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Afro-Caribbean Religions. Gerald F. Murray Department of Anthropology (emeritus) University of Florida. The African Slave Trade. The Caribbean . Defining religion: Caution!. Tendency to give “functional” definitions: Definition by purpose or use.
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Afro-Caribbean Religions Gerald F. Murray Department of Anthropology (emeritus) University of Florida
Defining religion: Caution! • Tendency to give “functional” definitions: • Definition by purpose or use. • Some human institutions (e.g. schools, hospitals) have “a major function”. • The “major function(s)” of religion are not clear • Better to give a “systemic” definition of religion. • Identify the components, the building blocks, of a religious system • Distinguish between • The elements found in all or most religious systems • The elements found in only some religious systems
Universal elements of religious systems • Spirit beliefs (pantheon) • Rituals to interact with the spirits • Specialists with spiritual authority or knowledge
What is religion? “A cultural system by which people • are taught about the existence and character of invisible spirits • engage in rituals to interact with that spirit world • under the guidance of leaders who are believed to have more knowledge, power, or authority to deal with the spirits.”
The concept “religious syncretism” • A blending of religious elements from two or more traditions. • In reality even the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) blend elements from different traditions. • But the blending is so ancient that practitioners are unaware, or deny. • The blending of traditions is more recent. • Their religious practices are viewed by others as deviant. • Vodou, Santeria, and Candomble combine elements principally from Africa and Europe, with some possible indigenous elements.
Some Afro-European religions of the Caribbean and Brazil • Cuba: Santeria. • Haiti: Vodou. • Dominican Republic: Baile del Espiritu Santo • Puerto Rico: Espiritismo. • Trinidad: Shango • Jamaica: Obeah • Brazil: Candomble (Batuque), Umbanda,
The Spirit Worlds of Vodou, Santeria, Candomble • The concept of “pantheon”: the inventory of spirits in a particular religion. • Often called “polytheistic”, VSC are actually monotheistic, dominated by a Creator Spirit. • Generally called God • Given other names in Santeria and Candomble • A “Deus otiosus” – uninvolved in daily affairs.
Anthropological encounter with the rural Haitian spirit world • Selection of a community • Initial fears of the villagers • Blan vin pran tè nou • Blan se lougarou. La manje pitit nou. • The rental of the dead houngan’s house • Ceremony of welcome
Voodoo and Vodounas “outsider” names • Outsiders want nouns and adjectives for religion. Catholicism / Catholic Judaism / Jewish • People in our village in 1974 had no noun for the folk religion nor an adjective for its practitioners. • Used a verb phrase: sèvi loua (serve the loua). Practitioners: mounkikonnsèvi loua • Use of vodounand vodouisant , nowcommon in the literaure, do not correspond to whatvillagerssaid.
The spirits of rural Vodoun • Pantheon: Bon-Dye and the lwa • Monotheism “Bon Dye devan – Marasa deye” • Bon-Dye / Gran Met: • Neither trinitarian nor christological • Source of life and fertility • Author of natural disasters • Arbitrary and punitive • Beyond reach of humans and of other spirits
Lesser spirits of rural Vodoun • Loua (major anthropomorphic spirits) • Male and female • “sweet” and “bitter”. • Friendly possessions in rituals. • Expect music, food, drink • Bring illness if they are neglected • Le-mò (the dead)
Other preternatural beingsin Haitian folk belief • Lougarou – vampire • Zombi -- the dead brought back as slaves • San pouel: secret societies
Spirit world of Santeria: Yoruba derived pantheon: the “santos” or Orisha • Obatala: (Our Lady of Mercy) • Yemaya: (Mary, Star of the Sea) • Eleggua: (St. Anthony or St. Michael) • Oshun: (Our Lady of Caridad de Cobre) • Shango (St. Barbara) • Oya (Our Lady of Candelaria) • Ogun (St. Peter)
Spirit world of Candomble • Similar to that of Santeria. • Addition of indigenous spirits. • “Saints of the land” • Less a kin-based pantheon than in Vodoun
The rituals of rural Vodoun • Rituals: Catholic rites of passage • Rituals not found in Catholicism • Drumming, song, and dance • Spirit possession • Animal sacrifice
A chante lwa Pyè Danbala m se wozo (2) M pa fatra, ya bale-m jete (2) Jou lapli a tonbe, ma leve ma wè yo. Stone of Danbala, I am a reed (2) I’m not garbage; yet they’ll throw me out (2) The day the rain falls, I’ll rise and see them
Santeria: Preparation for a ritual to Oshun: River deity • Purpose: Goddess of love and money • Elements: 7 day candles, yellow ceramic plate, oranges, roses, paper fans, yellow tablecloth, small jar of honey, 5 small pastries, a letter of petition written to Ochun. • Go to secluded riverbank. Clean the area. • Spread out the tablecloth, put the plate in the center, with your letter on the plate. Arrange oranges and pastries. Put the vase of roses near the plate. Put 5 yellow candles around the plate and the roses.
The ritual itself • Stand and face the river. • Hold the jar of honey and pray to Ochun for love and/or money • Open the jar of honey and taste some with your finger. • Pour out all the honey over the pastries and oranges on the plate. • Light the candles • Collect river water in the empty honey jar • Take the water home, mix with spring water and cinnamon and boil • Take a shower , scrub the tub clean, fill with water. • Pour the cinnamon / river water mixture into the tub. • Immerse yourself in the water. • Dry yourself and light a yellow candle in your bedroom.
Common elements and Abrahamic counterparts • Animal sacrifice • Spirit possession • Glossolalia: Speaking in tongues
Trends • Demonization by mainstream Chrstian clergy. • Reverse censorship: Purging out of Christian elements by pro-African intelligentsia • Conversion into evangelical Christianity • Commercialization of the exotic elements.
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