Whats different is that Lucumi has white people prominently involved at all levels and some of them dont openly declare themselves as white, they simply say they are Latino, which is misleading to those that arent aware of color issues in Cuba and the Caribbean.

[Kentake]

Hotep family!,
Interesting post Baba Ifasehun, however, i need to know WHY DO CAUCASIANS FROM ANY-WHERE! WISH TO BECOME INVOLVED IN AFREEKAN SPIRITUALITY? AND WHY ARE THEY PERMITTED BY THESE ELDERS AND PRACTITIONERS TO BECOME A PART OF THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY? IS THIS NOT BLASPHEMY? AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT LINEAGE....AFREEKA IS NOT A DIRECT PART OF THE INHERITANCE OF CAUCASIANS AND THEY HAVE NO "FAMILY STOOL" IN ANY PART OF THE AFREEKAN CONTINENT, SO ISN'T THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND INITIATION IN2 AFREEKAN SPIRITUALITY IN ANY FORM) A DIRECT INSULT AND DISGRACE TO OUR ANCESTORS?



THERE IS A CAUCASIAN "PRIESTESS" CALLED RACINE SANS BOUT (ROOTS WITHOUT END-her website is www.members.aol.com/racine125/) HERE SHE "EXPLAINS" VODUN (IN HER OWN REVISED VERSION!!), & HAS TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF TO PROCLAIM THAT MANY OF THE LWA (OR ORISHA) ARE IN FACT WHITE AND NOT AFREEKAN IN ORIGIN!! SHE HAS VERY CLEARLY MADE UP HER OWN NEW STORY ABOUT THE AFREEKAN TRADITION IN THE CARIBBEAN AND NO 1 IS COMING FORWARD TO CORRECT HER!, THIS IS SICK!! I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THESE AFREEKAN PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES WHO ARE CRAZY ENOUGH TO INITIATE DESCENDANTS OF SLAVEMASTERS, RAPISTS, AND THIEVES! IF THIS CONTINUES IN A FEW GENERATIONS WHITE PPL WILL BE SAYING THAT AFREEKAN SPIRITUALITY REALLY ORIGINATES IN EUROPE!! LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH OUR ANCIENT NUBIAN/KHAMITIC HISTORY AND ARTIFACTS!! PAINTING IT ALL WHITE AND DISPLAYING IT IN THEIR EUROPEAN MUSEUMS!! DO WE EVER LEARN?? I EXPECTED MORE INTELLIGENCE FROM THESE SPIRITUAL ELDERS, I MUST SAY NOT ONLY I AM DISGUSTED BY THEIR ILLITERATE ACTIONS!!, BUT I AM ALSO VERY ASHAMED AND EMBARASSED!! TO ME THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS FOOLISHNESS!!, BUT I WOULD STILL APPRECIATE UR OPINION, JUST THE SAME!!



SANKOFA!,

Sistah Kentake.

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Originally Posted by Kentake

Hotep family!,
Interesting post Baba Ifasehun, however, i need to know WHY DO CAUCASIANS FROM ANY-WHERE! WISH TO BECOME INVOLVED IN AFREEKAN SPIRITUALITY? AND WHY ARE THEY PERMITTED BY THESE ELDERS AND PRACTITIONERS TO BECOME A PART OF THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY? IS THIS NOT BLASPHEMY? AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT LINEAGE....AFREEKA IS NOT A DIRECT PART OF THE INHERITANCE OF CAUCASIANS AND THEY HAVE NO "FAMILY STOOL" IN ANY PART OF THE AFREEKAN CONTINENT, SO ISN'T THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND INITIATION IN2 AFREEKAN SPIRITUALITY IN ANY FORM) A DIRECT INSULT AND DISGRACE TO OUR ANCESTORS?

The problem is this: White people try to distort thing when they get a hold of it. For every one white person that is careful there are 90 that are not.

