Macumba
Encyclopedia
Macumba is a word of African (Bantu
) origins. Various explanations of its meaning include "a musical instrument", the name of a Central African deity, and simply "magic". It was the name used for all Bantu religious practices mainly in Bahia Afro-Brazilian
in the 19th Century. Later (20th century) these practices re-aligned themselves into what are now called Umbanda
, Quimbanda
and Omoloko. "Macumba" became common in some parts of Brazil
and this word is used by most people as a pejorative word meaning "black witchcraft".
The word "macumba" is frequently used in Brazil to refer to any ritual or religion of Africa
n origin (as slang
), and although its use by non-practitioners remains largely pejorative in intent (referring to all sorts of religious (or otherwise) superstitions and luck
-related rituals and beliefs), and is considered offensive, its use among actual practitioners is not viewed negatively. In Brazil one can find expressions such as "chuta que é macumba!" ("kick it, it is witchcraft!") to show disagreement with bad luck.
(the fresh-water porpoise
found in the Amazonas River and its tributaries) having shape-shifting abilities and then while in the form of a human male having sexual relations with young women. This belief was noted in several Indian villages along the Amazonas (Solimões) River, Rio Negro and Japurá River.
As an example of how Macumba functions, if a person desires to receive money, he/she visits a person or a shop specializing in Macumba. After paying a sum to the specialist, the person is then given a certain herb gathered in the jungle and is told to put the herb in bathwater and told to bathe in it daily for seven days. The person utilizing the herb is then supposed to receive money thereafter. In Brazil it appears that male adepts often are involved in the dispensing of Macumba knowledge/spells/materials.
In other states, Macumba stands as a strand of an Afro-Brazilian religion called Umbanda
.
Macumba is considered an underground religion in Brazil but it is secretly practiced all over the world where there are Brazilian communities. Many Brazilians continue to practice their traditional religions (Christianity, Judaism, etc) but also practice Macumba secretly, usually at night or the weekends. The spiritual leader of a Macumba center is usually a black woman wearing an all-white garment smoking a corn pipe. During the consultation, she speaks to the spirits in a proprietary language and dances to the spirits in a volatile manner. If you have specific requests for the Macumbera (spiritual leader), such as seeking financial gains, spying on spouses, future predictions, etc., you pay her a fee and she will give you tasks to complete in order to fulfill the requests. Some of these tasks are: killing a chicken so that the Macumbera can drink its blood, buying large amounts of candy and leaving it on the side of the road for the spirits to consume — there are many others. People also use Macumba to inflict harm, financial failure, death, etc. on former spouses, friends, family members, etc. One request that a spiritual leader will ask of you if you want to inflict harm on a person is to bring a picture of that person to the center. This is one reason, culturally practiced throughout Brazil, why Brazilians do not like to give pictures of themselves to people that they don't know very well. This is why Macumba is not something you talk about publicly in Brazil or in Brazilian communities throughout the world.
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
) origins. Various explanations of its meaning include "a musical instrument", the name of a Central African deity, and simply "magic". It was the name used for all Bantu religious practices mainly in Bahia Afro-Brazilian
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
in the 19th Century. Later (20th century) these practices re-aligned themselves into what are now called Umbanda
Umbanda
Umbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with Catholicism, Spiritism and Kardecism, and considerable indigenous lore....
, Quimbanda
Quimbanda
Quimbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion practiced primarily in the urban city centers of Brazil. Quimbanda practices are typically associated with magic, rituals involving animal sacrifice and marginal locations, orishas, exus, and pomba gira spirits. Quimbanda was originally contained under the...
and Omoloko. "Macumba" became common in some parts of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and this word is used by most people as a pejorative word meaning "black witchcraft".
The word "macumba" is frequently used in Brazil to refer to any ritual or religion of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n origin (as slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
), and although its use by non-practitioners remains largely pejorative in intent (referring to all sorts of religious (or otherwise) superstitions and luck
Luck
Luck or fortuity is good fortune which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. There are at least two senses people usually mean when they use the term, the prescriptive sense and the descriptive sense...
-related rituals and beliefs), and is considered offensive, its use among actual practitioners is not viewed negatively. In Brazil one can find expressions such as "chuta que é macumba!" ("kick it, it is witchcraft!") to show disagreement with bad luck.
In Brazil
As referenced earlier, Macumba is practiced in Brazil. One symbol of Macumba in Amazonas is that of a black man wearing a white Fedora (a depiction of Exu, lord of the crossroads. There appears to be a relationship with the concept of the BotoBoto
The Amazon river dolphin, alternatively Bufeo, Bufeo Colorado, Boto Cor de Rosa, Boutu, Nay, Tonina, or Pink Dolphin , is a freshwater river dolphin endemic to the Orinoco, Amazon and Araguaia/Tocantins River systems of Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela...
(the fresh-water porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" has been used to refer to any small dolphin, especially by sailors and fishermen...
found in the Amazonas River and its tributaries) having shape-shifting abilities and then while in the form of a human male having sexual relations with young women. This belief was noted in several Indian villages along the Amazonas (Solimões) River, Rio Negro and Japurá River.
As an example of how Macumba functions, if a person desires to receive money, he/she visits a person or a shop specializing in Macumba. After paying a sum to the specialist, the person is then given a certain herb gathered in the jungle and is told to put the herb in bathwater and told to bathe in it daily for seven days. The person utilizing the herb is then supposed to receive money thereafter. In Brazil it appears that male adepts often are involved in the dispensing of Macumba knowledge/spells/materials.
In other states, Macumba stands as a strand of an Afro-Brazilian religion called Umbanda
Umbanda
Umbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with Catholicism, Spiritism and Kardecism, and considerable indigenous lore....
.
Macumba is considered an underground religion in Brazil but it is secretly practiced all over the world where there are Brazilian communities. Many Brazilians continue to practice their traditional religions (Christianity, Judaism, etc) but also practice Macumba secretly, usually at night or the weekends. The spiritual leader of a Macumba center is usually a black woman wearing an all-white garment smoking a corn pipe. During the consultation, she speaks to the spirits in a proprietary language and dances to the spirits in a volatile manner. If you have specific requests for the Macumbera (spiritual leader), such as seeking financial gains, spying on spouses, future predictions, etc., you pay her a fee and she will give you tasks to complete in order to fulfill the requests. Some of these tasks are: killing a chicken so that the Macumbera can drink its blood, buying large amounts of candy and leaving it on the side of the road for the spirits to consume — there are many others. People also use Macumba to inflict harm, financial failure, death, etc. on former spouses, friends, family members, etc. One request that a spiritual leader will ask of you if you want to inflict harm on a person is to bring a picture of that person to the center. This is one reason, culturally practiced throughout Brazil, why Brazilians do not like to give pictures of themselves to people that they don't know very well. This is why Macumba is not something you talk about publicly in Brazil or in Brazilian communities throughout the world.
External links
- Macumba music Webcast explores the influence of African culture on Brazilian music
- Adriana Berlinski is actual medium of Caboclo das 7 Encruzilhadas - Umbanda's Creator
- - GRUEL - Grupo Umbanda é Luz
- - Nzo Quimbanda Exu Ventania English speaking Macumba Temple