Ile Maroia Laji
Encyclopedia
Ile Maroia Laji is one of the oldest Candomblé
temples in Salvador, Brazil, in the neighborhood of Matatu de Brotas. It was designated a National Heritage Site in 2005. The temple was influential in the promotion of Candomblé and in distancing the religion from Catholicism
under the leadership of High Priestess Olga de Alaketu
in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
, in present day Republic of Benin
. Otherwise the historical account tells us that surrounding areas of the Royal City of Ketu was raided by Dahomean
army only in 1789, when possibly they captured some royals who were sold to slave-traders. Ile Maroia Laji's tadidion corroborates this account, providing a succession of seven leaders to the temple since its foundation that hardly couldn't cover the claimed 350 years of its existence.
The temple's account tells that nine years old twin sisters princesses captured in Ketu by Dahomean army and were sold to slave-traders and sent to Salvador, Bahia. The twins belonged to the Aro or Ọja Aro Clan, and their namer were Otampe Oja-Aro (or Ojaro) and Gogorixá. They were miraculously freed when they just arrived in Salvador. Whenceforth they worked for nine years as food sellers and maidservants in order to buy a ticket to get back to their homeland. Otampe Ojaro, initiated to the orisha
Oxumarê
(the serpent-rainbow), back in Dahomey, married a cousin called Alaji, and gave birth to a daughter called Akobi-Odé. The family went to Salvador and achieved a farm in the neighborhood of Matatu de Brotas, where they made a shrine to orisha Oxossi
, the family's mythical ancestor. And named the shrine Ilé Ọmọ-Aro Alají (House of Alaji, son of Aro[Clan]), abbreviated as Ile Moroialaji or Maroialaji and nowadays recorded as Ile Maroia Laji. The shrine became a temple where Otampe Ojaro was the high-priestess.
The couple adopted Brazilian Portuguese names: Otampe Ojaro became Maria do Rosário Régis, Alaji was Porfírio Régis and Akobi-Odé was Maria Francisca Régis, their chosen family name, Régis, meaning "regal", "from the kings". After Otampe Ojaro death the leadeship passed to her daughter Akobi-Odé/Maria Francisca Régis. The later's last will is the oldest document preserved in the temple examined by the anthropologist Vivaldo da Costa Lima, and dates from 1867. Akobi-Odé left the high-priesthood to her grandson, José Gonçalo Régis (Babá Aboré), initiated to the orisha Oshala
. José's niece, Dionísia Francisca Régis (Obá Oindá), initiated to orisha Xangô
, succeeded him in in the late XIXth Century.
After a long period in the leadership, Mother Dionísia died in 1948, and left her grand-niece, Olga Francisca Régis (Oiá-funmi), a 23 years old young woman initiated to the orisha Oya-Iansan
, in the leadership of the temple. So then the temple, also known as Terreiro do Alaketu, reminding the leading family origins, gain national and international-wide notoriety, and the new high priestess, nicknamed Olga de Alaketu
, became an important figure in the Candomblé
, ruling over her temple and respective community with her strong personality over 57 years, passing away victimized by diabetes in 28 September 2005 just after the old temple's official recognization as National (Brazilian) Heritage by the Ministry of Culture. Mother Olga's successor is her eldest daughter, Jocelina Barbosa Bispo, Mother Jojó, initiated to Nanã Buruku
.
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
temples in Salvador, Brazil, in the neighborhood of Matatu de Brotas. It was designated a National Heritage Site in 2005. The temple was influential in the promotion of Candomblé and in distancing the religion from Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
under the leadership of High Priestess Olga de Alaketu
Olga de Alaketu
Olga de Alaketu or Mother Olga- was a prominent Candomblé high priestess, who was influential in promoting Candomblé and distancing it from Catholicism....
in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
History
The oral tradition maintained by the temple claims that the temple was founded in 1636 by a princess brought from the Yoruba Kingdom of KetuKetu (Benin)
Ketu is a historical location in present day Republic of Benin. It is one of the oldest capitals of the Yoruba speaking people, tracing its establishment to a settlement founded by a daughter of Oduduwa, also known as Odudua, Oòdua and Eleduwa...
