Afrocuban Folkloric


Overview

⚠️ I would like everyone to be familiar enough with the genres we have played in class to be able to identify them from the audio. Please take note of the examples with descriptions below.

Genres we have discussed or played in class:

Videos with dancing Examples:

Rumba:
Ibellis Junior (rumba guaguanco)

Yambu, dancing starts near 6'30"
Yambu with dancing

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Congo Yambumba, autor: Jesús Alfonso Miró

Columbia Dancing


Giovanni in el callejon de hamel: (columbia first then → rumba dancing later)


Abakwa


Chango (Yoruba Bata)


Yemaya (Yoruba Bata)

Bembe Elegua (Yoruba Bembe)

Comparison of a Bata Tambour Fundamento and Cajon Pa Los Muertos


Details of a tambour from a drummer’s perspective:


preparations

Many people must be hired to work on the day:


at the ceremony

The Close


Cajon De Los Muertos

to avoid repeating details that are the same as above, I will only write here about what is different from a Bata Tambour

⚠️ Rhythmic Categories


Please be familiar with these categories. Consider the concept of “repertories” introduced in the first chapter

⚠️Types of Calls and response interaction


⚠️ Manley Piri Lopez Instagram Video transcription

A deep dive into a particular video posted to instagram. This is presented for the following reasons:

Manley Piri Lopez Instagram Video transcription

⚠️Syncretization

⚠️What is Syncretization?
attempt to amalgamate or reconcile (differing things, especially religious beliefs, cultural elements, or schools of thought).

An example of syncretization: Rumba+Abakwa (Protesta Carabali)
Yoruba Andabo Demo 1992- Protesta Carabalí

Agayu video example:
Agayu (start about 3’45”minutes into it)

sororo, elekwe mi sororo, agayu

Okere lapi di lapi, okere lapi di lapi (x2)
Okere awa an soro, okere lapi di lapi

Okere ida wo oban bi lo kwama

tele mina iyode, tele mina iyode

sororo, elekwe mi sororo, agayu

A: made se sale, hebioso made se sale po lowo
C: Enigue enigue ero, made se sale po, enigue enigue ero

A: Ede miya anda, miya doke
C: Eyan doke

Inse loku osu o, inse mi baba e
Inse loku osu o, inse mi baba e
Hebioso ni so dade, lowo lade ni so dade
Inse amana ma,
→
A: amana, sobo ya timbo danko
inse amana ma

⚠️“Okan para Oshun” (heart/soul for oshun)

This is presented for the following reasons:

Song Sequence Example
“Okan para Oshun” by Abbilona

⚠️ On the linked PDF, there are some descriptions of the change in events that are occurring.
OkanParaOchun.pdf (pdf opens in new window)

Some moments that were highlighted in class:

CONCLUSIONS:
 ⚠️ Everyone is working to build tension over time using various methods such as delaying an expected change, or otherwise subverting expectations based on what is considered to be the normal chain of events in this music. Building tension in this way leads to a greater release when the more energetic songs that are sung over ñongo and chachalokufun arrive.
In this genre, there are rules you can bend, and rules that you may not bend. Bending rules allows for the building of musical tension which is better from a functional standpoint. It has been said by many masters of this tradition that when the people are happy, the orishas can see this and they will bestow blessings. So it is fitting that the musicians bend rules to increase the joy of the ceremony.

Methods of building tension:

A great video about the roots of cuban music: Roots of Rhythm: Part 1 of 3

Who is Harry Belafonte?

throne images

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Aggayú (also spelled Aganyu, Agganju, Argayú or Agayu Sola) is the orisha of volcanos. He is also the ferryman that helps people cross the river, and some lineages say Aggayú is the orisha of deserts. There is some confusion around whether Aggayú is the father or the younger brother of Changó, but in the Santería Church of the Orishas we regard him as Chango’s father. Aggayú is very much a protective father orisha who supports and lends strength to a person’s life, and is considered the cane or “support” of a person’s ocha. He has a bellicose temperament and is known for losing his head in heated moments. (Changó shares this quality especially when he was younger). Aggayú and Chango are considered inseparable in many ways and it is interesting to note that Olorishas who are crowned Shango receive Aggayú at their Kariocha ceremony. Aganyú wields a unique double axe with an anchor-like handle as his tool. He teaches us the importance of being strong, steady and level-headed in life, and he supports us through trials and tribulations.

Number: 9
Sacred Place in Nature: the volcano, the river’s edge or the desert
Colors: brown and 9 different colors (no black)
Tools: double headed axe with anchor-like hook on the handle
Temperament: bellicose, moody
Syncretized Catholic Saint: Saint Christopher
Aggayú’s Caminos (Avatars or “Roads”) Aggayu is singular in nature and has no roads or avatars.

