The Orishas in Yoruba, Santeria and Vodu, Part Three

By Dr. Josef Ben Levi

Presented by Omni-U Virtual University 

African religion has more similarities than differences as compared  to  the similarities  and differences  of Christianity and Islam. Religion is the cookie-cutter institution which one follows. However, spirituality is a personal existential experience with oneself and the world around one. The organization of African religion is not much different than that of other religions. Religion instructs people on what to think and do; spirituality creates explanations for the reasons why you think and act the way you do. It is a personal conquest for understanding the truth and reality. African spirituality and religion have been desacralized by European Christian invasion. Christianity was forced on our ancestors and was used as a way to justify colonialism and slavery. Through the forceful spread of Christianity, Africans and African Americans have lost their sense of identity and sense of purpose. It is important to our spiritual journey that we uncover the truth and liberate ourselves from oppression and marginalization. The only way to do so is through self-education and development of a critical consciousness. We must actualize traditional African spiritual practices like Yoruba, Candomblé, Santeria and Vodu transforming them from concepts to lifestyles and a way of living for African liberation.

Hotep .

AFTERWORDS

“As we witness the descendants of enslaved Africans make the conscious decision to reconnect with the beautiful and robust cultures once stripped from them, it’s important that we encourage and uplift one another through our journeys to self-discovery. Not because we are all the same, but because our differences are what magnify our value. My people, the Igbo of Southeast Nigeria, have a saying, “Egbe bere ugo bere, nke si ibeya, nku kwa ya.” (Loosely translated: Let the eagle perch, let the hawk perch. If either would inhibit the other, let him lose his ability to fly”). One thing is for sure, there’s room for us all. Whatever we choose to believe.

6 Myths About Indigenous African Spirituality ( IAS) Debunked

Myth #1: 

IAS is a Polytheistic Religion Rooted in Devil Worship 

The first and most important being the belief in a single Supreme Being or Creator, an individual omnipotent Source that is both unique and venerable. To put it plainly, IAS is as monotheistic as they come. Prior to the arrival of Christianity, we see no physical depiction of the Creator and hear no mention of a gender designation as the Creator has always been believed to encompass both energies. The idea that the Western world introduced monotheism to Africa is a dangerous myth that should constantly be confronted and corrected. Society has come to associate polytheism with pagan worship, gross lack of social advancement and dangerously uncivilized belief systems. These associations are then used to imply that the introduction of Christianity was somehow a positive thing. As a result, we grapple with the widely held belief that Christianity civilized Africa, introducing them to concepts which had existed long before Western interference. With that, it’s safe to say that Myth #1 is false.

Myth #2: 

IAS Promotes Idolatry (False Idol Worship)

This is a commonly held misconception that has shaped much of the modern world’s idea of what IAS looks like when physically manifested. The depiction of naked jungle inhabitants dancing around a bronze serpent to the unpredictable rhythm of a bongo drum is something straight out of a movie. Unfortunately, images like these have become somewhat synonymous with indigenous spirituality. An idol is an image or representation of a God used as an object of worship. By this definition, every member of a dominant religion would also be guilty of idolatry. For Christians, there is the crucifix. For Muslims, the equivalent would be prayer beads. The aisles and corners of Catholic churches are riddled with pristine porcelain sculptures of the Virgin Mary and more well-known saints. A follower of an indigenous religion may carry charms or amulets or any of the aforementioned, a testament to the flexibility and inclusivity of IAS. But truth be told, Christians aren’t praying to the crucifix itself, neither are Muslims asking for favor from the actual prayer beads which would equate idolatry. History tells us that every documented spiritual or religious system is known to have identified symbolic tools through which to connect to a higher source. The desire to feel engagement on a spiritual level is something that people of all faiths share; IAS is no different. Myth #2 is also false.

Myth #3:

IAS Encourages Veneration of The Dead

Veneration of the dead, sometimes referred to as ancestor worship, is simply defined as expressing profound respect or reverence for deceased relatives. When we examine religious doctrine from around the globe, we find that this is a customary practice in many cultures, including American culture. Ancestors are long thought to act as mediators between the living and God the creator, offering guidance and wisdom throughout one’s life in exchange for devotion.

One of the most common examples of this is the funeral. Funeral rites can be seen in every culture ever documented. While some specifics vary, each cultural group has been documented designating a place for the placement of the deceased, building memorials, tombs, statues, monuments and other figures to commemorate the life of the deceased, and carrying out a series of ceremonies and/or rituals in remembrance. From this cultural practice, African Traditional Spirituality is not exempt.

