Art & Culture

by Luísa Valentini

A brief summary of candomblé

When African slaves were brought to Brazil, they were obliged to bend to the christian-ocidental culture. Every man and woman had to be baptised and their former culture would have to be left overseas. Would have to, but didn't, because, among the thousands of people that were brought from Angola, Mozambique, Guinea and Benin, there was a certain number of babalorishas and iyalorishas (ministers), who, in order to keep their religion - the so-called "candomblé" - and their holy entities safe, resisted across approximately three centuries of religious and social opression.

A great part of that culture is still very similar to the worship that can be seen in Africa, but some of the rituals were lost because of religious sincretism: the slaves used the names of Catholic saints for each orixá, so that their white lords would let them pray. This mixture caused a great loss, and according to Mãe Stella de Oxóssi, one of the greatest mães-de-santo from Bahia, since the context has changed sincretism shouldn't be used anymore. "Iansã is not Saint Barbara", she said in 1983, breaking the links of her ilê (worshiping house) with the Catholic church.

The place where the rituals take place is known as terreiro. The terreiros used to be ranches outside the cities, where the babalorishas and ialorishas built houses with a great yard for the dances and the parties. The most prestigious parties gather a great number of people, so there must be space and food for all. But, not only is the temple a religious place, but also a reference place for all the community. In São Luis, for instance, Casa das Minas (a house of the Mina-jeje nation) worked also as a nursing house. The mães-de-santo have a great knowledge on plants for every kind of treatment.

Candomblé has a vast pantheon of gods and guiding spirits. According to the ioruba tradition, Olodumaré is the gratest god, owner of heaven and creator of all things. In Brazil, the best-known entities from candomblé are the orixás, divine ancestors who have humanlike characters and archetypes. One of the first things the attendant of the terreiros has to do is to find out who is the orixá that owns his head and leads his behaviour.

Here is a summary of the characteristics of the main orishas:

Exu: Exu is the guardian of people, houses, cities and temples, and also the messenger between men and the gods. He is vain and manly. This orisha always has to be pleased, otherwise he can react in a bad way. This is a reason for him to be considered one of the most humanlike orishas. That's also why Exu is the first orisha to receive his honours in the rituals - makes the relationship between the men and the gods easier.

Ogum: Ogum was a brave warrior who conquered various cities in Nigeria. He is called Onirê (master of Irê) because this city in Nigeria was one of his domains. He is the god of iron and protects every one who uses this material in their instruments, including agricultors, sculptors and militarians.

Oxóssi: This orisha was a king of the Ketu nation and it cares for the hunt and feast. Oxóssi lives in the forest and has married Oxum among a number of wives. Curiosity ad observation are very remarkable aspects in his personality, and, as the hunters usually do, he prefers to do his works at night.

Logun Edé: Son of two orishas -Erinlé,a great hunter, and Oxum Iepondá -, Logun Edé was born in the city of Ilexá (word that means "house of the orishas"). He lives six months with his mother and six months with his father. That makes him have a variation of carachter between his mother's and his father's personality.

Obaluaê: Known in Africa as "the owner of the land" or Omolu, "son of the Lord". These are the names usually given to the god of smallpox (variola) and contagious diseases. Obaluaê has the power to cure these diseases, as well as bone diseases. He also punishes the evildoers and insolents.

Ossain: Deity of the plants and leaves, Ossain uses his secrets for the preparation of magic potions. Originay from the city of Irawo, in Nigeria, Ossain hides his left leg, were his force is secretly stored. His importance is fundamental for candomblé and no ceremony can be done without his presence.

Ifá: Also known as Orunmilá, Ifá is a fundamental orisha. Without his advice, nothing can be done. His spokesmen are the babalaôs, who know his tradition. A very famous babalaô was the etnographist Pierre Verger.

Oxumaré: Simbolized by the rainbow and by the snakes that bites its own tail, but also existing in human form, Oxumaré is son of Nanã and a loyal friend of Xangô's. He is a great Babalaô and represents growth and prosperity, mobility and activity. This orisha is in constant mutation between his three forms.

Xangô: Married to three orishas, Oyá (Iansã), Oxum and Obá, Xangô is virile, nosy and impetuous. He has a strong personality and owns the thunder. He also punishes the liers, thieves and evildoers.

Iansã: Also called Oyá, she is Xangô's first wife, and has a very fervent behaviour. Before Xangô, she was married to Ogum. Iansã is the orisha of the winds, storms and protects also the Niger River, in Nigeria.

Obá: Oba is the third of Xangô's wives and a great warrior.The miths tell about a very big fight she had with Oxum fot Xangô.

Oxum: usually requested by women who want to have kids, Oxum cares for the fertility and for the kids. She is also the queen of all the rivers and of unsalty water in general.

Nanã: Nanã is a very ancient orisha from the jeje tradition. She is found in marshes and in muddy lakes, which are believed to be like the world was in the begining.

Iemanjá: mother of the fish, Iemanjá was once married to Odudua, the king of Ifé, but ran away, going to the sea to protect herself from the soldiers that pursued her. She is considered to be very beautiful and is evoked specially by the fishermen. In Brazil, people throw flowers, perfums and mirrors to the sea in her honour.

To know more about candomblé, you may visit the following sites:

www.pierreverger.org.br (Pierre Veger foundation)

sites.uol.com.br/jorixas/ (Um Pedaço da África no Brasil)

And also read these books:

AS RELIGIÕES AFRICANAS NO BRASIL, by Roger Bastide

CANDOMBLÉS DA BAHIA, by Edison Carneiro

CANDOMBLÉ DA BAHIA, by Luiz Mott and Marcelo Cerqueira

EWÉ and Lendas Africanas dos Orixás, by Pierre Fatumbi Verger

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