Explanations For "Drilling", "Labouring", & Certain Other Customs In Jamaica's Revivalist Churches (1860) (gleaned from questions & replies on various YouTube discussion threads)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams posts presents a compilation of  questions & replies about customs in Jamaican Revivalist churches (founded in 1860) that I have come across reading discussion threads of YouTube videos.   

The content of this post is presented for cultural and religious purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/general-information-about-jamaicas.html for a 2019 pancocojams post entitled "General Information About Jamaica's Revivalists Religious Denominations (with YouTube video: "Who are Zion Revival people ?")". A portion of that post having to do with ceremonies is quoted in the comment section for this post.

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DISCLAIMER:
I'm African American and not a member of a Revivalist church. The only information I have about this Christian denomination is what I've read online and what I have heard & seen in YouTube videos. Consequently, I don't know if these replies are accurate.

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QUESTIONS AND REPLIES ABOUT JAMAICA'S REVIVALIST CHURCH CUSTOMS

These quotes are given in no particular order.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

The individual videos whose links are given may have to be watched in order to understand what the questions refer to. 


I will add to this post as I come across questions & replies about Jamaican Revival customs in YouTube videos 
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YouTube Discussion thread #1
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVSodXwMhBA&ab_channel=ApostleRayAnthonyFoster
1. clara guliford-robinso, 2020
"It would be nice if you would let people know what is going on. Totally in the dark!!!!!!!!!!"

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Reply
2. Romaine Green, 2020
"Hey Clara which portion exactly are u not clear on so I can help each one teach one 😊 I'd be more than happy to help with the little knowledge I have."

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Reply
3. Cavon Jones, 2020
"@Romaine Green  Why are they holding the brooms going around in circles?"

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Reply
4. Romaine Green, 2020
"@Cavon Jones  okay so in revival physical objects are used as spiritual symbols to carry out task for deliverance healing and fight spiritual battle. They are using the broom is used a tool for deliverance in this aspect just as a broom is used to sweep out unclean things in spiritual realm that may be hindrance or otherwise. The circle movement is called labouring which is used to clear the way for a smooth worship remove any unwanted spirit that Is not of god deliverance and to receive a message from the messenger Angel's archangel michael and or gabriel and lot more."

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YouTube Discussion thread #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZlAEUzM2C0&ab_channel=ItIsSo
1. Jodi P. 2012
"wat is Drilling...am jus so confused, i watch many of these videos and wish i cud understand it, i refuse to judge i jus yearn for an understanding"

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Reply
2. It Is So. 2012
"Don't be! Drilling is a spiritual exercise that we do under the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Through it we get revelations from Him.  We get a word of deliverance or prophecy, we get a directive for healing and deliverance...etc."

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3, Luna Lea, 2021
"When de drilling get sweet

 Ancestors/Spirits can't help but speak!🥳💚🙏🏾"

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YouTube Discussion thread #3
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH6vef6T_-E&ab_channel=gladtidings
1. Gifted KoKo, 2013
"Can someone please explain the ritual that's taking place? I don't know what drilling the bands means, but would love to know and gain understanding!"

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Reply
2. Britishinduindii Sage, 2017
"Gifted koko they are getting ready to entertain the Trinity (father,son,holy ghost) ...and getting ready to call for Michael n his angels to go into spiritual warfare ..but first they want to hear from God.. That's y they song the song which says holy spirit speak to me lord."

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YouTube Discussion thread #4
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAmU1LoBi14&t=1081s&ab_channel=ApostleRayAnthonyFoster
1. Jean Malcolm, 2021
"Why is there  so many green plants in church."

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Reply
2. Hansan Jsnsnwnwj, 2021
"Green plants are life in the church, that's why they have so much."

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YouTube Discussion thread #5
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKT2JLYrLTA&ab_channel=HowardHowiebecksBeckford
1. Apple Berry, 2020
"How do they know what to sing say an what language are they talking  love how they dress an worship for me is just the music sweet but I honestly don't understand what them saying are doing the way they dance is something else to talk about my late aunt was a revivalist an grow up an hear story about her but no one else in the f@family  has never travel dwn that part only her"

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2. Romaine Green, 2020
"They are under the african influence the spirit leads so as one opens their mouth the utterance is provided. It's hard to explain everything of the holy spirit but when one gets connected so many things are revealed ."

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YouTube Discussion thread #6
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztlQ0HXwnTY&t=50s&ab_channel=ApostleRayAnthonyFoster
1. alisha felix, 2019
"Love the way you worship please explain the spiritual reasons for the pencil in the elders head wrap"

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Reply
2. Child of The King, 2019
"To write when they get certain message, but mostly use chalk."

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YouTube Discussion thread #7
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAa_SJntNjg&ab_channel=ApostleRayAnthonyFoster
1. Shoshanna Nina, 2017
"What does this ritual means? I grew up in the island and when I was a child visited a few of these churches when they had rally or convention. I love to see the dances, candle lighting and people drop a ground and stay there for several days say they getting spiritual gifts. I  did not understand the meaning of the rituals and still don't. I still love to see all the dancing and the singing, very entertaining."

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Reply
2. Kris n' Chill, 2020
"They are summoning up the ancestors and tge spirits of god and tge deciples to come join them in worship.."

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YouTube Discussion thread #8
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6DnS9r8SYQ&ab_channel=ApostleRayAnthonyFoster
1. Veleita James, 2016
"I really love the old time revival.The new age people are making some sound,I have to wonder where did they get it from and who are they listening to?."

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Reply
2. Rose Daley, 2016
"this is  the old time  revival"

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3. Dave Night, 2021
"Greetings this is real bands drilling"

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YouTube Discussion Thread #9
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU8OJg7FLkQ&t=2s&ab_channel=smnwalker1
1. lee allen, 2016
"what are they doing"

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Reply
2. j E, 2020
"Read Ezekiel 6:11 in the Bible. It's instruction on how to deal with wickedness...."

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Reply
3. latoya johnson, 2021
"Traveling in the spirit for deliverance through the Holy Ghost."

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4. Evon Johnson, 2019
"What is the purpose of the sugar cane?"

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Reply
5. latoya johnson, 2021
"He uses the sugar cane as the spirit of God gave him authorance. It is only a tool to help use for some deliverance. He holds it and travail through the spirit until the Holy Ghost reveal to him as what to exactly do with it, just like God ask Moses ' what is it do you have in your hand', he responded and said 'Only a rod Lord'. For example in this case its not exactly a rod but a fruit for deliverance."

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YouTube Discussionthread #10
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LsV3Tb7cEE&ab_channel=RupertBourne
1. Patra MorningStar, 2019
"Greetings does anyone know the name of the plant that they're carrying over their heads? Thank you so much & God bless. 🇯🇲❤💛💚"

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Reply
2. Teddy Boo, 2020
"Jeremiah plant"

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3. Kimopple Gold, 2019
"What the candles for?"

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Reply
4. Shelly-Ann John, 2020
"Its part of baptiste faith it means purity whatever forces eg witchcraft,bladphemy,unforgiveness,fornicataing.You would be cleanse and you would go deep with lord.But your life have to be clean.And he would reveal things to you.Satan is a liar pray and fast and you would be delivered."

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Reply
5. Shelly-Ann John, 2020
"Read your word read revelations."

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6. Jerene Smith, 2019
"What are those candles for only the Blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth works"

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Reply
7. Shelly-Ann John, 2020
"Candles is for puriry meaning if you live in sin he can break whatever cureses are on you.Especially if you dealung up with unclean stuff in your life.Trust me he can expose you and clean dont play with the lord he is very powerful."

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8. SIMMAUD, 2020
"What is he spraying around the table (about 5 minutes into the video)?"

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Reply
9. Vera Wallace, 2020
"I think it is some kind of water.   "Kananga water""

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Reply
10. SIMMAUD, 2020
" @Vera Wallace  I seem to remember Grandma in England sprinkling Rose Water, but somehow "Kananga Water" rings a faint bell.

Thanks!"

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YouTube Discussion thread #11
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-bzflj8yg4&ab_channel=HowardHowiebecksBeckford

1.gwanni, 2017
"What happen to the preaching? Is this all that takes place in these churches?"

