Feeding the Ancestors

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Over time I have begun to be less concerned with what people "think" my work with the Ancestors. Some elders say Ancestor Worship, some say Ancestor Reverence. I say choosing one depends on how worried you are about what negroes and white people think you are doing. lol Both are adequate, neither is better. Anyways...we provide adimu or ebo, which are forms of sacrifice to Ancestors. We so to share in the bounty of our blessings and provide the energy associated with those meals and their preparation to our Ancestors.

• Some people concern themselves with finding out "why people think it works"
• Some people concern themselves with finding out "why it works"
• Some people concern themselves with finding out "how i can make it work for me"

I fit into the last category. With that said here are some foods that are traditionally offered to ancestors. Some are traditionally continental african. othes are traditionally diasporan african. Its good to do a combination of both. feed your ancestors after reading this post and enjoy the support of your own family line.

if you need to find some of these items, look for an international grocery store that serve immigrants or look for w. african traders in your city.

By the way, its about giving them what they WANT, not what you are COMFORTABLE preparing. The easiest way to do things, is to give what they ate when they were alive, unless they died of health conditions associated with their diet.

Candied Yams - Diasporan
Baked Yams - Continental
Iyan/ Fufu (cooked yam flour) - Continental

Kola Nuts /orogbo - Continental
Coconut/Obi abata - Diasporan / Continental
Coffee - Diasporan

Oyin/ Honey - Diasporan / Continental
Gin (Oti) / Rum - Diasporan / Continental
Palm Wine - Continental

Collard Greens - Diasporan
Hammocks - Diasporan

Oto - Continental
Palm Nut / Palm Oil - Continental
Palm Nut & Peanut Soup - same as above

Fresh Fruit - Diasporan / Continental

Sweets - Diasporan / Continental
Water - Diasporan / Continental

A small plate of whatever you are eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Diasporan / Continental

Some say that Ancestors prefer food w/o lots of seasoning, so they avoid cooking directly with peppers and salt and add those later to their food and avoid adding them plates presented to Ancestors.

I will add later.

[IfasehunReincarnated]

now just because a food is primarily a continental offering to the ancestors that doesnt mean you cant give it too. most of them can be found at international markets, where immigrants shop. just pick some out and add them to your offering. if you know how to do a form of Afrikan divination, you can ask them if they want to try something new.

i have left off some obvious items. like meat dishes. ancestors here and in africa take all forms of meat for the most part, but again you should ask. as the type of meat desired may depend on the type of energy the ancestors want to reflect outward.

[Moorish Rebel]

I hear there are different ways to pay homage to the ancestors.... I'm studying on how to pour libations.

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Yes. There are different ways, depending on what tradition you study. You should not mix traditions, unless you have blood relatives in each of the ones you are studying.

Basic components:

Water - pour as cooling agent, and nourishment of Earth (which acts as witness and sustainer) and Ancestors

Earth - ground, or live plant. some pour directly on a floor, but a plant is better indoors.

Prayer to water- prayer to water to function as cooling agent and to nourish spirits

Prayer to Ancestors- prayer to Ancestors (use names, do women first, men second, one family line at a time i.e do maternal then paternal, unless you practice a system that is paternal, then do vice versa) Do seven generations back. Use the terms (great grandfather, great great grandfather etc) if you need to replace unknown names.

I see a lot of people posting complex Yoruba prayers online. Unless you know they gave you a complete prayer and you know when to use it, stay clear. You can pour small amount of water, acknowledge 4 cardinal points, and then go right into saying "I pay homage to my ancestor [insert name] may they rest in heaven" then the next one and so on.

Then you say what you want:
bring me peace, bring me clarity, bring me financial abundance, bring me justice, bring me protection, bring me wisdom, bring me stable home, bring me children, bring me a good reputation, bring me good health, bring me spiritual enlightenment, etc.

I suggest you add:
may i attact these kinds of good ancestors: good fathers, good mothers, good spiritualists, good warriors, good friends, those with patience, good strategists, capable businesspersons, those that told the truth, those that developed spiritual sciences

Then you say what you dont want:
keep away disease, keep away gossip, keep away violence, keep away police, keep away lieing, keep away loss, keep away argument, keep away instability, keep away punishment, keep away death

I suggest you add:
may the following kinds of diseased never come to my shrine or be in my presence: bad fathers, bad mothers, those that committed suicide, the cowardly, those that lied, rapists, pedophiles, crooks, hustlers, pimps, poor thinkers, co-dependents, those that practiced dark spiritual science, murderers etc.

Even in english, you are setting the stage. Then bit by bit you can add twi, yoruba etc.

[Moorish Rebel]

Originally Posted by IfasehunReincarnated

Yes. There are different ways, depending on what tradition you study. You should not mix traditions, unless you have blood relatives in each of the ones you are studying.

Basic components:

Water - pour as cooling agent, and nourishment of Earth (which acts as witness and sustainer) and Ancestors

Earth - ground, or live plant. some pour directly on a floor, but a plant is better indoors.

Prayer to water- prayer to water to function as cooling agent and to nourish spirits

Prayer to Ancestors- prayer to Ancestors (use names, do women first, men second, one family line at a time i.e do maternal then paternal, unless you practice a system that is paternal, then do vice versa) Do seven generations back. Use the terms (great grandfather, great great grandfather etc) if you need to replace unknown names.

