Rule Or Diplomacy
“Rule or Diplomacy?
CLBA JOURNAL 2000-05
By Oba Ernesto Pichardo
Much debate continues over the appearance of religious mixture between Lukumi and Catholic religious expression. Confusing as it gets at times, the debates among new generation of congregants are faced off by Lukumi priests with different views over the reasons why such mixture occurs. Some priests hold to the flawed idea of tradition and others to academic speculation that doesn’t offer a better explanation.
If you stand back for a moment, it seems that the core problem of the debate is that nobody, especially religious elders, step unto the plate with a sound presentation that offers explanation rather than personal opinions and fears. In order to reach the starting point, a simple criteria should be applied. The evidence must be presented from the source that is neutral and presents a rational context that justifies or rejects religious mixture. Much has been said and continues to be said about the Catholic beliefs imposed on the enslaved in Cuba. Academic work generally holds to the idea that Africans somehow devised a strategy fitting the theory of syncretism as a survival tool. The popularized theory seems to be adopted by some academic oriented priests that follow the flock without revisiting the veracity of such academic speculation. However, overall some are struggling with tough questions in order to present a revised perspective that offers better explanations.
Today, explanation can be gathered from oral testimony and by access to internal unpublished religious material. How did imposed beliefs become religiously justified and put into practice by the Lukumi? Where can we find the presence of this Catholic influence and the features of rational used to validate the foreign influence? Is it just an issue of practicality caused by historic events or is there more substance that molded its adoption? There are many important questions that need explanation. However, the primary concern here relies on the presentation of internal religious material that may reveal some explanations to these basic questions.
Religious validation is a process not limited to foreign imposing features. It is a complex evolving process that ultimately requires modification of well established beliefs that emanate from religious dogma or tenets. The acceptance and tolerance of foreign religious expression may transcend imposed cultural norms. It is those that transcend becoming validated in Lukumi that are at issue in this presentation. Limiting the scope, there are two forms of religious expression that are commonly found in Lukumi that in substance point towards sustaining religious tolerance in benefit of the person. A rational understanding of how these expressions are validated can be found in Odu Ifa, unpublished Cuban version.
Validated participation in Espiritismo and/or Catholic.
Accessing the Catholic church by reason of custom.
Validated Participation
The examination of odu reveals that the entire series of odi/idi presents validated participation in Catholic and Espiritismo. The written guidance mixes participation according to each of the sixteen combined odu’s as follows:
Spiritual & Catholic: odi meji, odi obara, odi ika, odi otura.
Catholic: odi ogbe, odi iwori, odi owonrin, odi okanran, odi ogunda, odi osa, odi oturukpon.
Spiritual: odi oyeku, odi irosu, odi irete, odi ofun.
Odi Oshe: The guidance for this odu is to ask for religious direction. However, if the odu comes in misfortune it states that a spirit is in need of a mass. In sum the odu rejects participation in ancestral services such as Espiritismo and Catholic masses. It is viewed as spiritual settings that summon spirits causing spiritual disturbance or disorder to the person.
Participation in Espiritismo & Catholic
The senior odu odi meji which is at the head of all others in this series is classified as follows:
Odi Meji - Associated orishas are Olofin, Olorun, Oduduwa, Egun [odi meji es el padre de las misas]: odi meji is the father of masses. Although reference to masses are absent in the text there is an implied logic. The focus relies on spirits of worship that are considered to have great enlightenment. This would include but not be limited to those spirits identified within an individuals’ ancestral core. An assumption could be made that if the person has a Catholic lineage or any other religious composition, they should honor their ancestors through familiar religious forms. In this example, the person would logically be told to embrace both religious forms relating to rituals or services that are not considered sacramental. This is taking into account that most people in Cuba were considered Catholic given their Spanish heritage. Moreover, if the person has ancestors that are connected to other denominations or religions they are to be honored in those familiar religious forms. The resulting motivation in this scope would be to secure spiritual diplomacy. However, the guidance does not imply a conversion to Christianity or other religions. It clearly indicates a destined path in the Lukumi priesthood.
