and it's smooth sailing...Odoia Iemanja!

Since my godfather has more time these days, we have been having a misa/party for the orixas and egun every weekend. The one for Oxum last week was particularly cleansing and invigorating. This week, we are having one for Iemanja. Iemanja is celebrated on Dec 31st in Brazil. The beaches are crowded with devotees who make small boats filled with offerings to honor the Mother of the Waters. I like to call Iemanja, Miss 11:59 because she is the orixa who seems to bring in sudden change, at the last minute, and turns the situation around 360. She changes the tide, the current, and life becomes better. Where before there was a desert of despair, her waters wash away the sorrow and bring forth a garden of joy. So it is fitting that she is honored at midnight, on New Year's Eve/Day when the old year vanishes and a new one begins. Exu closes the doors to the past and opens the doors to the future.

I have a new godson too these days and my other goddaughter also visits from time to time. I am currently working through a training in Francisca de Grandis' 3rd Road Wicca tradition.

There appears to be a lot of new opportunities on the horizon, new love, prosperity, new direction. I hope you all are blessed with love, health, prosperity, and serenity in 2011. Ashe.

River of Rebirth

I'm listening to the music of Trinidad Orisa priestess Ella Andall, her powerful voice, the chorus, the beating of the drums sing praises of Oshun and Shango, making me move along to the music. She sings "Aladadoye!" (He lives) in praise of Shango, calling on him to destroy the obstacles that plague our everyday lives.
Yesterday I went to the Hudson River, to put yellow roses in the river to my mother Oxum. Tomorrow is her feast day in Candomble and I went to the river despite those freezing temperatures. The river was moving onward to the ocean of Yemanja, fast and strong as ever. I let go of something with sadness in my heart and today I find myself dancing to the beats of Trinidad's drums. The river is still flowing, the sun still rose this morning. The music still continues.
This is what it means to practice the religion of the orishas. To survive, to thrive even despite the boulders that lie in your path, despite the mockery of the tongues of others, despite the seemingly soul crushing burdens of every day life. to dance with joy, even though you are weighed with sorrow within. The pulse of the drums still plays, the voices are still raised to Ile Orun in praise. Ashe. (The above painting was done by artist Maria Guilla Alemanno)

Rythmn of the Saints

This is a poem I wrote way back in 2002 and was published in my book Battles of the Black Madonna.

Rythmn of the Saints
by DG

The rhythm of the drums play into the night,
calling the gods and goddesses of Africa to descend.
Shedding their Catholic masks to dance with their children.
The sly smile of Exu as he invites his fellow deities-
to leave their blissful heaven, the world of the invisible,
into our mortal realm.
Oxum, sweet goddess of love,
vainly admires her exquisite beauty,
skin the color of honey, love flows as a river to the ocean,
embracing Yemaya, Our Mother the Sea.
While the thunder of Xango echoes the beat of the drums,
and Oxossi leaves his primordial forest,
that has never known the touch of mortal man.
In this chorus of the saints,
we hear the hope of the slaves,
their faith sustaining their bondage.
The gods break our modern day chains,
filling us with grace.
Alafia! Motumba e Axe!!
Remember you must go to Mass the next day,
to receive the body and blood of Christ,
but even in church the saints stare with African eyes.
A veil of Christianity covers a pagan scene.
In this land of samba and carnival,
Magic is everywhere.
You do not need to look far to see the hand of God!
Olodumare Modupe! Thanks be to God! Axe!

4 years since I entered this new life

Today was my 4th birthday in Candomble. Moudpe Baba Logunede, Iya Oxum e Baba Oxossi. Ashe. Words cannot express my gratitude to the orixas for their many blessings in my life.

The Divine Twins in the Yoruba Pantheon

I had some very powerful dreams about my ancestors, family, the Ibeyji and Shango this morning. So I've been seeing black twins everywhere and had a dream about the Ibeji this morning so I think I will give candy to the Ibeji tomorrow. The Ibeji are the divine twins, the children of Shango.

In Catholicism, they were syncretized with Saints Cosmos and Damian, twin doctors. My Italian great-grandmother had a special devotion for Saints Cosmos and Damian, she had this beautiful statue of them on her dresser. My grandfather and my great aunt (her children) also had a devotion for them. My great aunt Lucia gave me a wallet card for Saints Cosmos and Damian many years ago which I keep on my Ancestor altar.

My mae de santo told me there are 3 paths of Ibeji in Candomble. The children of Shango and Oshun are a boy and girl.The children of Shango and Oya are two boys and the third path no one knows who the mother is but Iemanja raised them and it is a boy and a girl. The colors of the Ibeji in Candomble are pink and blue or green and yellow depending on the path.

Usually in both Lucumi and Candomble, the feast of the Ibeji is a party for kids with lots of candy and toys that are given to the kids. The feast of the Ibeji is usually celebrated on the Catholic feast day of Cosmos and Damian which is September 27th.

It is said that the Yoruba have the highest birth rates of twins in the world. A Yoruba child born after twins is called Idowu which means "child born after twins". I have a Yoruba friend with that name.

When twins die among the Yoruba, wooden sculptures are made of them and venerated by the family.

In Vodoun, the Divine Twins are known as the Marasa and also have male and female aspects. The males are syncretized with Cosmos and Damien. The female Marasa are syncretized with the three Virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity.

As a son of Logunede, I've always had a connection to the Ibeji. After all the Ibeji are Logunede's brothers/sisters via Oshun. The Ibeji also have connections with Oshun, Oya, Yemaya and of course their father Shango.

An Umbanda (Brazilian Spiritism) legend that has roots in an older Yoruba tale tells how the Ibeji defeat Eshu once. In the original Yoruba version, the Ibeji trick an spirit into defeat. In the Umbanda version it tells who the twins defeated Eshu and explains the origin of the exu and pombagira line of spirits.

At the dawn of time, Eshu challenged the rule of the other orisha and rebelled against them. He began to populate the earth with many monsters and other horrors.The other orishas could not defeat him. Oxala (Obatala) divided himself into two aspects Oxaguian, the young warrior and Oxalufon, the old king in order that he may fight Exu with his two avatars. The Ibeji also fought Exu as well. One twin would fight him for 12 hours and the other for another 12 giving each rest. With the combined strength of Oxala and the twins, Exu was defeated. Exu swore that his children, the spirits known as exus or pombagiras would serve the orixas. This is why each male orixa has an exu and each female orixa has a pombagira as its messenger. The exus are not the orixa Exu but a class of very powerful dead folk who have passed on but have a connection to Exu. For example Exu Tata Caveira was an Egyptian prince in Roman times who became the Lord of the Cemetery. He has links to Babaluaye. With the Pombagiras, the were often the spirits of prostitutes, princesses, or queens who after death became linked to Pombagira and Exu.
I hope the Divine Twins, the Ibeji bless you and your children with more fun and laughter in your lives. Ashe.

Roads in Life, Caminos de La Vida Loca

Today is Monday, the day of Eshu/Elegba in both Lucumi and Candomble. Here is my tribute to the Divine Trickster himself.
The roads of life may be difficult or easy depending on the choices we make. Exu, is always there to guide us or trip us with a banana peel to make sure we learn. Sometimes the only way we learn is to fall on our asses. Myself, being the stubborn hard headed Taurus, I often learn the hard way. Yet no matter what errors I make, how many times I stumble, I end up in the right place and that is what matters. No matter how much I may fume or shake my fist at the heavens, I end up laughing at myself when I realized that nothing I have done is in vain. I would like thank all of you who have enriched my life, who have brought blessings just by being the wonderful people that you are.

Eshu,
Divine Trickster,
Left Hand of God,
Messenger of the gods,
Guardian of all doorways and roads,
show us the right paths in life and be with us as we travel those stone filled roads,
filled with trials,
help us to make the right choices at the crossroads of Life.
Ashe.