I see a lot of people posting complex Yoruba prayers online. Unless you know they gave you a complete prayer and you know when to use it, stay clear. You can pour small amount of water, acknowledge 4 cardinal points, and then go right into saying "I pay homage to my ancestor [insert name] may they rest in heaven" then the next one and so on.

Then you say what you want:
bring me peace, bring me clarity, bring me financial abundance, bring me justice, bring me protection, bring me wisdom, bring me stable home, bring me children, bring me a good reputation, bring me good health, bring me spiritual enlightenment, etc.

I suggest you add:
may i attact these kinds of good ancestors: good fathers, good mothers, good spiritualists, good warriors, good friends, those with patience, good strategists, capable businesspersons, those that told the truth, those that developed spiritual sciences

Then you say what you dont want:
keep away disease, keep away gossip, keep away violence, keep away police, keep away lieing, keep away loss, keep away argument, keep away instability, keep away punishment, keep away death

I suggest you add:
may the following kinds of diseased never come to my shrine or be in my presence: bad fathers, bad mothers, those that committed suicide, the cowardly, those that lied, rapists, pedophiles, crooks, hustlers, pimps, poor thinkers, co-dependents, those that practiced dark spiritual science, murderers etc.

Even in english, you are setting the stage. Then bit by bit you can add twi, yoruba etc.

Wow, good lookin' out breathren....One Love.

[Elisa Keisha]

greetings! I have a shrine, I offer water, rum, honey, cereals, coffee and chocolate, and talk to them, but Im not sure of how to do it. my question is, and excuse me for goin out of subject, how could I communicate and pay homage to them if they are from so many parts of the world and different cultures, and most of the names I know are from those i would want to pay homage to? :-S
Is what Im doin causin no type of effect?
thank u

[IfasehunReincarnated]

something is better than nothing.

offer a combo of items like by all in different cultures. focus most of your attention on the ethincity that is most prominent in your current family situation. if possible use the language of that group.

ask for their help and be patient. watch for indictors.

[Kentake]

Alafia family!
dis is a great topic & much needed thread!! I do pour libation 2 my ancestors at times, aldo i now concentrate more of my time 2 veneration of da orishas as an initiate/hounsi, i am now actively practicing the Vodun tradition, which origins are West/Central Afree-kan-i now would like 2 incorporate more ancestor veneration in2 my life more often 2.how-ever Elder/bro. Ifasehun, i do not know the names of many of my ancestors and other dan pouring libation do not no 2 much more of how exactly 2 honour dem....considering i don't no dem by name etc.when i go 2 jamaica i do some special tings 4 dem/libation etc. seeing dat many of dem are buried in my grand-mothers' back yard in j.a!!!so can u or any 1 tell me more about what i can offer/how i can offer 2 them?special tings i can do? and yes! i have an ancestral shrine and anotha 1 dat is for some ting else which was set up by my spiritual mama(who is now still out of the country).get back 2 me , i am interested in learning more about ancestor veneration.Meda wase paa for listening!!

note:i also saw dat same article-below when i went 2 da afree-kan spirituality web-site, but i do not no how exactly 2 offer it 2 them....


:congrats: SANKOFA,
Sistah Kentake.

[Elisa Keisha]

Originally Posted by IfasehunReincarnated

something is better than nothing.

offer a combo of items like by all in different cultures. focus most of your attention on the ethincity that is most prominent in your current family situation. if possible use the language of that group.

ask for their help and be patient. watch for indictors.

thank u Ifasehun

[IfasehunReincarnated]

The easiest way to honor unknown Ancestors is to simply say:

I pay homage to my great grandfather...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great grandfather...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great great grandfather...who rests in Heaven

I pay homage to my great grandmother...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great grandmother...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great great grandmother...who rests in Heaven

Do this for seven generations back on both the female and male side of your family so that you make a link to your ancestors in the Diaspora and those in Afrika. I usually do women first, but I dont believe it matters.

The important part is that you making a solid connection with those closest to you and then also to those that would have been practicing the indigenous faith of YOUR people. We want to be sure to get ancestors in the mix that were alive with you, but also those that help resurrect the old wisdom of your family and your clan.

In connecting with both, you encourage both to work together. This helps you and it helps future generations that are reborn in your family line.

[Kentake]

Originally Posted by IfasehunReincarnated

The easiest way to honor unknown Ancestors is to simply say:

I pay homage to my great grandfather...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great grandfather...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great great grandfather...who rests in Heaven

I pay homage to my great grandmother...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great grandmother...who rests in Heaven
I pay homage to my great great great grandmother...who rests in Heaven

Do this for seven generations back on both the female and male side of your family so that you make a link to your ancestors in the Diaspora and those in Afrika. I usually do women first, but I dont believe it matters.

The important part is that you making a solid connection with those closest to you and then also to those that would have been practicing the indigenous faith of YOUR people. We want to be sure to get ancestors in the mix that were alive with you, but also those that help resurrect the old wisdom of your family and your clan.

In connecting with both, you encourage both to work together. This helps you and it helps future generations that are reborn in your family line.

Asante sana Elder/bro.Ifasehun ...i will print dis and be on2 it in my spiritual life...can i accompany dis wit offerings of food and libation 2?

:cheers: SANKOFA,
Sistah Kentake.