Offerings for Aggayú:
Aggayu has a healthy appetite and enjoys rich food. He loves dry white wine, cornmeal porridge with okra, bananas, mangos, he goat, rooster, pigeons, and guinea hen. All offerings for Aggayu should be marked through diloggún divination for best results.
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Eleggua (also spelled Elegua, Elewa, Elegba or Legba) is the most important of the orishas in Santeria. Elegua was the first orisha created by Olodumare and he existed prior to and witnessed creation unfold. He is the key to any of our religious practices, for without Elegua’s blessings nothing can proceed, transpire nor succeed in the world. Eleggua is the owner of all roads, crossroads, and doors. He is the power that allows all of the ache in the universe to move from point A to point B. Elegba allows our prayers to reach the orishas. Elegba allows ache to flow in ebó so that our fate may be changed. He facilitates divination (diloggun, obi, okuele or any other form of divination) by communicating to and for the other orishas, and to Olodumare herself.

Number: 3 and 21
A typical eleke for Eleggua consists of red and black beads
Sacred Place in Nature:wild places, the crossroads, truthfully Eleggua lives everywhere (including the river, the ocean, the mountain top, and everywhere else)
Colors: Red and black
Tools: a hooked stick called a garabato
Temperament: Inquisitive, curious, talkative
Syncretized Catholic Saint: Saint Anthony, Saint Martin of Porres, The Holy Child of Atocha

Eleggua’s Caminos (Avatars or “Roads”)
Eleggua is said to have 101 different caminos or “roads”. Each road has a slightly different temperament and is found in a different place in nature. All roads of Eleggua are called “Eshu”. Here is but a sampling of his caminos.

Eshu Laroye – the talkative one
Eshu Alawana – the one who roams alone in the wild
Eshu Aye – the one who lives at the edge of the river and in the sea
Eshu Olona – the owner of the road
Eshu Afrá – the companion of Babalú Ayé who gathers the bodies of the dead

Offerings for Eleggua
Eleggua will eat just about anything, except pigeon. The younger, child-like roads of Eleggua are typically offered wrapped candies and toys, while the older roads might enjoy hard candies, toasted corn or popcorn. Eleggua enjoys goat, rooster and bushrat, as well as smoked fish.
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Obatalá (also spells Obbatala or Obatala) is the eldest of the orishas in Santeria and king of the religion in orun (heaven). He is also the father of many of the orishas and as such is given great respect and deference by the other orishas in matters of great importance. He also acts as the “referee” or judge when the orishas have quarrels, working to restore and preserve peace at all times. To reflect his place of importance in the Lukumí pantheon, Obatala’s shrine is always placed higher than any other orisha in the home. Obatala is the owner of all heads, because it is said that he molded the bodies of humans before Olodumare breathed life into them. As such, Obatala protects all people, and acts as a guardian for those who do not yet know who their guardian orisha is.
Obatala encourages us to be patient and to handle matters with calm and reason. His ashé (power) is perfectly embodied within his favorite color: white. He is always dressed in white and all of his offerings are white to reflect his spiritual purity and the coolness of his energy. White is our most sacred color in Santeria because it represents Obatala. When olorishas attend ceremonies we wear white clothing as holy vestments and to surround ourselves with Obatala’s protective energy. Iyawos (new initiates) in Santeria have to wear white clothing from head-to-toe for a year for the same reason: as a symbol of purity and as an energetic protection against osogbo. Obatala along with Oshun, Yemaya and Changó is one of the four pillar orishas that every olorisha receives at his kariocha initiation. Obatala is unique in that half of his roads are female and half are male. In that sense Obatala transcends gender, further demonstrating his ability to act impartially in orun (heaven) and with the orishas. If there is ever a debate about who a person’s guardian orisha is, they can safely be initiated with Obatala as he is the owner of all heads. Obatala is often depicted as elderly, with a full head of white hair, dressed in white robes.

Number: 8
Sacred Place in Nature: hills, mountains or high places
Color: White
Tools: A horsetail fly-whisk (some roads use a sword or cane)
Temperament: Calm, reasonable, quiet (some roads, like Ayáguna are youthful and fiery)
Syncretized Catholic Saint: Our Lady of Mercy or Jesus Christ

