Every morning the irresistible aroma of freshly baked baguette drove me mad with hunger pangs and after a few days Voodoo was the last thing on my mind. McGlinchy remained at the helm of spiritual affairs of the Parish until October 1978 when Fr. During the treatment session, the client is always made to feel safe and comfortable with some spiritual healers preferring to have their clients lie on a massage table, while others may ask if they can remain sitting up. I was ready to converse with the spirit god Dankoli. I sensed the Voodoo floodgates were opening. In addition to being the fourth-largest city in Nigeria, Benin is the largest city in Edo state. About 17% of the population of Benin practices West African Vodun. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Spiritual's connections and jobs at similar companies. The artwork was displayed in galleries and used to decorate homes and public buildings. They started to swop stories and mention of his dads death in Nigeria all those years ago nurtured in Brians mind the desire to locate his fathers grave. In 2016, the population of Benin City was estimated to be 1,500,000. Joseph Omesa (later Monsignor) replaced him. Yoga versus democracy? What survey data says about spiritual Americans Nearby, the hefty wooden doors of a curious-looking building shaped like an enormous haystack the lodge of the god Zangbeto were closed too. Vodun which means spirit in the Ewe and Fon language is widely practiced by many West African countries mostly in the southern and central regions of Benin. I would like to say thanks once again. The city is also linked by roads to Sapele, Siluko, Okene, and Ubiaja and is served by air and the Niger River delta ports of Koko and Sapele. Stick-bearers tried to stop the Egunguns' robes inauspiciously touching the living. Their faces were veiled by cowry shell screens. Benin is a religiously diverse country consisting of Atheism and Agnosticism which accounts for 7% of the population, West African folk religions and traditional beliefs aside from Vodun which accounts for 6% of Benin's population and Eckankar, Baha'i faith and other beliefs accounting for 3% of the countrys population. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Roman Catholic Christians account for 27% of Benin's population. Megan Grabill is a research intern at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and an anthropology and comparative studies major at Oberlin College. In the letter Fr McFadden mentioned the names of the priests who attended the funeral Mass. Spiritual has 1 job listed on their profile. Materials & Size It is a pendant mask made of elephant ivory, iron, and copper alloy. Water, quartz and cowry shells were also heaped on the cast beads. On a side street in Mgomilite district, crowds assembled by an abandoned petroleum tanker. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. One of the wonders of the world. If they fail to work in unison, any one of these can place stress on the other parts so the healer, client and spirit all work in harmony to restore the proper flow of energy. A pioneer Missionary to the North America born on the 16th June 1947 at Iguogie, in Benin City. A Christian worship service inside the Cotonou Cathedral. Between 1440 and the late 1800s, the Benin Empire thrived and became a successful center for trade. Spiritual healing in Benin originates in spirit and is a popular practice based on energy flow. As reported by The Guardian, each home had three sections. The harmonious singing commenced, as before, but altogether more frenetic. The Vodun worship believes in a divine Creator known as Mawu or Mahu a female being who gave birth to seven children and gave them dominion over seven different realms of nature. In October 1953 Brian McCormack, a native of Castlebar, Co. Mayo, entered the Colonial Service and took up employment as an agricultural engineer in Mid-West Nigeria. In 2020, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival will feature a program about the West African nation of Benin and how communities connect to their environment through spirituality and traditional knowledge. This rivalry resulted in a high degree of religious and cultural exchange between the Fon and Yoruba, with Dahomey making a conscious effort to incorporate Yoruba art, deities, and cultureincluding Ifa divinationinto its existing set of beliefs. Benin City has a renowned teaching hospital and a number of factories. 13th-19th century). Suddenly an ageing lady, head lolling on her neck, pulled down her top and started beating her breasts. Define spiritualist. In The Slave Trade, Depopulation and Human Sacrifice in Benin History, author James D. Graham recounts Commander Bacon's impression of Benin City. McCawille with his request for information. Benin City. Latest Testimonials. Dr Susan Oduwa voodoo and herbal temple | Bnin - Facebook Diviner Aboubacar Otunba Taiwo gives an Ifa consultation in Porto Novo, Benin. Corrections? Fa diviner Koffi Akossa uses chains of kola nut pieces and other materials to gain insight into clients situations. I asked him if he worshipped Voodoo? The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Unlike many western religious beliefs, Yoruba spirituality emphasizes living a good life; reincarnation is part of the process and is something to be looked forward to. Later that afternoon, Yvette and I travelled byzemidjan(motorbike-taxi) to Manikpe Tolapata temple, ten minutes outside Porto Novo. At dusk I settled into a bar near the Python Temple and watched clouds of fruit bats funnel from a mango tree like departing souls. Across Africa, the practice of divination is a way of knowing that is widely used and widely varied. African American Spiritual Churches | The Religious Studies Project VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. Other variants of the system are found across the region, a result of its dynamic history. Benin City, also called Edo, capital and largest city of Edo state, southern Nigeria. R.I.P. the actual grave was located. Roman Catholicism is by far the largest religious group in Benin and is followed closely by Islam and Vodun. The African American Spiritual Churches are combinatory religious sites, which blend Protestant, Catholic, Spiritualist, Haitian Voodoo, and Benin's traditional Vodun practices. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries In The World, Protestantism and Other Forms of Non-Catholic Christianity, West African Folk Religions and Traditional Beliefs other than Vodun, Eckankar, Baha'i Faith, and Other Beliefs. Spiritual healing occurs largely among practitioners who do not see traditional religious faith as a prerequisite for effecting cures. The other form of Fa divination involves fadekwin, or the sixteen sacred palm nuts. Its door was firmly shut. With this knowledge I headed to Porto Novo, a lagoon-facing former French colonial city of 350,000 people, 40-minutes drive from busy Cotonou, and on the flat coastal plain of south Benin's Voodoo heartland. A lot of the nominal Muslims in Benin practice Islam together with their traditional local religious beliefs. I lost all my hopes getting rid of this . Also basic to spiritualist practice is spirit healing. Among the precursors of spiritualism was the Magnetist movement, which had grown out of the magnetic healing theories of Franz Anton Mesmer. The Guardian reports one home, which is called Chief Enogie Aikoriogie's house, is believed to be the only known structure to survive the Punitive Expedition. Not only did Benin City have an incredible network of walls, but the entire city was also built using fractal design. The Bah' Faith was first established in Nigeria in the 1940s. Benin is a religiously diverse country consisting of Atheism and Agnosticism which accounts for 7% of the population, West African folk religions and traditional beliefs aside from Vodun which accounts for 6% of Benin's population and Eckankar, Baha'i faith and other beliefs accounting for 3% of the country's population. Black Past reports Benin City is once again thriving. It remains an important source of palm kernels, palm oil, and lumber. Each home was also outfitted with a well, which provided the family with fresh water. In term s of administration , the spiritual leader/General overseers that have administered the church till date are: Most Snr. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Rituals, related to the Benin cosmic view form an intrinsic part of life. conditions - usually through a medium. I met an English-speaking teacher called Yvette who took me to see a local Fa reader. "If your wish comes true," reminded Pascal, the Voodoo attendant, "you must return to sacrifice two chickens to Dankoli.". In halcyon times, Abomey was capital of the feared Dahomey Kingdom (Benin's former name). His twosons, Paul, born in December 1951 and his younger brother, Brian, born in November 1953, just after his father had gone to Nigeria, were not old enough to fully understand the circumstances surrounding their dads death at the age of 37. With the appointment of their first Oba, the Igodomigodo Kingdom became the Benin Kingdom and, as reported by BBC, grew to become the Benin Empire. Spirituality - The Collective Black People Movement (CBPM) Each of the city's 11 divisions included workshops, where artisans created sculptures, cast bronze plaques, and carved ivory. However its rich, and somewhat unusual, past, remains an intriguing part of its legacy. The nuts are tossed and caught systematically, and their positions are recorded on the divination boards, which are covered in a divination powder made of the irosun tree, or another plant powder, such as bamboo. The Non-Catholic Christians in Benin include Jehovah's Witness, Rosicrucians, Methodists, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Unification Church, Assemblies of God, Seventh-day Adventist, Celestial Christians, and Baptists. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. This accounts for the similarities in the two groups divination systems and the art surrounding the process. As reported by National Geographic, Benin was also known for its unique architecture, bronze sculptures, and practical infrastructure. Stay tuned for more research and stories from the program. But, as my guidebook informed, Mami Wata is the mermaid-like goddess of water who 'offers happiness and fortune to those with courage to meet her at the seaside'. As reported by The Guardian, mathematical patterns were apparent throughout Benin City, from the length and arrangement of the streets to the shape and size of the buildings. For more information about spiritual healing in Benin, please feel free to contact our friendly team of experts today! It was designed to be worn suspended on the chest or hips during important ceremonies by the two large side hoops framing the face. However, they realized they still needed a leader. It is unclear how common human sacrifice was in Benin City, and as reported by Vanguard, current Obas have denied it was ever part of the culture. After beseeching the god to grant my wish, I sealed our deal by anointing the shrine with blood-red palm oil and spitting out three mouthfuls of fiery homemade gin. McCawille in the cemetery on Wednesday, 10th March, to which all those local people who had helped in finding the grave were invited. Instead, the main