The remaining odus in this category follow the same theme of spirits that are considered to have great enlightenment and antiquity. In a situation like Cuba where people have a Spanish heritage, it would be logical to associate the odu’s theme to Roman Catholic and Espiritismo as a basic guideline for interpretation. However, as a matter of technical accuracy the priest must determine the individuals’ lineage before presenting the issues of guidance at hand. Once the identification of a singular spirit is made, it is possible to define what his or her denominational connection might be. In continuity, the focus relies on what is required by the spirit even if the individual person professes a different religion. Failure to follow this directive would place the priest at risk of offering the person an erroneous interpretation. The priest must also take into account the composition of spirits in the persons ancestral core. The person may have a mix of enlighten spirits that are not connected to Christianity. These odu’s do not attempt to specify types of spirit ethnicity, race, religious preference, etc.
An interesting observation is the absence of explicit reference in the text of these odu’s to Catholic services. This means that the importance of diplomacy relies on the proper identification of the singular spiritual source and rejects the assumption of limit to a particular religious lineage. It would be unreasonable to think Christian’s have a monopoly on enlightened spirits and religious truth. In simple terms, it cannot be assumed that by being a Cuban Catholic person it constitutes a blanket fact that the spirit source in question is Catholic. In fact, many cases have revealed that the white Cuban Catholic person has a Yoruba or Congo spirit that serves as the central entity governing the spiritual core. In opposing position, there are cases where an Afro-Cuban person that has as a Catholic nun or Franciscan in his or her core requesting spiritual acknowledgment within their religious familiar form. In this regard, odu’s call for the acceptance to the reality of the singular spiritual source and for tolerance in order to embrace the ritualistic guidance as the form of remedy. The fundamental concern of the odu guidance is the focus on what is essential to the singular spirit and not the denominational affiliation of the individual person. The person is not called to formally embrace a second religion.
Participation in Catholic service
The senior odu in this category is Odi-Ogbe, followed by Odi-Iwori and the remaining order. Odi-Ogbe—Is associated with Ayan, Abiku, birth of malevolent spiritual entities, Aina, spiritual phenomena, Olofin.
In sum, all of the odu’s listed in this category follow a theme of curses, inherited malevolent or seriously disturbed entities and the need to neutralize or exorcise spirits. In each case, the text clearly stipulate family spirits that are dangerous, even life threatening, to the human well being. Therefore, the motivation for participation in Catholic services centers on causing relief or eradication of evil-minded spirits that are specifically connected to an individual’s family lineage. The suggestion that the remedy comes by way of Catholic ritual only reflects the assumption that the endangered individual is of Catholic heritage. In technical terms the guidance in the odu is saying that the endangered individual should revert to known family religious forms and seek remedy. What this means is that those malevolent entities are part of family spirits and they are connected to a specific religious tradition. Therefore, the remedy is found in whatever the religious tradition might be. It would be the task of the Lukumi priest to help in the identification of the specific religious tradition and offer guidance to the individual in that regard. Moreover, the odu’s make no effort to imply or specify a need to engage in sacraments in the identified religion and they do not reject the individual’s membership in Lukumi.
Participation in Espiritismo
Espiritismo is not a religion but a known form of accessing spirits. The term can be confusing because it is loosely used to denote espiritualismo (spiritualism). In essence, it centers on spirit worship and does not limit the service to a type of spirit connected to a particular denomination or philosophy. These spiritual services summon the presence of any enlighten spirit without restriction and seeks to exorcise or block any evil-intended spirit. Masses vary in form and purpose according to the intended goal that is to be achieved. Regardless of their purpose, the masses always summon the enlighten spirits, seek to remove any evil presence, and aim to be uplifting to all participants. In Cuba, said masses follow a series of Catholic prayers and invocation, including an extensive variety of church songs, among others. Therefore, the services center around Christ as the primary figure and other spirits are secondary in nature.
