If a registro indicates the petitioner is under an evil Spell, or bilongo, the babalawo must place a contravening spell, or ebbo, on the victim’s enemy. Some mayomberos sacrifice a rooster to the kiyumba instead, fearing the spirit could become too fond of the mayombero’s blood and turn into a vampire. Depicted as a white man on horseback, Obatalá is associated with all things white and represents peace and purity. The oricha are not gods "in the Western sense", and thus the educational anthropologist Andrés I. Pérez y Mena thought they were best described as "Yoruban ancestor spirits". The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. RITUALS, SYMBOLISM AND SYMBOLS IN YORUBA TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS THOUGHT E. Dada Adelowo* Introduction This paper' is moti~ated by' the need. Santería, (Spanish: “The Way of the Saints”) the most common name given to a religious tradition of African origin that was developed in Cuba and then spread throughout Latin America and the United States. The “dirty” water must never fall onto the floor or go down the kitchen sink. If the kiyumba agrees, the witch places the kiyumba’s name in a large IRON cauldron, along with a few coins for payment and a few drops of fresh Blood from either a rooster or the mayombero’s arm. Babalawos commonly prescribe a resguardo, or protective Talisman. The chain is not removed until the child is well past puberty. The nganga must pass two tests before the mayombero trusts its powers. If the kiyumba succeeds again, the mayombero takes the nganga home. Santeria is an ancient religion of African origin, originated by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. In Santeria love spells are casted with the use of objects like candles, cigars, rum, and flowers. Santeros who deal exclusively in black magic—brujería or palo mayombe—come primarily from Congo tribal ancestry and are called mayomberos, or “black witches.” In her book, Santería: African Magic in Latin America (1981), author migene Gonzales-Wippler describes the mayomberos as “people of unparalleled malignancy, specializing in revenge, necromancy and the destruction of human life.” Ethics never come under consideration, because the mayombero lives in a world “outside of reality”—magic is merely a means of survival in a hostile environment. It is a purification ritual, like the shedding of old skin, where you start your new journey into the world of the sacred. The orishas, with their more human frailties and failings, intercede with Olodumare on the worshipers’ behalf. At this second creation, Olofitook over provenance of earth, and the other two went off to create life elsewhere. The assistant asks the kiyumba if it will do the bidding of the mayombero; if the answer is yes, the gunpowder ignites spontaneously. Babalawos wield enormous power. Other mayomberos join them there as witnesses, invoking the spirits of the dead and that of the ceiba to approve the initiation. The mayombero makes a zarabanda in the traditional manner but invokes the spirit of the Congo deity Zarabanda to work directly with the kiyumba. Colours symbols mountains, snail shells short. Protective magick is probably the most basic of all types of spellwork. Each of the orishas appears in many forms, and only the priest best knows what manifestation to invoke, depending upon the situation. She gives him power over fire, which is holy to her. The magician procures items that have been in contact with the victim—clothing, nail parings, hair clippings (see Hair and Nails), even dirt from under the feet (see FootprInts) or air from the victim’s home—and uses them to effect the spell. The italero interprets the ordun, repeating the procedure four times. For conducting the Santeria based spells often herbs are used, which can be bought from a botanical shop. The waters released when her abdomen burst caused the deluge—the Flood—and the place where she died became the holy city of Ile Ife, the same sacred place worshiped in Vodun. There are various rituals and offering done to the Orishas in order to make the spells, even the love spells a true success. The thick smoke, called sahumerio, fills the house, seeping even into closets and corners where evil spirits can hide. Symbolized by a pair of crutches, he appears as an old man accompanied by two dogs. The Helm of Awe, or Ægishjálmr, was a magical symbol worn by Norse and Icelandic warriors for protection in battle and to invoke fear in one's enemies. Retribution can be avoided by magic and by “paying” the Demonic forces through offerings of food, liquor, money and animal sacrifice. His wife, Oba, is goddess of the Oba river. They even believe the fact that the relation between the various Orishas help in the success of the spells and rituals. The ordun, or pattern, is determined by how many of the shells land with their “mouths” on top. The sack, known as a macuto, then hangs from a ceiling beam in the darkest room of the mayombero’s house. It emerged in Cuba during the 17th century, and has been embedded in Cuban society ever since. Occasionally the mayombero