Quimbanda

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Qui mbanda - Wi ki pedi a, the fr ee encycl opedia

Quimbanda From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

dɐ] Portugues e pronunciation: pronunciation: [kĩˈbɐ Quimbanda (Portugues ̃ ) is an Afro-Brazilian religion practiced primarily in the urban city centers of Brazil. Quimbanda practices are typically associated with magic, rituals involving animal sacrifice and marginal locations, exus, and pomba gira spirits. Quimbanda was originally contained under the religious tradition of Macumba. In the early years of the 21st century, some began to assert, despite historical records to the contrary, that Quimbanda Quimbanda was totally totally separate from Umbanda. Umbanda represented the more Europeanized traits of the religion, while while Quimbanda Quimbanda emphasized black magic. Quimbanda has continued to insist that it is a distinct religion, while rejecting rejecting Catholic Catholic and Kardecist Spiritist influences that have penetrated Umbanda and other Afro-Brazilian religions.

Contents 1 Deities Deities 1.1 1.1 Exu and exus 1.2 1.2 Pomba Giras 1.3 Ogu O gum m 2 Practices Practices 2.1 2.1 Rituals 2.2 2.2 Marginal Locations Locations 2.3 Animal Sacrifices 3 History 3.1 From Africa to Brazil 3.2 Catholic Influence 3.3 3.3 From Macumba From Macumba to to Quimbanda Quimbanda and Umbanda 3.4 The emergence of Quimban Q uimband da 3.5 Contemporary Contemporary 4 See also See also 5 References 6 Works cited 7 External links

eities Exu and exus

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In Quimbanda the male spirits are known as Exus, they are considered very aggressive and immoral spirits. Note that they are not the same as the Eshu/ Ellegua of Lukumi/ Santeria; as Quimbanda has evolved as a religion, it has created a category of spirits collectively called Exus, whose name was borrowed from the deity Exu. Exus refers to the phalanx of spirits occupying the lowest levels of the spirit hierarchy. Religious professor Kelly E. Hayes outlines the purposes of exu spirits: “[Quimbanda] is associated particularly with the cultivation of a set of boisterous spirit entities called exus, referred to by their devotees as povo da rua, people of the streets. In image, story, and song, exu spirits are linked with urban street life and its illicit desires — vice, lust, crime, and sensual indulgence.”[1] Exu spirits are characterized as having been criminals, hustlers and vagrants in former incarnations. However, exus, commonly referred to as ‘spirits of the left’, are not purely evil. Instead, they are more human-like in their qualities and share in human weaknesses. Exu spirits primarily deal with human and material matters as opposed to the ‘spirits of the right’ used in Umbanda, who deal with primarily spiritual matters. Exus are typically called for rituals to arrange rendezvous, force justice, or destroy enemies. Religion specialist Diana Brown of Bard college states, ”Exus seem to assert the power and autonomy of the individual to have and pursue his/her own self-interests, as against the interests and moral codes established by the state, civil society, and the family”. [2] Exus are the most commonly used of the deities in Quimbanda and vary in their power and ability, which is often measured by their viciousness and immorality.

Pomba Giras Another set of deities associated with Quimbanda are not directly derived from the Yoruba religious tradition. Pomba giras, the female counterparts of exus are frequently described as the spirits of prostitutes. [3] Promin P rominent ent pomba pomba gi giras su such as Pomba-Gi Pomba-Gira ra Mari Maria Mul Mulambo, ambo, also also known known as ‘Mari ‘Mariaa of the the trash trash’, ’, are used used for for specif specific ritu ritual alss often relating to their names. Mulambo refers to someone who is wearing ragged clothing or someone who is very unlucky. Therefore, Pomba-Gira Maria Mulambo is summoned to overturn or destroy someone and make them a mulambo.[3]

Ogum Ogum is the orisha of warfare and metal. Ogum is also known as the Lord at the center of the crossroads. Rituals involving Ogum are typically less aggressive and more justice-bound than that of Exu. Professor David J. Hess speculates that Ogum acts as an intermediate figure between the violent rituals of Exu in Quimbanda and the nonaggressive rituals of Umbanda, revealing the deep connection between Quimbanda and Umbanda. [3]

