Hello from the UK

[Okana]

Hi

My nickname is Okana ‘Sa,

I am a Lukumi Babalawo, Palero and Olorisha.  I also have 35 years membership of a magical lodge in the UK.   

I am also a second degree Gardenerian.  I offer this up and have offered in the spirit of honesty.  I joined a coven when I was living in the North of England and hundred of miles away from the lodge.  I do accept that the Gardenarian system like all Wicca as opposed to Witchcraft represents considerable invention but does have very strong spiritual roots in Western magic.

I have major issues with the unprincipled commercialisation of the magical arts and the rise of the New Age guruships with their mix and match mentality.

I really thought that Michael Harner was the real deal because he was a respected anthropologist.  I was drawn to shamanism because I came across the Macusi Indians in South America where I lived as a boy/ early teens.

When I decided to return to my roots I kept my eyes on how shamanism flourished for good and bad.  Many of the occult hustlers pasted shamanism into their promotional materials.

Anyone that knows the Afro Cuban religions of Lukumi and Palo Mayombe knows that the importance that all initiates place on lineage and being able to recite the lineage.  However, I have to be quite honest and say that the Afro Cuban religions are being dragged into disrepute because of unscrupulous priests who do rituals that would not be approved by their ancestors.  The lineages are open to all but are strictly controlled in terms of what is done and purported to be legitimate actions or rituals.

The situation is bad in the USA but in marketing terms the situation is one that competition is making these people move from the “Red sea”  (USA) to the “Blue sea” (UK and Europe).  So Europe is under an potential influx of a few suspect Lukumi seeking ££££ but there is another issue of home grown people appropriating the Lukumi deities and cultural references.  The Lukumi way is Yoruba-derived system and It is inevitable that the Nigerian Yoruba  would also want to represent themselves in the UK.  Whereas we have cultural differences there is little acrimony between the two camps.  Indeed I lost a great friend in Chief Adelekan who died a few years ago.  Yet there are some unscrupulous Yoruba who are making inroads to the black community.

I would be here to lurk and learn.  I despise racism and would embrace or support any race who is drawn to a system that is outside of their culture provided they understand and accept that the apprenticeship in any traditional spirituality is a long affair. 

[Defend the Sacred]

Hello, Okana.

Here in the US, there is a lot of appropriation of Yoruba, Lukumi, etc deities and ways among the Neopagan communities. The white light newagers are usually too scared, and too racist, to try to dabble in the religion. But I have heard of many Neopagans trying to take parts of Yoruba ceremonies and use them out of context (and without training). It's very similar to the prevalent Newage belief that non-NDNs are the "better" spiritual practitioners - the ones who think they can learn in a few days, weeks, or months what takes traditional people decades to learn. I've had Neopagans assume they can have a Yoruba Priestess come in and teach them things in a workshop that Yoruba initiates go through... well... you know the training and initiations and sacrifices and vows real Omo-Orisha have to go through to be trusted with these things in a legitimate, traditional House.

As I'm sure you're aware, one of the problems that's happened with Wicca going mainstream is that, due to the Wiccan theology of "All Gods are one God, All Goddesses are One Goddess", practitioners often feel they can take deities or spirits from any culture and plop them into a Wiccan ceremonial structure. I've heard of some seriously offensive stuff happening with that, including white Neopagans declaring themselves priest/esses of the Orisha when they've never been to a legitimate ceremony in their lives. Some of these people will literally stand up at public events and declare things like this, and then pronounce the deity names incorrectly (because they've only read them in books and on the Internet).

I was very involved in the American Neopagan communities in the eighties, and kept a hand in through the nineties, but parted ways with them over the appropriative tendencies that are embedded in the core beliefs of so much of that community. My family, cultural, and spiritual way is Gaelic (Irish and Scottish). But during a difficult time in my twenties (in the eighties) some friends of mine who are in the Religion gave me guidance. I was invited to join one of the Houses, but my ancestors had other plans for me

[Okana]

“Here in the US, there is a lot of appropriation of Yoruba, Lukumi, etc deities and ways among the Neopagan communities. The white light newagers are usually too scared, and too racist, to try to dabble in the religion. But I have heard of many Neopagans trying to take parts of Yoruba ceremonies and use them out of context (and without training). It's very similar to the prevalent Newage belief that non-NDNs are the "better" spiritual practitioners - the ones who think they can learn in a few days, weeks, or months what takes traditional people decades to learn. I've had Neopagans assume they can have a Yoruba Priestess come in and teach them things in a workshop that Yoruba initiates go through... well... you know the training and initiations and sacrifices and vows real Omo-Orisha have to go through to be trusted with these things in a legitimate, traditional House.”

Sadly the so called western mystery tradition is like the blob in the sixties sci fi film.  It seeks to absorb everything in its came into contact with.  I thought in that way many years ago but I grew out of it.  The problem was two fold; the corruption of the Yoruba teacher willing to breach operational secrets and individual(s) who thinks they can buy initiation.  I have one question to ask all of these priests.  Would their godparents and elders of their line both living and dead approve of their actions?

The ( African traditional Religions) ATR were not so much about transcendentalism but more about the resolving of issues of destiny in this life and the solving of occult pathologies.  Cultural appropriation and ritual practice could lead to an occult pathology that would require a lot more work.

The orisha are distinct personalities and are capable of taking umbrage with those who are dabblers.  Of course one of the worst is the one that everyone misunderstands and treats as a sex kitten and goddess of “Luuuurrrrve Oshun.  Everyone wants to have some oshun energy in their covens.  She is a popular orisha in the Lukumi community but we see all of the aspects of her and have all the protocols for working with her.

[Defend the Sacred]

Maybe they will unintentionally learn of Her road where She rouges Her cheeks with the blood of her foes ;-)

[Okana]

Hahaha

"As I'm sure you're aware, one of the problems that's happened with Wicca going mainstream is that, due to the Wiccan theology of "All Gods are one God, All Goddesses are One Goddess", practitioners often feel they can take deities or spirits from any culture and plop them into a Wiccan ceremonial structure. I've heard of some seriously offensive stuff happening with that, including white Neopagans declaring themselves priest/esses of the Orisha when they've never been to a legitimate ceremony in their lives."

I think that this (the bold bit) is the root of a massive problem that I would lie to discuss or air.  Can I start a thread somewhere? it seems like the intor thread is not the right place.

[Defend the Sacred]

Go ahead and start a thread in the Etcetera section