Following the order listed in this category above, the odu Odi Oyeku is the senior. The theme in this odu calls for celebration and rituals that enlighten spiritual guides and for the uplifting of the person. It implies making contact with spirits and engaging in services that purify. Where the person in a continued way reaches a higher state of spiritual conscience. In sum, this series of odus follow the theme of mysticism and a need for spiritual enlightenment by means of direct contact with spirits and natural psychic abilities. In this regard, it would be logical given the loss of egungun worship in Cuba, to participate in Espiritualismo masses which exist in various forms. However, the odus do not suggest becoming limited to Espiritualismo and reject a commitment with orisha. The suggestion here is that the person needs to have a commitment with spiritual guides. In this regard the spiritual guides would direct the form and degree of such commitment and would not necessarily be bound to an Espiritualismo form. Therefore, it’s a call to spirit worship or forms of accessing the spirit reality.
An important note should be made for the purpose of better understanding what has transpired over time. In popular lingo Cuban’s generally use the term Espiritismo (spiritism). This is confusing because it appears to make reference to the renowned European Allen Kardec and his philosophy of the spiritual reality. His form is commonly called the scientific method. However, the true reference being made is on espiritualismo (spiritualism) which comes in varied forms. To say that a person is espiritista really means that he or she has natural psychic abilities and only reflects a general statement. Such abilities might be auditory, visual, or a combination of abilities. In mist of this confusing use of language, a person that has said abilities is not limited to spirit entities, it overlaps to include the orisha’s as well. The text in all odu’s use the term espiritista referring to the persons’ abilities and misa espiritual (spiritual mass) referring to any form of access in a mass setting. The term espiritista is sometimes replaced by the term medium.
Conclusion
The presented explanations by category only serve to scratch the surface of an extensive subject. It was limited to avoid a tedious examination of each odu but it presents fundamental aspects in regards to the issue at hand. A simple review of the material reveals that the Lukumi did preserve the Yoruba concept of religious diplomacy and recognizes the fundamental bases of ancestor worship. The new experience in modern times produced a mixture of human participation that transcends the limitation of our religion to a specific African culture or ethnic group.
Beyond culture, stands the human family and the individual that seeks religious truth by nature. The principles of each odu do not change just because circumstances are different. The truths found in each odu are everlasting and unchangeable. Even in these modern times odu recognizes and respects each person’s diverse spirituality without confusing the commitment to orisha and our inherited African form of religious expression.
However, to some degree time has served to cause degeneration in the understanding of fundamental beliefs. Degeneration has some people trapped in a false reality that hinders their ability to release from confused notions. The situation of some is so severe that it enables them to fully and clearly embrace the wisdom of the orishas in a manner that allows entry of a renewed spiritual experience. Confusion is such, that some borrow concepts from other religions. Others feel comfortable in seeking to validate our beliefs by comparison or in imitation of other religions.
The explanations sighted could be challenged in terms of what applies to religious acceptance and tolerance. The evidence presented suggests that acceptance of spiritual realities does not constitute a waiver of our African religion. To the contrary, it is a testimony to their existence and their meaningful presence in the physical sphere. Tolerances in these odu’s are expressed in a very valuable manner. Going back in time to our enslaved Afro-Cuban population of priests, these odu explanations reveal their greatness and strength. As victims, our priests never lost sight of the future and didn’t forfeit our religious truth collapsing into the blinding human madness of rancor or hate. They preserved our truth as men and women of Olodumare. Instead of hate, they held to the teachings of tolerance and embraced their victimizers in a manner consistent with our African tenets. They embraced that which is of higher purpose and wisdom in honor of their destiny.
In tribute to them, we should embrace these basic explanations and make a sincere effort to seek what is our truth. Where there is confusion, revealed truth must be embraced as means for a renewed sense of order and spiritual enlightenment. By testimony of the odu’s a distinction is clearly made between what constitutes rule and diplomacy.