altar (bereft of human skulls) was a dribbling accumulation of wax and oil that reminded me of a cheesy table-decoration in an Italian restaurant. Synonyms for SPIRITUALIST: psychic, spiritist, medium, channeler, clairvoyant, telepath, channel, mentalist, mind reader, sensitive Averting my eyes, it brushed its horsehair flywhisk across my face. The Slave Trade, Depopulation and Human Sacrifice in Benin History. The subject of Brians sudden death so far from home was scarcely ever mentioned over the years. We passed coachloads of white-robed Christians fresh from celebrating the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Dassa-Zoume. Our picturee shows Brian Jnr praying at the grave of his late father. Stay tuned for more research and stories from the program. In a trance, they laughed and howled as priests blessed a pot of water. The white-robed women looked altogether more edgy, with kohl-etched eyes and tattoos. Amid the British Punitive Expedition, Commander R. H. Bacon disputed reports that Benin was a productive, modern, and civilized city. The Guardian reports residents kept their homes extraordinarily clean. Fr McCawille visited all three searching for any information about the whereabouts of the grave of the late Brian McCormack Snr. The palace, which was declared one of Nigeria 's UNESCO Listed Heritage sites in 1999, is an architectural wonder. Diviner Aboubacar Taiwo of Porto Novo, Benin, works for many long-distance clients. Members of this secretive cult patrol Beninese streets after dark like unofficial police, dressing in haystack costumes and sporting sticks to beat unruly citizens. In 1974, the Guinness Book of Records recognized the historic Benin City for its extensive network of walls, which surrounded the entire kingdom and divided it into nearly 500 separate villages. Ouidah's market sells grotesque ritualistic accoutrements used in ceremonies. The Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, drawing on spiritual energies or forces through spiritual healing in Benin can be extremely beneficial. As reported by Black Past, little, if anything, remains of the legendary Kingdom of Benin. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Benin-historical-kingdom-West-Africa, Art and Life in Africa - University of Iowa Museum of Art - Benin Kingdom, World History Encyclopedia - Kingdom of Benin, The British Museum - Benin: an African kingdom, Humanities LibreTexts - Kingdom of Benin (1180 CE 1897 CE), kingdom of Benin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). We know our history and tell it to our children.. No solid information emerged. Initially, Europeans who visited the city described it as "disorganized." Although it was built after the Punitive Expedition of 1897, Benin's Royal Palace of the Oba is officially listed as one of Nigeria's heritage sites. A compass of escape and meeting which rests on two main pillars: the spectacular character of the places, often classified with the UNESCO world heritage, and the charisma of the main characters who are transmitters of their respective traditions.Subscribe to see more full documentaries every week:https://bit.ly/2lneXNyTRACKS publishes unique, unexpected and untold stories from across the world every week. Chatwin's narrative of bloodthirsty African kings, slavery, and French and Portuguese ambitions, is enthralling. King Ghezo's intricately carved throne rests upon four skulls of rival chiefs while beyond all taste (amid fine Portuguese silks and British cut-glass decanters) is a royal flywhisk assembled from a human cranium attached to a horsetail. Remi, a local guide, showed me the marketplace where slavers bartered 15 male Africans for one cannon. However, today's Benin City remains one of Nigeria's most prosperous centers of trade. Some simply scared the crowd. This approach is in harmony with any other healing work you . His Dahomian lineage was restored in 1995 after Marxist government rule ended and although his powers are limited these days, he's a charming man. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use), Living traditions of, by, and for the people. Beneath an archway on the shoreline, designed to symbolise 'The Gates of No Return', I watched the pummelling Atlantic surf churn grey with sediment and contemplated the terrified thoughts of captured Africans being paddled out to waiting slave galleons bobbing on the horizon. These days Abomey is a backwater with little pomp or grandeur. Their mother remarried in 1956 and had 5 more children, 3 girls and 2 boys. See more information about the objects on Learning Lab. Here, members of the Bah' community are working together with their . IGHODARO AYELALA SPIRITUAL TEMPLE was incorporated in BENIN-CITY, Nigeria with Registration Number 89089. Voodoo Day is a public holiday and there is a national Voodoo museum. It also profited greatly from the slave trade. People come to diviners for a medley of reasons, ranging from physical ailments to social or spiritual troubles. "The power of Mawa-Lissa (Voodoo's Supreme Being) sent Fa to earth as a medium to answer questions about the future," Yvette told me, also describing how the medium casts his beads into one of 256 positions that he then interprets as the word of his god. Fr. Between 2012 and 2017, the percentage of American adults who meditated rose from 4.1% to 14.2%, according to a 2018 CDC report. The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler of the Edo people, and his palace has sacred cultural significance. Across Africa, the practice of divination is a way of knowing that is widely used and . n. 1. a. And then fate eventually smiled upon me.
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