This study was undertaken to provide researchers, and religious
of all African events, a small collection of teaching, research,
and basic information about the cosmogony Vodoun and divination
called FA Old Kingdom of Dahomey, now centralized in the Popular
Republic of Benin, but also extended over the territories of Togo,
Ghana, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Somalia and
other African countries. It is not yet known exactly what caused
this cultural system expansion F divination, original culture of
the Old Kingdom of Dahomey or Daxom, for different countries or
neighboring villages in antiquity. Researchers in the same Benin
say it was due to the territorial expansion of the Grand Empire,
while others assign it to migration. Currently it is known as FA in
Benin, but we know that in Togo and Ghana many Bokonon is also
called AFA and in Nigeria is known as IFA, changing or varying
sometimes the system and liturgical or secret structures of
priests, but starting all variants of "one common origin" or
matrix. In this book discuss the variant that involves us directly,
first because that exposes these investigations is Priest of the
Vodoun-F Culture, or as we say "Bokonon of F" plus investigator of
all cultural manifestations of America and ethnicities who
emigrated in the era of slavery, but especially the thought that
"nonexistent or forgotten" culture Dahomedano rich West African
culture or Fon -gb, or as he is better known in America, named of:
"VOODOO-Vodoun-Voodoo", which in reality and its African or
original matrix takes the name of Vodoun-fa, because the FA in
America also believed nonexistent or forgotten, even lost, because
of the enthronement of Yoruba Ifa and Orisa your system. Thus in
America simply is known of the culture Dahomedana part of its
"cosmogony Vodoun", feeling full or partial absence of "geomancy F"
or system of divination in the Fon-Gbe culture.
This fact transculturalizacin or deformation of the original
system of Dahomey (Vodoun-F) made slaves of ethnic dahomedanas
brought to Haiti, the United States, Brazil and Cuba, denominated
Vodoun their cults and even F, with the name of "VOODOO". Perhaps
the phonetic deformation of Haiti this made are denominated as
well, and in the vast majority of dahomedanas ethnic groups in the
island. We will see throughout this research came F and his priests
Bokonos also to America (Haiti-Cuba) and this is the most
researched by us in this work we present to you, and possible
causes of the "disappearance" or "transformation" when mixed with
the Yoruba ethnic group in America. Talk about "Conquest of Ifa
Yoruba in America", not as a pejorative or ritualistic supremacy
over other ethnic definition and even dahomedanas Nkissis, no
offense to exalt ethnic rivalries, but with complete accuracy and
objectivity of facts, and shapes our investigations found the
merger of both geomantic: "FA / IFA". We must remember that both FA
and IFA have a common origin, and we can not confront subjectivity
opinions about who was the first FA in West Africa. We must always
keep in mind that both have almost the same age on the continent,
so we just limit this paper to present you personally conducted
research in Dahomey and also some authors who investigated the
phenomenon of these events for many years and which undoubtedly
also deserve mention for their scientific content. Clearly we talk
about academics from their perspective knew compile historical
details in an organized, although sometimes not faithfully
reproduce an explanation or more concrete vision, which however
takes another enthusiastically if made by Priests of ethnicity with
direct access to other knowledge that an scientist can not reach.
Thus, the investigation of a Priest of these manifestations
(Vodoun-F) you would in a deeper sense without forgetting the
traditional mystical or ethnicity in question, whichever know that
a priest Vodoun -Fa is an advocate of their secrets and religious
liturgy from historical times, seeing that until maintained tribal
wars for this specific event, for the defense of their tradition
and culture. He never could reveal other data but is even or
priests like him, never a scientist who does not belong to their
traditions; otherwise, it will subjectively to honor their oaths to
their tradition and their Vodoun. Thus Vodoun-F always kept much
secrecy about its mysteries, worship, cosmogony and geomancy F, in
Africa (Dahomey) and America where it is established in diasporas.
And this single event of secrecy will be an issue to investigate,
as it surely was one of the strongest causes deformation and
innovation system or melting and subsequent adoption of another
ethnicity and their descendants priests in America, where he takes
his great epicenter in the Caribbean.
Science research is an auxiliary very objective, because it
brings real historical data, but us away from the natural view of
Belief of these African traditions or spiritual essence so steeped
in magic and peculiar visions that make individually each area or
village that investigates and so characteristic that does not
deserve to be dismissed. Our work may not be based on relevant
historical data, or disclose secrets of initiations or rituals that
must respect the Priest by oath to his ancestor or Djot, but sure
this book will be very useful to the Priests of these African
ethnic groups still investigated individually, because they see
similarities, because they see that in many rituals FA and IFA are
equivalences, and have even seen that in places they first arrived
these forms of worship or African Traditional religion, have lost
data rituals and dialectical structures, and have been retrofitted
to the place, turning often in new or derived branches, which are
undoubtedly continuity of an African Matrix, but often difficult to
"identify their origin" because of the suffering
transculturizalizacin with passage of time. We saw many priests,
that this phenomenon occurred in Latin and gave birth to new more
typical white American country where they arrived cultural events,
and so far from his black matrix or African origin, who have even
lost substantive connection with its own rituals and cultural
identity traits that make them individual and differentiate between
each other. Today in America this cultural phenomenon is what many
call the "diaspora".
These mixtures of an ethnic group with other clearly speak of
the existence of these peoples and their legacy in America, which
drew parallels between the deities, including liturgies, between
dialects, which gave certain forms a "supremacy" to a single ethnic
group, Yorub being amalgamated and who adopted Dahomedana
structures and also the Bakonga. We know an identifiable reason why
or "fusion" that led to the "overlap" of one culture over another
"; do not know if the African slave tried hide their beliefs in
their African brothers to establish a pattern unique cultural and
American, do not know if the slave believed to have one God
(Church) and owner of all religious or spiritual systems tried a
"fusion of cultures" imitating the culture of the Western Catholic
when he created the "syncretism" ; this will remain a big question
mark for many priests of these three cultures (Vodoun-F, Ifa-Orisa,
Bakongo) perhaps with the investigation of many in subsequent
generations, may yield new insights or answers in the wide range of
ancestralidades that exists today and live in America. We know that
many priests of different ethnicities in America (Cuba, Haiti, USA,
Brazil, Rio de la Plata) did great research and great works edited
by anthropologists, ethnologists and historians, even with
professors from France and England, but like all research, always
leave room for new doors for knowledge, as is the reason why in
America never investigated the existence or nonexistence of Vodoun
and F dahomedanos as a separate Yoruba culture and system
divination very old and so important and renowned in West Africa,
contain in their cosmogony Fa geomancy. For this reason and for the
dissemination of Our Race of Dahomey, is that today we make our
contribution to research and unified views of other serious priests
of Benin-Abomey, to clarify various topics that were never analyzed
in Latin knowledge, knowing that both Cuba and Brazil coexist with
diverse ethnicities of origin Dahomedano, and perhaps, was one of
the first ethnic groups spread throughout America and gave birth
even large "diaspora", thus obtaining a very new culture of each
American country where he was introduced to reach slavery by
different American ports. We say perhaps because it is not
something that has been studied in depth, but where there are
indications and demonstrable facts that speak clearly of this fact,
only by the use of dialects of Dahomey (Fon-Gbe. Mina, Ashanti,
Mahi, ..) which was adopted and speak in their rituals to the Ifa
of Cuba, Candombl in Brazil, in the Haitian Vudu in the diaspora
Rioplatense, which are used even today many words of literal
translation only the Fon-Gbe, we only analyze deeply experienced
and heard that vary from country to country changes "local
phonetic" or by forms of writing for "used phonetic", but in this
fact that is so real, and remained through hundreds years, from the
1700s in America, gives us a very concrete, objective and accurate
test, which speaks clearly of a majority ethnic group in America,
and that was the Dahomedana, along with Kongos - Bakongo come from
the current Angola and explains the fact only real vestige of "use
of dialect". It is the main objective of the present work comparing
words in depth or a more scientific way of dialectical relations in
this paper will now only as an example the popular word in these
ethnic groups: "I roasted" in Yoruba, "Atch" in Fon-Gbe, we will
see that in Cuba pronounce it phonetically "Ach" just as pronounced
in Abomey the word "Atch" ... We see a chance? In Brazil it is
exactly the same as in Cuba, we see another chance? As in this word
we see a "chance" we will see in other words which are used only
indoors dedicated to the worship of their gods, in prayers, in
Yoruba apatakines, with variations always a "letter" in every word,
but consistent and repetitive that will only lead to a single
literal translation "only the dialect used in Dahomey, Fon or GbE
or Ew". The objective fact is that we see that these words "should
not be used in races that are not dahomedanas" it should use its
own dialect without adopting words of another ethnicity, and
pronounce it in its original phonetic, not the phonetic form of
ethnic dahomedana or dialects that made up the former Kingdom of
Dahomey. This timely "the Fon-Gbe dialectic" is the silent witness
of the majority diffusion was in America at the beginning or the
arrival of the first slaves prior to the Yoruba, and mostly ethno,
is the faithful witness also its merger to almost disappear as an
independent matrix Culture, and its deformation at both liturgies
Vodoun with Orisa Yoruba and Nkissis Bakongo and in its F fusing to
the Yoruba Ifa creating referrals or diaspora that currently see in
Brazil , Cuba, USA, Haiti, Rio de la Plata. Another clear example
is repeated in Cuba and Brazil during ceremonies dedicated to Ebo,
when the priest sings and makes a specific ritual many times to
Legba (Vodoun) or Esu (Orissa) so the priest sings: "Sarayeye eb
kunl" (supposedly the Cuban believes singing in Yoruba), in Brazil
it is the same and "in the same ritual" (Legba or Eshu or Elegbara)
there we see very clearly in some words, almost phonetic
deformation or Cuba or Brazil: "Sarah-yey"; if we investigate will
be "Sarah" (ritual slaughter) "Yeye" (new), there we see clearly
what until now a word Yoruba thought, was very clearly GbE or Ew,
even mixed with the Fon dialect, even older that the dialect
"actual Fon of Benin" if still investigating see that, "Sarah-yey
(Ewe) will eb (Yoruba) were almost the same as saying" Vo "in Fon,
and that the next word" Kunl "clearly mean "Kono" which is great
ceremony (with sacrifice of animals), when you do not have an exact
literal translation similarity is, in the example we see that most
of the phrase is clearly "GBE or Ewe" is why we must make sense to
eliminate phonetic distortion or deformation of the sentence. And
so we can identify objectively what origin is each culture.
