Orixás
From the beginning of Portuguese settlement in Brazil, Catholicism was the official religion of the people. The Jesuit order of the Catholic church was very active within the establishment of Catholic institutions throughout the new land. It was the Jesuits who took pity upon the poor souls of the African slave and, in turn, put pressure upon the slave masters to give them an opportunity to worship Christ. The result of such religious education on the plantations provided the slave master with the security of going to heaven for saving the souls of the "pagan African slave". Therefore, Catholicism was brought into the lives of the slaves on the plantations. During this time the Catholic church had reintegrated the mysticism of Catholicism by honoring the major Catholic saints through designated feast days. This was the beginning of a tradition that has been carried on to this very day; it is the Afro-Brazilian tradition of syncretism.
Afro-Brazilian syncretism is the worshipping of the respective African deities through the masks of Catholic saints. For instance, using two well known orixás, Ogun, the Yoruban god of iron and war is syncretized with St. George the dragon slayer, and Oxum the goddess of freshwater, physical love, sensuality, femininity, coquetry, and jealousy is syncretized with Saint Catherine the virgin and martyr. It is apparent that the use of the Catholic saints in worship of the African deities was crucial to sustain the African religious traditions throughout the centuries. However, there is much question by present day practitioners regarding the continuation of syncretism.
This photo is from the interior of the Terreiro Oyá Padé. Notice the pictures hanging on the wall. Hanging far left is a picture of the Virgin Mary. Next to the Virgin Mary hangs a photo of Mãe Elise, the Mother of the Saints for this Terreiro. Take notice of the African artifacts hanging on the wall (far right above woman seated).
With the established use of syncretism the slaves were able to follow a basic foundation of beliefs and rituals which became known as Candomblé. Scholars are not positive as to the origins of the word "Candomblé" but many believe that it comes from the name of a dance that was brought from Africa. The name Candomblé is highly significant to the Brazilian. It represents the fetish worshipping of the orixás, the actual ritual and ceremony of the people, the music and dance of Afro-Brazilian folklore, and the belief systems of the predominantly secret Yoruban influenced tradition. Thus, the context of the use of the word "Candomblé" must be considered for it carries many meanings to a large population of Brazilians.
Candomblé is the fruit of the multiple influences of the African groups present in Brazil (predominately Yoruba), Catholicism, and Native Indian. The supreme god of the Candomblé is the Yoruban god of the sky, Olorun. While Olorun is not directly worshipped by the practitioners he is reached through the presence his intermediaries, the orixás. In Brazil, Olurun has been almost entirely forgotten but the number of orixás is about 100. Each nation of Candomblé has particular orixás for worship and each Terreiro, or temple, worships an even more selective group of orixás.
There are five primary nations of Candomblé in Brazil:
1. Gege: Derived from Ewe or Fon rituals brought from Dahomey (now The People’s Republic of Benin). Their dieties are vodun, and rituals vary slightly from the Yoruba. The reason for the similarity is due to a socio-religious amalgamation in Africa which reflected frequent contact and wars between Yoruba and the ancient kingdom of Dahomey.
2/3. Angola and Congo: Derived from Bantu speaking slaves from Zaire, Cabinda, Angola, Mozambique, Zanzibar, and other central and South American countries. Their language is blending of Bantu, Portuguese, Amerindian from the Tupi influence. Deities have Bantu names although many of their attributes and ritual paraphernalia are derived from the Yoruba. They also pay homage to the Yoruban orixás.
4. The Caboclo: This is the only Candomblé that is clearly inspired by indigenous Amerindian or Brazilian deities but these are frequently mixed with Angola, Gege, or Yoruba. The major deities of this group are the encantados (enchanted or conjured ones).
5. Nago: This is the most numerous and influential nation in Bahia. Major portions of their ritual and cosmological systems and liturgical vestments have been adopted by the Gege, Angola, Congo, and to a lesser extent, the Caboclos.
The word "Nago" is derived from "anago", a term applied by the Fon to Yoruba speaking peoples residing in Benin. The use of the word "Nago" in Bahia is to designate all Yoruba and their Afro-Brazilian descendants.
There are also a number of other less popular nations which are Ije Xá, Umbanda, and Quimbanda (black magic). Given the great number of nations and thousands of terreiros practicing in Brazil, research on Candomblé can conceivably be a life long endeavor.
Here's a helpful list of some common Orixás (Thanks to Mikelle Smith Omari's book "Art and Ritual From Bahian Candomble", pg. 20-21, and Donald Pierson's "Negroes in Brazil", pg. 282-283).
Ogun- The ruler of iron and war. Aggressive, bold, athletic. Dances in a warlike manner. Color is green and dark blue. His insignia is a lance and sword. Preferred food is "feijoada". Preferred sacrifices are he-goat, guinea fowl, rooster. Syncretized with Santo Antonio.
