Is There Any Ritual Or Initiatory Requirement To Work With Afro-Carribean Spirits? ~ Filipino Conjure & Rootwork

Is There Any Ritual Or Initiatory Requirement To Work With Afro-Carribean Spirits?

An altar to Papa Legba.

The short answer to this is... Yes!

I know a lot of people from different magical paths, most especially those newcomers to Hoodoo and even some Filipinos with eclectic interests, often tell themselves and worse, share with other practitioners that everyone can work with "Loa," "Orisha," "Mpungo," "Exu," and "Pombagira." Some 'magic practitioners' observe or follow Afro-Caribbean and West African rituals the way followers of the religions do - or, at least, adopt those modes and incorporate them into their religious or magical beliefs or paths. And many are fulfilling obligations solely for priests and priestesses, such as doing animal sacrifices and other ceremonies. I also noticed that some people think Afro-Caribbean spirits are part of Hoodoo and claim they are the daughter, son, or child of a Loa or an Orisha.

The unprecedented accessibility of online articles and ideas concerning these Afro-Caribbean traditions has helped facilitate this appropriation. Even thirty years ago, a non-initiated and non-academic student learning Vodoun, Santeria, Palo, or Quimbanda would have been difficult to fathom. Some people told me about learning the traditional rites, songs, and ritual methods and procedures from popular Web portals. Some are even studying Haitian Creole, Lucumi, and other languages independently.

It is lovely that these traditions are becoming more popular (mainly in the U.S. and the Philippines), but that also means it brings problems (both to themselves and their clients) when people try the practices because they lack initiation and training.

In some lineages of these Afro-Caribbean religions, they maintain the idea that everyone, whatever race they belong to, has a place in their beliefs. In Santeria, for instance, "aleyos" or uninitiated people can venerate or give offerings to the Orishas in nature and freely work with their ancestors. And contrary to popular belief, I know people initiated into these religions who do not support the idea that they are better than others. However, it doesn't change the fact that only those who are formally associated with a specific spiritual lineage can refer to themselves as "Mambo," "Houngan," "Babalawo," "Iyanifa," "Santero," "Santera," "Tata" or "Yaya." Because of their acceptance in the lineages, they have a special status in the eyes of the 'Spirits.' Furthermore, the blessings and power they receive from the spirits come with a high price: the priests of the religions have a greater responsibility than non-initiates.

Adimu Oshun - Offering to the Spirit of the River.

While some non-initiates continue to enjoy the invocations and ceremonies that should only be conducted or performed by initiated priests, they need to understand and realize that it is very inappropriate and offensive to the spirits to act in the office of a priest or priestess doing work for others without the license or authority to do it. These futile attempts offer a significant opportunity for any parasitic spirits walking by to come into your life. Dabblers in these religions can deeply put themselves in danger by doing the rituals as they are so instrumental in attracting low-vibrating entities who are just pretending to be a Loa, an Orisha, or Pombagira. As our friend and also a mentor in Ifa said, "People need to think and be careful about who truly is answering their prayers."

In Haitian Vodou and Santeria, according to my respective mentors, not everyone needs to become an initiate to honor or venerate the spirits in their religion (especially those who seek to build relationships with you). However, it is worth noting that spirits prefer specific offerings, and some even have taboos, so one must act carefully to not offer the spirits something they wouldn't like. Guidance from a community, lineage, or godparent is probably the best idea in this situation. One can pay homage to them, but one cannot work with them as, again, you need several readings, initiations, and training to receive the spirit and the ritual tools.

In Palo and Quimbanda, on the other hand, it is not advisable to give homage to the spirit randomly. It is essential to first find out which spirit walks with you through the divination by an initiated priest.

An altar to Baron Samedi

Mami Wata, also known as Santa Marta Dominadora, is a Loa venerated in the African diaspora in the Americas.

My personal journey to Afro-Caribbean religions and Ifa all started as mild curiosity four and a half years ago. I had made several friends online (on message boards and forums) who told me about Orishas and Loas.

"What are Loas and Orisas?" I asked.

Little did I know that that one question would be the first of thousands. My questions at first were all basic things. I thought it was exciting to learn about a different tradition and belief system I had never encountered before. Everything was going smoothly until one day, I thought, " None of this would mean anything to me until I tried them out.

So I started with small things. I did not erect altars right away; I did not attempt to do ceremonies or work with them; I began by simply lighting a white candle for them and offering a glass of water before their images and "veves." At that time, I wasn't aware that I was doing the right thing; by not invoking them during my workings. Even though I was exposed to other magical paths, for some reason, the act felt silly at first. But slowly, it began to sink in, and eventually, I started doing it more frequently and with a smile on my face.

I started learning more about offerings and building a personal shrine for some spirits, sticking to the simpler ones and those I could buy here in the Philippines. Eventually, I just started praying and thanking them for the opportunity to honor them. Since I was fully aware that I could not communicate with them through my own divinatory method, I just spent more time studying and analyzing what the spirits could possibly be trying to tell me, my reactions, and what I could improve within myself - rather than dwelling on how I could use their aid in my spellwork. I learned that 'if it's not painful, you aren't growing.' So I began to push myself more frequently out of my comfort zone, looking for experienced people who could give me criticisms and solid advice about what I may not doing correctly at that time, as opposed to people who would simply say, "just go on."