Practices Rituals A classic Quimbanda ritual, called a trabalho, trabalho, consists of several parts: a motive, dedication to a spirit, a marginal location, the metal or clay (earthy) material, an alcoholic drink, scent, and food (usually a peppered flour-palm oil mixture, sometimes called miamiami). miamiami).[4] An example of a trabalho is as follows:


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Trabalho 1: " A work of great force, under the protection of [Exu] Tranca Ruas das Almas (BlockStreets-of-the-Souls), to eliminate an enemy. " 1) Go to a crossroads of Exu on a Monday or Friday near midnight, if possible in the company of a member of the opposite sex; 2) greet Ogum with a bottle bottle of light ght beer, a whi white or red red candl candle, e, and and a li lighted ghted cig cigar; 3) greet greet Exu Exu Sir Sir Bl Block-Streets-of-theock-Streets-of-theSouls by opening seven bottles of rum (cachaça (cachaça)) in the form of a circle, lighting seven red and black candles, and offering seven cigars; 4) put inside a vase ( alguidar ) and mix the following: manioc flour ( farinha farinha da mandioca), mandioca), palm oil (azeite-de-dendê (azeite-de-dendê), ), and peppers; 5) put on the ground in the middle of the circle the name of the person whom one wishes to hurt, and, using a knife, stab this with

violence, asking Exu to attend to one's request."[4] Depending on the purpose of the ritual, aspects of the trabalho will change. For instance, if one desires to seek ustice from Exu they will use white candles, rum and a written request. Therefore, certain colors denote different motives in a ritual: white symbolizing an honest and justice-bound motive and red and black representing an aggressive and illicit motive. Other rituals substitute the harsh or spicy smell of cigars for the sweet smell of carnations, thus symbolizing the transformation between harming and helping rituals. Likewise, rituals involving female spirits (Pomba Giras) are less aggressive in their performance. A trabalho to obtain a woman is as follows: Trabalho 7: "to obtain a woman. " 1) On a Monday or Friday night, go to a female crossroads (Tshaped rather than plus-shaped) and greet Pomba Gira by pouring a little rum, or better yet, champagne or anisette (anis (anis); ); 2) place two pieces of cloth ( pano) pano) on the ground, one red and the other black, and on top of this put five or seven red roses in the shape of a horseshoe; 3) fill a cup of good quality with champagne or anisette; 4) put the name of the desired person in the cup or in the

middle of the horseshoe; 5) sing a ponto a ponto (song) (song) and thank Pomba Gira."[3] Particular elements of an Exu trabalho remain unchanged in the pomba gira trabalho and therefore mark pomba giras as the female counterparts of Exu: the colors, the location (male to female variation), the time of day, the day of the week, the scent (smoky), and the container for the food and the flour/palm oil mixture. In a pomba gira trabalho, another set of elements indicates a gentler coding: from rum to champagne or anisette, from the absence o flowers to red roses, from pepper in the flour/palm oil mixture to honey, and from a fierce initiatory act to a song, which seems to suit the purpose of the ritual: to obtain a woman. [3] (See Table One for the transition between Exu and pomba giras rituals) Table One: Differences Between Exu and Pomba Gira Rituals


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Code

Exu Trabalho

Pomba Gira Trabalho

Spirit

Exu

Drink

Cachaça, Cac haça, Whisky Whisky (call (called Maráfo) Champagne Champagne or Ani Anisette

Colors

Red and Black

Red and Black

Location

Male Crossroads

Female Crossroads or trashy place

Time

Midnight

Midnight

Day

Monday or Friday

Monday or Friday

Scent

Cigars

Cigarillos or cigarettes, Red roses

Food

Pepper, Flour/palm oil

Honey, Flour/palm oil

Container

Metal or clay vase

Metal or clay vase

Imitative Action Aggressive

Pomba Gira

Song

Marginal Locations ‘Marginal locations’ refer to areas containing magical and spiritual significance where rituals are executed. Many Quimbanda rituals are performed at crossroads, as Exu is the Lord of the seven crossroads and Ogum is the Lord of the center of the crossroads. Other marginal locations include the streets at night (since exus are referred to as ‘people of the streets’), cemeteries, beaches, and forests, all during the nighttime. [5]

