Feeding the Ancestors

[Kweku_Omowale]

i have printed all the info u gave me ifa thanks so much!

[Nesayem]

<<<<Major Bump>>>>

[WombanAuset]

How do i offer foods..do i place it on my altar?

[APUAT WAH]

Htp And Duwa

Feeding Yr Shrine Is Easy, First Thing I Would Do Is Sage The Area That U Are Going To Use And Say A Prayer. This Will Remove Negative Energy That U Don't Want Around. Then Build It How U Want To Because There Is No Right Or Wrong Way To Do It. I Have A Diety Shrine To The Ntr Anpu Which I Put Out Many Things For The Diety To Feast On. What I'm Trying To Say Is Just Put It Out There And They Will Feast On It.

Duwa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Venusian]

I like to give my ancestors offerings of incense, grits, cornbread and home-made florida water. I place the food on a saucer and place the saucer on their gathering place. I leave it for 2 days maxium. After 2 days when I remove it, I take the offering outside and place it under a tree.

Their gathering space (altar/shrine) is simple, one white candle (I like the 7 day kind that you can get at the dollar store), a plant, pictures of some of them, incense holder, books that speak wisdom to me, statue and a large winding branch that I found outside. It may sound like a lot but, it isn't. This is my way. Look within and find your way. Place things on or around their space that has meaning for you-connects you with them, you with the earth, you with heavens.

A great way to began a relationship with your ancestors (after paying respects to the cardinal points) is to simply speak from your heart. When I began this practice, the words manifested something like, "It is on your shoulders that I stand and am able to move forward. I need your love light and guidance to help me on my way. Thank you for your blessings and watchful eyes. Beautiful Star People I love you." Or try sitting in silence, feel them and let them feel you. The more you show respect to them, the wider your awareness will become and the better you will be able to feed and work with them on your own.

[Nubian]

Originally Posted by Venusian

I like to give my ancestors offerings of incense, grits, cornbread and home-made florida water. I place the food on a saucer and place the saucer on their gathering place. I leave it for 2 days maxium. After 2 days when I remove it, I take the offering outside and place it under a tree.

Their gathering space (altar/shrine) is simple, one white candle (I like the 7 day kind that you can get at the dollar store), a plant, pictures of some of them, incense holder, books that speak wisdom to me, statue and a large winding branch that I found outside. It may sound like a lot but, it isn't. This is my way. Look within and find your way. Place things on or around their space that has meaning for you-connects you with them, you with the earth, you with heavens.

A great way to began a relationship with your ancestors (after paying respects to the cardinal points) is to simply speak from your heart. When I began this practice, the words manifested something like, "It is on your shoulders that I stand and am able to move forward. I need your love light and guidance to help me on my way. Thank you for your blessings and watchful eyes. Beautiful Star People I love you." Or try sitting in silence, feel them and let them feel you. The more you show respect to them, the wider your awareness will become and the better you will be able to feed and work with them on your own.

i have just started this practice. and my offerings consist of incense and whisky(which my grandfather loved) i too have pictures and objects belonging to ancestors..i feel like i should be "offering" more.but i am just starting this so i will let whatever it is be revealed to me.i must say it feels good.thanks VENUSIAN,you have given me some knowledge i know will be of benefit to me.

[Kweku_Omowale]

you offer whatever,when they were alive,or anything close being afrikan or west indies,i often put on my ancestral shrine,something that represents brazil,that is black beans,rice,and other afrikan brazilianfood,as well as yam,because they also elevate the ancestors in afrika,aftera few days,put the food in the forest,because spirits live in the forest and the forest represent the spirit world, call out the four directions,or the four cardinal points,as previously mentioned,tell dem,what ever they eat in the spirit realm,eat plenty,eat from the earth,greet dem by their names,indivually,for me,example,i will share what i do,i say,mojuba to all my honourable ancestors,
i salute each one of dem,i say mojuba to my honourable ancestors from vassouras,( which wasa big sugar mill town and slave center in rio de janeiro brazil) i say,mojuba nana rosa parks
note:because slavery in the continent and slavery abroad,not all ancestors were honourable,some sold us out to arab grave robbers,some did things against our wills,we call out,the ones that are in our blood line, i know,nana rosa parks,dieda peaceful death,so i call her out,i dont call the ones that were assassinated or murdered for the simple reason,they are not in peace,and i dont want to attract unwanted negative energy,we dont call those that have dieda violent death.