Homage to these spirits isn't meant to be learned; it is intended to be lived. And the absolute best part about it is that it works. My journey has been made up of hundreds of baby steps spread out over weeks, months, and years. It isn't as black and white as this narrative makes it sound. There were countless times I took one step forward and two steps back. But I have learned that the most crucial thing in a spiritual journey is not 'power' or 'intelligence,' but persistence.

I do not know where I am headed or where all this will end. I am not expecting to be initiated in any of these religions. I am genuinely confident that my life has become so much more meaningful since I took Loa and Orisha seriously and that I don't ever want to stop learning more about Vodou, Santeria, and, just recently, Ifa. These religions have opened my eyes to a lot of beautiful things.

Adimu to Baba Esu.

I want to thank the Santeros, Tatas, Houngans, and Babalawos, who became our friends and guided us on our journey. You know who you are. May God continue to bless you all!

See, What Our Path Is

Being immensely interested in African diaspora religions and Folk Catholicism, we primarily honor our ancestors, Church saints, angels, folk saints, and Afro-Caribbean spirits such as loas and orishas. If we absolutely have to put a label on ourselves, we prefer the label of “Folk Judeo-Christian” as we live according to the customs and traditions of conjure workers and root doctors from the Deep South and syncretic followers of Christ in various nations of the Caribbean and Latin America.

Our spirituality includes West African-based Caribbean-style tradition as well as Esoteric Christianity and Yoruba religion. Generally, we practice Gullah folk magic popularly known in the Deep South as Hoodoo or Lowcountry Voodoo; the ancient wisdom founded by Orunmila in Ile-Ife called Ifa, and a bit of Lihim na Karunungan (Filipino Esotericism or Philippine Mystery Tradition).

Respect, What Hoodoo Is

Despite visible evidence of Central West African, Islamic/Moorish, Native American, Judeo-Christian, European, and even a few East Indian/Hindu, Chinese, and Latino/Caribbean retentions, influences, and admixtures, this does not mean that Hoodoo is an open and unrestricted system of eclectic magic.

Conjure, and Rootwork is rooted in African-American culture and Folk Protestant Christianity. Any practitioners of Hoodoo who did not grow up within African-American culture should still have a fuller understanding and high regard for its origin.

In the beginning, the early conjure doctors were entirely Black. The students were all Black, the elders were Black, the teaching was Black, and they focused only on Blacks as their audience. But other races were accepted when they had also been brought into the Hoodoo community and learned the tradition. Even so, we should still acknowledge that Hoodoo, Conjure, or Rootwork is not ours but only belongs to the Black community. We are just believers who are grafted into their rich yet humble tradition and, by word and deed, embrace genuine African-American folk spirituality and magic. This is all we can do for all the blessings we received from God and our Black ancestors.

Hoodoo's lack of religious structure and hierarchical authority do not mean that any person or group can appropriate or redefine it. If one cannot respect Hoodoo as it is and for what it is, then please, do not play with it.

Learn, How Conjure Is Worked On

Authentic Conjure is not all about blending and selling oils and casting spells online to make money. Hoodoo has its own spiritual philosophy, theology, and a wide range of African-American folkways, customs, and practices which include, but are not limited to, veneration of the ancestors, Holy Ghost shouting, snake reverence, spirit possession, graveyard conjure, nkisi practices, Black hermeneutics, African-American church traditions, the ring shout, the Kongo cosmogram, ritual water immersions, crossroads magic, making conjure canes, animal sacrifices, Jewish scriptural magic, enemy works, Seekin' ritual, magical incorporation of bodily fluids, etc.

Unfortunately, they are currently missing in marketeered or commercial Hoodoo, as they are being removed, disregarded, or ignored by unknowing merchants who simply want to profit from an African-American spiritual tradition, thus reducing Hoodoo to just a plethora of recipes, spells, and tricks.

Tim and I are completely aware that we are not African-Americans, so we are doing our best to retain and preserve the customs and traditions of the slave ancestors to avoid unnecessary conflict with the larger Black-Belt Hoodoo community and prevent them from labeling us inauthentic outsiders and our practice as mere 'cultural misappropriation.'

Accept, Who We Are

The byproduct of eons of slave history, Black supremacists believe that only people with African or African-American blood are real Hoodoo practitioners and are often inclined to consider themselves as the elite of the Hoodoo community; a place in which they believed that Whites, Latinos, Asians or any other races who do not have Black ancestry do not belong. Black supremacists are prone to be very hostile towards both “outsiders” and those accepting of them, fearing that their promotion and acceptance would dilute or even negate the Black identity of Hoodoo.

Although we do understand why some Blacks hold this stance, since a lot of people nowadays are misappropriating many aspects of Hoodoo and teaching the spiritual path even without proper education and training (for purely monetary purposes), we would, however, want to say that not all non-Black Hoodoo practitioners are the same.

WE respect what Hoodoo is, and we never try to change it, claim it as our own, disregard its history, take unfair advantage of it, speak against the people who preserve it, and mix it with other cultures (like our own) and call it Filipino/Pinoy Hoodoo, Gypsy Hoodoo or Wiccan Hoodoo because there are no such things.