It’s Halloween! Halloween has many different meanings for different people. For some, it’s just a holiday for children (and sometimes adults) to dress up and and have fun. For others, namely many Christians, it’s the devil’s birthday. Who in the world made this up? Oh, I know…people who desire to cut off all forms of [...]
Up until a few days ago, my ancestral shrine had been sorely neglected. No candles, no flowers, no rum, no new water for them…just no attention at all! Changes in my schedule and a lack of time management was the cause, added to the apprehension I had to every day that went by without intentionally acknowledging my egun…how disappointed and angry they must be! Even though I knew I needed to at least go and say thanks, I kept putting it off because I felt like they’d be pissed which, of course, just makes things worse.
I am currently writing my final paper for my graduate religion class and my topic of choice is the examination of the process of sacredness in the daily lives of Yoruba practitioners, looking closely at the body as site of the sacred and memory, as seen in ancestral worship, the gender and sexual fluidity that [...]
Last week I read a blog that really helped me to understand ancestral work. (Here’s the link if you want to check it out. It’s a great blog!) I am understanding that it is so much more than just lighting candles and living pretty bouquets of flowers; it is about investing time to develop a [...]
An essential function in African traditional religious belief is ancestral work. To African people, ancestors are a vital part of the community. The idea of working with ancestors was really difficult for me. When I was first introduced to African traditional religious beliefs, I was still very much entrenched in European ideas of spirituality. Though [...]
Share book reviews and ratings with Darasia , and even join a book club on Goodreads.
Subscribe to our RSS feed and social profiles to receive updates.
