The Altar of My Soul
Page 27
Decorate with the bow and arrow of Ochosí or the double-headed ax of Shangó, recalling their warrior spirits. Beautiful peacock feathers bring the sensual energy of Ochun, while plants remind us of the healing powers of Osain, the orisha of medicine. Remember, your home is your temple, and you should create a nurturing, loving, balanced environment. As you decorate your home, remember to surround yourself with the symbols and colors of the orishas.
Initiates have sacred beaded necklaces, elekes, in the colors of the major orishas. These attractive necklaces are made by initiates and then blessed during rituals. Noninitiates can create necklaces using the colors of the orisha that they feel suit their personality. Bracelets made of silver and ivory can attract Obatalá energy, while Prussian blue and amber draw the power of the hunter spirit of Ochosí.
Increasingly, scientific studies are revealing the positive effects of color on our outlook. The importance of colors, symbols, and nature are central to the Santería religion. Having pleasant scents surround you also prevents negative energy from surrounding you. Florida water and the scents of tuberose, sandalwood, gardenia, and jasmine are most helpful in dispelling negative energy.
RESOURCES
Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute
408 West 58th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-307-7420
www.caribectr.org
Melody Moreno Capote: Executive Director
Laura Moreno: Deputy Director
Marta Moreno Vega: Board President
The center’s African Diaspora programs and bookstore are excellent sources of information. The public programs provide an opportunity to surround yourself with an international community of scholars, artists, and traditional leaders interested in African cultural traditions. The bookstore is well stocked with international recordings, jewelry, artwork, and books celebrating global African religions. There is also a resource library of videos and books, all for researchers.
College and university departments with African, Caribbean, and Latino Studies are also an important source of information.
LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS
Contact the Caribbean Cultural Center to be notified of lectures, workshops, art exhibitions, and presentations by the author or check altarofmysoul.com.
Glossary
Aché The invisible, elusive life force of Olodumare that was distributed to the orishas. Aché is the life force present in nature.
Aleyo The term designating noninitiates.
Ancestors Individuals who have entered the spirit realm. Friends and family members who have made their spiritual transformation.
Anya Orisha of the sacred batá drums. A set of three drums used in ceremonies to call the orishas down to earth.
Arpon A lead singer in rituals who has been trained and taught the myriad songs and chants to the orishas that entice them to possess an initiate.
Asiento The mounting of the orisha on the head of the new initiate.
Aye The world of the living. We live on aye.
Ayubona A second godmother, central to an initiation ceremony.
Babalawo A priest of the oracle orisha, Orula. Father of the secrets of the Ifá system of divination.
Batá Doubled-headed hourglass-shaped sacred drums that are used in sacred ceremonies. They are blessed through a ritual with the orisha of the drum, Anya.
Cabildo Society of African descendants instrumental in preserving the religion.
Camino The roads on which orishas manifest variant aspects of their nature.
Cascarilla Powdered eggshells.
Cuadro Espiritual Guardian spirits who guide and protect the living.
Día del Medio A ceremony on the second day of initiation, during which the new initiate is presented to the public.
Dilogun A system of divination that uses sixteen cowry shells, and is performed by diviners known as oriates.
Ebó A cleansing sacrifice that dispels the negative energy surrounding the initiate.
Ellegua The orisha of the crossroads. A trickster and messenger of Olodumare and Orula, who travels between Earth and heaven.
Eleke The sacred beaded necklaces that are made in the myriad colors of the orishas. Five basic elekes are generally given to the initiate—Obatalá, white; Yemayá, blue; Shangó, red and white; Ellegua, red and black; Ochun, shades of yellow.
Espiritismo A system of worshiping the ancestors.
Espiritista A medium, who has the skill to have the spirit of the ancestor speak through her or him.
Ifá Identifies the system of divination and is another name for the oracle Orula. This complex system of divination is the domain of the babalawo, the father of secrets.
Iré Positive energy that surrounds an individual.
Iroke A fly whisk, symbol of the orishas; white for Obatalá or brown for Oyá.
Itá The destiny of the new initiate is determined through this cowry divination session.
Iyalorisha The mother of orisha, or madrina, godmother.
Iyawo A new initiate, a stage of rebirth.
Lucumí Yoruba name for Santería.
Madrina A priestess of Santería, a godmother.
Moyuba The praising of ancestors, and lineage of the orisha family.
Obatalá The orisha that created humans; a direct emissary of Olodumare.
Obí A system of divination that uses four pieces of coconut shell.
Oché The double-headed ax sword of Shangó.
Ochosi The hunter orisha of the forest.
Ochun The orisha of fresh water and sensuality.
Odu A divination symbol that determines patakí, the parable and solution of the client’s problem. Oggun The warrior orisha, guardian of iron. Oguele A divining chain used by babalawos. Olodumare The Supreme God.
Oluwo The highest-ranking in the priesthood of the babalawo. Omiero An herbal plant mixture used in ceremonies for cooling initiates and orishas. Omo A child of an orisha. Orí An inner-dwelling orisha who determines destiny. Each person possesses his or her own Orí. Oriate A santero, diviner, who specializes in divining with cowry shells. Orula The name for the oracle orisha, also called Orunmila and Ifá. Orun The spirit realm, home to the ancestors and orishas. Osain The orisha of herbal medicine, herbalist. Osogbó Negative energy.
Oyá The orisha of the whirlwind, precedes Shangó in rituals. Padrino A godfather, a priest of Santería. Patakís Legends and stories in Santería that interpret the odu symbols in divination. Regla de Ocha Rules of Santería. Santería The popular name for the orisha tradition in Cuba and the Diaspora, which translates as: the way of the saints. Santera A female initiate. Santero A male initiate. Ye f a Pounded yam, used by the babalawo to cover the opon Ifá, the divining board. Yemayá The mother of the orishas. Orisha of the sea.
About the Author
MARTA MORENO VEGA, PH.D., is an assistant professor at the City University of New York’s Baruch College. Professor Vega is founder of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diasporo Institute and Amigos del Museo del Barrio. She has curated major visual arts exhibitions, including “Santería and Vodun in the Americas,” and organized three international conferences on “Orisha Tradition and Culture.”
A Ballantine Book
Published by The Random House Ballantine Publishing Group
Copyright © 2000 by Marta Moreno Vega
Illustrations © 2000 by Manuel Vega
Published in the United States by The Random House Ballantine
Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
One World and Ballantine are registered trademarks and the One World
colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
www.ballantinebooks.com/one/
eISBN: 978-0-307-56710-9
v3.0
.