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Reply
2. Life wid Sammi, 2017
"gwanni lol well ..they still preach it's only that wen the drill is happening that's the only time ppl record"

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3. Akini Douglas, 2018

"NOW SEEING DIS TYPE OF DRILLING WHY DO THEY GO ROUND IN CIRCLES AND WATS THE HAND MOVEMENT ABOUT,AND DO THEY CHANGE FROM GOING AROUND TO IN AND OUT.PLEASE EXPLAIN

  I AM LOVING THIS"

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Reply
4. Howard Howiebecks Beckford, 2020
"It's a form or worship"

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Reply
5. miss happiness very happy, 2020
"Can someone please tell me what is "Drill" thanks"

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Reply
6. Howard Howiebecks Beckford, 2020
"Strike with your hands and stamp with your feet..."

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YouTube Discussion thread #12
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKT2JLYrLTA&ab_channel=HowardHowiebecksBeckford

1. Apple Berry, 2020
"How do they know what to sing say an what language are they talking  love how they dress an worship for me is just the music sweet but I honestly don't understand what them saying are doing the way they dance is something else to talk about my late aunt was a revivalist an grow up an hear story about her but no one else in the f@family  has never travel dwn that part only her"

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Reply
2. Romaine Green, 2020
"They are under the african influence the spirit leads so as one opens their mouth the utterance is provided. It's hard to explain everything of the holy spirit but when one gets connected so many things are revealed ."

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YouTube Discussion thread #13
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0apj4Rybb4&ab_channel=AstonCooke
1. Patra MorningStar, 2019
"Hello everyone. Does anyone know the significance of the colors and what they represent? The white red  and blue?"

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Reply
2. Kemoya Foster, 2019
"In the bible, the Hebrew word for Red is Oudem. It’s actually meaning is Red Clay. Hebrew word which mean Flesh. Thus, it is the root word for mankind as stated in the Bible.

Blue is the third primary color. It spiritually signifies the Healing Power of God. It is the most sublime subject and color which represents, biblically, the Word of God. The 15th Chapter of Numbers, verses 38-41 denote this biblical meaning of Blue (fringe of the borders a ribband of blue). The very fact that the Sky is blue stands for the presence of YahWeh. God’s chosen nation Israel is also denoted as blue from the time of David.In Matt 9: 21, the woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years says “I shall be whole again, if I touch the hem of His garment)- the garment hem is also Blue.

White- Bride of Christ, surrender, harvest, light, righteousness, conquest, victory, blessedness, Joy, Angels, saints, peace, completion, triumph. "...

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YouTube Discussion thread #14
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTwYjgDaNDE&ab_channel=RupertBourne

1. Andre Later, 2019
"A wonder what the 2 flaretail machete for.."

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Reply
2. Treston Crosdale, 2019
"It represents the sword which is the word of God."

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YouTube Discussion thread #15
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNA2mw8Q1AU&ab_channel=ApostleRayAnthonyFoster
1. j E, 2020
"I hear and read comments by persons/officers of the Revival Churches saying that this is our African Ancestral way of worship! But I read my Bible.

And in Ezekiel chapter 6:11, it reads... "Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy feet, and say Alas for the evil abominations of the house of Israel: for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence."...... This action therefore,  is the instruction of the Lord God Almighty, to the church......To use in "Spiritual Warfare" against the wickedness that comes against his people.  And it's time we give God the Glory due unto His Name and stop calling His instruction to us "Ancestral worship". No wonder the world is sceptical of us and our way of worship, by refusing to believe that we do serve the True and Living God: For from our own lips comes ignorance. Hence the world do believe us, that  we are worshiping our African ancestor......Thanks to our own mouth. This is why the Bible encourage us to "Study to show ourselves Approve"... Amen"

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Reply 
2. Kris n' Chill, 2020
"Wow... I never knew that.. I thought they were summoning up the ancestors to come and work with them..."

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Youtube Discussion thread #16
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VjJOAgMLY&t=33s&ab_channel=SpiritDevine61
1. pasha, 2016
"too much cyangle...wa dem fa??"

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Reply
2. Simone Campbell, 2021
"The amount of candles is to represent the light of people"

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3. miztri, 2016
"The title bishop is a Western Christian terminology and clearly this is African beats and dancing. These people clearly are confused"

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Reply
4. T. kafash Thomas, 2016
"You clearly have never encountered Braithwaits' theory of "creolization". The Caribbean is culturally diverse society and over the years cultures have been fused together to create new things and that is call "creolization" or at times it is referred to as hybridization. But crolization specifically speaks to a merger of African and European traditions.What you are seeing is a Revival worship session which is one of the Caribbean many creole indigenous religious movements.  So when Africans were brought here and forced to learn the Christian doctrine what they did was to incorporate it with their own Afro traditions, currently many of these religious movements are called Afro-Christian religions. It is the same way we fuse African Language and English to create creole. You are ignorant as it relates to Caribbean Cultural studies and Sociology, so I am shedding some light."

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YouTube Discussion thread #17
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1SL7N7S2l8&ab_channel=RuffianBlk

1. Dwight Dawkins, 2012
"why are they spinning repeatedly???"

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Reply
2. Patricia Evanas, 2012
"They entered into a spiritual wheel"

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YouTube Discussion thread #18
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg3za3D834Q&ab_channel=RealMarvinBennett
1. That Girl, 2021
"So the gentleman at the beginning did the fasting right there in the church? Just no food for three days? Can somebody explain. I'm curious."

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Reply
2. That Girl, 2021
"Also the repetitive singing.. is this english? Or from which culture? Please don't take my comments as ignorant. I love watching your video's its just I'd like to know more."

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Reply
3. J, 2021
"@That Girl 

Info on what God wants us to do when we fast:

Matthew 6:18-18

Isaiah 58"

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Reply
4. That Girl, 2021
"@J  much appreciated"

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Reply
5. J, 2021
"That Girl 

You're welcome...

Blessings"

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Reply
6. Real Marvin Bennett, 2021
"Okay so yes he was on fasting for 3 days in the church

In the morning he get small cup of tea 3 crackers and in the evening fruits 3crackers"

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Reply
7. Real Marvin Bennett, 2021
"The song is hindu song that’s the nation the young man got while getting up off fasting

We are revivalist and in revival church we travel through different nations

So sometimes you will hear us singing African songs Chinese song Hindu songs e.t.c"

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Reply
8. Real Marvin Bennett, 2021
https://youtu.be/xSBFnReksdo

For example this is African nation we’re singing and dancing like the Africans"

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Reply
9. Real Marvin Bennett, 2021
"https://youtu.be/eJytjQI2YAc

This is the Chinese nation where we sing and dance like them"

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Reply
10. Real Marvin Bennett, 2021
"Hope I was able to make you understand what am saying

Blessings and thanks for the support 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼"

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11. That Girl, 2021
"@Real Marvin Bennett  Wow. Three whole days is excellent. I managed 18 hours my first time. It wasn't easy but I shall persevere with it.

I heard sounds from Africa for sure but it's interesting that you embrace Asian and other cultures also. I have family in Sav La Mar. It would be an honour to visit your church one day. Thanks for taking the time to explain. Blessings from the UK. 👏🏾"

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Processional Dances & Other Activities At (Kenyan) Kalenjin Koitos (Wedding Engagements)

Ngash Photography, Feb. 23, 2017

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams series provides information about (Kenyan) Kalenjin people and also provides information about Kalenji Koitos (wedding engagements).

In addition, this post showcases five YouTube videos of Kalenjin Koitos. These videos are given in no particular order.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all others who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT KALENJIN PEOPLE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_people
"The Kalenjin comprise a number of ethnic groups indigenous to East Africa, residing mainly in what was formerly the Rift Valley Province in Kenya. They number 6,358,113 individuals as per the Kenyan 2019 census. They are divided into 11 culturally and linguistically related tribes: Kipsigis, Nandi, Keiyo, Marakwet, Sabaot, Pokots, Tugen, Terik, Sengwer, Lembus, and Ogiek.[2] They speak Kalenjin languages, which belong to the Nilotic language family.[1]"...