In his ritualistic traces are stored in clear form of ethnicity
that often was not what was believed to be, or belong priest or new
supporter. Our research is based almost entirely on the rescue of
many words and establishing comparative defined with the dialects
of ethnic groups, because that's the way it can establish a link
with the necessary scientific objectivity that define each
investigation on African cultures on the continent and its diaspora
in America. Remember and keep in mind that the slaves who were
"forced to emigrate" for historical reasons known to all (the
slave) had no culture even writing that even their dialects were
compiled in Latin in a very rudimentary form and where he prevailed
oral preservation or what we now call "oral Tradition", and we see
very common until today, in Africa and in America, where the
priests of these Traditions only teach at source in this way, which
they inherited from their ancestors and is transmitted "reliably"
only to their new "Initiates or new priests of their cultures".
This single event did not leave any written testimony often or
actual document that serves to discover what they desire today
researchers of these demonstrations, tests, dates, and credible
witnesses, and sometimes not counted as a legend or fable and often
as a metaphor, when much makes it difficult to fully each of these
ethnicities investigate. This maybe caused much was lost and
disappear, or be confused with other dialects of the origins of
these African ethnicities. For this reason is that many researchers
today, besides being Religious and Priests, spent years dedicated
to the study and in-depth analysis, to separate or differentiate,
or discover the striking facts as "fusion of ethnic groups in
America", which sometimes does not allow new Priests know their
"origins or their ancestors", nor know what Tradition belong, which
is radical importance and understanding when Started in these
cultures as Priest, sometimes as merged with local indigenous
cultures as in the case of Haiti, as in Brazil, including Cuba,
which suffered a new strain or adoption of local cults of
indigenous shamans. These facts which often led to the total or
partial deformation of an African ethnic group in America, have
happened since the death of the first priests or leaders of these
cultures in countries where they kicked off their worship, and the
worship of their gods because you are Vodoun, Orisa, Nkissis,
perhaps because it was not written materials or books detailing
their origins or paths, or rules of their liturgies, or the used
dialect was so place was in the main ports of slavery
(Brazil-Cuba-Haiti and USA) to the mixture of some ethnic groups
with each other, and thus giving the Hegemony of one as was the
case of the Yoruba, and by extension believed in all America was
the only predominant ethnic group and the error of thinking that
was the Mother or the Mother of All. This we see clearly in the
merger talk without knowing what was the reason of this phenomenon
establishing the creation of new forms of worship sometimes based
on clear adoption of deities of other ethnicities as was the case
of Vodoun of Dahomey; This event marked a great rivalries confusion
and even today in some of diasporas, as we see more clearly in the
Cuban Santera (in its variant Arar) and Candombl in Brazil (in its
variant Djej or Jej), also in the Voodoo Haitian, that although
retained the name of his African roots or origin, was deformed by
local rituals and deities of Kongo, to the extent not recognized by
many of his own priests who are Dahomedano culture of origin and
this is the reason why now called Voodoo-Kongo. Today religious and
priests researchers know that is not so much of what is believed
more Traditional or preserved through documented bibliography, and
even recognized in the cultural field as it was in Cuba, or in
Bahia-Brazil, threw new investigations because it was not all as it
was written, and that much data compared ethnicities and
backgrounds were not as goals and had flaws.
This led a labor of many years, even today continues to
investigate new hypotheses, it is surely what explains that many
priests had to establish a cultural and narrow with Africa exchange
and also had to travel to find new sources and therefore new
theories to refuting the established, well to learn from its origin
and roots of their own culture, many driven by the sense of
research, others carried by the feeling of respect and devotion as
the priests saw that written in Latin history on these cultures,
their cemeteries, their dialects, and systems including divination,
they had great desvirtuaciones, perhaps by the Oral Tradition we
always talk about, perhaps by tribal fighting between ethnic groups
that have separated as historical enemies, as it is the ethnicity
Dahomedana the Yoruba, which is very common to see in West Africa,
and even today many dahomedanos sustain a so civilized, so modern
and up democratic world, but it is currently focused on the ideal
of preserving of their cultural heritage and ancestral traditions
such as Vodoun-F or as they call it also "Traditional Medicine".
These differences are not absent from historical explanations,
which easily penetrate the context of the spirituality of
ethnicities, also in poor accessibility to information not provide
or scientists who study these phenomena African demonstrations
across America, we see then interfering to the present ethnic
instances, wars between nations based on territorial conquest, but
also wars of supremacy by trade, were and are very influential
factors in the particular investigation, is what we should know
before establishing any comparative removing the parallels also
established not only in America but also in Africa due to the
conquests of some dynasties over others of his enemies neighbors,
to take part of their culture or heritage, which was then added to
the existing culture. These striking facts at the sight of a
Western White can give us a guideline of what it means for these
ethnic groups the value and power given to their belief systems and
divination, to the point that their descendants in America
continued the legacy or inheritance their ancestors, for spiritual
rule, or by blood descent, but the memory of these events was what
separated or united ethnicities that even today live a kind of
differences and even fanaticism by the struggle of power and
hegemony in our continent, and when we speak of powers, material,
economic power and social prestige of the Priests who currently
acquire an unusual influence is also included. When we speak of
deformation or adoption of ritualistic elements of other
ethnicities is good to clarify that it is not something that
randomly or without checking through extensive research, either
orally with old priests in Africa, or priests of these ethnic
groups in America more palpable or objective ways, we clearly see
that these deformations are when we investigate the origins of
certain divinities in America took a very different from their
African origin or matrix position, and sometimes misleading names
so it is very difficult to decipher its real origin, or literal
translation becomes almost impossible.
We see very clearly in the name acquired in America (in Cuban
Santera) the figure of Vodoun dahomedano "Legba" who is confused by
many priests of the Yoruba ethnic group as the most positive aspect
of Orisa Yoruba Esu. Through objective and devoid of religious or
ethnic ideal vision, we can see very clearly the deformation
through the Cuban Creole phonics, that by naming Legba is replaced:
"gb" for "w", a fact that is also common in Dahomey, but never lost
his literal transcription of the term which designates the Vodoun
Legba, so we read by Cuban aural or by a Creole: "Eleggu" or "Elewa
'' or other forms, referring not as it was thought, or many Cuban
priests was a Yoruba Orisa, for many hundreds of years, it is very
clear that it has some similarity to the word "ESU" believed, it
would be to the Yoruba deity to worship should address
correspondence or if they are Priests of the Nigerian-Yoruba ethnic
group. In this "god" or Vodoun of dahomedano pantheon (Legba), we
clearly see then that a "parallelism" is traced, and adoption of a
divinity emulndola another god of an ethnic group with different
cosmogony and differences even in liturgical concepts and cultural
conceptions. This fact also see in other dahomedanas divinities
(Vodoun) undergo the same process of adoption or cultural-ethnic
deformation in America and that is repeated not only in Cuba but in
Brazil and other countries very often. Surely many priests Yorubas,
Lukumes or Nagos (appointment of the Yoruba slaves who came to
America) not be surprised this fact so controversial, due to the
unification today we described, or due to the sustained adoption of
one ethnic group over another, or even the need to preserve the
cults of these divinities of disappearance, which clearly says that
could also be a very treaty made by the priests of the era of what
we know of his respect and seriousness and adopted as such by the
superiority of "One Race" in an effort to "unify gods" into one
large ethnic majority. This is a historical fact highly
questionable and subject to a thorough review, including writers
have referred to the issue as fact "unimportant" and deserves a
special treaty and deeper and truthful research. This fact alone
demonstrates customs of Western white man, far from their African
matrices in this sense, that of "No cultural preservation of each
of the ethnic groups" and opens to endless questions outside gives
us countless other responses.
As we know and have explained, the Dahomedanas and Yoruba ethnic
groups settled in West Africa a similar schism with the Roman
Catholic Greek Orthodoxy in Europe, their cultures, and what
brought the current antagonisms and even ethno-cultural wars that
continent too. We see this phenomenon in America is not equal to
its origins in West Africa. Unless a priest has turned to
neighboring Tradition will continue its tradition of worshiping
deities only and not adopt another belief system. Therefore
prevailed in the pantheon of deities of each ethnicity or their
cosmogony, conservation and cultural defense of his views, setting
very marked differences in their liturgical systems and even
divination or mystical-religious, what we call "system or pantheon
divinities "(cosmogony). This schism made intercultural differences
grow in West Africa, and we see that this continuity in America by
the descendants of those ethnicities, was not maintained as their
ancestors in their African matrices, which brought the
desvirtuaciones or adoptions we investigate today many Priests and
what often becomes a difficult rescue information and years of data
collection and lengthy investigations. As we have seen in this
specific event, and speaking of divinity "Legba-Esu" only
manifested itself in America in both Cuba and Brazil and River
Plate where he assumed another name.
