VODUN: ANCESTRAL ORIGINS VS OUR DIVINE ORIGINS
Mami Wata Priest- FB
When I peruse the faces of so many Arabs, or Middle Easterners in general, I see my grandfather’s face, my father’s face and so many faces of my relatives. But I am reminded that my grandfather’s head spirit was the great Ganesh… to which I inherited upon his death; my father’s, Lord Dattatreya (called Densu in Africa which means “father of the river”) from which I inherited my Dattatreya.(5) And, as told by the spirits themselves, their particular dwelling place is that of the sacred Red Sea. As I can never feel worthy enough I am always in awe of the majesty of this great divine one. Yet, even as I first walked inside my ancestral village, in the Republic of Benin, I saw many of the same similarities amongst those of my oldest ancestors. And herein lies the dilemma for those Pan Africanist who perpetuate the myth that all the spirits, hailing from the continent of Africa, are black because the African American is black…it is a farce!(5)
They do not understand the universality of the divinities. They do not understand that these spirits are older than creation itself and as such hail from all parts of the globe. The divine ones, that reside in the sea, live in some of our oldest and most sacred bodies of water. But when they created humankind they did so in an area that was conducive to the nurturing of their human creation…the Cradle of Civilization…Africa. These divine ones who, themselves, are of various hues (i.e. one of my favorites, Lord Rama, to whom I refer to as the “blue guy”) could care less about color.(5) So a woman of apparent African descent (for we all descend from this place) carries a head spirit from the Red Sea? Of course! My love for Middle Eastern culture is innate within me because of this indwelling spirit. My adoration of Africa is innate in me because of my oldest ancestors who are African. My weariness for racial inequality and injustice is innate in me because I have lived the African American experience. Yet, I am what I am; and, you are what you are regardless of color, gender or faith.
But the great Ifa allows us to get to the root of who we are. That oldest ancestor is accessible. And, your history is accessible regardless of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. For African Americans the history of that event is difficult, bitter and traumatizing; but, in serving the spirits one must break free from the psychological chains that bind us. And with the spirit’s help we can. It isn’t easy to be confronted with the spiritual realities of our equality. It was hard for me; and, I struggle with it daily. But in the world of the divine color simply does not matter. It is the heart which is examined by the divine ones not our color. So, when you see that sistah or brotha that simply has no rhythm…it isn’t all their fault. That brotha preferring white women…not always his fault. That white woman with white skin yet dances like no other and is cool beyond measure, who may even take on a black persona…may not be her fault either. That spirit dwelling within her just might be one of her African ancestors returning in a white body…who knows?(4) I don’t put nothin’ past these spirits, these days, according to the things I have seen and what they share with me. So I am going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes written by one of my spiritual children (Haitian born and black as the ace of spades) with the head spirit of the “blue guy”…Lord Rama.
“The concept of African gods, Hindu gods, Greek, etc. belonging to a specific race or ethnic group is tired and dated. The Divinities are Universal and color-blind.(4) I’ve crossed paths with blond-haired, blue-eyed individuals carrying Sakpata, Heviosso or Gu (traditionally identified as African Gods) as their Patron deity. I’ve witnessed Hanuman take possession of a Southern belle from Kentucky, just long enough to greet the divinities that shadow me!(4) My spiritual mother is a strong African American woman from the deep south carrying a Big ol’ fierce Dattatreya divinity on her head. My spiritual father traces his priestly lineage back thousands of years from Benin to Egypt and beyond. The true divinity that rules your head will only reveal itself to a priest who is capable and qualified to call that divinity forth (and for good reason). Unfortunately; most priest are incapable of either correctly divining or calling forth your true Patron deity/head spirit. Without the spiritual authority to divine the truth, most seekers are denied the truth. “ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge”….
Anatole France