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INFORMATION ABOUT KALENJI KOITOS
Excerpt #1
From https://hivisasa.com/posts/interesting-steps-in-traditional-marriage-ceremony-amongst-the-kalenjin-community by Uasin Gishu, no date given, r etrieved Oct. 30, 2021

"Interesting steps in traditional marriage ceremony amongst the Kalenjin community.

Just like other tribes, the Kalenjin community treasures the marriage ceremony so much. Marriage is important as it depends on the formation of a family which is the prime source of earliest ideas that remain through ones' life.

Amongst the people of Kalenjin community, there are special steps in a marriage ceremony that are more than ordinary. Having seen the Kalenjin marriage ceremony, we consider the various steps and what they mean.

The proposal/Show up

The son who wants to marry informs his father and mother about the girl he wants to marry. His parents tell their relatives and they discuss the suitability according to the clan. If they contend with the girls' behaviour, they go to the girls' family for a show-up and to request for a hand in marriage. The parents are usually accompanied by aunts, uncles, grandparents and some neighbours.

In this show-up, the bridegroom and bride are not part of the negotiations.

The grooms' family ask for forgiveness from the brides' parents for planning to snatch their daughter.

If the bride's family agrees to let them their daughter for marriage, a date for engagement is mutually agreed.

Engagement (Koito)

The bridegroom family goes to the bride's home officially to meet them. Here the groom is required to attend the engagement popularly known as Koito. The grooms' family which include uncles, aunts, grandparents, parents and the clan are invited into the room for dowry negotiations and know each other well. A proper introduction is done to prevent getting married to your own. As for each clan in Kalenjin community, they have a name of a totem animal to represent them, they call it 'Tiondo' and a clan name, 'Oret'

Once both families are aware of their animal and clan name, they proceed to discuss dowry.

Dowry negotiations is usually a challenging affair. The bride's family outlines the effort they have made in raising the bride to her age. They mention the benefit that the groom will get from marrying her hence demand enough appreciation.

Dowry differs amongst the Kalenjin sub-tribes. The dowry which is usually in form of cows, goats and sheep, differs depending on bride's status.

After dowry negotiations, a ceremony is held where the bridegroom and bride are guided and advised on the new family. Gifts and presents are awarded.

Wedding

The brides' family visits the grooms' to check on the agreed dowry and to escort the bride to her new home. The father to the bride wears a traditional cloak, usually of animal skin and carrying a special stick walks with the 'best man' as we might say, to the field to have a look at the cattle for dowry. After confirming, he marks them for identification. A big ceremony where the whole village is invited is held. It is the most expensive step but the groom must prove that he will be able to provide for his new family.

At the dark in a room, the bride and the groom are asked to sit at the opposite sides of an officiating elder. Plaits of a certain grass are made and anointed with butter. They are blessed as four people carrying bouquets of leaves of the sacred plants form a procession of going around the bride and the groom four times. Finally, the man ties the lady and he is tied too. This is evidence that they will be faithful to their marriages. Jubilations follows and celebrations continue.

The ceremony in Kalenjin community is very interesting and worth an experience."

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Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koito
"Koito ("To give away")[1] is a Kalenjin wedding ritual which involves the negotiation of a brides dowry.[2]

Practice

There are variations in practice between the various sub-tribes, with the Kipsigis for example having a smaller celebration where only one's immediate family and oreet members are invited while the Nandi on the other hand have large celebrations where the whole village is invited.[3]

For all however the key elements are similar; that is the negotiation of the dowry payment which is done by a few select members/negotiators from both families in the privacy of a room separate from the other guests. Mursik is drunk at the end of negotiations by those present to symbolize agreement and is seen as being crucial to the process.[4]

After the negotiations, a celebration is held where the bridegroom and bride are given advise on family life by older relatives from both families. Usually symbolic gifts and presents are given to the couple during this ceremony.[5]

The koito is often quite colorful and sometimes bears resemblance to a wedding ceremony and it is indeed gaining prominence as the key event since the kaayaaet'ap koito is sometimes merged with it and at other times the tunisiet is foregone in favor of it.[6][7][8]"
-snip-
Some YouTube videos of this event refer to a Koito as a "Kalenji traditional wedding".

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2:  Jesca's engagement Trailer at kaplenge Elgeyo marakwet county

MC. HILLARIOUS KIPLIMO, Aug 16, 2021

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: EDWIN & CECYLINE ENGAGEMENT TRAILER.(BEST KALENJIN KOITO/ENGAGEMENT DANCE).🎉🦋

Qip Photography, Dec. 8, 2020

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: FIDEL & MERCY ENGAGEMENT TRAILER .{BEST OF 2021}


Qip Photography, April 8, 2021

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Most Hyped koito #mckiptabut #cynthia

MC KIPTABUT, May 13, 2021

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Congolese Weddings & Congolese Wedding Parties (Receptions) From The Perspectives Of Two White People

Brew Binsky, Dec. 21, 2019

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a wedding in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This video was filmed by a White man and which presents his perspectives and experiences of Congolese weddings and wedding parties. A  few selected comments from this video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

This pancocojams post also presents an article excerpt about Congolese weddings from the perspective of a White woman whose husband works in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the publisher of this video and the author of this article. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click http://maraseibert.com/?p=595 for a detailed article by Mara, Feb. 18, 2015 entitled "A Foreigner’s Guide To Congolese Weddings"

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QKflbl48Hk&ab_channel=DrewBinsky

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

Rebecca M, 2020
"This wedding is a bit different to the ones I see and I'm Congolese and Angolan living in the UK.

What we do is the dowry known as La dot or dote (usually takes place on Thursday) and can take place outside or at home like I've witnessed in the UK and Europe. Then the civil ceremony which usually takes place in Friday, then the wedding at church (On Saturday)

*It can vary from a year apart from these events or a day between

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Reply
2. Alicia Momat, 2020
"But what if those parts were done long ago??"

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Reply
3. Rebecca M, 2020
"@Alicia Momat  Normally they're very close so you basically have 3 weddings in one week such as Thursday, Friday and Saturday"

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4. Alicia Momat, 2020
"@Rebecca M  that not true, some people can pay the bride price one year before the church wedding, it's depends"

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5. Rebecca M, 2020
"@Alicia Momat  Oh yes it's true forgot to mention that yes it can vary"

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6. Alicia Momat, 2020
"@Rebecca M  yeah"

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7. Pesi Belau, 2020
"@Rebecca M  depends some ppl have 3 weekends. Some ppl have over a whole year."

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8. S, 2020
"Mine was done apart"

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9. Gorgeousss, 2020

"The Congolese weddings in Europe are sooo extra but I love my people🥰"
-snip-
"Extra"= over the top; doing more than is usually expected; extravagant

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ARTICLE EXCERPT
From https://adventuresincongo.com/2012/12/03/weddings-congo-style/
"Weddings, Congo-Style

3 December 2012 Mzunga

We’ve been to 3 Congolese weddings now – all employees of Seb’s – which have been fascinating cultural experiences. I’m now officially in love with Congolese music. And boy, do these guys know how to dance.

I wonder if it was the missionaries who long ago left their mark on this important life event, in that many customs are the same as ours. There are similar blessings, a white dress, flower girls, a first dance, a white cake, a large meal.

But it’s the customs that diverge from ours that I find fascinating. We have yet to attend an actual ceremony, which begins in the morning with a civil ceremony, then progresses to a church ceremony in the afternoon. Most people only attend the evening reception, and I can see why. It starts about 3 hours later than planned, and takes a LONG time. It’s a great party and a lot of fun, but you definitely shouldn’t plan on doing anything else the next morning. If the invitation says it starts at 7 and you show up at 8, you’ll be alone. At 9 some other guests will start arriving, but you won’t see the bride & groom before 10 or 10:30. The meal is usually served around midnight, and if you skip all the dancing and leave shortly afterwards, you might get home around 2am.

But it’s worth all the trouble. The evening is beautiful. When the bride and groom enter, they do so slowly and dramatically. There’s always music, usually modern and hip-hoppy. They dance as they walk to center stage. Well, they sashay, really. It’s elegant and natural, and something I have a hard time mimicking when it becomes my turn (more on that later). They don’t smile, they don’t look at anyone. They take their walk very seriously while the audience is on their feet clapping and cheering to the beat. It’s kind of a goosebump moment. As they walk there’s an emcee on a microphone introducing them and their wedding party. The bride wears a beautiful white dress, the groom a tux, the bridesmaids matching gowns in a style similar to bridesmaids everywhere. …

[…]

Then begins a set of rituals, like the traditional first dance. This differs from ours in that the guests come shower the bride and groom with wads of cash which the bridesmaids gather up into little easter baskets. Also, there’s no father-daughter dance broken by the new groom. Not sure why, but I’ve not yet seen the parents of the bride or groom play a role in any of these rituals.

Then there’s the presentation of the gifts. This is done individually, one gift-giver at a time, processional-style. More modern music, more sashaying. Each gift-giver presents their beautifully-wrapped box to the couple, and the 3-kiss greeting is given to all members of the wedding party. (Two women or man-woman greetings are 3 kisses, starting to your left, their right. The man-to-man greeting is a forehead bump in the same pattern of 3.)

Our “entourage” (Seb and I tend to go to these weddings with other Congolese members of the department) always has to pull us out of our chairs to join the processional. Our terrible dancing and awkward sashaying across the room always makes everyone laugh. No matter how much beer we’ve consumed over the prior 3-4 hours, it’s still highly embarrassing.

[…]

After the bride and groom entered the room, the attendants performed a little dance routine …. Then there was an elaborate presentation of not just the cake but the knife as well. The girl presenting the knife was dressed in a tribal outfit and danced to tribal music. Loved that. After several minutes moving down the aisle to her routine, she finally reached the couple. But before she could release the knife, the emcee announced that someone had to pay her. She stood there pulsating as if in a trance with the knife over her head until someone went to her with a $20 bill. Finally, there was also a comedian who performed a 15-minute sketch, entirely in very rapid French so I can’t tell you much beyond his first joke. He was an albino fellow, and I guess he took one look at us and announced that crap, now all his jokes were going to fail, because when he wrote them he planned on surely being the only mzungu* in the room.

After all the processions and introductions and gift-giving and rituals, around midnight we finally eat. The meals have always been impressive and elaborate. The drinks keep flowing too. After the meal, the real party begins. I love watching everyone dance. Kind of like our Macarena, there are lots of songs that everyone recognizes and jumps up to dance to in a coordinated style. Here’s an example that’s a bit modern, but it made me laugh. It’s an English-language song, from Nigeria, but very popular here (our gardener was playing it over and over on his phone the other day, though he didn’t understand it at all). The chorus goes something like “She took my money… but I don’t care” with motions to match.”…
-snip-
This article includes some photographs. The author also mentions including some videos in the article, but those videos aren’t there (anymore?).

In the "home" section of her blog, the author writes that she and her husband are from Arizona and moved to the Congo where her husband works.

*The author’s name “Mzunga” was given in the comment section. Here's one of the comments the author wrote this about her and her White husband dancing at Congolese wedding receptions:
Mzunga, 12 December 2012 at 08:17
"We’re getting better each time! No wait, the first wedding was the best. Before we realized everyone was laughing at us."
 -snip-
Here's some information about the Bantu word "Mzungu"

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mzungu
"Mzungu in Africa

Also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, mzungu (pronounced [m̩ˈzuŋɡu]) is a Bantu language means “wanderer” originally pertaining to spirits. The term is currently used in predominantly Swahili speaking nations to refer to white people dating back to 18th century. The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Comoros, Zimbabwe, Mayotte, Zambia and in Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but the locals will still understand the word mzungu) dating back to the 18th century."..

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Five YouTube Videos Of Congolese Wedding Entrance Dances (2019, 2020, & 2021)

K.K.T Productions, Apr 7, 2021
-snip-
This entrance dance was filmed at the wedding of (Celina & Jean-Luc) Phoenix, Arizona

**** 
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams series showcases five YouTube videos of Congolese wedding entrance dances. All of these videos were filmed in the United States.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all others who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Beautiful Congolese Wedding Entrance Dance



Sondasi Luundo, Sep 13, 2019
-snip-
This summary doesn't identify the bride and groom or name the city where it was filmed. However, this video was probably filmed in the United States as online information for film maker/editor Sondasi Luundo indicates that he resides in Buffalo, New York. His Facebook page also indicates that he is from Kalamie, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Best Congolese Wedding Entrance Dance - ONCTION (EPAKWA) Jonas and Dina Wedding

Sondasi Luundo, Aug 4, 2021
-snip-
This video was probably filmed in the United States as online information for film maker/editor Sondasi Luundo indicates that he resides in Buffalo, New York. His Facebook page also indicates that he is from Kalamie, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: CONGOLESE WEDDING ENTRANCE ( Magasco - Sokoto ) Cincinnati Ohio

Rash revolution Photography, Jan 17, 2021

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Best Congolese Wedding Entrance | BM & Arlette | Phoenix Arizona | Song: BM - Ye Le

BM Official, Oct. 12, 2021

Our second entrance to my wedding. We came out to my new song titled BM - Ye Le. The dance choreography was made by 'Brotha E'. We hope you enjoy this entrance and hope you dance along... -snip-
Unlike the other videos in this compilation, this video features professional dancers, instead of the bridesmaids and groom's men.

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Kalya Cultural Dancers (Marakwet Ethnic Group, Kenya) -"Anyiny Tumdo" ("Blessed Ceremony"), Video With English lyrics

Kalya Cultural Dancers, Nov 8, 2020

Ceremonies such as Engagements & Marriages are the most celebrated events in Marakwet Community. ANYINY TUMDO (Sweet/lovely) Ceremony... **** Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams post provides information about the Kalenjin and information of the Marakwet, a sub-group of the Kalenjin ethnic group in Kenya, East Africa. This pancocojams post also showcases the Marakwet wedding song "Anyiny Tumdo" as performed by the Kalya Cultural Dancers. The English lyrics for this song which were given as captions in this video are also included in this pancocojams post (with a few minor spelling changes and a change in the order of two verses.)

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to Kalya Cultural Dancers for their musical and cultural legacy. Thanks also to all those who are featured in this video and thanks to the composer/s of this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- I noticed how the people in this video are doing a dance that I and many people in the United States and in some other countries would describe as the "Conga line". However, that dance in this video may be a traditional Marakwet dance and not doing the Conga or copying off of the Conga line.  Be that as it may, I've added a tag for "African processional videos, and a tag for "Conga line" so that I (and others) can find this post in the future.  

**** INFORMATION ABOUT THE KALENJIN From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_people "The Kalenjin comprise a number of ethnic groups indigenous to East Africa, residing mainly in what was formerly the Rift Valley Province in Kenya. They number 6,358,113 individuals as per the Kenyan 2019 census. They are divided into 11 culturally and linguistically related tribes: Kipsigis, Nandi, Keiyo, Marakwet, Sabaot, Pokots, Tugen, Terik, Sengwer, Lembus, and Ogiek.[2] They speak Kalenjin languages, which belong to the Nilotic language family.[1]"... **** INFORMATION ABOUT THE MARAKWET From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marakwet_people "The Marakwet are one of the groups forming the ethnolinguistic Kalenjin community of Kenya, they speak the Markweta language. The Marakwet live in five territorial sections namely Almoo, Cherangany (Sengwer or Kimaala), Endoow, Sombirir (Borokot) and Markweta (the dialect giving rise to the common name). Cutting across these territorial groups are a number of clans to which each Marakwet belongs. There were 119,969 Marakwet people in 2019.[1]

Most Marakwet today live in the Elgeyo-Marakwet County, a notably beautiful and picturesque part of Kenya. It is bounded to the east by the Kerio River at 1000 m above sea level, which runs through a small branch of the Great Rift Valley. To the west it includes almost the entire Cherang’any hills which rise to 3300 m above sea level west of the Marakwet escarpment. Significant populations of individuals of Marakwet heritage are also resident in the Trans Nzoia, and Uasin Gishu counties, as well as in other towns in Kenya. Others have moved to live in places as far away as Australia, Southern Africa, the Middle East, and United States."...

****
ENGLISH LYRICS FOR THE MARAKWET SONG "ANYINY TUMDO" (BLESSED CEREMONY)
(as sung by Kalya Cultural Dancers) *

We are full of joy
Colorful ceremony
In a Holy place
Blessed ceremony, Haaa iyaa. bride and groom this is your day.

Marriage at the altar
Coloful ceremony
The wedding is blessed
Blessed ceremony, Haaa iyaa. bride and groom this is your day.

It started with Adam
Colorful ceremony
Adam and Eve
Blessed ceremony, Haaa iyaa. bride and groom this is your day.

Marriage was there
Colorful ceremony
Marriage is blessed
Blessed ceremony, Haaa iyaa. bride and groom this is your day.

Such a beautiful couple
Colorful ceremony
Blessed ceremony
Blessed ceremony,
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Guest have arrived
Colorful ceremony
With blessings
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Guests have arrived
Colorful ceremony
From all directions.
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Parents have come
Colorful ceremony
Together with uncles
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Many have come
to the coloful ceremony
Blessed ceremony
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Good hearted couple
Colorful ceremony
Are fulled with joy
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Our beautiful bride
Colorful ceremony.
Beloved daughter
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Here are your sisters
Colorful ceremony
Come bearing gifts
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Brothers are coming
colorful ceremony
Together with your sisters
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

See how people are happy?
Colorful ceremony
Enjoying your cremony
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

See how women 
Colorful ceremony
Are rejoicing
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

See how men
Colorful ceremony
Are rejoicing
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Our marriage is blessed
Colorful ceremony
We thank our guests
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

This day has been successful
Colorful ceremony
We thank our guests
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Goodbye to all
Colorful ceremony
And keep the love
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Goodbye to our visitors
Colorful ceremony
And keep the love
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Blessed ceremony
Colorful ceremony
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.

Blessed ceremony
Colorful ceremony
Blessed ceremony
Haaa iyaa
Bride and groom, this is your day.
-snip-
This is my transcription from the captions in that YouTube video.

Notice that I made minor changes in some lines: 
-I corrected the spelling of the word "altar" and replacing the word "on" with "at" for the words "at the altar"
- I changed "sister" to "sisters" (since the plural word "sisters" was mentioned in the following verse).
-I changed the word "gift" to gifts" in the line "your sisters are coming bearing gifts"
-I changed the line "bye our visitors" to "goodbye to our visitors"

No disrespect intended, but the order of the verses that are given above is a change from the order that the verses were sung in this video. I moved the "Our marriage is blessed" and "This day has been successful" to right before the "Goodbye to our guests" verse instead of after the "See how people are happy" verse.
.
I changed that order because it seemed to me that putting the verses in the couple's voices together makes e more sense than separating those verses.

Again, I mean no disrespect. I love the words, the music, the dancing, the clothing...I love everything about this video and really appreciate that the publisher added English captions since unfortunately, that is the only language I know. Adding English captions helped me-and I'm sure many other people-understand this wonderful Marakwet wedding song. I'm grateful for that. 

**
Additional Pancocojams Editor's Notes: 
I wonder if it is the custom for one or more people within the Marakwet communityto improvise the beginning words to this song at weddings and have no fixed order for the verses and no fixed limit for the number of verses. I'd  love to "hear" from anyone who is familiar with this song as sung by the Marakwets regarding this speculation.

I'd also love to learn whether the dance that is performed in this video which resembles what Americans call "the Congo line" is traditional to the Marakwets culture.

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Five YouTube Videos Of Traditional Yoruba Dancing (2014-2021)

Funke Oyinbo Pepper, Nov 17, 2014

16 November [2]014, Lagos State Day at International Lagos Trade Fair-
snip-
Here are two comments from the discussion thread of this video:
Jusbnme1, 2018
"What is the name of this dance?"

**
Reply
Alao Zubair Lanre, 2021
"I think bata."

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about Yoruba dance.

This pancocojams series showcases five YouTube videos of traditional Yoruba dancing.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/10/information-about-yoruba-people-and.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents information about Yoruba people and presents a book excerpt about Yoruba dancers' postures and body stances.  

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all others who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Yoruba dancers in their traditional wears



OLUMIDE, July 4, 2017
-snip-
Here's a comment exchange from this video's discussion thread:

Fabíola Rosa, 2020
"Hello, I really love the dance, the clothes and I'd like to know what the song means. The lyric."

**
Reply
Oluwatosin Oladokun, 2021
"The clothes is called Adire and song is just some playful song we called Orin Ote in Yoruba. although the Talking Drum (Gangan) and Bata drum is doing most of the talking."

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Iyabo-ijo iwe

olabisi mosobalaje, Apr 3, 2018

A yoruba unique traditional dance step. Iwe dance is usually displayed during a spécial events in Ketou Benin Republic and Imeko Afon axis of Nigeria

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: YORUBA CULTURAL DANCE ONI OF IFE

Culture Africa Tv, Feb 25, 2021

YORUBA CULTURAL DANCE PRESENT UNIQUE PERFORMANCE To OONI OF IFE
-snip-
Here's information about the Ooni of Ife from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rulers_of_Ife

"The Ooni of Ile-Ife (Ọọ̀ni of Ilè-Ifẹ̀) is the traditional ruler of Ile-Ife and the spiritual head of the Yoruba people. The Ooni dynasty existed before the reign of Oranmiyan which historians have argued is between the 7th-9th centuries A.D.”…

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Nigerian Yoruba Cultural Bata Dance Performance by Dream Catchers Academy Girls (Happy African Kids)

Dream Catchers Academy, Jun 16, 2021

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome. 

Information About Yoruba People And A 1998 Book Excerpt About Yoruba Dancers' Postures & Body Stances

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about Yoruba dance.

This pancocojams post presents information about Yoruba people and presents a book excerpt about Yoruba dancers' postures and body stances.  

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/10/five-youtube-videos-of-traditional.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases five YouTube videos of traditional Yoruba dancing.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Omofolabo S. Ajayi for writing the book Yoruba dance and thanks to all others who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT YORUBA PEOPLE  
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_people
"The Yoruba people (Yoruba: Ọmọ Káàárọ̀-oòjíire, Ọmọ Oòduà[32][33][34]) are a native West African ethnic group that inhabit western Africa, found mainly in the parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo that constitute Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute around 38 million people in Africa, a few hundred thousand outside of its continental borders, and bear some further representation among members of the African diaspora. The vast majority of the Yoruba population is today within the country of Nigeria, where the Yoruba make up 15.5% of the country's population by contemporary estimations,[35] making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, by number. Most Yoruba people speak the Yoruba language, which is, also, the Niger-Congo language with the largest number of native speakers.[36]

[…]

Significant Yoruba populations in other West African countries can also be found in Ghana,[37][38][39] Benin,[37] Ivory Coast,[40] and Sierra Leone.[41]

Outside Africa, the Yoruba diaspora consists of two main groupings; the first being that of the Yorubas dispersed mainly to the western hemisphere between the 16th to 19th centuries, notably to Cuba and Brazil, and the second consisting of a wave of relatively recent migrants, the majority of whom began to migrate to the United Kingdom and the United States following major economic and political changes of the 1960s to 1980s in Africa.[42]

[…]

Today, most contemporary Yoruba are Muslims or Christians.[22] Be that as it may, many of the principles of the traditional faith of their ancestors are either knowingly or unknowingly upheld by a significant proportion of the populations of Nigeria, Benin and Togo.[102]

[…]

The Yoruba diaspora

Yoruba people or descendants can be found all over the world especially in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Cuba, Brazil, Latin America, and the Caribbean.[216][217][218][219] Significant Yoruba communities can be found in South America and Australia. The migration of Yoruba people all over the world has led to a spread of the Yoruba culture across the globe. Yoruba people have historically been spread around the globe by the combined forces of the Atlantic slave trade[220][221][222][223] and voluntary self migration.[224] Their exact population outside Africa is unknown, but researchers have established that the majority of the African component in the ancestry of African Americans is of Yoruba and/or Yoruba-like extraction.[225][226][227][228][229][230] In their Atlantic world domains, the Yorubas were known by the designations: "Nagos/Anago", "Terranova", "Lucumi" and "Aku", or by the names of their various clans.

The Yoruba left an important presence in Cuba and Brazil,[231] particularly in Havana and Bahia.[232] According to a 19th-century report, "the Yoruba are, still today, the most numerous and influential in this state of Bahia.[233][234][235][236] … In the documents dating from 1816 to 1850, Yorubas constituted 69.1% of all slaves whose ethnic origins were known, constituting 82.3% of all slaves from the Bight of Benin. The proportion of slaves from West-Central Africa (Angola – Congo) dropped drastically to just 14.7%.[239]

Ancestry estimates for African Americans using discrete African populations as index show that African Americans have a majority African component most similar to that of the Yorubas of the Lower Guinea general region.

Between 1831 and 1852 the African-born slave and free population of Salvador, Bahia surpassed that of free Brazil born Creoles. Meanwhile, between 1808 and 1842 an average of 31.3% of African-born freed persons had been Nagos (Yoruba). Between 1851 and 1884, the number had risen to a dramatic 73.9%.

Other areas that received a significant number of Yoruba people and are sites of Yoruba influence are: Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Santa Margarita and Belize, British Guyana, Saint-Domingue (Now Haiti), Jamaica[240]… Barbados, Dominican republic, Montserrat, etc.”…

****
BOOK EXCERPT: 

YORUBA DANCE: The Semiotics of Movement And Body Attitude In A Nigerian Culture

by Omofolabo S. Ajayi (Africa World Press,1998)

from Chapter #1 [Section entitled "Yoruba Body Attitude In Communication"] 

"p. 35

Standard Dance Form

Even though there are numerous styles and forms of Yoruba dances, they are derived basically from a commonwealth of cultural body semantics. There is therefore what can generally be described as a standard Yoruba dance form. An essential component of the form is the standard posture of Yoruba dances. The upper torso is held forward at an angle of about 120 degrees to the rest of the body while the lower torso is flexed forward at the knees. Getting the proper posture is an important step towards the dance, since it is from this posture that the relevant various body parts start moving in rhythmical sequence to the music. The dancers in Figures 1 and 2 assume the standard posture, even though performing different dance styles and to different types of music.

Unless there is a specific message to communicate with the eyes, there is seldom any direct eye contact between the dancer or any other person or object. Female dances usually have their gaze fixed on the floor or at the lower edges of their dresses, while male dancers look straight ahead into space. Even if the eyes appear to be staring at an object or a person, it is with ‘unseeing eyes’. Although this lack of eye contact is in line with the social ethics (to establish eye contact is rude or a sign of aggression), It primarily helps to focus the dancer’s mind on the dance idea in order to better convey the message. It also discourages distraction, and aids in energy conservation. A smile on the dancer’s face is always welcome; it shows confidence and enjoyment.

Yoruba dances are generally not based on rigid uniformity of body movements.  Each person is an important individual, with a distinctive personality to convey to the audience, even in

Page 36

Group dances, movements are largely individualized…There is amble room for spontaneous and personal improvised movements, as long as the improvisations are in rhythm with the music and in consonance with the overall content of the dance.  In fact, the dancer displays his or her virtuosity in the richness of improvised movements and the smooth subtlety with which they are blended into the main form of the dance.  Except in a few dances where group uniformity is mandatory, it is rare to find two traditional Yoruba dancers dancing in choreographed unison to the same piece of music or dance content.

The concept of symmetrical balance is a crucial factor in the overall perception of the dance. Despite the fact that the body is psychically in a state of perpetual strenuous or energetic movements, the dancer must always maintain a balanced state of calm serenity. The dignified calmness of the stance is highly instrumental in attaining this state; it strikes an aesthetic balance between the two seemingly opposed elements-motion and stillness. It is the height of virtuosity for the dancer, even after a long spell of exhaustive dancing, to emerge immediately after totally composed yet exuding intense vitality and alertness, the sweat and panting breathes the only tell-tall sing of the physical exertion recently experienced. This emphasis on “the inner calm” balanced against the ‘external agitation’ prompts Farris Thompson to refer to Yoruba dances along with other dances on the west coast of Africa as the “aesthetic of the cool”. 2

The standard dance form demonstrates the close relationship between Yoruba body behavior and their dances. Their body bodes have been transposed into the full rhythmical kinesic symbolism of dance, where they form primary but essential components of the dance’s structural composition. Already richly endowed with their own cultural semantics, body signs in motional continuum multiply further the signification of the aesthetic and communicative value of the dance form. It becomes clear why in Yoruba society dance is fully integrated into the form of oral literature. The high communication value of dance becomes a ready medium to powerfully signify and express salient aspects of their culture.”…

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.
  

2017 Research Excerpt About Mami Wata Beliefs Among Igbo In Nigeria (with comments about Mami Wata from the discussion thread for Larry Gaaga's video "Egedege")

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a 2017 journal excerpt about Mammy Wata beliefs among Igbo people in Nigeria, West Africa. 

This post also provides selected comments from the discussion thread of Larry Gaaga's 2021 YouTube video "Egedege".

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, religious, cultural, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the researchers whose journal article is quoted in this post. Thanks also to all others who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/10/igbos-memories-of-theresa-onuorah.html for Part III of a three part pancocojams series on "Egedege". Note that besides the comments from the discussion thread for Larry Gaaga's "Egedege" video, a few comments from other discussion threads in that compilation refer directly or indirectly to Egedege and Mami Wata.  

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/01/excerpts-about-meanings-of-color-white.html "Excerpts About The Meanings Of The Color White In Seven Traditional African Cultures" to read other excerpts about Mami wata beliefs and carving descriptions in West Africa,

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JOURNAL ARTICLE EXCERPTS
From http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0259-94222017000300076

On-line version ISSN 2072-8050
Print version ISSN 0259-9422

Herv. teol. stud. vol.73 n.3 Pretoria  2017

The disappearing Mammy Water myth and the crisis of values in Oguta, South Eastern Nigeria

Lawrence N. Okwuosa; Nkechi G. Onah; Chinyere T. Nwaoga; Favour C. Uroko

Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, University of Nigeria, Nigeria

[...]

Introduction

The era of myths has been variously described as the pre-logical time in human's history when people believed in gods and goddesses, whose existence and powers were merely the figments of human's imagination. Popular understanding views this to mean that myths are untrue and without any historical backing (Anyacho 2005:12). This kind of submission makes so little of the human spirit, which conceives truth in various ways, especially from its functional aspect. According to Armstrong (2009):

myths may have told stories about gods, but they were really focused on the more elusive, puzzling, and tragic aspects of the human predicament that lay outside the remit of logos. Myth has been called a primitive form of psychology. (p. xi)

As psychology, a myth was aimed at forming people's mind. Before African cultures succumbed to the dominant external cultures and, now globalism, myths were one of the most reliable sources of education, communication, character moulding, installation of peace and unity in the community. Okpewho (1983) narrates that the real basis of myth is not thought but feeling, in it the sensible present is so great that everything else dwindles before it. Hence, it formed part of the unwritten codes of human behaviour written in people's hearts and transmitted from one generation to another unbroken. As this was done in the spirit of communal duty, people's sense of origin and future were formed and sustained. They were drawn into communion with their forebears, who represented their past and in a way their future. Then, for Africans, there was no existential dichotomy between the past and present generations with myths. The different ages were nourished by the same knowledge source. They were expected to act and behave alike with regards to the culture and tradition of the land. This is because according to Mbiti in myths lies a rich wealth of ideas, beliefs, values, literary expressions and the exercise of human imagination (Anyacho 2005:13).

Taking these things into consideration, it is obvious that if Africa's cultures have abandoned the myths that nourished and sustained them like their forbearers that they would not act and live like them anymore. They are bound to fall to the basic principle of change, which is the only permanent thing in life. But what are the possible consequences of this change? What could be the nature of this change? Would it allow for the essential continuity between the past and the present that has sustained African societies in terms of the African identity and the rich African cultural values?

The choice of Mammy Water myth and Oguta people is critical in the sense that though the myth is well known among the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria, her abode is Oguta Lake. It is a myth, which in the past greatly influenced the people's social, ethical and religious life. This was extensively documented by Flora Nwapa, Nigeria's First Lady of Letters and a native in her masterpiece, Efuru written in 1966 (Nwapa 1966). In her over 20 years of study of Mammy Water in Igbo Culture, Jell-Bahlsen's subject matter was the Mammy Water (Ogbuide) of Oguta Lake (Jell-Bahlsen 2014). Even though these studies tried to bring into limelight the myth's importance in the people's lives, no real study has examined the possible effects of its disappearance in the town. In view of this, there is the need to investigate the social, ethical and religious life of the people without the goddess.

The course of this research would include the following: studying the general understanding of the myth in Oguta, identifying Igbo values that are inherent in the myth, fathoming factors responsible for the disappearing of the myth, the resultant crisis of values, the way forward and conclusion.

The Mammy Water myth in Oguta cosmology

Oguta is an ancient lake town in Igbo land. Because of its water link with the famous River Niger, it became a big economic centre for palm products, yams and fish (Agorua 2015). The people's belief and worship of Mammy Water is as old as the history of the people's sojourn in the land. According to oral tradition, it was the goddess of the lake that chose the people. In the early 19th century when the town was migrating from the old Benin Empire, a certain fisher man Eneke Okitutu, strayed in his fishing expedition and found himself in the lake. He was moved by its glamorous beauty and fish that he went home and mobilized his people. They succeeded to ransack Awa people who were the original inhabitants of the town (Ofili 1998).

The goddess of the lake Mammy Water is known to the natives as Ogbuide or Uhamiri. She is described as a black beautiful woman with the tail of a fish and long black hairs flowing down her shoulders, which she combs with a golden comb. Around her neck are pythons. She is very wealthy and used different kinds of fish as firewood (Nwapa 1966:146). Unlike the other deities in the town, which are worshipped by specific families and villages, she is worshipped by the whole town. She is the reference point in the people's daily life. In the past, as soon as a child was born, it is fed with water from the lake and the mother before resuming her social life put her legs in the lake (Nwapa 1966:33). This rite is performed when somebody dies. The dead person is washed with water from the lake water before burial and the partner at the end of the prescribed mourning period takes his or her bath in the lake. The lake is believed to be the entrance and exit points of every human life in the town. In fact, the natives are called Ndi Mmiri [people of the lake]. The woman of the lake, as the goddess is also called, is worshipped as the goddess of fertility and productivity. She is believed to give barren women children after they agreed to serve her (Jell-Bahlsen 2014:29).

With the bond established at birth, all the natives are believed to be connected to the goddess. This notwithstanding, she has her strict worshippers or ministers, whom she chooses and empowers. Among them are Eze Ugo [the goddess' priest], Eze Nwanyi [the goddess' priestess], Dibia Mmiri [water herbalists], Ogbuides [the goddess' reincarnates], Dada [chosen ones], Nwa Mammy Water [a special devotee], ndi egwu amara [lake dancers], etc. These special worshippers besides having the lake water as shrines in their homes are to keep her taboos. Some of the taboos as recorded by Nwapa (1966) are:

Orie day is her great day. You are not to fish on this day … you should persuade others not to fish. You are not to eat yams on this day. (On this day too) You are not to sleep with your husband (wife). You have to boil, roast or fry plantains on Orie day. Uhamiri likes plantains so much. You can even pound it if you like. When you go to bed, you must be in white on Orie nights. You can sacrifice a white fowl to Uhamiri on this day. When you feel particularly happy, or grateful, you should sacrifice a white sheep to her. Above all you will keep yourself holy. When you do all these, then you will see for yourself what the woman of the lake would do for you. (p. 151)

Other ordinances include forbidding of the killing or eating of aquatic tortoise, crocodile, and python, that are her favourites animals. Menstruating women, mourning widows and widowers and people under oath are also forbidding from bathing in the lake. Likewise, teenagers are not allowed to bath with their clothes in the lake (I. Ezeugo, pers commun, 12 March 2015).

Besides giving children to women, the woman of the lake is known to make people especially women wealthy. She protects the town from invaders, diseases, and misfortunes. The lake naturally serves as a protective shield for the people from invaders. It is believed among the natives that people with dangerous charms, murderers, adulterers, rapists, thieves cannot cross the lake without any negative consequence on them. According to oral tradition, the goddess protected the town during the Nigeria-Biafra war in 1968 by capsizing all the enemy's gunboats that ventured into the lake to attack the people (I. Ezeugo, pers commun, 12 March 2015).

Fundamental Igbo values in the Mammy Water myth

The myth of Mammy Water is adduced as a religious belief. Like every other religious belief in Igbo culture, it is a gift from Chukwu [God] rich in traditional values. Some of the values easily discernible from the myth are given in the following.

Respect for life and human dignity

Life, among the Igbo people, is considered the highest gift from the Supreme God, Chukwu. Every other gift from God is founded on life and among all the things that have life human being is the most precious thus buttressing the name Mmadu, which means the beauty of life. Human life is very precious that the murder of a relation, suicide, euthanasia, and abortion are considered abominations and desecration of the land.

To portray the inestimable value of life among the Igbo people, we have Igbo names like Ndubuisi [life is supreme], Ndukuba/Ndukaaku [life is more precious than wealth], Ndudi [with life there is hope], Ndubueze [life is king], Nduma [life knows all], Ndulaka [life decides all], etc. In the same vein, to show how close human life is related to God, we have Igbo names like Chibundu [God is life], Chinwendu [God owns life], Chilendu [God is life's provider], Chikwendu [God wills life], etc.

Because of the value attached to life, the people perpetuate it via procreation and the belief in reincarnation. These are two basic beliefs that the Mammy Water myth propagates. The goddess, as we have pointed out already, is known for giving children to barren women. Her ordinances are pro-life and deter the natives from doing anything that might endanger other people's lives. Her disdain for death is unequalled in the sense that anything dead does not pass through the lake without appeasement. In this culture, euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment is unheard of. They are intolerable and merit immediate punishment from the goddess. On the contrary, Christianity, though it does not support the above vices, tends to be merciful to the offenders (Mt 5:7).

Gender sensitivity

Igbo culture is adduced to be patriarchal by nature and tends to limit the operational sphere of the womenfolk (Achufusi 1994:159). On the contrary, this is not the case in Oguta. Even though in some Igbo communities, some women are priestesses, the office is majorly dominated by men. In the mammy water cult in Oguta, it is purely all women's affairs at the top cadre. The Eze Ugo who is a male priest is an exceptional case. In fact, in the history of the town, only one man has held the position and he was the father of the Eze Nwanyi, Ifunaya Ezeugo (I. Ezeugo, pers commun, 15 March 2015). Mammy Water's ministers and strict members are mostly women and they are abundantly blessed. This is what the native doctor explained to Efuru, a new recruit of the goddess, concerning her calling in Nwapa (1966):

You are a great woman … It is a great honour. She is going to protect you and shower riches on you. But you must keep her laws. Look round this town, nearly all the storey buildings you find are built by women who one time or another have been worshippers of Uhamiri … Uhamiri is a great woman. She is our goddess and above all she is very kind to women. (p. 153)

Invariably, the myth recognises and promotes women in the society. Mammy Water is the symbol and patron of women's wealth (Jell-Bahlsen 2014:145). In fact, Oguta women, who are more successful traders than their husbands, are believed to have received their wealth from Mammy Water. Because of this, they are socially and economically independent and mobile. Even today, Oguta women may marry other women for her husband or marry wives for her son. Following Mammy Water's requirements of sexual abstinence for 2 years after a child's birth, an Oguta woman would at most bear two children in 6 years. This practice has been adjudged beneficial to women and puts lesser burden on the family (Jell-Bahlsen 2014:143, 250).