We see that in Brazil the same figure is referred to as Legba,
but also as Elegbara, another remarkable fact and it deserves a
section for investigation and where we see the union of another
preposition or word "E" more "Legba" more "Bara". The last two
words are sourced Fon-Gbe too, and clearly refer to Vodoun Legba of
Dahomedana cosmogony, and even more as important data ritual form
of worship is the most similar in Latin to the Vodoun Legba of
Dahomey in his way of being made even fetish is identifiable and
perfectly then the presence and influence markedly the Vodoun of
Dahomey in Brazil in the Djdj diaspora and also in the Ktou Nag
ethnicity. Only now quote a review of one of the many examples that
suffered the adoption of another ethnicity and thus also the
deformation even in their form of worship and took a different path
than their real origin in its African matrix. We'll citing other
examples in a special chapter, perhaps very controversial for
priests or writers of these ethnicities, and surely many will not
be shared, but will surely be very good for the true researcher of
all these ethnic manifestations in America that seeks answers
logical and objective to a maelstrom of questions still unanswered
on topics concerning the transculturalizacin of ethnic groups that
until now live and worship their ancestors which feel attached to
their mystical feeling of continuity and ancestry.
Something as millenarian from the origins of man and the dawn of
all mankind since the beginning of civilizations these ethnic
groups to rescue him ever imagined such importance today in a world
that has lost the value of transcendence, of spirituality and even
unknown to this ligation to ancestral origins, is what he deserves
from us full respect for having maintained through their so ancient
cultures where jealously guard the philosophy and visions of
Creation, they are the ones continued the worship of the first
divinities who marched in the pantheons and the cradle of the
oldest civilizations ... "I give you s e na wa e , e ko w yi, e K
di, and Ko v" (Nobody knows what will come tomorrow, the things
that happened were away from us).
PARALLEL AND ADOPTION OF AMERICA DIVINITIES VODOUN- Fa "Alodokp
without sou noukpun hwsinv without me." The sun can not hide with a
finger. (Proverb of F Dahomedano)
Tribute to Dah Atingal of Abomey. As we see today deformations
of many deities Vodoun which were absorbed and sometimes adopted by
the majority ethnic Yoruba, (in Brazil-Nag and Cuba-Lukum) we also
see that this phenomenon of adoption or distortion also appears in
another Tradition and Culture very now known in Cuba as the Ifa
Criollo, and spread throughout America, USA and Europe; that is
where we see the Bokonon Dahomedanos very clearly the influence of
"Fa DAHOMEY" or our Geomancy the: F without kikan or F without
tinm, not only similar elements of the liturgy of this Ifa
practiced on the Caribbean island as color used as identificatorio
of your system, perhaps the first visible indication: "green and
Yellow" which is identical to the F of Dahomey, which changes and
the difference with the traditional Yoruba Nigerian Yoruba Ifa
color: "green and brown" which tells us clearly that the Yoruba
tradition of the matrix (Yorubaland) was not followed, but as a
faithful witness evidence the origin and very marked presence of F
of Dahomey. Our research on the influence of F of Dahomey in
America and the Caribbean show much evidence that it existed
practice and shows that later unified the Yoruba Ifa, who came to
Cuba years later. This is a very deep and serious ethnicity of our
research, which makes us question the real reasons for the merger
in ONE IFA in the care of the Yoruba ethnic group, and perhaps this
made them forget the real origin, to believe now that was only
initiated by the Yoruba ethnic group, and doubt the great influence
of Dahomey and its F since its inception. The remains of geomancy
of F in today's culture of Ifa Cuban Criollo speak clearly of
elements and gods who are acculturated where it should be their
origin or matrix in Yorubaland, being Yoruba Ifa, as we explain
objectively or logically Ifa certain divinities of Creole in their
names, now preserved literal translation Fon-Gbe although distorted
as explained by the local phonetic, not having the Yoruba dialect
if it is an entirely original culture of Nigeria.
It is here then where research is enhanced and tested with real
testimonies of variation, a culture (dahomedana) was adopted by
another (Yoruba) and its known transculturalizacin by fusing
elements of an ethnic group and other . Throughout our work we will
see these deformations that hid the real root or real origin, and
demonstrate that the beginning, in a way which was not held since
the arrival of the ethnic groups in the era of slavery. The
research that we conducted during years of work shed many
hypotheses about the reasons for the "adoption or merger" is not
our job to promote critical of an American or transculturalizacin
cultural fact of these ethnic groups (Dahomedanas-Yoruba and
Nkissis) but try to get objectively and logically to a rescue
celebrate "the Union of ethnic Groups" in harmony coexistence, but
without forgetting or recognize what belongs to an ethnic group and
deities which are of other ethnicities. We very objectively that
can be reported through research without generating ethnic wars
influenced by religious fanaticism or other less coherent interests
that deep research on what has so far not seen in many diasporas of
America, but that was always against our eyes, hidden with
nicknames, which made it very easy to ignorance and misinformation
promoted our ethnic and African cultures and individual cultures.
So much so we'll see how the OLOFIN divinity, which is now
venerated in the system of Criollo Cuban Yoruba Ifa has a marked
influence of F of Dahomey or its F without kikan. If we take the
name as a word we will not have an accurate translation the
official dialect spoken in ethnicity and culture Yoruba, but stored
inside the same name, which clearly was deformed by the native
phonetic features and translations only the dialect of the culture
of Dahomey Fon-Gbe dialect therefore see that clearly was a
"nickname" repurposed to which he merges a single word of the
dialect spoken by the Yoruba. We see that OLO-end is a clear
example of the distortion or American or Cuban "rehabilitation" in
this specific case, with clear examples and explain why: "Olo"
(Yoruba) meaning "the most important", and we see that the word is
attached to the word "tHE END" (without literal translation Yoruba)
but if you have literal translation because of the merger and
adoption Yorub on Dahomedano the Fon-GbE Dahomey This custom was
retained as seen in many names of deities is believed to "Yoruba
origin" and only have originated in the dahomedana or Vodoun-F
culture. We will see that often varies a single letter in the names
of deities give partial phonetic Yoruba or were retrofitted to
country (Local phonetic) where the diaspora which results in a cult
of Tradition transferred to this continent begins. In other cases
we see in this investigation that the names of certain divinities
vary when a Yoruba word merges and one Fon-Gbe (Ewe), and clearly
see the "creation" of a new name or designation of a divinity
adapting to local culture diaspora.
One of the divinities "adopted" more controversial: OLOFIN
-METONLINFN is Yoruba or Fon-Gbe?
Specifically these examples of "adoption" or "distortion", we
see very clearly in the name of Cuban divinity Ifa (criollo) with:
"OLOFIN" as stated above is composed of two words "Olo" more "THE
END". This deity is believed to be originated during years of Ifa
Yoruba of Nigeria, but many Traditionalists Yorubaland priests
dedicated to Ifa (Babalawos) disagree about the existence of this
divinity in your system or cosmogony Yoruba Ifa-Orisa, allowing
objectively ascertain that its origin was "confused" in America and
not according to its Nigerian Yoruba or matrix, as well as several
examples of these adoption cases diasporas will be repeated
consistently, consider the meaning or origin of "Olofn" and analyze
one of the reasons that prove its origin is Dahomedano and non
Yoruba.
The divinity of F without kikan of Dahomey called
METON-LINFN
"METON-LINFN" (Fon-GBE) means "He who follows the footsteps of
his father" (Mawu-GOD) in the case and considering the dahomedana
culture Vodoun -Fa this divinity is the "Father of F Ayi Degun", an
honorary title the same FA DAHOMEY. Meton-Linfn is the mythical
progenitor of FA of Dahomey. In this case we see clearly, if deeply
analyze the adoption of the Yoruba ethnic group in the Cuban Ifa by
emphasizing the word "olo" plus the word "end" is dahomedano and
thus form the word now so famous "OLOFIN" perhaps applying "Olo"
(Yoruba) has sought to emphasize the origin of the OLOFIN divinity,
but kept very clearly the root of Creole deformation would like
"LOFN" and not as it should be "LINFN" that would be the original
word dahomedano clearly see the similarities and almost equal to
the Fon-Gbe dialect perfectly identifiable for which investigated
the dahomedano dialect America and West Africa, by word or title of
divinity, which identifies "METON-LINFN". We will see the name
decomposing it underwent a process of adopting the existing Yoruba
what was dahomedano:
"METON-LINFN" (Olofin) dialect Fon-Gbe 1).
"METON": its meaning and translation is "Your father," or
"Father of Man". 2). "LINFN": its literal translation is "the path
of ..", "path .." or "footprint ..". 3). "METON-LINFN": the real
meaning of the name or honorary title given to the divinity in this
culture would be: "He who comes down from the Father"; or "He who
belongs to the Father"; or "He who follows the path set by the
Father." His cosmological significance in the F without kikan
(Geomancy of F) is clearly the implication that this mythical deity
takes the sacred mission continuity FATHER or higher divinity and
creative within the cosmogony, states the "Father-Son of God
supreme ". This important for Dahomedana culture divinity is stated
as the "Father of FA-Ayi-DEGUN" Father of F of Dahomey and this
meaning comes the real importance assigned to this divinity in
culture and ethnic heritage of Vodoun-F . We see clearly that is a
divinity of Cultural heritage of this ethnic group who believed in
America be entitle the Yoruba Culture and deduce clearly why there
are no parallels or adoptions in Yorubaland substantiating this
divinity as world Geomancia- Yoruba Ifa. In our research we
observed that the name of this deity "Meton-Linfn" in the Cuban
diaspora in their native Ifa exposes clear deformation or typical
features of a cultural distortion to discuss:
"OLOFIN" in the Cuban diaspora
Ifa Yoruba In diaspora examine the distortion comparing Creole
phonetic name, and its literal dialect of Yoruba culture
translation, because the diaspora enunciated from the beginning
that divinity "Meton-linfn" was cultural heritage of Yorubaland.
Furthermore we compare the literal decomposition with Fon-Gbe
dialect that is the origin of culture in the name of divinity
Dahomedana. 1). "O": Yoruba dialect means "He" or "She". This
particle or article Yoruba dialect is widely used at the beginning
of several names of deities that sometimes was used as its cultural
origin was unknown, and were retrofitted with the use of the "O" to
effect a Language guideline with this dialect, phonetically, which
caused so many very remarkable desvirtuaciones in America. Perhaps
it was the abbreviation for the name of Met. "Or" .. Linfin. 2).
"O": Fon-Gbe dialect is an exclamation, and accentuates a name or
enhances its hierarchy, makes sacred as Honorary Title. In the name
"OLOFIN" note that also replaces the "IN" in "Linfn" .. "Lofin".
3). "LO": Yoruba dialect means, "to go." "More .." depending on the
context of the phrase or name. It is also used as a pronoun. 4).
"LO" in the Fon-Gbe dialect is used as a "Proverb" and is applied
as the context name and gives a meaning or formal content. 5). "F"
Yoruba dialect means "What .."; "With, or at ..". No word or
particle Yoruba dialect that has meaning in the form "THE END"
individually but applied to names that deviate substantially from
this research found translation. And note that the "N" literal
translation particle does not have any written separately. 6). We
note that from the way literally written the Yoruba states as the
Cuban diaspora in its Geomancy Ifa, the name "O-LOFN" compared to
the parent dialect, Yoruba, acquires a translation interpretation:
"Whoever comes .. ? ""? The one to .. ", may deduct many meanings
based on the name that clearly lacks literal elements in this
divinity that the Cuban titled as" OLOFIN "based on the Yoruba
dialect because the matrix is believed this divinity. But we see
clearly that a goal or result consistent designate the divinity
does not appear in the translation, which has a cosmogenic
significance as sacred as a God or supreme power equals believing
culture. In this exhibition we see clearly that you can not compare
the Yoruba dialect name "Olofn" no literal meaning and content
cosmogonic or liturgical. It is clear from this statement that
OLOFIN is a distortion of the original designation in the name:
"METON-LINFN" and to merge with the culture of the Yoruba lost its
significance as Honorary Title to divinity in this way it is
pronounced phonetically Cuban within the diaspora. 7). In summary
we can state clearly and without the F kikan or "Fa DAHOMEY" gave
birth to the criollo Ifa in Cuba, and the existence of OLOFIN
states: "METON-LINFN" in its true to the culture without phonetic
deformations dahomedana form or mestizaciones the Yoruba dialect.
The literal verification says it clearly, mythology and cosmogony
draw a perfect parallel with the culture of Dahomey and is not
projected to the culture of Yorubaland where it appears with
notable absences joined Ifa priests in Nigeria (Babalawos) not
recognized this divinity as part of the historical and cultural
heritage of their deities. 8). It is necessary to question through
this serious research and ask some assumptions: a). What happened
in Cuba, or what caused the priests of this divinity the bokonon
(Seers of F) disappeared and instead there are only Babalawos
(diviners of Ifa)? b). Was it a transcultural phenomenon or was a
testimony of tribal rivalries Dahomedana and Yoruba ethnic groups?
c). This so controversial culturally promotes many hypotheses. Why
are there no trace in Creole Ifa Corpus talk about these important
changes and exposed to Olofn is the divinity of F of Dahomey
"METON-LINFN"? These very common occurrences in America, distortion
or transculturalizacin, and adoptions are common not only in the
diasporas of Cuba, Brazil, and the Rio Plata, also in Haiti was an
important port where it penetrated and culture of Vodoun-F
installed but this section of research deserves a chapter to
present research on transculturalizacin in the Haitian diaspora
Dahomedanos its origins and its subsequent withdrawal from the
array. Following our investigation, we will see more examples in
other divinities of the use of "O" to establish a connection with
the Yoruba dialect, and separate it from its dialectical root in
several names Vodoun (deities) of Fon-Gbe not know if was
intentional, to make a more realistic and less questionable
"adoption" or if prevailed "deformation local creole phonetic"
which gave a new phonics, similar to the Yoruba, and consequently
found a name for this Nigerian ethnic group to be pronounced in his
usual manner and phonetics.
This case of "adoption of Yoruba" in Cuba made the FA of Dahomey
disappeared to the extent not exist in any Bokonon of F Island
(Seer F), this substitution of a culture to one that became the
dominant American tells us clearly that until F of Dahomey was the
Ifa Yoruba first to arrive and settle in America, the reasons for
this were not a fluke, as explained above was due to several
factors, one of which could be perfectly Conquest of the Yoruba
ethnic Dahomedanas on in America, we are not establishing a review,
not a judgment on our brothers in West Africa, or decisions
Vodoun-F priests in Cuba, but we are clearly talking about a
reality that touched him live our Ancestors Dahomedanos in Cuba,
Haiti and Brazil, where they forged their roots and established
their Vodounhou in Bahia (Brazil) and their Councils in Matanzas
(Cuba), of which today only very few who were able to maintain our
culture generation generation with the sacrifice of the loss and
the threat of ritualistic shortcomings having to respect a
hegemonic as the Yoruba ethnic group who knew implement their
Orisa, and who knew how to modernize the system of AF was at the
beginning of Dahomey (Vodoun-F ). Do not forget also that a similar
event to this happened in Haiti, where the hegemony was not the
Yoruba, it was the Kongo-Bakongo ethnic group, which in turn was
brought to Cuba as a new liturgy or belief system, mixing Vodoun of
Dahomey with Nkissis of Angola, where even today believed to be the
most Konga ethnicity. If we investigate the more we see that the
struggles of supremacy of one ethnic group over the other produced
this fact is now pretext for large research at many priests of
their ethnicity. These ethnic groups also contributed to
socio-political changes, such as the revolution in Haiti who was
the first American civil war with religious overtones of
Vudou-Haitian Voodoo. We see far religions or African American
demonstrations in socially created new political powers to the
point that was only a way to submit an entire nation as happened in
Haiti, due to the influence of the "Bokor" or Priests Petr
(powerful witches or sorcerers) inflicted a collective fear of
their people to achieve the power of a dictatorship. Recall that as
there was the "Bokonon of F" in Cuba and was gone or absorbed or
converted to the culture of Yoruba or Lukum, also in Haiti if we
analyze the word for a priestly hierarchy, "BOKOR", we see that is
rooted grammar of the word "bokonon" where we see very clearly
phonetic deformation, and if we analyze the meaning of it we see
more dialectical matches: "Bokonon" in Dahomey means "Grand Wizard
and powerful sorcerer" even if its real meaning other, and means
"priest F" but the popular folklore of the locals spell it, is the
"Azet" is the great wizard with power over any bad either end as
well. If we investigate the Haitian word "Bokor" has the same
meaning exalted by the local as the "priest of the dark sorcerer",
but certainly bears some similarity to the word of his dahomedano
origin. We see in this relationship of words and comparative
something that gives us the proof in the necessary research and
undoubtedly assert or say that perhaps existed in Haiti "The
Bokonon First of F of Dahomey". As we see in this research on names
Hierarchies, divinities and systems are not compatible with the
matrix of West Africa, is giving us the idea of the great
"transculturalizacin and adoptions" agreed or not assimilated by
the fusion of ethnic groups, but certainly large deformation which
gave way to a more predominant ethnic group or organization. What
is the reason for the "disappearance of these priests F of Dahomey,
both in Haiti and Cuba? It is the big issue that we must unravel
and is the argument for extensive research on our part in these
African ethnic groups in America, hypotheses certainly have many,
as we speak now clearly of race or ethnic strife in America,
perhaps often not been documented properly, but surely they existed
and were forgotten as "thing rebel slaves or their insurrections"
and so was ignored by the master Blanco do not even understand the
dialect they spoke. We see the struggles of Haitian slave supremacy
in Kongo on Fon-Gbe in the Lukum on Cuba and Brazil Arars the Ktou
(Nagos) on Djdj, ethnicity and deduce clearly was very organized in
Latin reconnected before the Yoruba, Kongas and Ktou. We must not
forget that the United States also came a large contingent of
slaves "Dahomedanos" and are until today have their centers of
Haitian Voodoo, and some more traditional where there is also the
Vodoun-F as it is in New Orleans, perhaps where was more protected
from other ethnic groups who were there did not establish his
supremacy as it was in the Caribbean and Brazil, including
migration Uruguay and then it was in Argentina. So far research is
leading to a very logical and even objective deduction, with which
we can easily determine that: 1). The Vodoun-F of Dahomey
ethnicities Danxom Grand Empire (today Benin, Togo and Ghana) was
somehow taking the "appearance of Ifa Yoruba" in America, but its
ancestry is truly and undeniably Dahomedanas. 2). The Vodoun-F was
transfigured with new names deformed by local creole phonetics and
absorbed by a majority ethnic group New in America, the Yoruba, and
only in Haiti was supremacy of Nkissis or Kongos, where he
emigrated to Cuba taking the variant of another form of worship or
spiritualism: "The Palo Mayombe" 3). The deities worshiped first in
America no doubt were Vodoun of Dahomey, by logical deduction for
something to be "conquered or absorbed" should have been a primary
element "to be conquered later". 4). From the above described and
researched see that all priests and researchers will always be the
question of why this conquest of an ethnic group on the already
established (in the Arar Cuba, and Brazil's Djej or Jej, Haitian
Vodoun by Nkissi) and know specifically why or which led to the
conquest became manifest even with such different ritualistic and
cultural elements that Africa tried to maintain to this day as
distinct cultures, even keeping their dialects in purer forms and
giving other African identity of each ethnic group. 5). We infer
strongly that Ancestrality of Dahomey was higher than that of the
conquerors of this ethnic group and is a fact of why many priests
today believe that in their temples of worship are elements of the
system that were lost, the confusion of many to see that they are
worshiping different deities, which some are known today as
"Vodoun" and others as "Orisa" which is the most widespread and
known in Latin form, due to the Yoruba culture as we said today was
"conquering ethnicity". 6). We also investigating visualize not
only elements of Dahomedanas and Yoruba ethnic groups, but also
elements of Bakonga culture as Haiti, Cuba, and also in Brazil
through its rituals where there was an amalgamation of the three
African matrices, see naturally created in America new
manifestations or new culture "based on the three major ethnic
groups in West Africa, which many researchers called diaspora or as
many priests say" new African branches in America. "Speaking of
Vodoun Fon-Gbe adopted as divinity or Orisa Yoruba in America, we
will see several examples to deeply investigate reasons already
discussed earlier, and the absence of complete or partial
translation dialect originated believed on ethnicity or African
roots. There is an endless number of these examples, in this first
paper we present only show some more notable, in later works
continue this exciting research. We neglect this research our deep
respect for the ethnic groups that formed the American diaspora,
not try to impose a "truth", our work is only based on the
authenticity of cultural recovery through objective research and
defense of the African roots of all these ethnic groups who came to
America and then merged to create a "great American ethnicity or
culture" based on matrices but lost cultural identity or direct
connection with source systems in West Africa. We are encouraged by
the sense and feeling of the investigation of the cultural heritage
of our African ethnic groups and the rescue of a large collage of
ancestralidades to the merger, we lost important elements and
worthy of his rescue in original form aligned to their parent, for
the great respect these cultures is the main reason that motivates
our work now and forever.
