| The Heartland Spirit - Festival Issue 2011 |
ShareThe Middle Passage
The ATR practices of Traditional Ifa-Orisha and its various western counterpart Santeria Lukumi, Candomble, Macumba, Umbanda and of course its cousins Vodou and Palo in general are oral traditions where the teachings and rituals are taught in a teacher/student environment, therefore the only way to learn and get initiated is with a personal teacher, in this case by learning directly from a Babalawo, Iya, Houngan, Mambo, Santero, Santera, Tata or Yaya.
While there are many books written on ATR practices, some by initiated practitioners their books do not reveal everything that one needs to learn in order to become a proficient practitioner of ATR Traditions so picking up a few books & going out to purchase Orisha related items does not make you a Priest or Priestess of the faith. There is no such thing as "Self Initiations" as the Orishas, Kimpungulu, and the Loas do not recognize it nor will they acknowledge you as their "child".
The Yorùbá religion comprises the original religious beliefs and practices of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in Southwestern Nigera and adjoining parts of Benin. The practice of Palo also called Mayombe, Briyumba, Kimbisa and Quimbanda comes from the Congo Basin of Central Africa whose practitioners were mostly of the Bantu.
These practices made their way to the west in during the migration of slaves imported to the Caribbean to work the sugar plantations what is referred to as "The Middle Passage". It is important to note that those sold into slavery were the prisoners of conquering tribes.
Upon landing in order to keep the slaves from organizing any kind of revolts they were broken up and regrouped with those that spoke other languages not native to their own which lead to them creating their own languages in order to communicate which resulted later on in the languages used at ceremonies when calling the Orishas, Kimpungulu, and the Loas. These faiths also had to undergo severe transformations in order to survive. The result of this gave way to the birth to a thriving way of life such as Lucumí in Cuba and Umbanda and Candomblé in Brazil. Yoruba religious beliefs are part of itan, the total complex of songs, histories, stories and other cultural concepts which make up the Yorùbá society.
Santeria, like most of the ATR faiths is monotheistic which sets it apart from other practices such as Asatru, Druids, Wiccans, Ceremonial Magicians, and others, all of whom with different beliefs and practices, are comfortable with the umbrella term "Paganism" and many of the pagan practices which are polytheistic. Technically, to be a pagan, there has to be a belief in many Gods and no central Deity as in Monotheism. Paganism is the belief in many gods and Monotheism is the belief in one supreme central God. Now, in the traditional Yoruba religion, there is only one god and he is Olódùmarè or Olòrún, the divine creator and source of all energy. What most people understandably confuse in translation is that Orisha are Gods: this is technically not correct. There is one principle God, and the Orisa and Irunmole as well as everything else were created from Olódùmarè. Thus, Orisa are not God, they are Orisa, in there own definition and do no fit the definition of a Pagan God. Practitioners of ATR's do not like to be called or labeled as "Pagan". In the Yorùbá Theogony, Olódùmarè has àṣẹ over all.
The robust philosophy of the Yoruba suggest that all humans possess what is known as "Àyànmô" and is our Àyànmô to become one in spirit with Olódùmarè and that our thoughts and actions in Ayé interact with all other living things. We attempt to achieve transcendence and find our destiny in Òrún-Réré. Our Orí-Inu must grow in order to consummate union with our "Ipônri". Those who stop growing spiritually are destined for "Òrún-Apadi". Death and Life are cycles of existence in a physical body while one's spirit evolves toward transcendence. Such evolution is said to be evident amongst the Irùnmôlẹ.
Sincere veneration along with Iwapẹlẹ meditation is done to strengthen the Orí-Inu of most people. Well-balanced people are able to make positive use of the simplest form of connection between eniyan and Olu-Òrún: adúra for divine support.
When we pray to our Orí Òrún it produces an immediate sensation of joy. Ẹlégbara transmits prayers without distortion and initiates contact with Òrún, and transmits the prayer to Ayé; the deliverer of àṣẹ. Regardless of the form of prayer or offering, Ifá is called upon in times of major decision making. Orunmila and Ifa are interchangeable. All communication with Òrún is energized by invoking àṣẹ.
In next month's article we will take a look at the creation myth and Ile-Ife. May Olodumare, Gbogbo Orisa, Gbogbo Irunmole and the ancestors bless us all! Ase O!
Any questions you have about this month's article topic please feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and the reply will appear in next month's article in the ATR Q & A section.
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Dark Priestess is a 4th generation natural witch from a long line who practice Spiritism, Hoodoo Rootwork, Vodou and Santeria and has been a practitioner for 22 years. She started with her Great Grandmother who was a Vodou Priestess in the old country. She has also studied various subjects in the Occult. She is a Yaya in Palo and is working on becoming a Iya of the Orisha Faith.
Dark Priestess currently runs an online Occult Store/Botanica called "Ye Olde Dark Arts" which you may visit by going here: http://yeoldedarkarts.webs.com and also has a Facebook page which can be found by searching for Ye Olde Dark Arts and is working on opening a brick and mortar within the next year. She also creates Dark and Gothic Art For Sale. Aside from her artwork, readings and teachings, Dark Priestess is also working on several ATR and Occult book projects which she hopes to have published soon.
