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OmoOduduwa
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Name: Princess
Country: Benin
Metro: Cotonou
Gender: Female
Interests: Reading, Ole school music, dancing, Lively debates
Expertise: Yoruba Priestess. Spiritual healer and diviner. Ancestor veneration. Ritual worker, motivational speaker, workshop facilitator for black women.
Occupation: Education/training
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
10/17/2002
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To the
Creator!
To the
Witness!
To The
Messenger!
Mo Juba!
Greetings all!
I am sorry I have not had much time to peek my head in here to bring you as
much spiritual guidance as I would have liked to. However, as you can imagine,
my plate is quite full these days. But I
have never forgotten you.
There are other "Orisha Lists" that you can join. However we never
wanted “just” an Orisha list serve; we wanted a teaching forum where everyone who
practiced an ATR was welcome to join.
That has now happened. We now
have a social networking community, where you can set up pages such as you can
on MySpace, chat, learn make friends, all whose interests are the same as your
own.
Many of you are here to learn the ways of
Orisa and Ifa. Some of you have no clear idea of this culture. We are here to
help you formulate your own ideas as to how Ifa, Orisa and your Ancestors can
help you enhance the quality of your life. We will help you to learn Afrikan
culture that has been stripped from you as a result or your
ancestor's enslavement.
Remember you are all free to speak here and on all of our forums. No one will
be attacked for their cultural NATIONALIST viewpoints. Our goal is to assist
you in learning about Ifa, Orisa and the ancestors without the colonizer's
influence. This
new community is also pro-black, pro Afrikan and pro-procreation and there is
no
discussion of anything otherwise. There are other lists for that. I have my
own ETA or marching orders which I must follow and this community is born out
of
that. I pray that you all get what you need here in this universal Ile.
Now being nationalists, there is no way we can go forward in the veneration of
Orisa, Ifa, or (Ancestors) without
touching on slavery or Afrikan
colonization from time to time. Ancestor veneration is the foundation of Afrikan
Tradition Religions. Ancestors can bless you, for they have a vested
interest in your very survival and the survival of your lineage. We shall
see that later. Or, they can stop it all! For anyone to not recognize the
Afrikans role in Afrikan traditional Religion is foolish and cannot be of
Ifa, Orisa or the Ancestors in my reality, all of whom are BLACK.
I am not speaking of racism. I am not speaking of hating anyone. I am
speaking of loving ourselves. And to love you is to love others. You
must love the very fullness of your black lips, the wideness of your hips,
the blackness of your skin, handed down by your AFRIKAN ancestors to say you
love yourself. There cannot be such a thing called "universal love"
unless
that is in place! You must love and care for your black neighbor and not be
ashamed before you can run 10 miles to help your white boss and call that
love. Because in loving your black neighbor you show love for yourself. Then
you can turn and help your white boss.
Malcolm said, "Don't love your enemy, love yourself." That did not
mean
HATRED. That meant that what he saw in the slums showed that we as Afrikans
and descendant of the Afrikan did not love ourselves enough. So how could we
then love somebody who did not care about our own humanity? Ase!
Your own Ori and Ancestors will show each of you, your own individual paths.
May we all be blessed from the Heavens!
Princess Adinasse
http://www.african-spirituality.info
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| You are invited to join our new e-group, The Basics of Yoruba Spirituality. Princess Ademide Adinasse, the Iya Ademidemeji, is a Traditional Yoruba Priestess of 13 years ritually initiated into the Ifa/Orisa and Dahomian Vodun tradition, will teach this group. Princess Adinasse is active in the Oudiah Cultural Organization, based in Benin, West Afrika, which is calling for the return of all of the children of Oduduwa to their homeland.
Additionally, Princess Adinasse and other well known traditional Priests of the Yoruba culture will host a show on Yoruba Oduduwa Radio’s Orisha channel.
Join us in this exciting chapter in Black History in the making!