[Venusian]

Originally Posted by Nubian

i have just started this practice. and my offerings consist of incense and whisky(which my grandfather loved) i too have pictures and objects belonging to ancestors..i feel like i should be "offering" more.but i am just starting this so i will let whatever it is be revealed to me.i must say it feels good.thanks VENUSIAN,you have given me some knowledge i know will be of benefit to me.

Glad that I could be of service
Be Well

[Mekeda7]

E se IfasehunReincarnated,

Imo daadaa gan an an ni wa nibi! This is very good info!

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Originally Posted by APUAT WAH

Then Build It How U Want To Because There Is No Right Or Wrong Way To Do It.

This is not entirely true. There are some things that if placed on shrines to particular Deities will actually make things in your life worse. You should always know what the Deity in question likes and dislikes and understand the spiritual science behind it, or you should avoid making that shrine at all.

[Duku]

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.

Medasi Paaaaa Nana IfasehunReincarnated!!! I am forever thankful to your guidance on this topic over a year ago. Since then, my ancestors have been coming through more powerful than before. To reiterate what Nana IfasehunReincarnated is saying, never call on any ancestors who's energy was negative or manevolent (rapist, theives, liars, crooks, etc.) while here on earth. That's why is pays to talk to your living elders about those who have gone on to get an idea of what they were like on earth.

At one point over a year ago, I was feeling the need to do more work with my ancestral shrine which I have had for over 10 years. I irregularly gave offerings but consistently poured libation asking for blessings for all of the family. I then came across a posting the Nana IfasehunReincarnated posted on another forum suggesting the importance of connecting with one's ancestors who lived on the continent, not just here in the U.S. I followed the advice and began to invoke my ancestors saying,

"I call on my Great, Great grandmother on my mother's side who is enlightened, begye nsa! "
"I call on my great, great, grandfather on my mother's side who is enlightened, begye nsa!"
"I call on my great, great, great, grandmother on my mother's side who is enlightened, begye nsa!"
....and so on, and so on!

I did this both for my mother and father; first doing my mother. I went back 5 generations or to my great, great, great, great, grandparents both on my mom's and dad's side. Going back further created a feeling of discomfort for me. Why, I don't know. However, I'm content with the connection I've made thus far. My Great, great, great grandmother has made herself known. Of course I now realize that she was with me all along but made herself known in divine time and through the sources available. She was/is a priestess to the Obosom Adade Kofi. However, I'm not sure if she lived her life in Ghana/West Afrika or here in the U.S. I'm learning more and more about her as time goes on. Our relationship is developing well. She has come to me through my dreams and has informed me of foods she likes and dislikes. I ask her and my other ancestors to help me in all aspects of my life and guide me in taking care of the ancestral shrine. Others have come too.

Originally Posted by IfasehunReincarnated

This is not entirely true. There are some things that if placed on shrines to particular Deities will actually make things in your life worse. You should always know what the Deity in question likes and dislikes and understand the spiritual science behind it, or you should avoid making that shrine at all.

Sooo Very True! Honor the relationship just as if your ancestor was alive. Call on them and ask them to guide you in how to set up the shrine and where to put it. If you know your grandma hated pineapple, then don't put in on the ancestral shrine because you like it. Be careful and be respectful. Once, I put some roasted peanuts down for my grandmother. She later invited me to sit before the shrine and to eat some of the nuts. I took a few in my mouth, began to chew and stated how stale they were. She agreed strongly, and asked me, "why you give me stale nuts?" One food that mostly all Akan shrines will take is cooked white rice. Just plain rice. Sometimes, with roasted, unsalted peanuts and sugar cubes. I often offer this food to my ancestors however, the younger ancestors like my great grandma and great grandfather and my great aunt prefer the rice with butter just like they ate when they were here. So, I put down a seperate bowl of rice with butter just for them. Once, my sista said she offered her ancestors some water but did so in an unclean glass. Her ancestors called her out! Treat them just as if they were alive because, actually, they are....alive in Spirit!!!