A deity called "YALOD" - "YALORD-" Iyalode ". A Yoruba Orisa or
one Vodoun of Dahomey?
We asked if Orisa because Cosmogony Vodoun-F of Dahomey, this
deity is known as "Vodoun YALOD" and America as well see another
"adoption" of Orissa with Vodoun or maybe a "syncretism of a deity
or parallelism" with another cosmogony as Dahomedana. There will be
new to the researchers see these examples or for priests who
learned to objectively investigate through the comparison with the
divinities that little is known or spread of the matrices in West
Africa as a royal cult or cosmological and cultural expression. And
so that upon researching this word only makes sense in its literal
translation totally Fon-GbE and not believed the Yoruba dialect:
YALOD- YALORDE-Iyalode: Y or Yi: willingness to give, to share, we
see that strain or adoption just missing the "" is then translated
Fon-Gbe. : everything. L: Fon-Gbe dialect and can be translated as
"enigma" or "mystery". GIVE: something. Examples: means "give"
someone; Nou- "give" something. Examples and meanings to the
Fon-Gbe Yialod name: "The one who holds your hand", "which gives a
help." Another analysis: Yi: take, will ALOD: that reaches out to
anyone. ALOD: giving a help to anyone. If we add the words: Yi-, or
transform the Yoruba, then it would literal translation should be
written dialect literally Iya ... which means "mother" in Yoruba.
But we see that most of the word or name of deity is perfect YALOD
literal translation since breaking the floor to Fon-GbE and not the
dialect of Yoruba: (? ......) Iya (mother) ... lode in Yoruba, lack
of translation by the lack of dialectical elements. But as we saw
almost all of the word clearly belongs to the Fon-GbE and we must
clarify that this divinity "Vodoun YALOD" is also a female divinity
of water, but not as it is known in Santeria Cubana for example,
and in Brazil or across America that will venerate Orisa Orisa as a
designation of Osun since for the culture of Dahomey is a Vodoun
and in this culture do not worship Orissa. As is so in this example
we see very clearly the "adoption or merger" of an heritage of
their local cultures, but we know that a priest or representative
of these ethnic groups have the moral and ethical duty to rescue
their ethnicity or ancestry of cultural distortion, besides being a
worthy representative of his cult as a true ambassador of its
parent in West Africa. We can not be contemplative but neither
should we be partakers liabilities of a "cultural deformation" if
we have the responsibility to guide future priests of these ethnic
groups who brought an intact cultural heritage and then suffered
adoptions, cultural mergers and removing them desvirtuaciones of
natural origin or implanting reforms that force today as they
research the consequent loss of their identity.
In Latin-speaking and Portuguese and French speaking, examples
Caribbean, Brazil and Haiti and English in USA, had the arrival of
high priests of culture of Dahomey, from the old Empire was formed
by several now independent countries but maintained their
monarchical dynasties and royal lineages. Many descendants came to
slavery by the 1700s, and according to some historians, before too.
At the beginning of this tributary of slaves to America, we will
see a very characteristic fact that many priestesses Vodoun-F
exercised what was called "matriarchal" where only were initiated
cult excluded women and men of the community that was organizing in
the new American lands. This unusual fact in their parent of origin
made in Brazil (Bahia) and in Cuba (Matanzas) structures dahomedano
original system changed substantially to the beginning, and could
be one of many factors that give rise to the beginning of the most
striking both names of divinities such as merging or adoption
investigate both today transformations. It is no coincidence that
female hierarchies dahomedanas priestesses were the main factor is
then confused with the designation of a divinity that in America
today is discussed and polemic if Dahomey or is Yoruba.
Vodoun "nana or nana Buruku" Is it a Vodoun Fon-GbE or is a
Yoruba Orisa or deified ancestor in America?
As we said earlier, this "American" Vodoun or deity believed in
Arar Cuba, and Brazil Ketou (Nago) brings innumerable
ramifications. In this research we open the question the reader and
researcher, not only because of the controversy originates and lack
of probable elements with African roots, but because all research
is inclined to perhaps not Orisa not be a Vodoun in the literal way
in which it is designated in the diasporas both Cuban culture as
Brazil. Then begin analyzing the hierarchies of women in the
Vodoun-F system: Currently in Dahomey Benin, a priestess of Culture
initiated Vodoun is designated as "Mamissi" and also as "Maman" by
French phonetics both. Currently in many ethnic groups in Ghana and
Togo, not only are called Mamissis the priestesses of Vodoun, but
also if they are priestesses of Vodoun Mami Wata are known as
"Nana" and "NAM", speaking only comparatively Female hierarchies in
Vodoun-F. Because there on the Vodoun cosmogony of Dahomey two
divinities known as Vodoun "NA" and another Vodoun called "NAW",
closely related to the water element, as would be the main feature
also of "Nana or Nana Buruku" is that we may have a more objective
research. The reason that leads us to inquire about this divinity
that exists in America is that is not known in Dahomey or a cult
this Vodoun with such features as known in Cuban and Brazilian
diaspora. It is quite possible investigating Nana Buruku and
worship as Vodoun, or Orisa Yoruba, perhaps in the past and has
happened consistently in adoptions already mentioned, that generate
or create a new divinity in America from the influence described at
the beginning as Matriarchies of these ethnic groups, which exerted
a major influence, and where women priestesses of Vodoun "nana or"
Nanam "or simply called by not having a correct literal translation
is so easily confused with a ethnic group over another, with
another clear dialectical parallel or local Creole deformation as
are exposing this Vodoun peculiar to the Culture of Dahomey and was
confused when is adopted to the culture of Arara in Cuba by
Lukumies, and migration across America are then esparciera as a
designation of Vodoun Lukum YALOD, which was believed to be the
designation of the Orisa Osun. In the chapter of geomancy of F of
Dahomey see the FaDu or sign F in which Vodoun YALOD is present on
Earth according to the concepts of this dahomedana Culture and
popular beliefs Bokonon of F and its characteristics as a divinity
Vodoun in the chapter that refers to the cosmogony Vodoun in
Dahomey. It can be very controversial such investigations and for
many illogical or invasive to the level of popular belief of
certain divinities which were adopted as Orisas in America and who
acquired "American identity itself" in diasporas that They
establish as divinity, because of the importance that took these
high priestesses, thus reaching believe that this designation was
the name or title of a divinity, when in fact it concerns only a
priestly hierarchy of Dahomey. This theory is not ruled by us; as
stated in investigating its parallel with the Vodoun cosmogony,
this deity does not exist in dahomedana matrix with the title given
in Latin or "Nana Buruku" even as Vodoun nana, much less with the
following designation "Buruku" or so possible denominations in
America that phonics is known locally. But very often we see that
Priestesses women and elderly of Vodoun-F are called as "Nana-Nanam
NAM" for his wisdom, or their importance within their communities
and priestly clans. It's easy to assume that the absence of such
divinity Vodoun, we must thoroughly investigate what apparently was
a confusion of a female divinity or hierarchy with Vodoun, due to
the natural belief in ancestors of Dahomey clan (Djot) and elevate
them the status of a deity because of their importance in the
religious community or diaspora. Thus, one could Vodoun priestess
called "Nana" (female hierarchy): Zogbe (eg Vodoun name of deity),
and then be revered as "Nana", taking the name of Vodoun priestess
and be physically missing simply sympathy "invoked" and by
affection and transcendence, or wisdom left to relatives or priests
initiated by her, who venerate in this community, always the name
"Nana" (Zogbe) but it turned into a Vodoun Community over your
dahomedano Lineage. If you appreciate this fact well, we can
clearly deduce one of the reasons they did in America Vodoun "Nana"
a new divinity of the cultures that were initiated in Cuban and
Brazilian diaspora, because those "NAM-nana-Nanam" priestesses were
reaching category deified ancestor called by our culture as the
"Djot or" Klouto ", may then well be the" confusion and adoption
"of what is now known in America as Vodoun or Orisa" nana Buruku ".