You may join the e-group for discussion and lectures by going to :
Yoruba_Spirituality@yahoogroups.com
Yoruba Oduduwa Radio’s Orisa Channel can be found at:
http://www.live365.com/stations/yor_ifa
More information on Yoruba Oduduwa Radio can be found at:
http://www.YORadio.org
Other sites of interest:
http://www.ouidah.org
http://www.africanspirituality.org
Contact me at:
Information@OjaIyalajeAfrika.com
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| Respected Compatriots:
It is estimated that there are over 100 million Yoruba people spead all over today’s world. There is need for more effective communication globally among Yoruba People for Yoruba People Development. Effective communication is essential for a sustainable Africa.
We, the Board of Trustees/Working Group are pleased to present the following multi lingual announcement:
YORUBA TRANSLATION
Yoruba Oduduwa Redio -YO Redio – Adiresi Titun 02.01.06
A ki gbogbo omo Yoruba, Afirika ati awon ore wa kaakiri agbaye.
Adiresi titun fun Yoruba Oduduwa Redio - YO Redio (Redio iran Yoruba ni gbogbo agbaye) ni:
http://www.yoradio.org
E JOWO SAMI SI. E maa te botini LISTEN ni webusaiti Yoruba Oduduwa Redio-YO Redio lojojumo lati tunbo gbe itumo ati igbadun aye yin laruge.
A si tun be yin lati darapo mo egbe titun fun awon ololufe Yoruba Oduduwa Redio ni
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoruba_Oduduwa_Radio
lati le maa fi ikunlukun fun itesiwaju gbogbo omo Yoruba ati omo Afirika.
E jowo e se eto omoluwabi tiyin gege bi enikan lati fi iroyin ayo yi to Ebi, Ara, Ore ati Gbogbo Agbaye leti .
Ire o. Lati owo:
Igbimo Oludari Yoruba Oduduwa Redio – YO Redio
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Yoruba Oduduwa Radio -YO Radio – new URL 02.01.06
Greetings to All Yoruba, African People and Friends in the Global Community.
The new URL for Yoruba Oduduwa Radio - YO Radio (Internet Radio for ALL Yoruba Global Community) is:
http://www.yoradio.org
PLEASE BOOKMARK .
Click on the LISTEN button at this Yoruba Oduduwa Radio-YO Radio website homepage regularly to enhance the quality of your life.
You are warmly invited to join a new Yoruba Oduduwa Radio e-group
and participate for progress at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoruba_Oduduwa_Radio
Please do your own personal patriotic duty; share this happy news widely with your Family Members, Friends and the General Public.
Kind regards,
from
Yoruba Oduduwa Radio -YO Radio -Working Group
FRENCH TRANSLATION
Le Radio de Oduduwa de Yoruba -le Radio de YO – les nouvelles Salutations de 02.01.06 d'URL à Tout Yoruba, les Gens et les Amis africains dans la Communauté Globale. La nouvelle URL pour le Radio de Oduduwa de Yoruba - le Radio de YO (le Radio d'Internet pour TOUT Yoruba
la Communauté Globale) est : http://www.yoradio.org PLAIT LE SIGNET.
Cliquer sur l'ECOUTER le bouton à cette page d'accueil de site web de Radio de Radio-YO de Oduduwa de Yoruba régulièrement pour améliorer la qualité de votre vie. Vous êtes chaudement invité à joindre un nouvel e-groupe de Radio de Oduduwa de Yoruba et participez pour le progrès à :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoruba_Oduduwa_Radio
S'il vous plaît votre propre devoir patriotique personnel ; partager ces nouvelles heureuses largement avec vos Membres de Famille, les Amis et le Grand Public. Le genre considère, du Radio de Oduduwa de Yoruba -le Radio
de YO -Travaillant le Groupe
PORTUGESE TRANSLATION
O Rádio de Oduduwa de Yoruba -Rádio de YO – novas Saudações de 02.01.06 de URL a Todo Yoruba, para Pessoas africanas e Amigos na Comunidade Global. O novo URL para Rádio de Oduduwa de Yoruba - Rádio de YO (Rádio de Internet para TODO Yoruba Comunidade Global) é:
http://www.yoradio.org AGRADA BOOKMARK.