CLBA JOURNAL 2000-05
By Oba Ernesto Pichardo
Much debate continues over the appearance of religious mixture between Lukumi and Catholic religious expression. Confusing as it gets at times, the debates among new generation of congregants are faced off by Lukumi priests with different views over the reasons why such mixture occurs. Some priests hold to the flawed idea of tradition and others to academic speculation that doesn’t offer a better explanation.
If you stand back for a moment, it seems that the core problem of the debate is that nobody, especially religious elders, step unto the plate with a sound presentation that offers explanation rather than personal opinions and fears. In order to reach the starting point, a simple criteria should be applied. The evidence must be presented from the source that is neutral and presents a rational context that justifies or rejects religious mixture. Much has been said and continues to be said about the Catholic beliefs imposed on the enslaved in Cuba. Academic work generally holds to the idea that Africans somehow devised a strategy fitting the theory of syncretism as a survival tool. The popularized theory seems to be adopted by some academic oriented priests that follow the flock without revisiting the veracity of such academic speculation. However, overall some are struggling with tough questions in order to present a revised perspective that offers better explanations.
Today, explanation can be gathered from oral testimony and by access to internal unpublished religious material. How did imposed beliefs become religiously justified and put into practice by the Lukumi? Where can we find the presence of this Catholic influence and the features of rational used to validate the foreign influence? Is it just an issue of practicality caused by historic events or is there more substance that molded its adoption? There are many important questions that need explanation. However, the primary concern here relies on the presentation of internal religious material that may reveal some explanations to these basic questions.
Religious validation is a process not limited to foreign imposing features. It is a complex evolving process that ultimately requires modification of well established beliefs that emanate from religious dogma or tenets. The acceptance and tolerance of foreign religious expression may transcend imposed cultural norms. It is those that transcend becoming validated in Lukumi that are at issue in this presentation. Limiting the scope, there are two forms of religious expression that are commonly found in Lukumi that in substance point towards sustaining religious tolerance in benefit of the person. A rational understanding of how these expressions are validated can be found in Odu Ifa, unpublished Cuban version.
Validated participation in Espiritismo and/or Catholic.
Accessing the Catholic church by reason of custom.
Validated Participation
The examination of odu reveals that the entire series of odi/idi presents validated participation in Catholic and Espiritismo. The written guidance mixes participation according to each of the sixteen combined odu’s as follows:
Spiritual & Catholic: odi meji, odi obara, odi ika, odi otura.
Catholic: odi ogbe, odi iwori, odi owonrin, odi okanran, odi ogunda, odi osa, odi oturukpon.
Spiritual: odi oyeku, odi irosu, odi irete, odi ofun.
Odi Oshe: The guidance for this odu is to ask for religious direction. However, if the odu comes in misfortune it states that a spirit is in need of a mass. In sum the odu rejects participation in ancestral services such as Espiritismo and Catholic masses. It is viewed as spiritual settings that summon spirits causing spiritual disturbance or disorder to the person.
Participation in Espiritismo & Catholic
The senior odu odi meji which is at the head of all others in this series is classified as follows:
Odi Meji - Associated orishas are Olofin, Olorun, Oduduwa, Egun [odi meji es el padre de las misas]: odi meji is the father of masses. Although reference to masses are absent in the text there is an implied logic. The focus relies on spirits of worship that are considered to have great enlightenment. This would include but not be limited to those spirits identified within an individuals’ ancestral core. An assumption could be made that if the person has a Catholic lineage or any other religious composition, they should honor their ancestors through familiar religious forms. In this example, the person would logically be told to embrace both religious forms relating to rituals or services that are not considered sacramental. This is taking into account that most people in Cuba were considered Catholic given their Spanish heritage. Moreover, if the person has ancestors that are connected to other denominations or religions they are to be honored in those familiar religious forms. The resulting motivation in this scope would be to secure spiritual diplomacy. However, the guidance does not imply a conversion to Christianity or other religions. It clearly indicates a destined path in the Lukumi priesthood.