Obatalá’s Caminos (Avatars or “Roads”)
The name “Obatala” is actually a title of honor that means “King of the White Cloth (or caul)”, and there are many orishas that are called “obatala”. These various orishas are the roads of avatars of Obatala within Santeria. Here is a sample of Obatala’s roads:
Ayaguna – a male, fiery-tempered, warrior Obatala, who rides a horse and fights with a sword. He is said to resemble Chango’s behavior in many ways Oba Moro – a male road of Obatala that is very old and requires quiet in the home. He doesn’t like being bothered or disturbed. Obanlá – a vibrant, young, female Obatala that was wed to Ayaguna. She fights with a scimitar better than any other Obatala. Ochalufón – an, old, wise, male Obatala who works at the right hand of Olofi. He taught mankind how to speak and the arts of the tongue. Oshanlá – an old, female road of Obatala who was married to Oshagiyán. She likes to knit and sew in her rocking chair all day long. Oshagiyán – also called Ochagriñán, this is an old, male road of Obatala who walks with a staff or two crutches, he is the father of Orunla. Babá Achó – a young, male road of Obatala who gifted mankind with the seeds of the cotton plant, and the secrets of creating cotton cloth. His shrine is usually covered with different white cloths for this reason.

Offerings for Obatalá

Obatala eats a rather bland and restricted diet. He doesn’t like spicy foods, and salt is taboo for him. His offerings are always white or light in color. Obatala enjoys eating rice, eggs, coconut, cocoa butter, white yams, ñame and meringues. Obatala’s animal sacrifices include she-goat, hens, doves, and guinea hen. All of his animals for sacrifice must be white in color.
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Oshun (also spelled Ochún, Oṣun or Oxum) is the youngest of the orishas and probably the most popular in Santeria. She was the last orisha born in the world out of Olodumare’s love for creation. She is the orisha of love, beauty, femininity and sensuality which leads many people to compare her to Venus or Aphrodite. Such a comparison is short-sighted, however, for Oshun is vast and powerful; she is actually the full breadth of womanhood. From the young, enthusiastic coquette that flirts with boys to the old matriarch that sits in a rocking chair, hard-of-hearing, reminiscing of her youth, Oshun contains every woman’s story within her patakis. She makes her residence in the rivers of the world. Hers is the power of sweetness in life, and all of the things that make life worth living.

Number: 5
Most Oshun elekes are made with honey colored beads and/or yellow beads. This eleke for Ibú Asedán contains lots of coral as well as red and green beads.
Sacred Place in Nature: the river
Colors: gold, yellow, amber, coral (some roads of Oshun do not like yellow for it reminds her of when she was poor)
Tools: oars, brass bracelets, a fan, mirrors
Temperament: flirtatious, sensual and loving – or – serious, stern and bitter
Syncretized Catholic Saint: Our Lady of Charity of Cobre

Oshun’s Caminos (Avatars or “Roads”)
Oshún has many caminos (roads) or avatars. Each road has a slightly different temperament and particularities. All roads of Oshun are called “Ibu” meaning “pool of water” or “spring. Here is but a sampling of her caminos.

Ibú Ikolé – the mother of witches, a powerful sorceress, the vulture is sacred to her (she sacrificed her beauty to save humanity)
Ibú Añá – a poor road of Oshun who was so destitute and lonely that the sacred Añá drums were her only friend. She danced before Añá to forget her troubles in life
Ibú Ololodí – a wealthy road of Oshun, married to Orunmila, who mastered the 16 major odus of diloggún divination by observing her husband’s divination sessions. All of her tools and implements are doubled
Ibú Asedán – the owner of the needle, she is a powerful huntress and enjoys inflicting pain on her prey
Ibú Akuaro (Akparo) – a destitute, poor road of Oshun that lives where the river and sea meet. The quail is sacred to her

Offerings for Oshun
Oshun’s has a taste for sweet things, and she prefers refined treats like honey, pastries or cakes. Some followers of Santeria offer her champagne or sparkling wine. Oshun eats castrated goat, hens, pigeons and guinea hen. On rare occasion she enjoys eating pheasants. All offerings for Oshun should be marked through diloggun divination for best results.
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Oyá (also Ollá, Yansa or Yansán) is a fierce and powerful female warrior orisha in Santeria. She is the owner of the marketplace, and keeps the gates of the cemetery. She is the force of change in nature and in life. She wields lightning and rides the winds into battle, often fighting with her machetes side-by-side with her favorite lover, Changó. Oyá raises the armies of the dead as her soldiers and is said to use the tornado as her weapon. Oyá’s aché is fierce, tumultuous, changing and protective. Contrary to what many assume, Oyá does not live in the cemetery. She lives in the marketplace and steers the changing fortunes made through business. She does own the cemetery gates and will escort the spirits of the dead to the threshold of the graveyard, but it is actually Obba and Yewá who live in the cemetery itself. Oyá is said to control the air and winds in nature, and often rides storms into battle against her enemies.
Oya is a complex orisha who has endured much sadness in her life. She is known as the “mother of nine” for she gave birth to nine different stillborn children. She carries much sadness about her incapacity to give birth and she dresses with nine different colored scarves around her waist in memory of her lost children. When Oshún ejected her twins, the Ibeji, out of her house it was Oyá who took in the Ibeji and raised them as her own. (Some lineages say it was Yemaya who raised the Ibeji.)
Oyá has a close relationship with several orishas including Oshun, Ogun and Changó. In the odu Oshe Meji (5-5), Oshun’s life was fading away due to mankind’s preoccupation with life issues, and negligence of her worship. It was Oya who insisted that Chango divine with the diloggún for the first time to mark ebó (sacrifice) to save Oshun’s life; forever bonding the two in friendship. Oyá was once married to Ogun, and it was he who forged her favorite weapon – the machete. Oyá left Ogun and became one of Chango’s lovers. It was only Oyá who could truly keep Chango in his place. She stole Chango’s secret of throwing lightning, and knew how to use Chango’s fear of the dead to keep him under control.

