Candomblé

The candomblé is one of the religions Brazilian Negroes practiced with the Brésil but also in the adjoining countries such as the Uruguay, the Paraguay, the Argentine or the Venezuela. Subtle mixture of Catholicism, indigenous rites and African beliefs, this religion consists of a worship of the " orixas " (delivery " oricha"), gods of candomblé of totemic and family origin, associated each one of them with natural elements (water, forest, fire, flash, etc). Basing itself on the belief of the existence of a heart suitable for nature, candomblé was introduced with the Brésil by the multiple African beliefs of the slaves resulting from the Traite Blacks between 1549 and 1888.

Initially confined among the African population slave, prohibited by the Catholic church and criminalized by many governments, candomblé thrived secretly during four centuries and knew a considerable expansion until the abolition of the Esclavage in 1888. This religion Brazilian Negro is today one of the most popular religions of the Brésil whose followers come from all the social classes. It also lays out of more than one ten thousands of temples in which the various rites and religious ceremonies proceed. At the time of the last national census, 3 million Brazilian (1,5% of the total population) stated to practice candomblé. One counts thus more than 2.230 parishes (" terreiros ", in Portuguese) in the only town of El Salvador da Bahia. The Syncrétisme which characterizes the Brazilian religious culture explains the increasing and massive participation, of a great number of Brazilian, with the rites of candomblé. Indeed, the cultural contribution offered by candomblé (rites, dances, music, festivals) is undeniable: the universe of candomblé became integral part of the culture and the folklore Brazilian.

Even if certain similarities are verifiable, one should not confuse candomblé with the other religions Brazilian Negroes (Macumba, Omoloko or Umbanda) or the other religions Afro-Americans practiced elsewhere on the American continent (Haitian Vaudou or Santeria cuban), which evolved/moved independently of candomblé and are virtually unknown with the Brésil.

History

At the time colonial, the Brazilian catholic missionaries converted the African slaves with the Catholicisme. However, even if the practice of their religion were prohibited, these slaves continued to venerate the gods and spirits of their regions of origin, their ethnos groups, the orixas while meeting to practice the sacrifices and other rites, often in a secret way. In public, they yielded with the rules of the Christian worship and changed the identity of principal saints and characters of the Catholic church into their giving the name of orixas . Thus Jesus-Christ became Oxala , god of the creativity and wire of the supreme divinity Olorum and Omulu or Obaluiae , god healer of the epidemics, corresponded to Saint Lazare. A whole of colors, objects, clothing and food favorite distinguished each orixa (or each saint by association).

Nowadays, the Brazilian government recognizes and protects candomblé by subsidizing some terreiros (or house of candomblé) in particular those from El Salvador da Bahia.

Nations

The Brazilian slaves belonged to various ethnicities, including the Yoruba the Ewes, the Fon and the Bantou. The semi-indépendante evolution their religions, in different areas and among varied ethnos groups, allowed a diversification of the names of the divinity venerated, habits, music, vestments and crowned language used in the rites and the ceremonies.

Here a nonexhaustive list of the principal nations and sub-nations of candomblé and their area of predilection:

Belief

A single god

Contrary to a spread idea according to which it would maintain the worship several gods, candomblé is a religion monotheist. However, the name of the single divine power varies according to the nations (Olorum for the nation Ketu, Zambi for the nation Bantou, Mawu for the Jeje nation). These nations remain however independent in terms of daily practices. Under the terms of the existing Syncretism in the Brazilian popular religious culture, a majority of members consider that their single god is the same one as that of the Catholic church. In general, the orixas regularly receive homages in the form of offerings, canticles and special dances. The creative divinity also has an major importance in the social life of the members of a terreiro .

Other divinities

All Nation confused, candomblé honors more than one hundred of divinities once again introduced by the black slaves come from Africa. However, only one dozen divinities are honoured in the majority with the Terreiro S with the big cities Brésil iennes like El Salvador da Bahia or Rio de Janeiro. Each one of these divinities has characteristics being able to compare itself with a orixa coming from another terreiro . Their Worship S, Rite S and Célébration S varies according to the nations. Each orixa is equipped with a Personnalité, a skill and preferences ritual which are clean for him. They all are connected, in one way or another, with a specific natural phenomenon (a concept which approaches the divinities Kami of the Shintoïsme. According to the tradition of candomblé, each human being, with the Birth, is chosen by a orixa, which will be identified by a babalorixa (priest). Some orixas can also be " incorporés" in the body of an human being at the time of a Initiation or of a Ritual of candomblé.

The most honoured divinities

  • Exu

Orixa messenger, it is the principal bond between the Men and the divinities. Often represented by the brown or black color, it devours “all that the mouth eats”, adores the gymnastics, the pinga (alcoholic drink made containing cane with sugar) and any other alcoholic drink. He generally lives in the crossroads and is most human of Orixás.

  • Ogum

He is the orixa agriculture, hunting and war. After having discovered fire and the forging mill, it gave them like gifts to the men. Represented by the color navy blue, he eats corn, cará (plant of the family of the dioscoreáceas equipped with food tubers), hulls roots and dogs.

  • Oxóssi

Orixa of hunting and the animals, abundance and the food. He likes green corn, the roots and the fruits. He is represented by the color green or blue.

  • Obaluaiê

Synonym of variola, its name should not be marked. It is the orixa ground, health and disease. Represented at the same time by the colors blacks, white and reds, he adores the oil of Dendê.