Animal Sacrifices Animal sacrifices have many usages in Quimbanda rituals. In certain rituals, devotees offer sacrificial pigeons, hens, roosters, goats, sheep, and bulls to help an exu spirit progress in power and capability. Other rituals use animal sacrifices to help enlist the help of a spirit to carry out a deed. In a particular trabalho, one kills a black rooster at a crossroads and puts into a vase the parts of the rooster that correspond to the parts of the body of the person one wishes to harm.[6] In another trabalho, several black goats and birds are sacrificed; while singing a ponto the genitals of the animals are removed and offered to Exu along with other items such as rum, cigars and food. Next, blood is drawn from the animal sacrifices and is mixed with wine, which is then passed around the room in a communal bowl. Following this, partici participan pants ts wri write te down down a li list of thei theirr enem enemiies, wh which are stu stuffed int into o the the mou mouth th of a toad. Th The mout mouth h of the the toad is is then sewn together with red and black thread (colors of Exu) and buried in the ground. As the toad slowly decays in the ground, those named in the lists will slowly be destroyed. [7]

History From Africa to Brazil Quimbanda’s roots are distinctly African. The great African slave trade that lasted from 1530-1850 brought a lasting African cultural presence to the Americas. In Brazil, by the mid 19th century the slave population outnumbered the free population. The slave population increased when free men of African descent (libertos) were http://en.wi ki pedi a.or g /wi ki /Qui mbanda

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added to the slave population. The African culture brought by slaves to Brazil slowly mixed with the indigenous Brazilian culture. In the large urban centers such as Rio de Janeiro, where the African-slave population was the most concentrated, the Colonial regime enforced a social control system to suppress the rising population. However, instead of suppressing the African slave population, the Colonial regime’s system had the opposite effect; the system divided the slave population into ‘nations’, which preserved, protected and even institutionalized African religious and secular traditions. The large cities where the slave population was most concentrated preserved Macumba, the forerunner of Quimbanda, and still hold the largest following of Quimbanda. [8]

Catholic Influence The Catholic Church has had very little lasting effect on Quimbanda unlike other Afro-Brazilian religions such as Umbanda. [9] The Catholic Church in Brazil was under the direct control of the Portuguese crown so it relied on the state to provide funds, resulting in a very understaffed clergy in Brazil. Subsequently, the main Catholic influence in Brazil was a lay brotherhood. Therefore, the Catholic Church received only a nominal conversion of the African slaves. Ironically, the Catholic Church adopted the Colonial crown’s system of controlling the slave population, which in turn preserved African traditions.[9]

From Macumba to Quimbanda and Umbanda Before Quimbanda became its own separate religion, it was contained inside the religious tradition of Macumba. During the late 19th century and into the mid 20th century, Macumba was a pejorative term for all religions deemed by the the whi white-domi te-dominant ant class class as prim primitiv tive, demoni demonicc and and superst superstiitiou tiouss black black mag magiic. Howev However, er, as Af African rican cul culture ture continued to blend with the native Brazilian culture, Macumba morphed into two religions: Umbanda and Quimbanda. Umbanda represented the ‘whitened’ aspects of Macumba, drawing heavily on spiritual and hierarchical values of French Spiritism and Catholicism. On the other hand, Quimbanda represented the aspects of Macumba that were rejected in the whitening process, becoming ‘the Macumba of Macumbas’. [10] The split between between the the black black and and whi white mag magiic of Macum Macumba has has caused caused muc much h debate over over the the un unity or disu disun nity of Quim Quimbanda banda and Umbanda. Some believe that Quimbanda and Umbanda represent aspects or tendencies of a single system. [11] Others believe that Quimbanda and Umbanda have morphed into their own religions with their own influences and beli beliefs.(se efs.(seee Tabl Tablee Two Two for for dif differences erences between between Quim Quimbanda banda and and Umban Umbanda) da) Table Two: Differences Between Quimbanda and Umbanda Traits