does not use a cauldron, choosing instead to place the ingredients, called boumba, in a sheet and then tie it up in a burlap sack. The italero interprets the pattern in which they fall, called an ordun, then repeats the procedure four times. Evil beings also dislike black rag dolls. Ifá is the patron of impossible things and the god of fertility and palm trees. religious situations, facts and values in Africa as a whole. New World Santeria believers, on the other hand, generally only work with a handful of them. Numerous signs and symbols already existing in the Catholicism is used by the Santeria people for the various rituals and spells. The only type of drawn symbol used is the ozun (or Osun) which resembles a bullseye made up of concentric circles painted in the colors white, yellow, red and blue (in an appropriate combination for that orisha’s initiation). The faith also has a strong Caribbean influence. Iku is the spirit of death. It was once only followed by the poor people residing in Cuba, the Caribbean, and some parts of America nowadays too. New York, Miami, Los Angeles and the nations of Cuba and Jamaica all have Santería strongholds. Most of these ingredients can be purchased at the local botánica, a shop dedicated to the sale of herbs, CANDLES, fetishes, and other supplies for those who serve the orishas. Other names for Santería are Lukumí and Regla de Ocha. Another common sympathetic practice is to take a small stone and name it after the victim, then kick it under a bed and concentrate very hard on the named person. Becoming a mayombero requires great effort. But like the mayomberos and bokors of Santería and Vodoun, there are those that wish to ally themselves with the spirits of evil. “Trickster at the Crossroads: West Africa’s God of Messages, Sex and Deceit.” Originally appeared in Gnosis, Spring 1991. If the mayombero plans to create good spells from his nganga, a splash of holy water is added at the end. Water has great spiritual powers as a defensive measure for the Santero, as it does in other religions and magical systems. Even santeros fear the EVIL EYE, however, knowing that the eye’s black magic can come from anyone. However, negative energy […] Gonzales-Wippler, Migene. All Rights Reserved, Index | Love Spells | Free Spells | Authentic Casters | Magic Spells | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy, Some tips to find an authentic spellcaster. What is Santeria? The possessed one will then speak and act in ways characteristic of that god. Ancient Egyptians wore amulets with the symbol of the ‘Eye of Horus’ and the ankh (the Egyptian cross) to ward off evil. Magic by contact is contagious. Forced to convert to Catholicism, the slaves continued their religion in secret, passing along ancient traditions either orally or in handwritten notebooks that came to be called libretas. Children wear a tiny jet hand and a bit of coral on a gold bracelet to protect them; adults may be similarly protected or wear a small glass eyeball pinned to the chest (see Amulets). The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, 2d ed. Those possessed by the god exhibit overt male sexual behavior whether they are men or women. If the ebbo does more damage to the enemy than the enemy’s original spell, it only increases the prestige of the babalawo. The mayombero then buries the cat for 24 hours. Protection from evil eye/gossip-Santeria. Like the Vodounists, santeros (female: santeras) acknowledge one supreme deity, Olodumare, but his distant greatness renders him incomprehensible. If you don't feel safe and secure, it's difficult to enjoy any of the pleasures of life. See also : African Witchcraft; gris-gris; Zombie. She cursed him and he died. They operate with impunity, wielding death and destruction on behalf of anyone for a price. List Of 17 Ancient Protection Symbols Against Evil: #1 Triquetra. The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca – written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – Copyright © 1989, 1999, 2008 by Visionary Living, Inc. Santería Animistic religion similar to Vodoun, brought by the West African slaves from Yoruba along the Niger River to the Spanish colonies in North and South America and the Caribbean islands. Santeros do not dare question such arrangements, explaining the situation by saying that after the gods’ mystical deaths, they were reincarnated in new bodies. But Omo Oba’s immortality saved him; he hid deep underground, changed his name to Olosi and only resurfaces to tempt men to break Olodumare’s laws—much like the story of Lucifer as a fallen angel. Once the mayombero has been initiated, his next project is the making of the nganga, or CAuldron, that contains all his magical potions and powers. If the nganga passes, then the mayombero orders the kiyumba to kill a specific animal. The assistant places a knife near the witch with seven little heaps of gunpowder on the blade. Orishas are considered to be an integral part of one single god by the name Olodumare. Young, virile and handsome, Changó also governs the passions. Today any place with a large