[Nia Maishani]

We (my children and I) give food offerings to our ancestors (in lieu of sacrificial offerings, which is not part of our belief system), placing the food on or in a container upon the altar of our shrine, and although we always select the most nutritious and natural foods, I never really thought about offering traditionally Afrikan foods, so this information is of tremendous benefit to me. Nor have I had the forethought to ask about food preferences during veneration. I will be applying this new insight accordingly.

One thing that has only been minimally mentioned is purifying the space where the shrine is located and ritual takes place. Fire as one of the essential elements (for purification/protection) wasn't mentioned, and perhaps that is not an element of Yoruba ancestral communion. Sage and sweetgrass are the two herbs we use/burn, sometimes incense, oftentimes candles (red, black, green, white).

Although this thread, I think is mostly about food offerings, I want to ask about libations and calling forth ancestral spirits. It was mentioned that spirits which transitioned through a violent or murderous act should not be invoked. This is my first time hearing of this, to my recollection. In addition to my direct ancestral lineage, I have always invoked the spirits of martyrs and participated in ceremonies where others did as well. I'm not sure about whether the nature of death would leave the spirit at a perpetual state of disharmony or lack of peace, and I think there are more violent modes of transitioning than not. Not meaning to get off topic, but just wondering about that.

Asante sana, modupe, medase pa Brother IfasehunReincarnated for this hidden gem of a thread.

[Kweku_Omowale]

it is also very important that christianity and afrikan spirituality dont mix and will neva mix,in the west indies and brazil,there are some synchretized deities @ duku,i think if person practises christ insanity,how can she or he offer something to the ancestors,
also pour libetations to dem duku,
i pour libeations,
offer dem food,ancestral food and afrikan food,
in gabon,the tradition is called mbouti, i think,it sets a dangerous precendant
if person is of different belief system and goes back and forth,a person can not be christian or catholic( or any indo european/ rheziku aryan religion and be trying to honour the ancestors,because dat dont work )
my ancestors duku,goes back to bahia sao salvador,brazil and a big sugar sugar mill in rio de janeiro called VASSOURAS

[Kweku_Omowale]

I Pay Homage To My Ancestors From The Nile Valley Civilization
I Pay Homage To My Ancestors From The Mohenjo Daro
I Pay Homage To My Ancestors From The Hindus Valley

I Call Up On All Ancients,sages,elders,honourable Ancestors,deities,to Guide Me In My Journey In Life,i Call Up On All My Arkhan Ancestors,it Is True That We Have Been Disconnect From The Path Of Our Ancestors And Deities, It Is With Humbleness In My Heart And Humbleness In Mysoul,that I Ask,all Ancient,sages,elders,honourable Ancestors,deities,to Help Us In Our Journey In The Return Home

[Duku]

Originally Posted by Kweku_Omowale

it is also very important that christianity and afrikan spirituality dont mix and will neva mix,in the west indies and brazil,there are some synchretized deities @ duku,i think if person practises christ insanity,how can she or he offer something to the ancestors,
also pour libetations to dem duku,
i pour libeations,
offer dem food,ancestral food and afrikan food,
in gabon,the tradition is called mbouti, i think,it sets a dangerous precendant
if person is of different belief system and goes back and forth,a person can not be christian or catholic( or any indo european/ rheziku aryan religion and be trying to honour the ancestors,because dat dont work )
my ancestors duku,goes back to bahia sao salvador,brazil and a big sugar sugar mill in rio de janeiro called VASSOURAS

I agree with you. I'm not christian and did not grow up christian, therefore, I am not inclined to do anything christian. I am striving to practice Akan spirituality (Afrikan traditional spirituality and culture) in the purest way possible as directed by my ancestors and the deities who are with me!!!