We also see that divinity "Nana-Buruku" has several designations
following the main name "Nana" Buruku BURUKUM, Buluku, etc, etc,
the most common in America "Buruku". Analyzing the word "Buruku"
not only see that was invalidated by phonetics, being apparently
without translation Fon-Gbe assuming that we talk about the word
"Nana" (fon-GBE) should be visible dialectic root but only find it
that "BU" (? ...), "RU" (? ...) and Ku (translation and would "KOU"
would be written, which would mean the fon-GbE "death" or related
to death) decomposing the word conveniently translatable form and
starting with "KU-KOU" ... so if you have respect, we see that the
rest of the word has no translation to the dialects of Dahomey, or
was so distorted by local phonetic diaspora. But if we investigate
remembering that there was "adoption" of the Yoruba ethnic group in
America on divinities Vodoun dahomedanas, we see that the word
Buruku, though deformed by phonetics, is almost complete
translation Yoruba dialect and mean "dark or evil spirit" or "the
that brings death. "Following research we found in this word
"Buruku" similarities with the meaning of "Kou" in the Fon-Gbe
dialect, which gives the sense that it takes the whole word in the
Yoruba dialect only contraction "Kou". If we do another review for
possible phonetic desvirtuaciones in this word "Buruku", "Boroku"
also used in Brazil, "Buluku" we can find other meanings maybe that
would give a more approximate source dialect Fongbe and not the
Yoruba as believed until now. We could approach analyzing each of
these words in the different American diasporas are of the same
name or title of divinity "Nana Buruku". An example: BU: (in Fon
GBE should say "Bo") and mean "higher," big "," big "and is used as
a proverb. RU: No translation Fon-Gbe, but could be related to the
word "L" which in this case would mean "mystery" or "secret". We
must remember that due to the dialectical deformations undergone by
all African dialects, is likely to be deformed. KU: (o Kou in the
fon-GBE) means "death". In Yoruba would Iku, adding a letter, but
the shape is closer to the Fon-Gbe just written as phonetics.
Bringing the meanings and giving a parallel interpretation to which
it is known today in the Vodoun "Nana" America we see clearly that
the word Fon-Gbe mean according to this decomposition, "Nana"
(female hierarchy Vodoun-F which means "great mother or old and
wise "mother, but Priestess Vodoun, no divinity Vodoun).
"Buruku-BURUKUM-Buluku-BURKUN-BOROKUN" mean the Fon-Gbe "the great
mysteries of Death", but coincidentally Yoruba dialect acquired for
the same meaning. In summary for the Fon-Gbe dialect: "Nana-Buruku"
mean "The Great Mother who brings the secrets of Death", linking
the name NANA the name or title "Buruku" would clearly that this
Vodoun then became a divinity from a very wise Priestess (ancestor
or Djot) probably dedicated to the worship of Mami Wata Vodoun
(Mami HOUTA) or Vodoun NAW containing the same characteristics of
worship which also contains the full meaning of translation
"Nana-Buruku". Then we will see the title search of Vodoun "NAW"
and its literal meaning to the dialect of Dahomey (Fon -Gb): NA:
"The Great Mother", "The Great Queen", "The great wise mother"
relative pronoun : what, who / is, the / a / os / as the / la / los
/ las, where / is, the / a / os / as everything / a / os / as,
what, how, where. WO: break, destroy, demolish, destroy "NAW: Its
meaning in one way would be" The great mother who can destroy
everything. "He is worshiped as a Vodoun of Creation has initiated
"Vodounssis" (sons of Vodoun) or priestesses, but its role in
Cosmogony Vodoun-F is of significant importance to give birth to
other Vodoun well known in the culture of Dahomey. But this Vodoun
"Naw" is recognized as the carrier divinity of all "Secrets of
Death" and why it is so respected in the cosmogony Vodoun-F. This
concept then gives us an idea of the similarity in comparison, but
it would be impossible the existence of a Priestess or "Nana" or
"Nm" or "Na" dedicated to the worship of Vodoun Naw as this
dahomedano vodoun not accept priests be a Vodoun of The Creation.
The development of our research will then leading us to conclude
that the Vodoun "Nana Buruku" is created in America and that for
this reason many priests diaspora have so many confusions and
misunderstandings regarding this divinity, their origin, their
religion, if one Yorub adopting a Vodoun of dahomedana ethnicity or
is an Orisa Yoruba pantheon. From the moment a parallel or nexus of
a Vodoun or Orisa, or even Nkissi divinity is not found, then we
can assume that the worship of this divinity is born in America
within diasporas exclusively. There will always be a logical answer
could be a Vodoun born of an ancestor or Djot a Priestess Vodoun as
explained extensively, and other communities of the same lineage
would preserve it as an ancestor deified in the form of a Klouto,
and even had his fetish individual and divinity. Our individual
paper presents research. It will be on the siblings of diasporas of
America researching the topic from the perspective of each ethnic
community or cultural and philosophical vision they have. We can
not assure it a Vodoun Fon-Gbe that is unprecedented in Dahomey,
only apparent similarities with "other gods" but does not match the
name or title given to him in America. I still collating possible
desvirtuaciones in dialect, still decompressing the words in
repeatedly, provided the preponderance of "Nana" (female Hierarchy)
will be and secondly the title or designation clearly a deity or
Vodoun: "Buruku" related to the secrets that brings "Death". The
intrigues in each investigation grow even more if we believe that
the name of this deity "nana Buruku" is Yoruba origin and are
facing a divinity or Orissa. As discussed, the name that defines
divinity is clearly a female Hierarchy of Vodoun priestess or
dahomedanas, and they did not worship Yoruba Orisa, so it follows
that this divinity, "nana Buruku" not would be Yoruba origin or
parent, but she believes in America closely related to the
ethnicity of Nigeria. Then we have a ancestor deified by the
dahomedana ethnicity in America, was born in one of the existing
diasporas, and quite possibly outside the culture of Arara
(Fon-GbE) Cuba who "divinized" and worshiped in honor of his "nana
na-Nanam "old, his long list of Priestesses dahomedanas in the
councils of Matanzas. Quite possibly from there he emigrated to
America as a whole Vodoun as it is considered to this day. We must
not forget that in Brazil this divinity "Nana Buruku" is well known
and revered in their Candombls Dj-dji or Jej (Fon-GbE) and even by
Ktou Bay that are also dahomedano origin, but conquered in Dahomey
by the Yoruba kingdom of Oyo. We can not define what diaspora
begins the veneration of this Vodoun so revered in America and as
far from its parent in Dahomey, as we saw was revered by
Matriarchies that exalted the priestly figure of dahomedana woman
in America, what we leads to assert further that "Nana" (female
Hierarchy vodoun) played a key role in the diasporas in its infancy
in both Cuba and Brazil. We know that is very common in the
cosmogony Vodoun-F the birth of new Vodoun when a Priest or
Priestess was a historical precedent on ethnicity or was even
deified as a tribute to his memory at the Fon-Gbe Community. But
born through a being who had life: "NAM-NA-Nanam" (Hierarchy Women
Vodoun-F) or also a "HOUNONDAH HOUNON- HOUNON-G -MPA- bokonon"
(Ladders Male Vodoun and F), which then be a clan Klouto Vodoun-F
and return as a Djot to life in a new elected after his evolution
in the world of the afterlife or the Invisible World of the Dead.
As we saw in this research, the "adoption" of other dahomedanas
divinities system Yorub made much information deface and perhaps
written documents reaffirm this theory on the origins of Vodoun
"Nana Buruku" (clearly Fon-GBE) were lost as we would have
documented the theory of the origin in question and why was clearly
Fon-Gbe deified ancestor in America. Many times we see several
"Vodoun Names, Titles of the gods, deified ancestors Designations,
Yoruba Orisa roads, associated or" adapted "to new cultures of
American diasporas, becoming a continuous" mixing of ethnicities ",
often making this" transculturalizacin "prime on actual in each of
their African origins matrices, where they were brought by their
priests or representatives of each of these ethnic groups.
Many priests now say with divergence rescue concepts of
knowledge of such facts, and the rescue of the true African
philosophy which was diluted by joining American cultures existing
(Catholic, Jesuit, Pre-Columbian and Native) vanishing in some
ethnic groups the identity preserved so carefully in West Africa or
the Slave Coast. No doubt that each of these investigations may be
a more controversial than before, no doubt in the reader will
evaluate and assimilate research or compatible for doubt that many
have with the distortion generated by the adoption of divinities of
ethnicity dahomedana and applied to the pantheon of Yoruba Orisa
Orisa as happened with "AJAGUN-Ayaguna" (way or title of Orisa
Obatala in the Cuban diaspora in Brazil with the Orissa Oxala).
Vodoun "ADJAGUN-AJAGUNA-Ayaguna" old Vodoun of Dahomey or Orisa
Yoruba in America?