 Now that we’ve established that this practice isn’t as foreign as we’d like to believe, it’s important to acknowledge that not all deceased are  created equally. Criteria for ancestor designation is that the deceased lived a righteous life through which the Creator and the community were served. It’s not uncommon for people across all faiths to hold the belief that items left by the deceased contain good will or protection, this too is a form of veneration.

In IAS, ancestors are commonly honored through large ceremonies known as masquerades and/or festivals. We see examples of this all around the world, from Chinese New Year to Mardi Gras, to the Day of the Dead. Ceremonies often include masks or costumes which are thought to represent various ancestors and deities, large feasts in celebration of family and community, and devotion at temples, altars, or shrines. It’s important that we acknowledge that IAS offers autonomy that other faiths are incapable of offering. Why? Because IAS not governed by a written text and therefore offers its followers room to interpret, express, grow and connect as they see fit. How one follower interacts with their ancestors has no bearing on how their neighbor may choose to interact. It’s safe to say Myth #3 is true.

Myth #4: 

IAS Promotes Nature Worship 

IAS gets the short end of the “tree hugger’ stick. Most depictions show followers bowing and praying to non-human objects — trees, rivers, cows, you name it. A concept known as animism touts the belief that everything has a consciousness, a spirit, and a soul even ,and IAS’ association with this belief system has played a huge part in how indigenous spirituality is perceived globally and how its followers are treated.

The second static concept within Indigenous African spiritual systems is the belief in a reciprocal relationship between mankind and nature which manifests in an undeniable emphasis on respect, balance, and mutuality. The idea that nature will nurture and provide if she be treated with love and respect has long been promoted through the practices of indigenous spirituality, Early travelers tell stories of a people so skilled in agronomy, horticulture and aquaculture that their abilities were thought to be magic. It is only through the trauma of the Transatlantic slave trade that we see its descendants shy away from this attachment to nature.

We’ve heard endless accounts detailing how nature became weaponized against the enslaved — babies used as gator feed, and maimed bodies swinging from hundred-year-old trees. The result being a culture-wide aversion to nature. It’s totally common to hear African Americans joke about camping, fishing and other outdoor activities being primarily for white people. How many of our friends dress up for the pool party because swimming simply isn’t an option? Dodging the sun to avoid getting darker is so common that Black Americans are dealing with Vitamin D deficiency in numbers previously unheard of. The undeniable trauma of slavery dwells within the subconscious minds of its descendants and reinforces the disconnect we see today, causing us to misconstrue a perfectly natural relationship between living things. The relation between indigenous spirituality and nature is one that centers on constructive coexistence and judging by the state of nature around the world, we could all stand to learn a thing or two from IAST. Myth #4 is 100% false.

Myth #5:

IAS Promotes the Subjugation of Women 

IAS consistently places emphasis on the balance of masculine and feminine energies and the divinity of the two. Oral tradition highlights the importance of protecting both energies to create and maintain harmony within the universe. The presentation of a masculine entity, energy, or principle is always accompanied by its equal feminine counterpart. The Dogon people of West Africa, a civilization dating as far back as 3,000BC, demonstrate this belief through the Creator, Amma, who is often depicted as fraternal twins. The Bantu Kongo people of the Kongo kingdom, a prominent central African state during the medieval era, believed God to possess one body, male on the right side and female on the left side. The indigenous African approach to gender has always been one of the complimentary nature, not the competitive. With Humanism as its third and final link, it should come as no surprise that IAS teaches that the oppression of one group automatically results in the oppression of the entire community. Unlike many of the dominant religions, IAS boasts no shortages of female divinities, goddesses, diviners, medicine women, practitioners, priestesses, and principalities, all having equal representation and importance within the culture. I know that you didn’t think the concept of gender equity came out of the Western world. Myth #5 , too, is also false.

Myth #6 

IAS is Directly Linked to Voodoo and Other Dark Practices

Deriving from a spiritual system known as Vodun, Voodoo has its earliest origins in some of the most heavily trafficked regions of West Africa during the slave trade, modern day Togo, Ghana and Benin. Often referred to as the “World’s Oldest Religion,” Vodun is a monotheistic practice, centering around the divinity of creation and the balance between masculine and feminine energy, as seen in the Divine Creator who is depicted as both moon and sun, male and female. 

Vodun intertwined with the everyday lives of its followers, guiding most other aspects of the culture including agriculture, treatment of animals, education, community relations, compassion for the living life and veneration of the dead, cosmology, and health and healing.