  • Xangô

Orixá of the lightning, fire, the thunders and justice. Represented by the red and white color, he appreciates the " Quiabo " (capsuled, conical, green and hairy fruit, produced by the quiabeiro “Hibiscus esculentus”), the sheep and tortoises.

  • Iansã

Goddess of the river Niger, it orders the winds and the storms. Liking the red greenery and vegetables, the colors representing it are the red and the brown one.

  • Oxum

Goddess of water of the rivers. She is the goddess of the beauty and she has a strong connection with the spiritual world. She is represented by the yellow.

  • Iemanjá

Goddess of sea water, it protects the families, the children and fishing. She is represented by the light blue, the pink white and it clearly.

  • Nanã

Also called Anamburucu, it is Orixa more the day before. It governs mud, raw material of the men, and death. It is worthy and healthy.

  • Oxalá

It is the oldest god, that which moulds and gives life to the men. He is the father of all.

The worship

During ceremonies, the orixas are invited to enter the terreiros , by means of drums, of songs and dances, but also of food, grass and crowned incense. The first with being called is the orixa Exu, unforeseeable and malicious a messenger spirit, that which intervenes between the believers and the orixas . This spirit opens the way so that the orixas go down on ground. Progressively of the ceremony, the orixas appear at certain initiates who enter then a state of Transe and become intermediaries between the gods and the Men. The sacrifices of animals are practiced especially in the tereiros . The leg of the sacrificed animal is covered with a poultry. The flesh of these animals is then divided between the participants after a part was reserved to the Gods. The part lerin is shared within the community according to the position and of the role played in the rite.

The religious hierarchy

In candomblé, the religious hierarchy breaks up into seven also called stages degrees. This hierarchisation meticulous person within the community of candomblé establishes a specific scheme distributing various loads to each member of the terreiro .

Abiâ

Beginner, beginning and inexperienced, the abiâs are is the newborns, which were not baptized yet, that is to say new arrivals curious or wishing to be integrated in a " terreiro ". An initiation is thus necessary with an aim of identifying the orixa of the initiated member. After having taken part in the various rites of initiations (bori, orô and CAE) in which to them are taught the worship and the belief (the tradition candomblé), the abiâs can reach the second stage.

CAE

At the time of the dance and canticles ritual, the Orixa can appear at the initiate by spasms or of the starts sometimes violent one. However, only a babalorixa is qualified in the recognition of the orixa in question. Such a recognition makes it possible the initiate to become " filho-with-santo " ( wire of saint , in French), which authorizes it to arrive at the third degree.

Ebômi

This third degree is accessible only after the achievement from the obligations (to dress itself that in white, to eat with the hands, to sit down only on the ground) related to the " filho-with-santo " from one 7 years duration. A ceremony is then organized for all the candidates of this degree. This one generally takes place in the terreiros where the initiates carry allégence to their orixa while promising to serve the community.

Iabassê/Agibonâ

This degree of hierarchy is divided mainly into two branches. He in general regards the recognition of the orixa as basic element. The practitioners whose orixa was not recognized, i.e. which is not filho-with-santo , can reach the station of Iabassé. On this level, Iabassé with the responsibility for the culinary preparations (as much for the rites and the ceremonies that for the festivals organized for the community). With regard to the practitioners whose orixa was recognized in a terreiro , the station of Agibonâ can be to them proposed. They will have then the responsibility to deal with the futures filho-to-santo at the time of the ceremony of initiation.

Ialaxé

This stage of the hierarchy of candomblé often is coveted among the members of the religious community. Indeed, Ialaxé is responsible for the offerings submitted to the various divinities. They take care that the offerings, which can be presented in various forms (food, objects), correspond to the good divinity (each divinity recquérant of the different offerings). Ialaxé must thus be equipped with an excellent knowledge of the system of the offerings to perfect its task.

Baba-quequerê/Iaquequerê

They are the under-commanders of the terreiro . Their main role is to take care of the good performance of the terreiro . This administration is always done in consultation of the supreme commander, the babalorixa. They must take part in all the rites and ceremonies of the terreiro and can on the occasion adviser their chief.

Babalorixa/Ialorixa

Ultimate stage of the hierarchy of candomblé, it is responsible for the command of the terreiro. Only ready to make a decision, nobody can act as his name without his prior approval. Being able to count on many people for the administration of the terreiro, it often holds of the councils relating to the quantity of filho-of-santos, of the members and the problems relating to the community. Its religious functions are varied and include the knowledge of the crowned writings, the conduit of all the ceremonies and the rites as well as the practice of the whole of the religious liturgies of candomblé.

Musical practice in candomblé

The ritual music of great importance in is candomblé. Indeed, she is regarded not only as the means of honouring the divinities but of returning directly in contact with those.

Candomblé Ketu

It finds its origin in the Ethnie Yoruba, primarily in the town of Kétou to the Bénin. He is played on three drums (Atabaque S) with rods.

Candomblé Angola

It comes from Angola, as its name indicates it, and is played naked hands on the instruments. Certain parts, like the samba of caboclo or the Afoxé , are directly connected by certain specialists with the origins in the samba.

See too

  • Iemanja (or Yemanja), watery divinity

  • Aba Island Centered Oyá Obakosso, Terreiro of candomblé of the babalorixá Paulo de Oyá, in São Paulo, Brazil.
  • TEMPLE ETXAURY - PORTUGAL
  • European AETUC-Association of the Temples of Umbanda and Candomblé

References

  • Imagens C nordeste EM preto E branco (Images of the North-eastern Area (Brazil) in black and white) - Roger Country house
  • El Milagro de Candeal : Film of Fernando Trueba

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