Ti amo baba. I love you. Exu Laroie!!!

Fiction with African Traditional Religious themes

There are quite a few novels that contain references to the orisha or the lwa. Some of which are very positive and well written. I've read all of these books so I will include a short description.

The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson-takes place in 18th century Haiti, 19th century Paris, and ancient Egypt-the story of three women, a Haitian slave, an Egyptian saint, and a Paris courtesan who have a spiritual connection to Ezili Freda, Ezili Danto and La Sirene.

Chango's Fire by Ernesto Quinonez-about a Puerto Rican arsonist living in Spanish Harlem who turns from a life of organized crime to a more positive life because of his involvement in Santeria. This book also deals with the current issue of gentrification that El Barrio is facing.

The Accidental Santera-by Irete Lazo based on the authors spiritual journey into the orisha religion, it is about an agnostic biologist who finds peace, healing and fulfillment on her initiatory journey into Lucumi.

Dona Flor and her Two Husbands by Jorge Amado-the story of Dona Flor who turns to a Candomble priestess because her deceased husband is haunting her and causing problems in her second marriage. The scene where the orixas themselves intervene is beautiful. This was made into a film starring Sonia Braga and also into a telenovela.

War of the Saints by Jorge Amado-about a young girl who is to be initiated as a priestess of Oya but her fundamentalist Catholic aunt who is her legal guardian refuses to allow any exposure to the orisha religion. Oya herself comes to save the girl and sets the story in motion.

Memórias do Distrito de Diamantina, by João Felicio-this novel is more famous for its film and tv adaptation becoming the film and telenovela Xica da Silva. It is based on the true story of a slave woman Xica who lived in 18th century Brazil. She gains her freedom from becoming the beloved of the colonial governor. The tv show depicted aspects of the orixa tradition.

The Famished Road by Ben Okri-tells the story of a Nigerian boy in the 1960's who is an abiku or child that has died before and returned to its mother. His parents are often doing ebbos to save him from various disasters which occur due to his curiosity.

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James-the story of a Jamaican slave girl Lilith and her discovery of a secret society of African women who plot a slave revolt. References to Yoruba words and deities are throughout the book

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Yo!by Julia Alvarez-these two books tell the stories of the Garicas, a Dominican family who flee the Dominican Republic during the Trujillo dictatorship. In Santo Domingo the Garcias have a Haitian nanny who practices Vodoun and uses it to protect the girls. In New York, the Garcias have a Dominican housekeeper who practices Espiritismo.

Still Water Saintsby Alex Espinoza about a Mexican American woman who owns a shop called Botanica Ochun in Southern California. She inherits the botanica from a Cuban santero. It is a series of short stories about the different people in town, their hopes, dreams, and tragedies. Very uplifting and sad, keep the tissues handy.

Master of the Crossroads by Madison Bell-a ficitonalized account of the Haitian Revolution. It includes a lot of references to Vodoun and the lwa.

Merrick by Anne Rice-part of her famous vampire series, the story of Merrick Mayfair a descendant of the famous European Mayfair witches and African American Vodoun practicioners. Set in New Orleans, it also discusses the story of David Talbot, who was initiated to Oxala (Obatala) in Brazilian Candomble. David's involvement in Candomble is discussed in Rice's book Tale of the Body Thief. Merrick uses florida water and invokes Papa Legba in the first chapter.

Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez- set in Colombia's colonia period a Spanish nobleman's 12 yr old daughter is bitten by a rabid dog. Believing the girl to be possessed by demons due to her illness, she is taken to convent to be buried alive. The girl was raised mainly by Yoruba slave women who give her necklaces of the orisha and teach her the Yoruba language hence the reason why her family thinks she is speaking "in tongues". The girl is later revered as a local miracle working saint.

Voodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes-fictionalized account of the life of
19th century famous Voodoo priestess Marie Leaveau whose tomb is a place of pigrimage in New Orelans.

There are more books of course and I will be updating this post in the future.