|
Candomblé is a monotheistic religion that believes in the existence of the soul and in the afterlife. The word “candomblé” means “dance” or “dance with atabaques” and worship the orixás, normally revered through dances, songs and offerings. Differences between Candomblé and Umbanda Candomblé / Umbanda Strong hierarchy /The hierarchy is not so rigid 5000 years of existence/ Founded in the 20th century Performs animal sacrifices in specific ceremonies/ Does not perform animal sacrifices There is only incorporation of entities, but the orixá does not speak, does not give consultations, only gives axé (blessing). Only the father and / or mother of a saint give advice and consultations through Ifá, Buzios. It incorporates embodied entities, that is: spirits that have lived on earth. These give consultations and advice directly to the customer. There is no incorporation of the orixá. Being a father and / or mother of a saint is equivalent to the Catholic priesthood. So it is difficult for them to have a common life, as there are a number of dietary restrictions, dress and attitudes./ The priest does not need to dedicate himself exclusively to Umbanda. To support themselves, candomblé houses charge for work done. /It does not charge for services. History of Candomblé in Brazil Candomblé Jorge Amado, writer, kisses the hand of Mãe Menininha do Gantois, considered the greatest saint-mother in Brazil Candomblé is the practice of African beliefs brought to Brazil by enslaved people. Therefore, it is not an African religion, but Afro-Brazilian. Therefore, the history of Candomblé is mixed with that of Catholicism. Forbidden to continue with their religion, slaves used the images of the saints to escape the censorship imposed by the Church. This explains the syncretism found in Candomblé in Brazil, something that is not seen in Africa. Nowadays, however, many candomblé houses do not accept syncretism and seek to return to African origins. Likewise, in the Brazilian version, we have a mixture of orixás various regions of the African continent. This is due to the fact that the blacks who landed to be slaves were various parts of Africa. Each Orixá represents a force or personification of nature and also a people or a nation Candomblé, as a religious practice, gained clear contours in Bahia in the middle of the 18th century and was defined during the 20th century. Currently, there are millions of practitioners throughout Brazil, reaching more than 1.5% of the national population. In order to preserve this heritage of African culture, Federal Law 6292, of December 15, 1975, made certain Candomblé terreiros a material or immaterial heritage that could be listed. Candomblé Rituals Appearance of a Candomblé ceremony Candomblé rituals are, as a rule, performed through songs, dances, drum beats, offerings of vegetables, minerals, objects and, sometimes, sacrifice of some animals. Participants must wear specific costumes with the colors and guides of their orixá, and each has their own day, color, objects and specific foods, appropriate to their ritual. A ritual can bring together tens to hundreds of people, varying according to the size of the house that performs the duties and parties. On these occasions, there is a great concern with hygiene and food, as everything must be purified to be worthy of the orixá. Usually, Candomblé rituals are practiced in houses, gardens or terreiros, which can be of matriarchal, patriarchal or mixed lineage. Consequently, the celebrations are led by the "father or mother of saint" or "babalorixá" and "iyalorixá" respectively. It should be noted that the succession of these spiritual leaders is hereditary. However, there may be strife in the succession, which often ends up closing the yard. Finally, it is worth remembering that the followers of Candomblé take seven years to complete their initiation within the stipulated precepts. Orixás do Candomblé Some of the Orixás worshiped in Candomblé Orixás are entities that represent the energy and strength of nature. They play a key role in worship when they are incorporated by more experienced practitioners. They have specific personalities, abilities, ritual preferences and natural phenomena, which give them different qualities and strengths. The unique God of Candomblé can vary according to the African region of origin. For Ketu it is Olorum, among Bantus it is Nzambi and for Jeje it is Mawu. There are hundreds of Orixás, however, the most worshiped in Brazil are: Exu Sphere meaning Day of the week Monday Red (active) and black (knowledge absorption) colors Greeting Laroiê (Salve Exu) Instrument seven irons attached to the same base, facing upwards Ogum Meaning war (gun) Day of the week Tuesday Dark blue color (metal color when heated in the forge) Ogunhê greeting, Hello, Ogum Sword instrument iron Oxóssi Meaning night hunter (oxó, hunter; ossi, nocturnal) Day of the week Thursday Turquoise color (color of the sky at the beginning of the day) Greeting O Kiarô! ("okaaro" means good morning in the Yoruba language) Ofá instrument (bow and arrow) Xango Meaning the one that stands out by strength Day of the week Wednesday Red (active), white (peace), brown (earth) colors Greeting Kaô Kabiesilê; come to see being born on the ground Oxé instrument (double-bladed stone ax) (Oyá) Iansã Meaning nine (she had nine children) Day of the week Wednesday (or Monday) Red (active and fire) or brown (earth) colors Greeting And Stopped! - Hi! Jovial and cheerful or What a beautiful sword! Iruexim instrument (iron or copper handle with a ponytail) Oxum Meaning river passing through Oxogbo, Nigerian city Day of the week Saturday Golden color (yellow) Greeting Ora ieiê ô !; play in the waters Baby instrument (mirror) Oba Queen meaning Day of the week Wednesday Red color Greeting Obá xirê! - powerful, strong queen Dagger instrument Logum Meaning acclaimed prince (Odé, relationship with Ogum and Edé, connection with Oxóssi) Day of the week Thursday Turquoise and yellow (golden) colors Greetings Lóci, lóci, Logum! Shout your war cry, warrior prince! Instrument ofá (bow and arrow) and abebê (mirror) Nanã Meaning originally néné / nana / nanã Day of the week Tuesday Colors lilac or white streaked with blue Saluba Nanã! - Hail, owner of the Earth pot! Ibiri instrument (kind of cane) Obaluaê Meaning king, lord of the land Day of the week Monday White (peace and healing), black (knowledge) and / or red (activity) colors Greetings Atotô! Oto, Silence! Xaxará instrument (kind of magic stick) Ossaim Meaning divine light Day of the week Tuesday (or Thursday) Green (healing) and white (peace) colors Greeting Me, I bake! - Oh, leaves! Seven-pointed metal rod instrument, with a pigeon in the center Oxumaré Meaning the one who moves with the rain Day of the week Tuesday Yellow (knowledge) and green (health) colors Greetings Arruboboí! - gbogbo, continuous Metal snake instrument Iemanja Meaning iya, means mother; Omo, son; and Eja, fish Day of the week Saturday White and blue colors (translucent crystal) Greeting O doiá! (odo, river) Baby instrument (mirror) Wish Meaning White light (oxa, light; and ala, white) Day of the week Friday White color Greetings Epa, Nanny! - Hail, father! Paxorô instrument (kind of staff) Ibeji / Erês Meaning ib means to be born; and eji, two Day of the week Sunday All colors Greeting Beje eró! - Call them both! There is no instrument
|
