The World of Eshú and Pomba Gira - страница 2

Eshu is part of the tradition of the Afro-Brazilian cults, an ancient religion transmitted by mouth of word. These cults finally divided into:

– Umbanda

– Quimbanda

Eshu is in both.

I will explain the differences between Quimbanda and Umbanda in another chapter.

The origin of Quimbanda dates back to the19th century with ancient Macumba, a mixture of cults from Angola, Congo and Candomblé-de-caboclo. Years later, Macumba included Kardecist Spiritism and Occultism and became sorcery: this was then called Umbanda, while ancient Macumba was called Quimbanda.

These African cults underwent many changes and to make a review of all of them would be too long. Therefore, I will only explain the most relevant and strongest cults.

I will summarise these in 7 periods:

1- There were two main cults: the indigenous cults before the discovery of Brazil (indigenous religions and those of the Amazonian tribes) and the Portuguese European cults that arrived to Brazil, i.e., popular Catholicism and Kardecism. The mixture of both lead to Pajelanza.

2- The Afro-Brazilian cults from the North were called Candomblé and those from the South Batuques.

The Portuguese used these words to describe black people’s reunions. The government allowed these meetings to keep them busy and so that they would cause no problems. During the 19th century they divided into Sudanese and Bantu. The Sudanese integrated by the Angolan gave origin to the Menina.

3- Nagôs prevailed over the others: their Orishas, language and rituals reached very far. Together with Pajelanza they originated Candomblé-de-Caboclo in Bahia.

The combination of Angola Congo and Pajelanza gave rise to the Catimbó in the Northwest and in the North.

4- Nagôs are Muzurumlin, the Angola Congo and the Candomblé-de-Caboclo gave rise to the ancient Macumba, which later became sorcery.

5- Ancient Macumba together with Catholicism, Occultism and the Kardecist Spirit gave rise to a new religion: Umbanda.

Ancient Macumba transformed into a cult to Eshu and Quimbanda arose in Rio de Janeiro.

6- The cult to Eshu evolved and adapted different ceremonies and rituals from Candomblé, Batuque and Quimbanda.

7- In Brazil there are currently two types of Umbanda, the one from Angola combined with Candomblé: Omolocô, and the one from the South that approaches Batuque and is the crossed Umbanda.