Divine Royalty and Slavery in the Afro-Atlantic Religions

Divine Royalty and Slavery in the Afro-Atlantic Religions

Yoruba Royal Crown, from internet.

Yoruba Royal Crown, D50

Yoruba Royal Flywhisk (Nigeria). Royal authorities all over sub-Saharan Africa carry flywhisks. Note the glass-bead design on handle. Beaded accoutrements were also, historically, prerogatives of Yoruba royalty, D58.

Doll representing Iansã manifest in her possession priestess (Brazilian Candomblé). Note the European-style beaded veil, C30.

Oxum Manifest in Her Possession Priestess, São Paulo, Brazil, 1992, from internet.

Outfit of Yemayá Initiate (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B303.

Outfit of Ochún Initiate (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B304.

Santero Adult’s Initiation Outfit (Ropa de Gala) for Changó, B302.

Crown for Elegguá (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B51.

Crown for Altar of Oyá (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B067.

Crown for Altar of Yemayá (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B073.

Crown for Altar of Yemayá (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B041.

Crown for Altar of Yemayá (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B313.

Flywhisk (Rabo) for Yemayá (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B018.

Divine Slaves

“Children Are Our Clothing in this Life” Good cloth will I buy for my child. A good piece of clothing will I buy for my child. A good head-tie will I buy for my child. A good hat will I buy for my child. If I own twenty slaves, If I command thirty pawns.1 The day that we die, I really mean it, Aren’t children the ones that we leave behind to look after the house? Father above, let my children Look after the house for me, Because children are the clothing of life. Children are clothing. Children are the clothing of life. Children are clothing. 1 In late-precolonial and early colonial Yorubaland, iwọfa, or “pawns,” were usually minor relatives of a debtor lent to labor for the creditor in order to pay off the debtor’s debt.

Bottles of rum used in or inspired by the worship of the Afro-Atlantic gods: Barbancourt from Haiti; 51 and Pitu (with and acute accent over the u); Santero from Cuba; and Shango, a Canadian cordial containing Trinidadian rum and inspired by the eponymous Yoruba Atlantic religion of Trinidad.

Fon Bociᴐ, or “Empowered Object” (Benin Republic). The removal of the plug in his neck apparently releases him to act on behalf of his owner, J23.

A Wanga (Haiti). It contains the spirit of a dead person. From the collection of Professor Elizabeth McAlister and published with her permission.

Preta Velha, or “Old Black Woman” (Brazilian Umbanda), C41.

A Congo Spirit (Caribbean Espiritismo), H006.

A Ño and a Ña (Caribbean Espiritismo), H002.

A Prenda Altar (Cuban Palo Mayombe).  From Robert Farris Thompson, Face of the Gods, 1993, p.299.  Photo by C. Daniel Dawson, 1993.

Ceramic Cauldron altar for the God Siete Rayo - (2373)

A “Capturing Necklace” in Honor of the Ochosi, the Lord of the Hunt (Cuban Santería/Ocha), B227.
←
→
►



Click to Watch Tour