Omolú- Rules smallpox and disease. Secretive, stubborn, antisocial. Dances bent over very low to the ground. Color is black combined with white or red. Preferred sacrifices are pig, rooster, h-goat. Preferred foods are popcorn and finely chopped meats cooked with palm oil. Syncretizeed with São Lazaro and São Roque.
Oxumare- Rules the rainbow. Inquisitive intelligent, artistic. Dances in a snake-like motion or in a frontal march with hands alternating towards the ceiling and floor. Holds a metal snake in each hand. Colors are green, pink, and yellow. Preffered sacrifices are he-goat, rooster, and guinea fowl. Preffered food is boiled white corn mixed with coconut. Syncretized with São Bartolomeu and São Jorge.
Oxóssi- The naturalist and ruler of the hunt and forest. Introverted, unstable, intellectual. Dancesas an aggressive hunter pursuing and capturing game. Wears two powder horns, hold a bow and arrow and one or two horsehair fly whisks. Color is turquoise blue. Preffered sacrifices are he-goat, pig, the head of a bull, rooster, and guinea fowl. Preffered foods are boiled yellow corn slightly sweetend and mixed with coconut, yams, black beans. Syncretized with São Jorge.
Ossaim- Rules the force in sacred leaves and medicines and is linked with the forest. Intuitive, elegant, sensitive. Dances rapidly in hopping and skipping movements. Color is mint green. Preffered sacrifices are he-goat, rooster. Preffered foods are black beans, manioc meal. Syncretized with São Benedito.
Xango- Ruler of thunder and lightning. Formerly the king of Oyo, Nigeria. Proud, aggressive, stubborn. Dances rapidly to a rhythm called bata in a royal warrior-like manner. Holds a double-bladed metal or wooden axe which is brandished from side to side. Colors are red and white. Preffered sacrifices are sheep, turtle, rooster. Preffered food is whole okra cooked with beef and served with yam. Syncretized with São Jeronimo. Husband of Yansan.
Yansan- The fiery ruler of the wind and storm. Sensual, forceful, unfaithful. Dances rapidly from side to side with arms waving. Carries one or two flywhisks and a sword. Colors are bright to earth red. Syncretized with Santa Barbara.
Yansan (Santa Barbara) looks on from the wall of terreiro Oyá Padé.
Oxum- Goddess of the freshwater. Rules the river Oxum. Beautiful, vain, acquisitive, deceitful. Dances as if preeining herself ata river bank- looking in a mirror and adjusting her adornments and clothing. Dances to the ijexa rhythm, holding her skirts up and on her tiptoes. Carries a fan. Colors vary from crystal yellow-gold to opaque chartreuse. Preffered sacrifices are she-goat, hen, and beans. Syncretized with Nossa Senhora das Candeias.
Oxum makes her entrance.
Yemanja- Ruler of the salt water. Calm, serious, dignified. Dances in movement simulating waves. Carries a fan. Colors are crystal white and crystal blue or green. Preffered sacrifices are duck, guinea fowl, nanny goat. Preffered food is boiled white corn mixed with onion an palm oil. Syncretized with the Virgin Mary. Mother of all of the Orixá except for Omolú and Oxumare.
Oxalá- Rules birth and creativity. Tranquil, moral, inflexible. Dances in a very slow rhythm bent low to the ground in the manner of a very tired old man. Frequently covered by a white cloth, the ends of which are held protectively by other Orixá manifested in the ceremony. Carries a multi-layered staff and at times a fan. Color is opaque white. Preffered sacrifices are white pigeon, white hen, white goat. Preffered food is boiled white corn or unsalted pounded yam. Syncretized with the mature Jesus Christ. Father of all Orixá.
Exú- The trickster who rules all areas of the world. He is a master linguist and serves as an intermediary between the gods, ancestors, and mortal men. Exú is the first deity to be propitiated in any ritual but does not incorporate in humans except among Bantu Candomblés. Colors are red and black. Preffered sacrifices are black he-goat, black rooster. Preffered food and drink are palm oil, manioc flour mixed with palm oil, and plain white rum. Erroneously syncretized with the devil.
As seen in my experiences in the Terreiro Oyá Padé, the use of syncretism is still existent within Candomblé. For many terreiros syncretism is a way of the religion. For other Candomblés like the Terreiro Axé Opo Afonjá, to accept syncretism is to accept slavery. Mãe Estela of Axé Opô Afonjá is a leader in the movement for the separation of Candomblé from Catholicism. She believes that Catholicism and Candomblé have different values and cannot be mixed. Estela says, "If we mixed then we would not be satisfied". This view of Candomblé is an attempt to bring the pure African traditions into the practice of the Candomblé.
Most practitioners view syncretism as a part of being Brazilian. They are not only African but they are part European and Amerindian. Thus, these practitioners have no problems with serving the church and the terreiro. It is very common to see members of Candomblé in the church for a morning mass and then again that same evening in the Candomblé. In fact, today in modern Brazil, many upper class citizens of European descent can be found making offerings to their orixás or attending ceremonies while living the life of a Brazilian Catholic.
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