O estalido no ESCUTA botão nesta página principal de sítio web de Rádio de Rádio-YO de Oduduwa de Yoruba regularmente aumentar a qualidade de seua vida. Você quentemente são convidados unir-se um novo e-grupo de Rádio de Oduduwa de Yoruba e participa para progresso em:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoruba_Oduduwa_Radio
Por favor faça o próprio dever patriótico pessoal; compartilha esta notícia feliz largamente com seus Membros de Família, Amigos e o Público Geral. A espécie considera, de Rádio de Oduduwa de Yoruba -Rádio de YO
-Trabalhando Grupo
SPANISH TRANSLATION
La Radio de Yoruba Oduduwa -la Radio de YO – Saludos nuevos de 02.01.06 de URL a Todo Yoruba, Personas y Amigos africanos en la Comunidad Global. El URL nuevo para la Radio de Yoruba Oduduwa - la Radio de YO (la Radio del Internet para TODO Yoruba la Comunidad Global) es:
http://www.yoradio.org POR FAVOR SEÑALADOR.
El clic en el ESCUCHA el botón en esta página principal de sitio web de Radio de Radio-YO de Yoruba Oduduwa para aumentar regularmente la calidad de su vida. Usted es invitado tibiamente unir un E-grupo nuevo de la Radio de Yoruba Oduduwa y participar para el progreso en:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoruba_Oduduwa_Radio
Haga por favor su propio deber patriótico personal; comparta estas noticias felices extensamente con sus miembros de la familia, los Amigos y el Gran Público. La clase considera, de la Radio de Yoruba Oduduwa -la Radio de
YO -Trabajando el Grupo
Look for YORadio’s talk shows and news commentaries, along with announcements of special events. http://www.YORadio.org
Yoruba Oduduwa Radio (YORadio) is a subsidiary of Ajobi Enterprises, International, and part of Ajobi Enterprises, International’s global media outlet.
AEI brings you diversity and dedication.
Bookmark our site
http://www.ajobienterprises.com
Questions on YORadio can be directed to Administrator@YORadio.org
Information on AEI can be directed to Information@AjobiEnterprises.com
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OUIDAH, Benin (AP) -- Thousands gathered Tuesday on a beach to celebrate Benin's once-banned Voodoo, slaughtering animals and welcoming revelers from Brazil and the United States whose slave ancestors took the religion to the Americas centuries ago.
At a ceremony in Ouidah, 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the commercial capital, Cotonou, Voodoo high priestess Nagbo Hounon Gbeffa sacrificed a goat, a rooster and a chicken as divine offerings.
"I'm very moved," said Faith McDouglas, a 37-year-old nurse from Omaha, Nebraska. "I've understood many things regarding my origins, because I'm a descendant of slaves."
Voodoo originated in West Africa and holds that all life is driven by spiritual forces of natural phenomena like water, fire, earth and air that should be honored through rituals that include animal sacrifices. There are no zombies or pin-skewered dolls here, but followers believe they can communicate with divinities and spirits by putting themselves into a trance.
Countless Africans were shipped into slavery from the West African coast, taking with them Voodoo, whose cults still survive in the Caribbean, Latin American and the American South.
The annual celebration "is an occasion for us in Ouidah to remember the hundreds of thousands of blacks deported to the Americas as slaves," said Albert Dossou, a member of the Daagbo Hounon family, which traces its lineage to a 15th-century Voodoo chief.
"It is always a pleasure for us to see them make the pilgrimage to the land of their ancestors," Dossou said.
Pamella Jonqueira, a Brazilian living in Portugal, said she'd come to Ouidah to make a documentary about Voodoo. "I've been able to glean some really beautiful images, but most importantly, I feel the need to initiate myself in Voodoo."