The quandry is this: White people of today may not be the white people of yester year. Prior to Maafa we have white people warring against one another in successive waves. One group deciding to try to kill off and intimidate white people that did practice earth centered traditions. By the time we got to know white people they had thoroughly driven all their own "nice" people that really tried to practice spirituality underground. This is why "some" white people seek out our traditions because real paganism is truly underground. There are no books or websites for TRUE paganism. They people are like the black liberation army, they are deep deep underground. They fear for their lives. And they should. Their enemy now runs half the world's governments and owns most of its resources.

Now we have "some" white people who legitimately want relationships with God and some white people (read most) that just want to acquire spiritual power. But who has time to siff through who is who?

People sit on the mat (in divination) and ask the Orisa if they can participate, and Orisa say yes. I cant say why because I am not on the mat in every country on every occasion. Its clear to me to that there are stipulations that arent followed through on their part and for that they will suffer in the future. But to let them tell it, they doing everything right. An example is this:

Many people ask "if they can" get initiated, instead of "should i get initiated". The priest may also ask "should this person get initiated" but fail to ask "should I be the one to do it?" Some people avoid this questions purposefully. Some people are so western they just fail to ask. Orisa will take care of all of this and balance it out in the end. Thats my sincere belief.

But some white ancestors say "yes do it." But not for the reasons that our Ancestors have us involved. Ours wants us to grow. Theirs often want to have "inside eyes". Some what their offspring to have something because they dont think they will be able to find their way back to a european paganistic system.

Its all very jumbled. Its a product of imperialism. So above, so below and vice versa. Our political and social setup is very jumbled. We see manifestations of this in spiritual landscape too. Its very unforunate.

Also its my sincere belief that many black people and native americans involved in Orisa worship are being watched by the Orisa and the Egun. We may be held responsible for some of this. Sometimes the Orisa and the Egun give approval for stuff because in their minds "we know we shouldnt be asking in the first place". So they let us slip up. There is a lot of reasons that this all goes on. But in the end, those that dishonor the process will be punished. I hear stories of priests that have horrible afterlives based on earthly conduct. People thought these people were "powerful" and then they die and they suffer.

THERE IS A CAUCASIAN "PRIESTESS" CALLED RACINE SANS BOUT (ROOTS WITHOUT END-her website is www.members.aol.com/racine125/) HERE SHE "EXPLAINS" VODUN (IN HER OWN REVISED VERSION!!), & HAS TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF TO PROCLAIM THAT MANY OF THE LWA (OR ORISHA) ARE IN FACT WHITE AND NOT AFREEKAN IN ORIGIN!! SHE HAS VERY CLEARLY MADE UP HER OWN NEW STORY ABOUT THE AFREEKAN TRADITION IN THE CARIBBEAN AND NO 1 IS COMING FORWARD TO CORRECT HER!, THIS IS SICK!! I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THESE AFREEKAN PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES WHO ARE CRAZY ENOUGH TO INITIATE DESCENDANTS OF SLAVEMASTERS, RAPISTS, AND THIEVES! IF THIS CONTINUES IN A FEW GENERATIONS WHITE PPL WILL BE SAYING THAT AFREEKAN SPIRITUALITY REALLY ORIGINATES IN EUROPE!! LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH OUR ANCIENT NUBIAN/KHAMITIC HISTORY AND ARTIFACTS!! PAINTING IT ALL WHITE AND DISPLAYING IT IN THEIR EUROPEAN MUSEUMS!! DO WE EVER LEARN?? I EXPECTED MORE INTELLIGENCE FROM THESE SPIRITUAL ELDERS, I MUST SAY NOT ONLY I AM DISGUSTED BY THEIR ILLITERATE ACTIONS!!, BUT I AM ALSO VERY ASHAMED AND EMBARASSED!! TO ME THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS FOOLISHNESS!!, BUT I WOULD STILL APPRECIATE UR OPINION, JUST THE SAME!!

Racine isnt white. She is black. But she does initiate some white people.



SANKOFA!,

Sistah Kentake.