Quimbanda

Umbanda

Deities

Ogum, exus, pomba giras

Exu, Pomba Gira, Pretos-velhos (black olds), Caboclos (natives)Erê, Ogum, Oxalá, Iemanjá, Xângo, Oxóssi, Oxúm, Iansá, Omolú/Obaluayê

Rituals

Human/material matters

Spiritual matters

Beliefs

Spirit progression in power and ability

Christian-like Spirit Hierarchy

Nativ Native Braz Braziilian Cultu Culture, re, Yoru Yoruba ba Influences Religion, Kongo spirituality, European witchcraft


Nativ Native Braz Braziilian Cultu Culture, re, Cathol Catholiicism cism,, French French Spiri Spiriti tism sm,, Bantu Bantu Religion, Yoruba Religion

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The eme emergence of Quimbanda Until halfwa halfway through the 20th Century, Quimbanda and other Afro-Brazilian religions were not considered to be religions at at all. all. Instead, they were considered to be primitive, superstitious magic passed down intergenerationally from an Af African-slave rican-slave past. The black consciousness movement and the women’s movement of the late 1970s created the the perfect perfect envi environ ronm ment ent for for the the emerg emergen ence ce of Quim Quimbanda. banda. Th These move movem ments ents hel helped ped acqui acquire civ civil liberties berties during Braz Brazil’s long process of returning to democracy. Historians refer to this process as ‘re-Africanization,’ meaning th the “intentional assertion of aesthetics, theologies, and practices considered more African." The reAfricanizati Africanizatio on movement caused increased popularity and respect for exus and pomba giras spirits previously viewed as i as illlicit and demonic. Thus, the emergence of Quimbanda showed the Afro-Brazilian culture salvaging their traditional African religion from white-dominant class misinterpretations of superstitious black magic. This reAfricanizati Africanizatio on movement simultaneously protected Quimbanda from the prevalent ideology of “whitening” that influenced other Umbanda and other eclectic Afro-Brazilian religions.

Contemp Contemporary Quimbanda Quimbanda has had a quickly rising membership since its emergence in the 1970s, especially in urban areas of Southern Br azil. azil. However, according to Brazil’s 2000 census [12] less than 1% of the population claimed to belong to AfroAfro-B Br azilian azilian religions (including Quimbanda and Umbanda). Although very little of the Brazilian population claims to f ollow ollow Quimbanda, many people from all social ranks use Quimbanda rituals occasionally. [2] It is a common pra practice ctice for businessmen to consult exus before major business dealings. Athletes and gamblers also use exus to ass assist in winning football games or other sporting events.[2]

See als also Macu Macum mba Um ban banda West We st African African Vodun Exu Exu Pom Pomba Gira Ogum Ogum

Refere References 1. ^ (H ( Hayes, Kelly E. "Black Magic and the Academy: Macumba and Afro-Brazilian “Orthodoxies," History of Religi Religions, ons, 46,4 (2007). pg. 284) 2. ^

a b c

(Brown, Diana DeG., Mario Bick. "Religion, Class and Context: Continuities and Discontinuities in Brazilian

Um banda." banda." American Ethnologist. Vol. 14, No. 1, Feb 1987, pg. 73-93. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009. . p://www.jstor.org/stable/645634>. pg. 91) 3. ^

a b c d e

(Hess, David J. Umbanda and Quimbanda Magic in Brazil: Rethinking Aspects of Bastide's Work . Work .

Archi rc hives ves de sciences sociales des religions. 37e, No 79, July-Sept 1992, pg. 135-153. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 No 23 Nov v 2009.. pg. 141) http://en.wik http://en.wi ki pedi a.or g /wi ki /Qui mbanda