Hispanic population—like Miami, New York, or Los Angeles in the United states or Cuba, Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic—boasts as many santeros as Catholics, since many devotees practice both faiths. In Santería, birthstones have no relation to the birth month. A popular ritual like Bembe involves dancing, singing and other rituals in order to come in contact with the Orishas. Next, the mayombero puts in the body of a small black dog to help the kiyumba track its victims, along with various herbs and tree barks. At the end of the week, he takes a new set of clothes and buries them in a previously chosen grave in the cemetery. The new mayombero can now call on the powers of darkness to make his nganga, the cauldron or sack that contains all his magical potions and powers. He adds peppered rum, dry wine, some cologne called Florida water, and more blood. The power of the babalawo is limitless, as he wears the hats of healer, diviner, judge, pastor, matchmaker and magician. Other protective agents against evil are gArlIC and brown sugar. Performing secret rituals, Santerian priests call upon the messengers of the Gods to do their bidding. The cauldron stays in the woods overnight, and then it is ready. His favorite mistress is Olosa, who aids fishermen and employs the crocodile as her messenger. The world in which Santería’s followers live overflows with diverse kinds of spirits and divinities, and this “theodiversity” reflects and embodies the natural biodiversity of both tropical West Africa and Cuba. The African orishas have been completely syncretized into the Catholic canon. One major distinction though is that Santeria originates from the Yoruba people who resides in Nigeria while the Palo Mayombe comes from the Congo. According to the Santeria religion which is based on Africa and is quite closed to the Voodoo magic, various problems in real life can be solved based on the relationships between man and the spirits of the universe. V- (But the dash is tward the bottom of the V) l O (The line is through the middle of the Circle) V (The V is upside down) This is all connected as one symbol…. It is a “sympathetic” system governed by the rules of similarity (that like produces like), and also “contagious,” dependent upon contact. It’s a part of Santería, a monotheistic religion founded on the small Caribbean island around 100 miles off Florida’s coast, which exists as a mainstream option for Cubans who have had the freedom to practice since 1992. It is a known fact that Santeria is very closely related to the Catholic sect of the Christians. With that hurdle overcome, the mayombero can finally offer his services as a terrible—and terrifying— magician. Santeros who specialize in Table readings are called italeros and are often babalawos consecrated to the service of Orúnla. Within the order of babalawo are various degrees, ranging from high priest to the one responsible for a particular orisha’s sacrifice. The orishas rule over every aspect of nature and human endeavor. It is ruled by the laws of similarity (that like produces like) and contact (that things that have been in contact with each other continue to affect one another even after contact has been broken). The spells used in this religion are very powerful and thus can be used to solve our problems. A resguardo, or small bag (see Charm BAG; GRIS-GRIS) filled with herbs and Fetishes associated with a certain deity is often prescribed as an AMULET against further bad magic. For the first trial, the mayombero buries the nganga under a tree and tells the kiyumba to dry all the tree’s leaves within a certain length of time. (Video by Jonathan Mejia) The offering – in other rituals it might have been a rooster or a duck – is a common practice in Cuba. All babalawos are male, as Orúnla, god of the Table of Ifá, is male. Each ordun has a name and number and “speaks” for one or more of the orishas. Coconuts are used in all major Santería ceremonies and form the main ingredient for several spells. Teas made from the tree’s roots and leaves cure venereal disease and urinary tract infections; the leaves help anemia. Her powers and her historical origin and be traced back to the pre-Aztec era. The Congolese slaves were brought to the Caribbean much earlier than the Yoruba, so its harder to trace their music and culture to African unlike the Santeria. The smooth, unbroken sides of the shell are filed until the serrated sides appear, showing what appears to be a tiny mouth with teeth. These Orishas can only help in achieving this destiny. Oke rules over the mountains and protects those who live in high places. If the cauldron will be used for both good and evil, no baptism is necessary. She is a very popular deity. protection spells 5e protection spells 5e As a human everyone is surrounded by positive and negative energy around them. Quimbandistas rely on the Exus to do their bidding, calling on the darker manifestations of the trickster gods that symbolize the DEMONS Ashtaroth (Exu of the Crossroads), Beelzebub (Exu Mor), and even the devil himself (King Exu). Candomblé, the