In Benin, the religion was repressed and then banned during incumbent President Mathieu Kerekou's first 18-year stint in power, which ended in 1991. Kerekou's Marxist regime believed the rites went against the socialist work ethnic.
But the religion, practiced by an estimated 60 percent of Benin's 7 million people, was impossible to suppress and the government inaugurated National Voodoo Day in 1996, giving the religion an official place here alongside Christianity and Islam.
Benin is considered the West African capital of Voodoo, and every year, hundreds revelers, believers and curious tourists from as far away as Haiti and the United States attend the festival along with thousands from Benin itself.
After Tuesday's animal sacrifice, Gbeffa, the Voodoo priestess, prayed for presidential elections due March 5 to be peaceful, saying they should be held "in an atmosphere of tolerance and brotherhood."
Kerekou lost the country's first democratic elections in 1991 but won office again in 1996 and 2001. The constitution bars him from seeking another term in office. | | |
| http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4588262.stm
Is voodoo a force for good or bad?
As millions of Beninois prepare for the annual voodoo festival of offering prayers and animal sacrifices, do we really understand what voodoo is?
Once banned, voodoo is now an official religion in Benin, where the practice was born. About 60% of the country's 7 million people practise the religion. Forms of voodoo also exist in Togo, Ghana, Haiti and Brazil.
Followers believe in a supreme God and spirits who link the human with the divine.
Spirits are thought to exist in many things - from the earth, wind, thunder, giant baobab trees and pythons.
But for centuries the religion has been associated with black magic used for evil purposes and based on animal and human sacrifices.
Is voodoo a force for good or evil? Is there a place for voodoo in modern Africa? Does voodoo play an important part in your family? Do you have any voodoo stories to tell us? Are there any parallels with other religions?
Send us your comments and experiences using the form on the right, or text us to +44 77 86 20 20 08. If you would like to take part in the Africa Have Your Say radio programme on 10 January at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published.
Your comments:
I believe voodoo has been demonized by majority populations in the Americas during the peak of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade
Abu-Bakar, USA
Despite my very limited understanding of voodoo, I believe that it has been demonized by majority populations in the Americas during the peak of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. It is merely another example of xenophobia, or at least, a fear of the strange or unknown. It is important to note that what is considered common knowlege about voodoo is nothing more than a stereotypic portrayal by popular culture of an alien cultural practice.
Abu-Bakar, Washington DC, USA.
Some of the voodoo practices that held sway in the past were never questioned because of the fear of dire reprisals if one were to contravene them. People have now advertently or inadvertently, contravened some of the voodoo don'ts to no harm at all, which proves that voodoo was merely a traditional society's way of self-sustaining, which has no place in modern Africa.
Musyoki Kimanthi, Nairobi, Kenya
Voodoo is an evil force which may appear to be good at the onset. The good it may portray is often shortlived and will yeild bad results eventually. I think it originates from the devil, Satan. Anything which originates from the devil is bad and can never be good. I'm sure you'd rather associate with good rather than bad. For as long as Africa practises voodoo, the many problems that have hampered her development will continue.
Sammy Imevbore, Coventry, UK
I firmly beileve that voodoo is a force for bad. As a Christian I beileve in Jesus and nobody else, and cannot understand how in the 21st century Africans keep doing such practical sacrifices. I think it's really horrible.
Berthie Matona, Bristol, England.
A lot of people think that voodoo is wrong only because they think it is against Christian teachings. The truth is that there are a lot of vey good aspects to voodoo and, if incorporated with Christianity, it would yield amazing results. Throw out the bad elements first, of course.
Didi Newlove, Namur, Belgium
Let us not forget that it was probably the uniting force of voodoo that helped the slaves in Saint Domingue throw off their French, and other colonial, oppressors. Voodoo is a serious attempts to grapple with ontological and empirical issues - it should not be so easily dismissed by society
Reuben Loffman, London
Voodoo exists and I believe it's used for evil purposes. I think the practice should be discouraged since it has no place in these modern times.