The remaining odus in this category follow the same theme of spirits that are considered to have great enlightenment and antiquity. In a situation like Cuba where people have a Spanish heritage, it would be logical to associate the odu’s theme to Roman Catholic and Espiritismo as a basic guideline for interpretation. However, as a matter of technical accuracy the priest must determine the individuals’ lineage before presenting the issues of guidance at hand. Once the identification of a singular spirit is made, it is possible to define what his or her denominational connection might be. In continuity, the focus relies on what is required by the spirit even if the individual person professes a different religion. Failure to follow this directive would place the priest at risk of offering the person an erroneous interpretation. The priest must also take into account the composition of spirits in the persons ancestral core. The person may have a mix of enlighten spirits that are not connected to Christianity. These odu’s do not attempt to specify types of spirit ethnicity, race, religious preference, etc.
An interesting observation is the absence of explicit reference in the text of these odu’s to Catholic services. This means that the importance of diplomacy relies on the proper identification of the singular spiritual source and rejects the assumption of limit to a particular religious lineage. It would be unreasonable to think Christian’s have a monopoly on enlightened spirits and religious truth. In simple terms, it cannot be assumed that by being a Cuban Catholic person it constitutes a blanket fact that the spirit source in question is Catholic. In fact, many cases have revealed that the white Cuban Catholic person has a Yoruba or Congo spirit that serves as the central entity governing the spiritual core. In opposing position, there are cases where an Afro-Cuban person that has as a Catholic nun or Franciscan in his or her core requesting spiritual acknowledgment within their religious familiar form. In this regard, odu’s call for the acceptance to the reality of the singular spiritual source and for tolerance in order to embrace the ritualistic guidance as the form of remedy. The fundamental concern of the odu guidance is the focus on what is essential to the singular spirit and not the denominational affiliation of the individual person. The person is not called to formally embrace a second religion.
Participation in Catholic service
The senior odu in this category is Odi-Ogbe, followed by Odi-Iwori and the remaining order. Odi-Ogbe—Is associated with Ayan, Abiku, birth of malevolent spiritual entities, Aina, spiritual phenomena, Olofin.
In sum, all of the odu’s listed in this category follow a theme of curses, inherited malevolent or seriously disturbed entities and the need to neutralize or exorcise spirits. In each case, the text clearly stipulate family spirits that are dangerous, even life threatening, to the human well being. Therefore, the motivation for participation in Catholic services centers on causing relief or eradication of evil-minded spirits that are specifically connected to an individual’s family lineage. The suggestion that the remedy comes by way of Catholic ritual only reflects the assumption that the endangered individual is of Catholic heritage. In technical terms the guidance in the odu is saying that the endangered individual should revert to known family religious forms and seek remedy. What this means is that those malevolent entities are part of family spirits and they are connected to a specific religious tradition. Therefore, the remedy is found in whatever the religious tradition might be. It would be the task of the Lukumi priest to help in the identification of the specific religious tradition and offer guidance to the individual in that regard. Moreover, the odu’s make no effort to imply or specify a need to engage in sacraments in the identified religion and they do not reject the individual’s membership in Lukumi.
Participation in Espiritismo
Espiritismo is not a religion but a known form of accessing spirits. The term can be confusing because it is loosely used to denote espiritualismo (spiritualism). In essence, it centers on spirit worship and does not limit the service to a type of spirit connected to a particular denomination or philosophy. These spiritual services summon the presence of any enlighten spirit without restriction and seeks to exorcise or block any evil-intended spirit. Masses vary in form and purpose according to the intended goal that is to be achieved. Regardless of their purpose, the masses always summon the enlighten spirits, seek to remove any evil presence, and aim to be uplifting to all participants. In Cuba, said masses follow a series of Catholic prayers and invocation, including an extensive variety of church songs, among others. Therefore, the services center around Christ as the primary figure and other spirits are secondary in nature.