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4. ^

a b

(Hess, David J. Umbanda and Quimbanda Magic in Brazil: Rethinking Aspects of Bastide's Work . Work . Archives

de sc s c iences sociales des religions. 37e, No 79, July-Sept 1992, pg. 135-153. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009 2009.. pg. 140) 5. ^ (H ( Hess, David J. Umbanda and Quimbanda Magic in Brazil: Rethinking Aspects of Bastide's Work . Work . Archives de scien scienc es sociales des religions. 37e, No 79, July-Sept 1992, pg. 135-153. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009 2009.. pg. 142-44) 6. ^ (H ( Hess, David J. Umbanda and Quimbanda Magic in Brazil: Rethinking Aspects of Bastide's Work . Work . Archives de scien scienc es sociales des religions. 37e, No 79, July-Sept 1992, pg. 135-153. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009 2009.. pg. 142) 7. ^ (B ( Br own, Diana DeG., Mario Bick. "Religion, Class and Context: Continuities and Discontinuities in Brazilian Um ba banda." American Ethnologist. Vol. 14, No. 1, Feb 1987, pg. 73-93. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009. . pg. 90-91) 8. ^ (B ( Br own, Diana DeG., Mario Bick. "Religion, Class and Context: Continuities and Discontinuities in Brazilian Um ba banda." American Ethnologist. Vol. 14, No. 1, Feb 1987, pg. 73-93. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009. . pg. 74) 9. ^

a b

(Brown, Diana DeG., Mario Bick. "Religion, Class and Context: Continuities and Discontinuities in Brazilian

Um ba banda." American Ethnologist. Vol. 14, No. 1, Feb 1987, pg. 73-93. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009. . pg. 75) 10. ^ (H ( Hayes, Kelly E. "Black Magic and the Academy: Macumba and Afro-Brazilian “Orthodoxies," History of Relig Religions, 46,4 (2007). pg. 309) 11. ^ (H ( Hess, David J. Umbanda and Quimbanda Magic in Brazil: Rethinking Aspects of Bastide's Work . Work . Archives de scien scienc es sociales des religions. 37e, No 79, July-Sept 1992, pg. 135-153. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov 2009 2009.. pg. 150-51) 12. ^ IB I BGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics). Religion in Brazi razill - 2000 Census. Accessed 2009-12-02.

Work s cited Bast Bastide, Roger. Roger. The African Af rican Religi Religions ons of Brazil Brazil:: Toward a Sociol So ciology ogy of the Interpenetration Int erpenetration of Civi Civ ili zations. zations. Trans. Helen Sebba. Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins UP, 1978. Brown, Diana DeG. Umbanda Religion and Politics in Urban Brazil . Ann Arbor, Michigan: UMI Rese Research Press, 1986. Brown, Diana DeG., Mario Bick. "Religion, Class and Context: Continuities and Discontinuities in Brazilian Um ba banda." American Ethnologist. Vol. 14, No. 1, Feb 1987, pg. 73-93. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. 23 Nov No v 2009.. Brown, Lyle, William Cooper. Re Cooper. Religi ligion on in Latin American Life and Literature. Literature. Waco, Texas: Baylor UP, 1980. Brumana, Fernando, Elda Martinez. Spirits from the Margin: Umbanda in São Paulo. Paulo . Stockhol Stoc kholm m, Swe Sweden: Almqvist and Wiksell Int., 1989. http://en.wik http://en.wi ki pedi a.or g /wi ki /Qui mbanda

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Hayes, Kelly E. "Black Magic and the Academy: Macumba and Afro-Brazilian “Orthodoxies," History of Reli Religions, gions, 46,4 (2007), 283–315. 283–3 15. Hess, David J. Umbanda Um banda and Quimbanda Magic in Brazil Brazil:: Rethinking Aspects of o f Bastide's Bastide's Work . Archives de sciences sociales des religions. 37e, No 79, July-Sept 1992, pg. 135-153. Jstor. BYU Lib., Provo, UT. UT. 23 Nov 2009.. 87>. Langguth, A.J. Macumba: A.J. Macumba: White and Black Black Magic in in Brazil Brazil . New York: Harper and Row, 1975.

External links Mario dos Ventos (http://www.exu.moonfruit.com), Kimbanda page of an English speaking Kimbandeiro The House of Quimbanda (http://houseofquimbanda.org), page of the first formally established American house. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quimbanda&oldid=614618828" Categori Categories: es: Afro-Am Afro-Ameri erican can reli religion Afro-Braz Afro-Braziilian cul culture ture Braz Brazilian my mythol thology ogy Reli Religion gion in in Braz Braziil Syncreti Syncretism sm

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