Edwin Batiir, Tamale, Ghana
My grandfather used to have voodoo known as 'mabieh'. When I was a small boy, my grand father used to bless me along with other kids by speaking audibly to his voodoo or mabieh in order to chase away the sickness from us.The bad thing was after the death of my grandfather some years ago, his elder son called upon Christians to his home from a neighbouring village and burnt down all voodoo materials to ashes. So voodoo or mabieh does not exist now in our home in south Sudan.
Peter Tuach, Minnesota ,USA
I think voodoo is a force of evil and should be banned
Emmanuel Adelaja, UK
I think voodoo is a force of evil and originates from Satan. It is outright devil worship where people are remotely controlled and manipulated for evil. This is obvious when you realise that countries which make voodoo their national religion, or have the large population of them practicing it, remain the poorest countries in the world. I have seen people being manipulated and hypnotised for years and made to live under terrible conditions. This religion should be banned.
Emmanuel Adelaja, Bracknell, UK
I personally do not believe in voodoo, but growing up in Ghana I have heard so much made of it, even by very educated people, which has made me believe, maybe, just maybe, it does exist. I however fully disagree with Emmanuel Adelaja who thinks it should be banned. What one chooses to worship is one's right and should not be controlled. The argument that religion has anything to do with the socio-economic development of any nation is lame and baseless. My native Ghana has one of the most religious populace on the surface of this earth and we are still very far from rich. It is only hardwork, good policies and mutual respect that can bring our continent out of the unfortunate position we are now. Ostracizing people because they do not share our religious beliefs should have no place in our culture if we really want to rise up as a continent.
Raphael Afaedor, Prague, Czech Republic
If voodoo is evil, then all the major world religions are so too
Anand Nair, India
Voodoo is a good religion. It is the missionaries who portray it as devil worship. It is a part of the African culture. If voodoo, one of the world's oldest religions, is evil, then all the major world religions are so too.
Anand Nair, Haridwar, Uttaranchal State, India
Voodoo, for many of these nations, provides a form of worship that was not brought over by the Europeans - and in my mind that is a good thing.
Alex Theoharides, United States
I do not believe any good things can come out of voodoo.
Emmanuel Osunkoya, Chicago, USA
My father before he passed away 30 years ago used to be a voodoo priest. The short period I lived with him I know that voodoo power existed. This power is evil and they use it to do evil things. A voodoo priest can use his voodoo power to kill and torment people. I do not believe any good things can come out of voodoo. The power of voodoo is limited. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ has greater spiritual power than any voodoo man or woman.
Emmanuel Osunkoya, Chicago, USA
I think voodoo, like the cutlass, could be used for both good and bad purposes.
Ike Tetteh, Accra
I think voodoo, like the cutlass, could be used for both good and bad purposes. If one considers the fact that Africa had its religion before the advent of the Bible, then we can only say that voodoo is for good. Voodoo punishes sins and that serves as a deterrent. Christianity or any other religion says pray for forgiveness and that is increasing the number of thieves in our societies. If we don't come back to our roots, then we will always be deceived by these so-called men of God.
Ike Tetteh, Accra
In films and television programmes voodoo is portrayed as a force of evil. We always see the necks of chickens being cut and voodoo dolls being pricked. What I would like to understand is the origin of voodoo and why is it so taboo? Surely to be so well established there must be positive elements to it?
Melanie, Wimbledon, England
There is absolutely no truth to voodoo. It is a state of mind, a farce, used by fraudulent individuals to control and exploit the weak! I will volunteer for any voodoo experimentation under the following conditions: 1. I am not asked to ingest anything, 2. I am not asked to apply any fluids, ointments, powders or gases, to my body, 3. the event takes place in open air for all to witness, 4. there's no physical contact between me and the voodoo practitioner!
Godfrey Ofem, Chicago, USA | | |
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