There is also a great misunderstanding about the relationship between Oyá and Yemaya. These two orishas do not have enmity between them. This is a misunderstanding perpetuated by author Migene Gonzalez-Whippler that Yemaya supposedly tricked Oya into exchanging the sea for the cemetery. This pataki is not found anywhere in odu – it is a folk tale not based in our religion and originates from a lack of understanding in ceremony.

There is actually a ceremonial reason why Oya and Yemaya (Chango, and Inle too, for that matter) cannot be in the same room when Oya is being consecrated. This story is captured in the diloggún odu Ogbe’sa (8-9). Oya was betrayed by the ram. It was once her best friend and then tried to betray her to collect the bounty that was out on Oya’s head. When his treason was uncovered, Olofi demanded that the ram be killed. Oya cannot stand the sight of the ram because of his betrayal, but at the same time she cannot bear to see him being killed because she still cares for him. Ram is the favorite food of Chango and Yemaya (and Inle too). These orishas bear the scent of ram. So when Chango or Yemaya (or Inle) are being consecrated, Oya’s items must be out of the sacred room (Igbodú). Similarly if Oya is being consecrated, Chango and Yemaya (or Inle) cannot be anywhere near her items. This is strictly because of the ram’s betrayal and has nothing to do with personal issues.

Not all Olorishas receive Oyá at their kariocha initiation. Children of Chango, Yemaya and Inle do not receive this orisha when they are being crowned, but they can receive her at a later time if divination marks it as necessary.
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Yemayá (also spelled Yemoja, Iemoja, or Yemaya) is one of the most powerful orishas in Santeria. She is the mother of all living things, rules over motherhood and owns all the waters of the Earth. She gave birth to the stars, the moon, the sun and most of the orishas. Yemaya makes her residence in life-giving portion of the ocean (although some of her roads can be found in lagoons or lakes in the forest). Yemaya’s aché is nurturing, protective and fruitful. Yemaya is just as much a loving mother orisha as she is a fierce warrior that kills anyone who threatens her children.

Yemaya can be found in all the waters of the world, and because of this she has many aspects of “caminos” (roads), each reflecting the nature of different bodies of water. She, like Oshún, carries all of the experiences of womanhood within her caminos. Contrary to popular belief she is not just a loving mother. Some of Yemaya’s caminos are fierce warriors who fight with sabers or machetes and bathe in the blood of fallen enemies. Other roads are masterful diviners that have been through marriage, divorce and back again. Some roads of Yemaya have been rape survivors, while other roads betrayed her sisters out of jealousy and spite. No matter what camino of Yemaya, all are powerful female orishas and fiercely protective mothers.

Number: 7
Sacred Place in Nature: the ocean, lagoons and lakes
Colors: blue and clear
Tools: oars, boat steering wheel, anchor, life preserver, machete (for Ibú Ogunte), a scimitar (for Ibú Okoto)
Temperament: Nurturing, loving, direct, frank
Syncretized Catholic Saint: The Virgin of Regla

Yemaya’s Caminos (Avatars or “Roads”)
Yemaya has many caminos or “roads”. Each road has a slightly different temperament and is found in a different place in nature. All roads of Yemaya are called “Ibú” and each takes a slightly different shade of blue in her eleke. Here is but a sampling of her caminos.

Ibú Asesú – this road of Yemaya is born in the odu Odí Meji (7-7). She lives in the sea foam where the waves crash on the shore. She is said to be forgetful and slow to answer her children’s prayers. Her color is sky blue.
Ibú Achabá – this road of Yemaya was the wife of Orunmila. She is a mighty diviner that learned how to read the composite odu by watching her husband when he divined. Her color is turquoise or medium blue.

Offerings for Yemaya
Yemaya enjoys rich and delicious foods, many of which she shares with Changó. Yemaya enjoys rooster, ram, and guinea hen.

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