Candomblé (meaning dance in honor of God) is a religion found mainly in Brazil, with many elements from African culture.
It not only incorporates some religious aspects of Yoruba, Bantu and Fang African societies, but also gradually incorporates some features of Catholicism.
It can be said that Candomblé represents the fusion that followed the cultural interaction between people of African descent and Europeans.
Although Candombley does not have a Bible, this moving oral tradition has remained strong since its inception.
From the 16th to the 19th centuries, Africans transported to Brazil by the Portuguese through the slave trade brought with them a great deal of culture and philosophy.
However, many of these spiritual beliefs were completely eradicated soon after their arrival.
Church leaders and slave owners encouraged Africans to convert to Christianity to fulfill their moral and religious obligations.
This worked to some extent as Catholicism became the dominant religion of the slaves.
Examples of African slaves recently brought to Brazil.
(1830) Johann Moritz Rugendas.
(Public domain), however, while the fear of persecution meant that many succumbed completely to the new religion imposed on them, others sought a connection between them.
Africans from Bantu found a system of worship similar to that of the Brazilian natives.
This connection led to the relearning of other forms of ancestor worship and the creation of several new religions.
Although some died out, Candombley was one of the practices created by the displaced people, so many Africans seem to have clung to Catholicism while also being faithful practitioners of Candombley.
In the early stages of its development, Africans in Brazil created Catholic brotherhoods, but practiced Candombley in secret.
The reason for this was that they saw the similarity between the saints and God, but feared persecution, so their sacred symbols of God were "hidden" behind the corresponding Catholic saints.
Partial allegiance to Catholicism was also seen as a way to integrate into the new society and minimize oppression.
Unfortunately, once Candombley recognized the church leaders and the slave owners, there was a strong campaign to eliminate the religious beliefs of the faithful.
Africans who followed this practice often faced tragic results.
Catholics consider the Candombley to be ungodly and therefore incomprehensible, so they often attacked the Brazilian Church in Africa, with a photo of the Candombley Temple in Bahia, Brazil.
(Public **** field), and worse, the emergence of various " *** dominated public **** campaigns and police actions " (Omari Tunkara, 2005), causing further suffering to the people .
However, the widespread oppression and abuse of people practicing candomblé, a name (which is now the most common written form) that originated in the Kingdom of the Congo, a word that corresponds to a language of the Bantu people, ceased when the law requiring police permission to perform public **** ceremonies ended in the 1970s.
It was known as "Batuk" until the 19th century, and in some parts of Brazil as "Macumba" (although it is said that this particular group had slightly different practices), and some of the Africans who had been enslaved in Brazil were transported from North Africa to Brazil, bringing with them people who were later incorporated into Brazil. Brazil, and brought with them the *** ideas that were later incorporated in Candombley as well.
This branch is called "male" - they have different spiritual beliefs, worship on different religious days, and dress practitioners use clothing similar to that of the Middle East *** There are currently 2 million people practicing Candombley. Although it is mainly established in Brazil, it is also found in a small number of people in other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia and Uruguay .
(Public **** domain) Essentially, the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomblé is polytheistic - believers believe in one main god and mino.
The main god Olu Dumare (also known as Oloron) is said to "serve" and is accompanied by a number of lesser gods Auricus, also known as Woden and Enkissis.
The concept of Oryx is derived from Yoruba culture, Vodka from ewes and fonts, Nkisis from the Bantu people of the Congo, and there are currently more than 400 Oryx in the religion of Candomblé, which are individually linked to specific forces of nature such as animals and food.
Baba-Egum also regulates the moral principles of Candombley, and is said to be responsible for perpetuating a moral code from generation to generation, some of the Candombley Oryx. (Copy 3.0), the sacred buildings of the Candombley believers were the Trelos or Casas (meaning temples or houses) .
These buildings have both interior and exterior parts and are dedicated to saints (saints - followers of Candombley) as well as designated shrines to many gods.
Traditionally, worshippers must enter Trelos in clean clothes and splash their skin with water before arriving, to free themselves from earthly impurities and finally satisfy the gods.
Inside the Candombleétemple, the priests and priestesses of Trelos dress as Baba Egum and lead the religious ceremonies.
Bahia, Brazil.
Part of the reason for this may be that the Temple of Candomblé also served as a place to plan revolts against church leaders and slave owners in its early stages of development.
In fact, the "men" of the Candombley cult were usually the ones who organized the revolt against their oppressors.
One of the most important aspects of worship in modern Candombley is music and dance.
The Candombley Mass includes celebrations, "spirit possession" (Weaver, 1991) and animal sacrifice.
The specific choreography contributes both to spiritual possession and to the entertainment of the practitioner, and is a frank ritual.
Another interesting feature of the religion, according to Martori, is that Candombley can be considered as "matriarchal" (2005), since women are considered the "Virgin".
Women usually administer the service of Candombley spiritually and serve as apprentice priestesses in future services.
Practitioners of this faith believe that the congregation essentially allows for the integration of human beings and spirits.
It is also seen as an opportunity to feast and recognize important religious days, a Candombley feast.
(Public **** area) Today, the Candombley is popular and popularized in the Northeast of Brazil.
Specifically, Bahia hosts several African countries every year to visit the church and learn about the religion from the believers.
Many consider Candomblé to be a force for restoring the cultural identity that was stripped from African Brazilians as a result of the slave trade.
(Public domain), Featured image: Painting of the Oryx Dance.
Source: ( Public Domain ),By:?Gisele Santos,Gisele Santos, '24, graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London with a degree in the History of Art and Archaeology, and she has recently begun to freelance write about archaeology and mythology because of her interest in . Read Mor.