The religion is based in the anima (soul) of Nature, and is also known as Animism. It was developed in Brazil with the knowledge of African Priests that were enslaved and brought to Brazil, together with their mythology, their culture and language, between 1549 and 1888.
The rituals involve the possession of the initiated by Orishas, offerings and sacrifices of the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdom, healing, dancing/trance and percussion. Candomblé draws inspiration from a variety of people of the African Diaspora, but it mainly features aspects of Yoruba orisha veneration.
In the Yoruba language, God, the Supreme Being, has various names such as Olodumare and Olorun. God is worshipped along with the veneration of the orishas. The Orishas are said to "mount", or possess the participant during rituals. The religion that came to Brazil is derived of certain practices in the Yorubaland in West Africa. Today, this is in the area of the countries of Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
This was not a single group, but several, united by a common language and culture. Their indigenous spiritual practices were mostly brought over during the Atlantic slave trade by those dedicated to the veneration of the orishas.
The Yoruba slaves were referred by various names in the Americas such as Anago, O Lukumi and Nago. In many parts of the Latin America, Orishas are now conflated with Catholic saints. This religion, like many African religions, is an oral tradition and therefore has not been put into text throughout the years. Only recently have scholars and people of this religion begun to write down their practices. The name Batuque is also used, especially before the 19th century when Candomblé became more common. Both words are believed to derive from a Bantu-family language.
Although originally confined to the slave population, banned by the Catholic church, and even criminalized by some governments, Candomblé thrived for over four centuries, and expanded considerably after the end of slavery in the late 1800s.
The idea that the Candomblé church is a unit is incorrect, however. The original Candomble temple, terreiro, was established in Bahia state in early 19th century. It developed from three freed African women, Iya Deta, Iya Kala, and Iya Nasso, and many call it a true matrilineal society. They first established the Candomble headquarters in Bahia called Engenho Velho. However, this was not meant to last, and after dispute after dispute candombles split from one another; therefore, this established hundreds of different candombles. These different candombles mixed ideas and practices with local Afro-Brazilians and created distinct attributes for certain candombles. The different candomblés, today, are known as nações, or nations, including Candomblé de Ketu, Candomblé de Angola, Candomblé de Jeje, Candomblé de Congo, Candomblé de Ijexa, and Candomblé de Caboclo. It is now a major, established religion, with followers from all social classes and thousands of temples. However, in Brazilian culture, religions are not seen as mutually exclusive, and thus many people of other faiths participate in Candomblé rituals regularly or occasionally. Candomblé deities, rituals, and holidays are now an integral part of Brazilian folklore.
Candomblé may be called Macumba in some regions, but Macumba has a distinct set of practices more akin to European witchcraft. Candomblé can also be distinguished from Umbanda, a religion founded in the early 20th century by combining African elements with Kardecism; and from similar African-derived religions such as Quimbanda, Haitian voodoo, Cuban Santeria, and Obeah, which developed independently of Candomblé and are virtually unknown in Brazil.
Brazilian slaves came from a number of African ethnic groups, including Igbo, Yoruba, Ewe, Fon and Bantu. As the religion developed semi-independently in different regions of the country, among different ethnic groups, it evolved into several "sects" or nations (nações), distinguished chiefly by the set of worshiped deities, as well as the music and language used in the rituals. The division into nations was also influenced by the religious and beneficent brotherhoods (irmandades) of Brazilian slaves organized by the Catholic Church in the 18th and 19th centuries. These fraternities, organized along ethnic lines to allow preaching in the slaves' native languages, provided a legitimate cover for slave reunions, and ultimately may have aided the establishment of Candomblé.
The spiritual rituals that originated in Africa flourished as Candomblé in Brazil, accompanied by highly percussive music that has shaped the samba and bossa nova today. Candomblé, a complex religion full of passion and music, came to South America with the African slaves. The style of drumming, instrumentation, and compositions unique to Candomblé helped define the more modern forms of Brazilian music.
The spiritual rituals that originated in Africa flourished as Candomblé in Brazil, accompanied by highly percussive music that has shaped the samba and bossa nova today. Candomblé, a complex religion full of passion and music, came to South America with the African slaves. The style of drumming, instrumentation, and compositions unique to Candomblé helped define the more modern forms of Brazilian music.
It is a religion that celebrates multiple deity-like saints known as Orishas that act as intermediaries to one god. Ceremonies are crucial in Candomblé, and feature percussive music, sacrifices, trances, and dancing. During most rituals, the priests summon the Orixás, and are often said to be possessed by the deities. For any further information about Candomble or any other Brazilian Afro religion please contact us by e-mail: sindri_o@hotmail.co.uk
|
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento