ADR QUIZ 3 - Quiz 3 PDF

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Quiz 3...

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1. Santeria cosmology asserts that there is no separation between two worlds, but instead there is one world with invisible and visible elements. Within this world there exists ashé, which is the “energy of the universe” (Clark 2007: 31), and some beliefs focus on this ashé in order to understand existence, while other beliefs focus on the interactions between the different beings that exist in the visible and invisible worlds. Most interpretations of cosmology, however, combine elements of both beliefs. When the universe first came into existence, Olodumare, the supreme God, gave off his ashé to beings called the Orisha. In terms of Clark description, the Orisha exist on the second level of power, after Olodumare, and following them comes the ancestors, human beings, and the lowest group like nature and inanimate objects (Clark 2007). One of the most interesting parts about the cosmology for me is the fact that it is believed among the Yoruba that the ancestors’ spirits are reborn into their own family lineage, which can sometimes explain why children look like their grandparents. I also like how reincarnation is viewed as a positive rather than a punishment like in Buddhist traditions. I also think it’s super interesting how people stand at the center of Yoruba cosmology because only they can provide the sacrifices and worship that the Orisha and ancestors need in order to exist. With this idea comes the emphasis on life as a “positive and cherished experience” (Clark 2007: 38), which I think puts a really positive spin on human life that is different from many other religious traditions (Clark 2007). 2. I think my favorite Orisha is Yemaya. I’ve always felt that I myself give off a lot of maternal energy, both for my friends and partners, so Yemaya being the mother of all (Clark 2007) resonates with me. I also love the water, and while I’m usually a lake person, I really like the Ocean as well. Water in general calms me down and I really feel at home when I’m swimming or sailing, etc. My least favorite Orisha is probably Shango because of his womanizing tendencies (Clark 2007). I know all of the Orisha have two sides to them, just like all people, but what I especially did not like is how some young male priests of Shango use their association with him to excuse their disrespectful behaviors. However, I do like that he expresses passion and the joy of life, as I think it’s important to have that present in life. Overall, I like how all of the Orisha represent such different facets of life within the same being and how they can be used to see that people aren’t reduced to one thing like beauty or addictive tendencies; all people are multifaceted and can be extremely wise while also having addictive tendencies, or be beautiful but also powerful. 3. In “Destiny, Divination, and Sacrifice”, I think one of the most important takeaways is the discussion of destiny within the Yoruba and Lucumi context. The devotees of the religion do not believe in a fixed, predetermined destiny, but instead that “individual actions can modify one’s destiny for better or worse” (Clark 2007: 68). In the Yoruba tradition, destiny seems to be a lot more accessible than in a Christian tradition, for example, as Clark says, “destiny includes our intelligence, competence, personal limitations, and capacity to defend ourselves” (2007: 68). These four qualities are

characteristics of human beings that can be physically cultivated in the world rather than something desired in one’s “next life”. I also think an important part of the Yoruba understanding of destiny is the fact that, while everyone has full freedom to choose their actions and shape their own destiny accordingly, we do not know how those actions will ultimately affect us (Clark 2007). The idea of destiny in this tradition is very personal and accessible and creates a system that relies on the help of the Orisha to physically change a person and their lifestyle for the better. The divination practices were harder for me to understand in this chapter. From what Clark describes, the processes require a vast amount of knowledge about the tradition, so it makes sense that I don’t fully understand it, but the numbers of shells and the different practices definitely got jumbled up in my head. However, I did appreciate the fact that, from what I understand, almost anyone can perform coconut divination, which I think also makes the practice a lot more accessible than some other traditions. In, “Life, Death, and the Afterlife”, I think the Egun shrines are the most important. The Egun shrines are erected within a person’s house close to the ground so they can be close to their ancestors in the ground. There is a circle drawn half on the wall and half on the floor with nine X’s across the center, nine representing the Orisha Oya who is the mother of the dead. I really like how the shrines are so accessible to practitioners, as Clark describes they are able to speak to their ancestors on a “weekly or even daily basis, sharing their hopes and dreams along with the news of their lives and of their families” (Clark 2007: 88). The one thing that I questioned in this chapter was what happens to the food that is given to the Egun. Do the practitioners eventually eat it or is it thrown away? In a similar vein, what happens to all of the objects that are offered at the Egun or even the Bovedas or misa espiritual. I know some of the materials are reused each time, but what happens to the gifts like coffee, cigars, rum, etc.?...