This divinity as well known in America, both in culture and Arar
Lukum in Cuba, as in the Brazilian diaspora Ktou and also Dje-DJI
or Jej is cultuada or venerated as a "way or designation or title
of" also a very popular Orisa Yoruba divinity in America known in
Cuba as Obatala-Obatalisa in Santeria, while in Brazil, in all its
diasporas known in the Candombl, it's part of the family of Orissa
Oxala-Obatala (Oxagin-Oxalufn) . When we speak of Obatala (Yoruba)
and Obatalis (Lissa Fon-GBE) in Cuban Santera clearly see a "merger
of the branch Lukum -Yorub with Arar Fon-Gbe" is convenient to
highlight that fact that few speakers, as well as the Cuban
diaspora appointing Vodoun Lissa as "Levoris" a clear distortion of
Vodoun "SEGBOLISS" by local Cuban phonetics. This example is the
one who puts the name of the Vodoun "AJAGUN" (or supposedly Yoruba
Orisa) divinity in research not having an exact literal translation
to Yoruba, and does have perfect literal translation Fon-Gbe. We
clearly see on grounds that diasporas a cultural custom became and
even a "idiom" was created by renaming titles of deities that
existed from the beginning and readapted to the new come to the
island as clearly seen in the rehabilitation of Fon-Gbe words. Thus
idioms or adaptations of the new to the already established and led
often to worship a deity Vodoun be "adopted or amended" according
to the new system, the Yoruba Ifa-Orisa arise. Within the Arar
branch of Cuban Santeria and Lukum, we see a clear example of the
above: 1). "Vodoun" (Fon-GBE) undermined by the local Creole
phonics as "Foldun" (used by the dahomedano Vodoun-Arar of
Matanzas). 2). "Vodoun Segboliss" (Fon -Gb) distorted and renamed
with the Cuban popular phonics, like "Foldun Levoris" (branch Arar
of Matanzas, Cuba) 3). Orisa Obatala (Yoruba) renamed by Lukum and
Arar when the subsequent merger as OBATA-Lissa or OBATALIS. This
example will observe very assimilated by diasporas in Cuba when a
Lukum priest who also absorbed ancestrality Vodoun Fon-Gbe named in
their ceremonies to divinity as "Obatala-Obataissa-Obatalisa",
indicating very clearly the presence of Vodoun "Lissa" in the
nickname imposed by the Cuban culture, or perhaps mistaking the
figure of Orisa Yoruba Obatala in its reform instituted after the
appearance of Orisa Yoruba ritualistic and subsequent reforms of
both ethnic groups: Dahomedana added to the Yoruba. To these
reforms were not indifferent ethnicities of Dahomey who came to
Brazil and then unified, and established another name for local
Portuguese phonetic divinity Orisa Obatala reforming it to the name
it bears today in their Candombls: "Oxala" name people who gave
divinity in this diaspora phonetic deformation talk of a title
Yoruba Orisa Obatala (Orishanla-Osanl). In Brazil the branch call
Dje-DJI or Jej (Dahomedano) in their matrices or more traditional
houses, did not change the name of Vodoun Lissa as it is called by
the branch of Ktou (Dahomedana) that due to mixing in the territory
of Benin with the kingdom of Oyo (Yoruba), brought other different
concepts and were denominated in their ethnicity as "Nagos -Anags"
to differentiate into Latin of the ethnic groups of Dahomey
(Dje-dj) although we can not forget that Ktou has a great ancestry
Dahomey and the Vodoun cult deities of this ethnic group was the
first thing they worshiped in West Africa, only with the conquest
of the Yoruba Ifa enthrone and adopt the Oyo. We will see many
Bokonon of F in the city of Ktou (Benin) but also see many
Babalawos of Ifa Yoruba. So then that divinity "AJAGUN" is adopted
as a "quality, road or title of" Orisa Obatala the Yoruba in
America by the Lukum ethnic groups in Cuba and Ktou Brazil and
absorbed the dahomedano directly, through its links with the Vodoun
Lissa the Vodoun-F (Fon-GBE) cosmogony, perhaps comparing this
divinity or drawing a parallel with the Orisa Obatala by their
similarity as lords and concepts for both cosmologies in West
Africa, and perhaps by the characteristics of "Ajagun" also very
similar to those which now has as an Orisa, and not as an old
Vodoun Dahomedano their true worship in Vodoun-F around Dahomey. As
it was easy acceptance or integration of both ethnicities
Dahomedana and Yoruba in America and we see the influence of Vodoun
Lissa in Cuba with the figure of Orisa Obatala, was also very easy
adoption of divinity or Vodoun AJAGUN. Now describe an
investigation into the translation of the name "AJAGUN-Ayaguna"
sometimes named in Latin as "Jagun" clearly very deformed by local
phonetic our continent, mainly Portuguese.
AJAGUN: Adja: ethnicity and indigenous people of Adja-Tado,
geographically located almost on the border with Benin in the
territory of Togo, and was conquered by Dahomey. Their dialect is
also called "Adja". The word "Adja" how literal part of the
composition or name of divinity "Ajagun" and only he was replaced a
single letter "D" with "J", which led to its current name
"Ajaguna". We also see that it was written by phonetic dialect,
keeping to the pronunciation of the name, as the letter "D" is
silent and then say: "Aha or Aiah". We will see that the
decomposition should be made to recognize an etymological root in
the word comparing it with concrete data and translatable into a
dialect, as the Fon GBE would then like this: AHA-gu-na. Clearly
see that all the word for Vodoun Ajaguna or "Adjguna" is literally
without own doubts Fon-Gbe dialect and not as was believed to be
the Yoruba and what he and the "adoption of this Vodoun as Orissa".
If we take the term "Adja" dialect Yoruba, its meaning would be
"dog" and an animal could not make sense of an "honorary" to a
deity is Vodoun namely Orissa, is so either could acquire meaning
through marriage the complete sentence: "Adja-goo-nothing". If we
make a parallel with the word "Adja" (dog) with the dialect of
Yoruba fon-GbE then you should say: tchoukou or AVN (which are the
two ways of saying "dog"). This fact seen here so striking and
speaks clearly describes the divinity "AJAGUN-Ayaguna-Jagun" does
not maintain a parallel with the dialect of Yoruba and discards the
association with the pantheon of Ifa-Orisa of Cuba (Lukum) or the
Diaspora Candombl in Brazil Ktou (Nago). If we do a literal
translation of the Yoruba ethnic group clearly see the differences
with the concept that in Yorubaland have in their cosmogony Ifa
Orisa: 1). "Ajagun": this name or Honorary Title in Yoruba
cosmology was the closest thing found in this dialect dictionaries
formal, adapting to the phonetic contained in the name of divinity,
meaning brings us "is a devotee of the Spirit of Iron (Orisa Ogun)
acting as a guard or soldier of that divinity ". 2).
"Ajagun-AJAGUNA-Jagun" we see clearly state the same divinity, only
local distortion removes particles to the phrase or name, but note
that the meaning given the Yoruba culture to this divinity is
opposite to what is stated in America within diasporas as it is an
Orisa that belongs to the family of Obatala and not of Orissa Ogun
as it is considered in Yorubaland matrix. Following the translation
of the name "Ajagun" the Fon-Gbe see the next word that joins the
phrase is "Goo" (Aha - "gu" -na), and only concerned also with the
Vodoun-F Culture of Dahomey: "Gu" translated into Fon-GbE has two
meanings depending on the conjunction that is formed in a sentence
dialect: 1) G: means "working" or "working". 2) G: Divinity Vodoun
called Gu, involved in the creation or cosmogony of Dahomey, and
appoints the "Spirit of Change" and all this will lead to the human
being and life on Earth, owner of metals . (See Chapter cosmogony).
No related to the cosmogony of the Yoruba therefore moves away from
possible "parallels" and lacks formal literal translation that
dialect. As we see the name of the deity "Ajagun" only detracts
from the translation of the word "Na" to acquire perfect meaning to
Fon-Gbe. NA: It's a divinity also Cosmogony Vodoun-F female and
belongs to the family of Vodoun Lissa (male), also related to
Vodoun Sakpata. Very important for Dahomedano as it is very old and
being a carrier of many important functions relevant to the Culture
of Fon-Gbe. This word for identifying a Vodoun-F divinity, no
literal translation Yoruba dialect also see that conserved in all
writing and phonetics of dahomedano dialect, and therefore leaves
no doubt by Cuban or Brazilian local deformation. In this thorough
and exhaustive investigation we can only interpret the forms of its
meaning, according to the ideal or practice of dahomedano in its
dialectical relation to that is a "Honorary Title of a Vodoun" part
of their cosmogony and also very recognized in its Geomancy of F
and their seniority within the Culture of Dahomey. If then combine
those three words and their meanings have: "Adja" more "Gu" more
"NA": 1). Adja: He came from the village Adja ... "Goo" working ...
"Na" to Vodoun nA. 2). ADJAGUN: "The Warrior (Adja) holding a
Vodoun NA". To give a more interpretive and according to the
conception of cosmogony Vodoun-F of Dahomey sense, this Vodoun
Male, belonging to the family of Vodoun Lissa serves to support the
divinity Lissa and also Vodoun Na is female and she belongs Lissa's
family. Therefore the closest interpretation according to the
literal translation would Fon-Gbe latter, and suppose was what
caused the "adoption" in Cuban and Brazilian diaspora of this
Vodoun "Ajagun" as a quality or divinity belonging to the Orissa
family Obatala, as already explained, merges or draws a parallel in
America with Lissa Vodoun of Dahomey. As we saw in this research,
the "adoption of one culture over another" led to think and believe
the priests of various diasporas, that this divinity and many more,
belonged to an ethnic group exclusively, sometimes changing the
system liturgy completely while preserving its name "full" very
"reformed" in the diasporas to the point of believing part of an
array that did not correspond to their culture or ethnicity from
where it was brought to America. We can discuss a lot about events
like this, and we investigated, we can refute with other research,
but we know that the "literal translation" to a dialect is always
unveil what was reformed or merged; there would be no greater proof
of the distortion caused by the "adoption" is the most reliable
test that we can always find researchers in these ethnic groups
when we were studying "oral traditions" dialectic thus becomes the
true proof of a thesis and leaves no room for error or supposition
opinion of inexperienced in these investigations. We priests
Bokonon / F, Babalawos / Ifa Babaloriss, Iyaloriss, Hounon,
Mamissis, Tata Nkissis; must assume responsibility for the
investigation as a new demonstration and teaching conducive to
education within our Religious Communities in America to promote
cultural exchange ethnicities with full respect they deserve each
as "Culture" in addition to its spiritual mystical component should
walk the road of scientific research and also religious ethics.
Mixtures, adoptions, mergers, local deformations in diasporas, only
provoked infighting among ethnic groups and their descendants, that
is why we promote the "rescue of each African matrix" for them in
America may have a more peaceful coexistence strictly based on the
defense of their cultural identities and promote the objective
"information" without fear of exposing what is often kept in the
deepest silence of misinformation. We can not keep away from
reality researchers and priests of these very rich cultural
manifestations, although rivalicemos probably in some exhibitions
of investigations carried out. Nor should continue saving
convenient silence to hide what ever we should respect for African
ancestralidades excusndonos in the manifestation of American local
cultures that "adopted" an African due to migration for slavery;
and continue thus generating more "adoptions" alienating these
ethnic groups from their parent of origin and therefore of its
rightful cultural heritage. We have seen in these mergers
indirectly what could be elicited in the internal structure of each
ethnic group and Cosmogony down to the geomantic; such "adoptions
then brought the testimony of the disappearance of philosophical
concepts of these cultures, losing the essence of the real origin
to be merged into another culture that believed identical, but the
fact that they had profound differences in their ancestral beliefs
are ignored and cultural, and we will see very clearly in the
Vodoun "Yew", and investigate why this Vodoun believed only in
America within Yoruba diaspora of Cuba and Brazil. Why also lost
much of its liturgy and concepts in worship as a divinity to the
end that no longer exist "Initiates or Priests" This Vodoun of
Dahomey, but if there is in the Ifa Corpus Creole Cuba in
apatakines Yoruba, and culta in general and other Orisa and
divinity Vodoun in diaspora in America.