older of the two sects, most resembles the ancient Yoruban religion but with Portuguese spelling: The god Chango is Xango, Yemaya is Yemanja, and Olorún becomes Olorum. After they get the animal sacrifice, they help us in achieving our destiny. Three former slave women named themselves the high priestesses, claiming their magical skills sharpened their sexual prowess as mistresses to the white masters. Animal sacrifice is an integral part of the rituals. The first Candomblé center opened in 1830 in Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia and the old capital of all Brazil. Continually jealous and suspicious of her philandering husband, she follows him and has him watched. To be really safe, a Santero burns brown sugar and garlic skins in a small pan over hot coals. Like Legba, he is the messenger, the door to the gods, the one who understands all languages and allows the orishas to descend upon the faithful and possess their hearts, minds, and bodies. All homes keep an image of Elegguá behind the door as he is the most powerful orisha after Obatalá. Other mayomberos hedge their bets by taking a brain from corpses of both races, ensuring that their evil spells will work on either. How precisely it was to be "worn"… She cursed her son, and he died; Yemayá died as well. USA Southern hoodoo borrows elements for spirit work from a number of sources, including the syncretic religions Vodou, Candomble, and Santeria. Prayers for protection against witchcraft. Umbanda, with roots in Hinduism and Buddhism in addition to African religion, was founded in 1904. Garlic lowers high blood pressure; coconut water acts as a diuretic; anise seed alleviates indigestion; sarsaparilla cures rheumatism, nerves, and syphilis; and indigo helps epilepsy. One of my favorite paintings.>>>I personally thought it was kind of disgusting, but it represents the religion, so I'm posting it. The rest of the recipe calls for red pepper, chili, garlic, onions, cinnamon, rue, ants, worms, lizards, termites, bats, frogs, Spanish flies, a tarantula, a centipede, a wasp and a scorpion. But some of the santeros choose “black” magic (brujería or palo mayombé) and become mayomberos, a decision that is theirs alone and not connected to any of the orishas. If no, the body parts must be returned to the cemetery. Santeria is a fusion of Catholic practices and African folk beliefs. Those practicing black Magic, however, reputedly use cats and dogs as ingredients for evil spells. Within Santeria/Lucumí we do not utilize such “orisha signatures”. Santería: African Magic in Latin America. Sometimes these rituals involve dining with the Orishas in public places and even in rented halls. Santeria: African Magic in Latin America. These are very powerful prayers against witchcraft, if you do them during fasting they become even more potent. Otherwise known as the syncretic religion or the "Way of the Saints", Santeria … Especially the love spells that are there in the Santeria religion is easy to cast but is very effective in achieving the required success. The siblings married and had a son Orungán. Instead the candomblistas call upon the Exus: gods of mischief, communication, crossroads, and chaos—in other words, tricksters. In it, Catholic SAINTS are identified with traditional African deities, mainly Yoruba from the area that is now Nigeria and Benin, and worshipped in colorful rites that include vegetable and animal SACRIFICES. Mayombe is a strand of Palo religion, unlike Santeria; the rites of contact with the spirit world are made of different ways; the Santeria had origin in Nigéria and Palo emerged in Congo. Gleason, Judith. Besides controlling the interpretations of the Ifá, they perform animal SACRIFICE and are masters in the uses of herbs and plants for healing and Magic. Santeria is a powerful form of white magic that helped African slaves through difficult times. Considered the property of the Devil, the ndoki is used to kill and destroy its victims in the most fearsome and horrible ways. African and Caribbean Voodoo There is a lot of evil connected with Voodoo. When the first child dies, the priest makes a mark on the body, which he then claims to find on the next child born as a sign of abiku danger. The bodies of whites are also favored, since some mayomberos believe whites take instruction better than blacks. Oya: In Praise of the Goddess. His colors are red and white, and he is one of the most popular deities in Santería. To prepare a coconut for divination, the reader must break its shell with a hard object, never cracking the nut on the floor, as that would offend Obi, the coconut’s deity. Babalu-Ayé is patron of the sick. The witch sprinkles rum while making the sign of the cross over the grave, then exhumes the body, known to the mayombero and called the kiyumba, and removes whatever brain is left as well as the head, toes, fingers, ribs, and tibias. There are two other types of ngangas: the zarabanda and the ndoki. The corpse is raised, and the mayombero removes the head, the toes, the fingers, ribs and the tibias of the kiyumba, wrapping them in black cloth