Following the order listed in this category above, the odu Odi Oyeku is the senior. The theme in this odu calls for celebration and rituals that enlighten spiritual guides and for the uplifting of the person. It implies making contact with spirits and engaging in services that purify. Where the person in a continued way reaches a higher state of spiritual conscience. In sum, this series of odus follow the theme of mysticism and a need for spiritual enlightenment by means of direct contact with spirits and natural psychic abilities. In this regard, it would be logical given the loss of egungun worship in Cuba, to participate in Espiritualismo masses which exist in various forms. However, the odus do not suggest becoming limited to Espiritualismo and reject a commitment with orisha. The suggestion here is that the person needs to have a commitment with spiritual guides. In this regard the spiritual guides would direct the form and degree of such commitment and would not necessarily be bound to an Espiritualismo form. Therefore, it’s a call to spirit worship or forms of accessing the spirit reality.
An important note should be made for the purpose of better understanding what has transpired over time. In popular lingo Cuban’s generally use the term Espiritismo (spiritism). This is confusing because it appears to make reference to the renowned European Allen Kardec and his philosophy of the spiritual reality. His form is commonly called the scientific method. However, the true reference being made is on espiritualismo (spiritualism) which comes in varied forms. To say that a person is espiritista really means that he or she has natural psychic abilities and only reflects a general statement. Such abilities might be auditory, visual, or a combination of abilities. In mist of this confusing use of language, a person that has said abilities is not limited to spirit entities, it overlaps to include the orisha’s as well. The text in all odu’s use the term espiritista referring to the persons’ abilities and misa espiritual (spiritual mass) referring to any form of access in a mass setting. The term espiritista is sometimes replaced by the term medium.
Conclusion
The presented explanations by category only serve to scratch the surface of an extensive subject. It was limited to avoid a tedious examination of each odu but it presents fundamental aspects in regards to the issue at hand. A simple review of the material reveals that the Lukumi did preserve the Yoruba concept of religious diplomacy and recognizes the fundamental bases of ancestor worship. The new experience in modern times produced a mixture of human participation that transcends the limitation of our religion to a specific African culture or ethnic group.
Beyond culture, stands the human family and the individual that seeks religious truth by nature. The principles of each odu do not change just because circumstances are different. The truths found in each odu are everlasting and unchangeable. Even in these modern times odu recognizes and respects each person’s diverse spirituality without confusing the commitment to orisha and our inherited African form of religious expression.
However, to some degree time has served to cause degeneration in the understanding of fundamental beliefs. Degeneration has some people trapped in a false reality that hinders their ability to release from confused notions. The situation of some is so severe that it enables them to fully and clearly embrace the wisdom of the orishas in a manner that allows entry of a renewed spiritual experience. Confusion is such, that some borrow concepts from other religions. Others feel comfortable in seeking to validate our beliefs by comparison or in imitation of other religions.
The explanations sighted could be challenged in terms of what applies to religious acceptance and tolerance. The evidence presented suggests that acceptance of spiritual realities does not constitute a waiver of our African religion. To the contrary, it is a testimony to their existence and their meaningful presence in the physical sphere. Tolerances in these odu’s are expressed in a very valuable manner. Going back in time to our enslaved Afro-Cuban population of priests, these odu explanations reveal their greatness and strength. As victims, our priests never lost sight of the future and didn’t forfeit our religious truth collapsing into the blinding human madness of rancor or hate. They preserved our truth as men and women of Olodumare. Instead of hate, they held to the teachings of tolerance and embraced their victimizers in a manner consistent with our African tenets. They embraced that which is of higher purpose and wisdom in honor of their destiny.
In tribute to them, we should embrace these basic explanations and make a sincere effort to seek what is our truth. Where there is confusion, revealed truth must be embraced as means for a renewed sense of order and spiritual enlightenment. By testimony of the odu’s a distinction is clearly made between what constitutes rule and diplomacy.