Vodoun "Yew" Vodoun of Royalty Dahomedana Yoruba divinity or
related to Oya and Ob deities?
Our research indicates that first the name of this female
divinity Vodoun "Yew" was confused with divinity "Yew" of
Ifa-Yoruba cosmology, due to the assimilation of concepts of
cosmogony on the other, making this confusion it is planted in
America in its Cuban and Brazilian diaspora simply as a Yoruba
Orisa, and forget that also in Dahomey was this divinity, through
ignorance or because nothing was written about worship. A fact that
may be controversial or unknown to many priests of diasporas is
that "both Yoruba and Dahomedana Cosmogony" this deity has its own
sacred spaces and individual worship, only differing in liturgical
aspects and sometimes philosophical concepts, but we know each
ethnic group has its own culture and dialect, in addition to
concepts and visions of each cosmogony. In our research we talk
only correspond Vodoun Yew in form and typical divinity "Royalty
Dahomedana" (Fon-GBE), but for us it would not be objective as
researchers and priests of these ethnic groups speak only of one
ethnicity and hide what perhaps many have ignored the Orisa Yoruba
Yew of Cosmogony surely many believe this exhibition would seem
very interesting as we are so exciting research in this divinity as
"Vodoun" but also as "Orissa" in West Africa. We see through this
research that today is exposed to you in our work, in America this
fact was little known or completely unknown to the "adoption" of
one ethnic group over another, this caused surely disregard and not
taken as a theme or individual vision that involves both ethnic
cultures and origins. We saw also in the diasporas in Yoruba
ancestry (Lukum and Nag) were able to defend in America or rescue
Yew as lords of Ifa-Orisa, but not so with the dahomedanas
diasporas relegated their worship how Orisa only in their Vodounhou
(kWE-Brazil, Cuba or councils-Iles), forgetting that also Yew is a
Vodoun divinity in Dahomey, nor how the physical ritual as it is in
Africa was preserved; this fact in Dj-Dji (Brazil) and Arars
diasporas (Cuba) made virtually disappear this divinity in their
pantheons of Vodoun, also do not exist today priests of this
divinity Yew in their new cultures in America, but we must remember
that came to Cuba dahomedanas representatives of this Vodoun
priestess, and they are recorded in the history of Arars of
Matanzas. Currently no one knows the reason that led to this Vodoun
Yew and the Yoruba Orisa, lost liturgical representatives (priests
or Vodounssis) in America, and now in Dahomey is very exclusive
only to descendants of the royal line, especially for daughters
princesses del Rey as of old was always in this culture Fon-Gbe.
According to the investigation with great objectivity, highlights
the fact that we are probably talking about a new phenomenon of
ethnic groups in its parent in Africa that rarely give "sharing a
divinity" as Yew, by the "adoption" or merger also on African soil
in its origins; factors that could affect first instance were the
territorial conquests in the Slave Coast (West Africa), as is well
documented, and consists in the annals of great literature very
prominent researchers and historians. These historical facts that
ethnicity did suffer conquered adopting their culture for supremacy
of the conquering race, and certain deities today are a shared
heritage between the two ethnic groups (Dahomedana and Yoruba) and
forming part of their cultural and ancestral legacies to the
present . Continuing this research is that it becomes very obvious
consequence of the "adoptions" in America, and so continued as a
"custom that transculturaliz" further the already adopted that
comes from Africa (cultural matrix) and the
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VODOUN- ANCESTRO- DJOT FA DAHOMEY
"Dada miton l KPO do ayi koun Gban dji give my share or gni MPa
z miton, dagbo dagbo do miton z tin gives GBE min, y gni know you
see, what bo nou nou you Tagba you DJE DJE yi ma gni GbE or, nou
djin kon na yi ". "Our ancestors are in the land we live, our
parents, elders ancestors who do everything possible, I ask them to
be in the eternal calm, and do not let anything wrong approach the
way they drew us." Significance of ancestor in the "Culture
Vodoun-F" "The word" ANCESTOR "is generally used to refer to a
previous individual in our family, of whom it descended and is
already physically disappeared. Although the idea of 'ancestor'
usually makes us think of people belonging to our family of blood
or blood relatives, the group of relatives of many previous
generations and physically disappeared who founded our clan or
"family" may also be, our own parent or our own mother and acts as
our ancestor both genetic terms as in social and cultural terms.
This concept is perhaps gives us a clearer picture of what an
ancestor to a subsidiary level or hereditary blood relative "idea.
The ancestor can be either initiated the line of descent in which
we live we appear to Life, as well as the person directly above us
beings. The ancestor is someone who is from "before us", with which
we maintain genetic and social bond of indestructible union that
gave us their "culture, dialect, customs and their system of
beliefs". This is true at the individual level, but the ancestor
may also be the common ancestor of many families who are branching
time. Even up one can speak of a common ancestor for all mankind
and that is where the line of descent must turn to the beginning,
at which time the first hominids began to show differences with
monkeys, (according to known scientific theories). Thus we can
travel in time during the life line of Man and reach their first
ancestor, but has not yet been achieved despite multiple scientific
research, often giving approaches, or more hypotheses that
sometimes even seem very crazy, or extraterrenas for even the most
adventurous scientist beyond the formal structure of many authors
who only provided evidence for "further investigation", but it is
still a topic to discover or prove a scientific level everything
related to the first ancestors current man and also find out about
the early cultures of humanity where the most accurate of
contemporary man origin would find because, like many scientists
know the answers to these sources are contained in the cultures of
the oldest civilizations, and continuity "ANCESTRAL" followed by
the descendants, who They establish in Cosmogony of their
divinities the secrets of those "ORIGINS" legends of Creation, in
their geomantic, everything is written or transmitted "orally" from
generation to generation within these cosmological or mythological
systems, which continue to present this "Law of Ancestral
CONTINUITY" and also cultural. When we talk about ANCIENT CULTURES,
we are talking about the heritage that was the legacy of an earlier
civilization, which are often one and only "common origin". All
cultures today are descended from the most ancient cultures, we see
very clearly when in a culture, for example, in West Africa that
even under different names in their divinities saves and sets a
very defined cultures of Egypt for example nexus, but also with the
civilizations of the Middle East. The unique and transcendent
mythic characters able to "convey a Culture" in the history of
humanity, were the Ancestors, and maybe that's why this ethnic
respects and reveres or deifies the wisdom contained in a "DJOT or
Klouto" because they were the pillars of this recreation in a new
culture or territory conquered in the migration from the Middle
East to the current Dahomey. If we investigate systems or cultural
pantheons of deities see that consequently "DIVINITIES parallels"
are plotted Egyptian with Mesopotamian, Greek with Egyptian,
Mesopotamian Hindus with; and from there they will establish a
continuity or ANCESTRAL MEMORY, continuing their migration to the
current cultures of West Africa, where from Dahomedana, to maintain
Yorub "parallels" with them still in their geomantic systems; where
you even think was the Origin of "Fa-IFA-Afa". Although the
Dahomedana Culture was the only one saved "snakebite" features in
its main mythological representations of deities as "Vodoun DAN"
and the Yoruba humanized their pantheons and mythologies, was the
very picture of that culture, perhaps introducing differential
concepts your neighbors brothers, but not ruling out the possible
COMMON ORIGIN, that binds to the present. As we said, Dahomey
maintained the ancestral veneration "snakebite" characters, which
inevitably became more linked to the earliest civilizations that
also worshiped in their culture the same totemic representation in
their most sacred deities and Egypt maintained a "cultural
parallel" through their systems' beliefs and philosophy
"(worldviews) to concepts of Creation, noting in this regard the
figure of" God Mawu "or" GODDESS OF CREATION "what which relates
this dahomedana Culture with the cradle of civilization in
Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent. Perhaps this fact so
characteristic of our culture separates us from our brothers in
West Africa, ethnicity or culture Yoruba, who always venerated the
divine "EDUMAR-Olodumar" as the Supreme God (Male) from its
cosmogony and Geomancy, emparentndolo ancestrally to religions with
the most modern design in the historic line of "civilizations" that
were in his subsequent creation as Muslim, which also has in its
figure Male Religion as an essential feature that identifies it. As
we said, the "Man" through their cultures was preserving in their
belief systems vestiges of the old culture, where "down" and
clearly speaks of a long journey to where they are installed as
"new" Culture in a new physical territory, far from its
geographical start, but always based on the matrix conveyed
cultural heritage, and ORIGIN and culture. This speaks to the
importance of ANCESTOR is a common legacy for all "old"
civilizations and their ancestors and priests representing each
Worldview of divinities were transmitting the wisdom and knowledge
as a ANCESTRAL LEGACY, preserved by blood descendants and that is
established in each culture as well as a "SPIRITUAL HERITAGE" which
was in the "Ancestral Memory in culture" keeping pace with their
footprints in the timeline. A "Ancestor" then becomes the carrier
and transmitter of inherited culture, the cultural legacy that
identified them as a civilization, with rules, science, structures
and customs, and with all the wisdom they collected on the ground
in the they lived.
The cult of ancestor or "THE DJOT"
- "Klouto" Depending on your spiritual Hierarchy (Priest), a
'Djot "may be the bearer of an important mission to" Return "on
their ethnicity, not only involve factors of spiritual evolution
achieved in his earthly stage in "Life" or stay in their culture,
will be a main feature that transmit the bearer or "chosen" to
which he devoted to "spiritual heritage" as a worthy representative
of his clan, and it will stand on its li