, in present day Republic of Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. Otherwise the historical account tells us that surrounding areas of the Royal City of Ketu was raided by Dahomean
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
army only in 1789, when possibly they captured some royals who were sold to slave-traders. Ile Maroia Laji's tadidion corroborates this account, providing a succession of seven leaders to the temple since its foundation that hardly couldn't cover the claimed 350 years of its existence.
The temple's account tells that nine years old twin sisters princesses captured in Ketu by Dahomean army and were sold to slave-traders and sent to Salvador, Bahia. The twins belonged to the Aro or Ọja Aro Clan, and their namer were Otampe Oja-Aro (or Ojaro) and Gogorixá. They were miraculously freed when they just arrived in Salvador. Whenceforth they worked for nine years as food sellers and maidservants in order to buy a ticket to get back to their homeland. Otampe Ojaro, initiated to the orisha
Orisha
An Orisha is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system....
Oxumarê
Oxumaré
Candomblé is an Afro-American religion widely practised in Brazil. Òsùmàrè is the proper name of the rainbow-serpent of Candomblé mythology. The rainbow-serpent represents mobility and activity, and it controls the forces that direct movement. Osumare is the Lord of all elongated things. The...
(the serpent-rainbow), back in Dahomey, married a cousin called Alaji, and gave birth to a daughter called Akobi-Odé. The family went to Salvador and achieved a farm in the neighborhood of Matatu de Brotas, where they made a shrine to orisha Oxossi
Oxossi
Oxossi is both the Orisha of the forest and one of the three warrior orishas referred to as the "Ebora" in the Yoruba religion. He is a hunter, and his role as an often solitary figure in the wilderness lends him another role as a shaman...
, the family's mythical ancestor. And named the shrine Ilé Ọmọ-Aro Alají (House of Alaji, son of Aro[Clan]), abbreviated as Ile Moroialaji or Maroialaji and nowadays recorded as Ile Maroia Laji. The shrine became a temple where Otampe Ojaro was the high-priestess.
The couple adopted Brazilian Portuguese names: Otampe Ojaro became Maria do Rosário Régis, Alaji was Porfírio Régis and Akobi-Odé was Maria Francisca Régis, their chosen family name, Régis, meaning "regal", "from the kings". After Otampe Ojaro death the leadeship passed to her daughter Akobi-Odé/Maria Francisca Régis. The later's last will is the oldest document preserved in the temple examined by the anthropologist Vivaldo da Costa Lima, and dates from 1867. Akobi-Odé left the high-priesthood to her grandson, José Gonçalo Régis (Babá Aboré), initiated to the orisha Oshala
Obatala
In the religion of the Yoruba people, Obàtálá is the creator of human bodies, which were supposedly brought to life by Olorun's breath.Obàtálá is also the owner of all ori or heads. Any orisha may lay claim to an individual, but until that individual is initiated into the priesthood of that orisha,...
. José's niece, Dionísia Francisca Régis (Obá Oindá), initiated to orisha Xangô
Shango
In the Yorùbá religion, Sàngó is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder...
, succeeded him in in the late XIXth Century.
After a long period in the leadership, Mother Dionísia died in 1948, and left her grand-niece, Olga Francisca Régis (Oiá-funmi), a 23 years old young woman initiated to the orisha Oya-Iansan
Oya
In Yoruba mythology, Oya , is the Undergoddess of the Niger River. Oya has been syncretized in Santería with the Catholic images of the Virgin of Candelaria.-Aspects:...
, in the leadership of the temple. So then the temple, also known as Terreiro do Alaketu, reminding the leading family origins, gain national and international-wide notoriety, and the new high priestess, nicknamed Olga de Alaketu
Olga de Alaketu
Olga de Alaketu or Mother Olga- was a prominent Candomblé high priestess, who was influential in promoting Candomblé and distancing it from Catholicism....
, became an important figure in the Candomblé
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
, ruling over her temple and respective community with her strong personality over 57 years, passing away victimized by diabetes in 28 September 2005 just after the old temple's official recognization as National (Brazilian) Heritage by the Ministry of Culture. Mother Olga's successor is her eldest daughter, Jocelina Barbosa Bispo, Mother Jojó, initiated to Nanã Buruku
Nana Buluku
Nana Buluku is the Supreme Deity of the Fon from Dahomey.In Dahomey mythology, Nana Buluku is an androgynous deity creator of the Universe and all that exists in it...
.