The Middle Passage
A Look at the Belief of the Orishas
by Dark Priestess
The ATR practices of Traditional Ifa-Orisha and its various western counterpart Santeria Lukumi, Candomble, Macumba, Umbanda and of course its cousins Vodou and Palo in general are oral traditions where the teachings and rituals are taught in a teacher/student environment, therefore the only way to learn and get initiated is with a personal teacher, in this case by learning directly from a Babalawo, Iya, Houngan, Mambo, Santero, Santera, Tata or Yaya.
While there are many books written on ATR practices, some by initiated practitioners their books do not reveal everything that one needs to learn in order to become a proficient practitioner of ATR Traditions so picking up a few books & going out to purchase Orisha related items does not make you a Priest or Priestess of the faith. There is no such thing as "Self Initiations" as the Orishas, Kimpungulu, and the Loas do not recognize it nor will they acknowledge you as their "child".
The Yorùbá religion comprises the original religious beliefs and practices of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in Southwestern Nigera and adjoining parts of Benin. The practice of Palo also called Mayombe, Briyumba, Kimbisa and Quimbanda comes from the Congo Basin of Central Africa whose practitioners were mostly of the Bantu.
These practices made their way to the west in during the migration of slaves imported to the Caribbean to work the sugar plantations what is referred to as "The Middle Passage". It is important to note that those sold into slavery were the prisoners of conquering tribes.
Upon landing in order to keep the slaves from organizing any kind of revolts they were broken up and regrouped with those that spoke other languages not native to their own which lead to them creating their own languages in order to communicate which resulted later on in the languages used at ceremonies when calling the Orishas, Kimpungulu, and the Loas. These faiths also had to undergo severe transformations in order to survive. The result of this gave way to the birth to a thriving way of life such as Lucumí in Cuba and Umbanda and Candomblé in Brazil. Yoruba religious beliefs are part of itan, the total complex of songs, histories, stories and other cultural concepts which make up the Yorùbá society.
Santeria, like most of the ATR faiths is monotheistic which sets it apart from other practices such as Asatru, Druids, Wiccans, Ceremonial Magicians, and others, all of whom with different beliefs and practices, are comfortable with the umbrella term "Paganism" and many of the pagan practices which are polytheistic. Technically, to be a pagan, there has to be a belief in many Gods and no central Deity as in Monotheism. Paganism is the belief in many gods and Monotheism is the belief in one supreme central God. Now, in the traditional Yoruba religion, there is only one god and he is Olódùmarè or Olòrún, the divine creator and source of all energy. What most people understandably confuse in translation is that Orisha are Gods: this is technically not correct. There is one principle God, and the Orisa and Irunmole as well as everything else were created from Olódùmarè. Thus, Orisa are not God, they are Orisa, in there own definition and do no fit the definition of a Pagan God. Practitioners of ATR's do not like to be called or labeled as "Pagan". In the Yorùbá Theogony, Olódùmarè has àṣẹ over all.
The robust philosophy of the Yoruba suggest that all humans possess what is known as "Àyànmô" and is our Àyànmô to become one in spirit with Olódùmarè and that our thoughts and actions in Ayé interact with all other living things. We attempt to achieve transcendence and find our destiny in Òrún-Réré. Our Orí-Inu must grow in order to consummate union with our "Ipônri". Those who stop growing spiritually are destined for "Òrún-Apadi". Death and Life are cycles of existence in a physical body while one's spirit evolves toward transcendence. Such evolution is said to be evident amongst the Irùnmôlẹ.
Sincere veneration along with Iwapẹlẹ meditation is done to strengthen the Orí-Inu of most people. Well-balanced people are able to make positive use of the simplest form of connection between eniyan and Olu-Òrún: adúra for divine support.
When we pray to our Orí Òrún it produces an immediate sensation of joy. Ẹlégbara transmits prayers without distortion and initiates contact with Òrún, and transmits the prayer to Ayé; the deliverer of àṣẹ. Regardless of the form of prayer or offering, Ifá is called upon in times of major decision making. Orunmila and Ifa are interchangeable. All communication with Òrún is energized by invoking àṣẹ.
In next month's article we will take a look at the creation myth and Ile-Ife. May Olodumare, Gbogbo Orisa, Gbogbo Irunmole and the ancestors bless us all! Ase O!
Any questions you have about this month's article topic please feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and the reply will appear in next month's article in the ATR Q & A section.
\l
=====
Dark Priestess is a 4th generation natural witch from a long line who practice Spiritism, Hoodoo Rootwork, Vodou and Santeria and has been a practitioner for 22 years. She started with her Great Grandmother who was a Vodou Priestess in the old country. She has also studied various subjects in the Occult. She is a Yaya in Palo and is working on becoming a Iya of the Orisha Faith.
Dark Priestess currently runs an online Occult Store/Botanica called "Ye Olde Dark Arts" which you may visit by going here: http://yeoldedarkarts.webs.com and also has a Facebook page which can be found by searching for Ye Olde Dark Arts and is working on opening a brick and mortar within the next year. She also creates Dark and Gothic Art For Sale. Aside from her artwork, readings and teachings, Dark Priestess is also working on several ATR and Occult book projects which she hopes to have published soon.