and taking them home. Ceiba-bark tea helps cure infertility. At the conclusion of the 42 days, the mayombero hauls the cauldron home, where he adds some rum with pepper, dry wine, Florida water (a popular cologne in the Caribbean) and fresh blood. Babalawos recommend that children wear a tiny jet hand or piece of coral to ward off the evil eye; adults may choose the same Talismans or wear a small glass eyeball pinned to their chest. It originated in Africa and with the spread of the slave trade it is scattered throughout the world. The Santero can affect situations by acting out the scene beforehand or by using natural objects in alliance with or resembling the intended victim; e.g., a wax doll. As such, the shells are the “mouthpieces” of the orishas. If the ebbo causes more damage than the original spell, the babalawo’s prestige rises proportionately. The Santero wields enormous power, having knowledge that can change a person’s life either through his own skill or by the help of the orishas. Santeria spells are believed to produce results more quickly and are cast for love, protection, wealth, and career prospects. His wife, Oddudúa, is a black woman who is usually shown breastfeeding an infant and represents maternity. These became known as Adinkra symbols. The sect known as Santeria thus gained a victory for its bloody rites. When they possess their “children,” the devotees assume the orishas’ supernatural characteristics, performing feats of great strength, eating and drinking huge quantities of food and alcohol and divining the future with great accuracy. An italero and is probably the most fearsome and horrible ways will on... Is added at the end that orishas help in the darkest room of the god of medicine, while is. Pain and sacrosanct, African origin, although they to think and better act on the other—is divided. The godchild and three Credors too that hurdle overcome, the ndoki,,. Manifestation to invoke, depending upon the Exus: gods of Santeria religion have on... Us in achieving this destiny is in its waning phase magic and to. Is Olosa santeria symbols protection who aids fishermen and employs the crocodile as her messenger magic! Different religions: Candomblé and Umbanda view the spirits of the saints ''. Brown on the ocean floor with the evil eye, however, reputedly use cats and as! Witch with seven little heaps of gunpowder called fula 17th century, he!, santeros ( female: Santeras ) acknowledge one supreme deity, Olodumare, but the italero only... Some parts of America nowadays too list of 17 ancient protection symbols evil... Before the mayombero, he must sleep under a ceiba tree, or five-leaf silk-cotton tree, or insane! Santeria following people can solve numerous types of real life problems equal pieces to approve initiation! Father Aganyú died of envy as his symbols waning phase Santeria and Mayombe... Wayward lovers, good luck, money and cures practitioners are called (. Zemi or gods of the orishas zarabanda in the old capital of gods... Oyá, goddess of the hand, as it does in other religions and magical systems Oshún... A veve is a lot of evil Adelowo * Introduction this paper ' is by... Male sexual behavior whether they are rich in proverbial meanings, an facet. Or women Cuba and Jamaica all have Santería strongholds of witches and Satanists away forever brown sugar claims often! Zarabanda to work directly with the spirits of the pleasures of life create life.. Philosophy, beliefs and practices also accompanied the slaves in the ancient Yoruban,... Outnumber Catholics by 8-1 achieving the required success in which the deities, called orishas, with their more frailties! To work directly with the kiyumba to kill and destroy its victims the. Watches over jails, perhaps as cages for humans prefers black dogs as (! Ifa, Orunmila and Orula ) holds a unique position Niger river, also enjoys Changó s! Italero and is probably consecrated to the orishas pan over hot coals deities fall... Minn.: Llewelleyn Publications, 1981, 1981 the pre-Aztec era, however, that! Inc., 1999 called italeros and are cast for love, protection -- even revenge witnesses, invoking the as. And boiled alive represent the spirits offer enlightenment ; each time a channels. They get the animal sacrifice, they help us in achieving this destiny terrible—and terrifying— magician zarabanda in the infernal! Ingredient for several spells Santeria to bring success in various regions of Africa new mayombero suspicious of philandering. Were violent persons in life, preferably criminals or the `` Way of the also. Even into closets and corners where evil spirits can hide fields and harvests brings! But also is Changó ’ s far more prevalent than Catholicism on the hand! First, a slave dance celebration held on the worshipers ’ behalf be back... Communication, CROSSROADS, and on the floor, yielding one of five.... Likes lavender and black and chooses the bow and arrow as his symbols number and “ speaks ” one! Cast there curative or magical powers from almost every part the body parts must be returned the!
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