We see traces of Vodun across various destinations of the Transatlantic slave route. Vodou in Haiti, Vudú in the Dominican Republic, Vodú in Cuba, Vodum in Brazil and Voodoo in Louisiana. Each variation takes on some aspect of the dominant religion. Despite the peaceful core of Vodun and its offshoots, the West’s portrayal of its practices has always been rooted in fear and indignation. Although Voodoo is credited with the success of the Haitian Revolution that drove the French from the island of Haiti, much of the battle is told from the perspective of the losers. Wealthy French plantation owners forced to flee to Louisiana, bringing their Haitian house help with them, came telling tales of human sacrifice, animal beheadings, and fiery, trance-inducing drum circles, forcing the many followers of Voodoo living in the Southeast region of the country to live in secrecy. Imagine if we reduced Christianity to the weekly ritual of filing into a temple to consume the artificial blood and flesh of a deceased prophet, Christians around the would be forced to fight labels like cannibal and savage and hide their practices from the misinformed public. Which is something more than 50 million global followers of Vodun deal with daily. It’s important to connect the dots between Voodoo and IAS, but it’s equally important to address the roots of their unearned reputations. Excuse the designation of dark practice, #6 is true.” 

(Iloabugichukwu, Arah. 6 Myths About African Indigenous Spirituality Debunked, 2018)

References

Awolalu, J. O. (1975). What is African Traditional Religion? Retrieved April 28, 2017, from http://www.studiesincomparativereligion.com/public/articles/What_is_African_Traditional_Religion-by_Joseph_Omosade_Awolalu.aspx

Azevedo, M. J. (2005). Africana studies: a survey of Africa and the African diaspora. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press.

Bowdich, T.E. (1973). Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, with a descriptive account of that Kingdom. London: Griffith & Farran.

Deterville, A. (2013, August 2). The Connection between Self-based African-Centered Spirituality and the Transpersonal Concept of the Self. Retrieved from https://adeebadeterville.com/category/consciousness/

Drew, A. (2017). Transpersonal Psychology: African Spirituality and Consciousness.

Bramly, S. (1975). Macumba: The teachings of Maria-Jose, Mother of the Gods. New York: St. Martin Press.

Fatunmbi, A.F. (1991). Ifa quest: The search for the source of Santeria and Lucumi. Bronx: Original Books.

Gomez, M. (2013). Africans, Religion, and African Religion through the Nineteenth Century. Journal of Africana Religions,1(1).

Greene, S. (1996). Religion, History and the Supreme Gods of Africa: A Contribution to the Debate. Journal of Religion in Africa, 26(2), 122-138. doi:10.2307/1581452

Ikenga-Metuh, E. (1982). Religious Concepts in West African Cosmogonies: A Problem of Interpretation. Journal of Religion in Africa, 13(1), 11-24. doi:10.2307/1581115

Iloabugichukwu, A. (2018). 6 Myths About Indigenous African Spirituality Debunked. https://madamenoire.com/1024082/6-myths-about-indigenous-african-spirituality-debunked. May 30, 2018.

Mazama, M. A. (2002). 13th Cheikh Anta Diop Conference Selected Proceedings. Journal of Black Studies,33(2), 218-234.

Metraux, A. (1959). Voodoo in Haiti. New York: Schocken Books.

Murphy, J.M. (1988). Santeria: An African religion in America. Boston: Beacon Press.

Murphy, J.M. (1994). Working the spirit: Ceremonies of the African diaspora. Boston: Beacon Press.  

Nunez, L.M. (1992). Santeria: A practical guide to Afro-Caribbean magic. Woodstock: Spring Publication, Inc.

Parrinder, G. (1982). African mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books.

Swift, J.A. (2017). Candomblé, Afro-Brazilian Women, and African Religiosity in Brazil. African American Intellectual History Society,  June 15, 2017 www.aaihs.org.

Turaki, Y. (2000, August 22). Africa Traditional Religious System as Basis of Understanding Christian Spiritual Warfare. Retrieved April 28, 2017, from https://www.lausanne.org/content/west-african-case-study

What do Animists believe? What is Animism? (2011). Retrieved April 28, 2017, from https://www.compellingtruth.org/animism.html

Wippler-Gonzalez, M. (1984). Santeria: African magic in Latin America. Bronx: Original Products.

Wippler-Gonzalez, M. (1984). Power of the Orishas: Santeria and the worship of the saints. New York: Original Products.

Wippler-Gonzalez, M. (1994). Santeria: The religion: Faith-Rites-Magic. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications.

Woodson, C.G. (1933). Miseducation of the Negro. Washington D.C. The Associated Publishers, Inc.

Zuesse, E. (1975). Divination and Deity in African Religions. History of Religions, 15(2), 158-182. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/106192

Note: A special thanks goes out to one of my former undergraduate students, Amber Mursette, for the wonderful research paper she did entitle “A Descriptive study of traditionalism and African spirituality” for my Foundations of Africans in the Diaspora Class in 2017 which I have quoted from in this paper.