Recognising the physical weakness and vulnerability of women, the goddess never failed to protect Oguta women at their moments of needs and against exploitations. A good example is the story of an Oguta girl whose pot of soup was tampered with by another patient in a hospital at Onitsha. After crying, the girl prepared another pot of soup with fresh fish from the lake. As usual, the thief went again for the soup but this time in the attempt to take fish from the pot, her hand hooked to the fish's head in the pot of soup. She cried out in great pains and was thus caught red-handed. The Oguta girl on seeing what has happened started singing and praising the goddess in these words: 'The woman of our lake has fought for one of her daughters today' (Nwapa 1966:130). The general belief of the people is that the woman of the lake protects not just the women and children but everybody. It could then be said that the myth is the champion of gender equality against the Christian impression that women are merely a rib of man (Gen 2:22) and his helper (Gen 2:18).

Promotion of respectable togetherness

In Africa, the community is the supreme custodian and strength of all. The individual person belongs to the community who forms and guarantees each individual's identity. In view of this, the individual person believes what others in the community believe (Mbiti 1969:67). This is the case in Igbo land, where the individual is regulated and measured according to the acceptable norms of the society. A person's importance and dignity are measured according to his or her integration into a given community and active participation in its beliefs and traditions.

In Oguta, the rallying point for the community in terms of identity, beliefs and occupation is the lake and its goddess. They derive their identity from the lake as Ndi Mmiri. They also derive their sustenance as farmers, fishermen and traders and social norms for peaceful coexistence from the ordinances of the lake goddess. For example, despite the fact that the lake is the people's centre of interaction, there are basic norms to uphold in order to curb immoralities in the town. For example, men and women, even when they are married, are prohibited from swimming together in the lake (Nwapa 1966:137), going out together at night (Nwapa 1966:118) and kissing in public (Nwapa 1966:122). Furthermore, anyone who killed his kinsperson atones for it till death (Nwapa 1966:151), anyone who stole was sold into slavery (Nwapa 1966:176) and anyone who took a false oath and died of it was thrown into the evil forest (Nwapa 1966:183). In this way, a healthy togetherness was built that guaranteed everyone a safe space to operate. Women, men, and children have their different but complementary roles to play in the house, farm and society. According to Achebe (1958), Christianity has touched the things that have united the traditional people making the centre not to hold anymore for them. Christianity in Igbo land is multifaceted. It has different denominations whose doctrines contradict themselves and put their members at loggerheads.

The Sense of the sacred

In Igbo traditional culture, profanity does not exist. Everything is sacred because everything belongs to the gods or inhabited by the gods. The Igbo existential experience is one that involves fully the participation of the divinities in various ways. Hence, Igbo life is roundly religious and sacred. It is the same value that the myth of Mammy Water creates in the life of Oguta people. The woman of the lake is their daily companion. She is revered at all times, at birth when people are happy and at death when they are sorrowing and invoking her help. Accused persons swear in her name to prove their innocence while the guilty dread mentioning it. The belief is that wherever her shrine is enthroned the place and the people involved must be pure and honest. Hence her ministers, Eze Ugo (the priest), Eze Nwanyi (the priestess) and Dibia Mmiri (water herbalists) in order to be effective must avoid evil. They cannot divinise anything if they commit evil or work effectively for a person who is evil. Evil blinds them from seeing the gods (Nwapa 1966:152).

With the myth, the people are conscious of their relationship with the gods and their dead ancestors, especially with regards to the observance of the numerous rites and ordinances prescribed by the lake goddess. Christian understanding of the imperative 'subdue and lord over the earth' (Gen 1:28) creates a dichotomy among created realities. Christians kill at will local totems to exhibit this dominion against the tradition of the local people (Achebe 1958:112).

Factors responsible for the disappearing Mammy Water myth

Western civilisation in its varied forms has been blamed for the cultural change in Africa. According to Omirima, the village gossiper in Nwapa's Efuru, said that: 'The world is changing. It is now the world of the white people. We and our grandfathers don't seem to count these days. We are old' (1966:194-195). Ajanupu another prominent character in the celebrated novel reiterated this: 'Only school children are ignorant of our customs and traditions' (Nwapa 1966:212). The fact remains that culture clashes and changes are inevitable phenomena in the world that is continuously turning into a global village. In this situation, one culture freely and gradually assimilates qualities from another or one culture is enforced on another based on superiority complex or supremacy theory. In the later case, inestimable values are lost with the negation of people's unique life experiences and beliefs.

In the case of the Oguta people, formal Western education and Christian religion were craftily introduced to displace the people's cultural practices and traditions. This religious colonisation and foreign incursion affected greatly the Mammy Water myth.

Formal Western Education: Ukeje (1978:2) defined education as a process by which people are acclimatised to the culture into which they are born in order that they may advance. In the simplest language, it is the process by which people are prepared to live effectively and efficiently in their environment. Using this as the benchmark for our study, we can say that education is a process of self-discovery, which includes the mastering of oneself and environment. Through education, one becomes not only useful to oneself alone but also relevant to the entire community of provenance. Resultantly, education enhances community values.

Prior to the advancement of the colonial masters in Nigeria and the arrival of Christian missionaries, each ethnic group had its own traditional form of education based on its own culture and tradition. The curriculum that is informal comprises developing the child's physical skill, character, intellectual skills and sense of belonging to the community as well as inculcating respect for elders and instituted authority and giving specific vocational training and the understanding and appreciation of the community's cultural heritage (Imam 2012:182). The family system played an important role in this form of education. Grandparents most of the times had the duty to look after their grandchildren and in this way inculcate to them the customs and tradition of the people. Obviously, the wisdom, ageless cultural values and traditions of forbears were effectively passed to the younger generation.

With formal Western education, the priority shifted from local content preservation and enhancement to that of sustaining the interest of the colonial masters, which was mostly commercial. Enwo-Irem (2013:165) noted that the motive behind the introduction of formal education by the colonialists was not really aimed at enhancing the development of their colony Nigeria. The colonial agents had a series of problems in administrating the people and in the exploitation of natural resources in the land. They had the problem of acceptance of the colonial agents in some parts of the country and that of language barrier in areas where the local people appeared to have accepted the colonial agents. So they decided to use education to tackle some of the problems and not empower the people to be self-reliant, confident and proud Africans, who would uplift their culture and tradition.

Because the interest was more on educating vital personnel who would service the chains of production in the colonial administration and serve as internal eyes and ears, a kind of saboteurs, for commercial and economic imperialists, the scope and standard of education received by the natives were limited. They were trained merely as gardeners, carpenters, masons, tailors, clerks, interpreters, catechists and local school masters (Nwankiti 1996:36). These 'chosen' few were made to feel privileged and important over others. Armed with the power of a foreign language that others did not understand, a well-paid job and the connection of the masters, they became little 'lords' over their own people, in imitation of their arrogant and rapacious colonists. They started treating their people, especially the village heads and chiefs, with scorn and even challenged their authority. To undermine the local powers and demonstrate their superiority over them, the learned natives started undermining the cultures and traditions of the people without any reprimand from their colonial masters. Consequently, the individual interest was enthroned over the communal interest. The traditions and customs were eroded. Seeing this new-found liberty and the largess that goes with it, so many people, especially those who felt disadvantaged and deprived in the society, embraced Western education as a way of emancipating themselves. A new culture was enthroned displacing the people's culture and tradition.

Consequently, according to Jell-Bahlsen (2014:1-2), local myths were seen as old garbage, fetish, pagan and meaningless ramblings of primitive minds that have no place in the modern world of science and technology. They were seen as imageries without the capacity whatsoever to salvage man or help him discover the true meaning of life. Hence, colonial research was slow to accept the notion of an African water goddess. The conquerors of territories were more interested in the earth than in water they could not control and whose importance they would not fathom. Yet, African villagers have long known about the importance of water and its goddess to their existence, survival, and well-being. Though women bring children and life into this world, there is no life without water and the goddess that guarantees it.

The colonialists' reluctance to learn from the natives or incorporate their culture into the new emerging culture is an old rhyme recited everywhere in the black African continent. It shows the culture of obliteration, which the Mammy Water myth was subdued. By discrediting the myths as credible educational sources, the natives were denied not only a didactic means akin to their cultural nature but also a unifying link with their ancestors. By discrediting the myths, the people's worldview and values were debased.

Christian Religion: Christianity in Nigeria, as anywhere else in Africa, was motivated by the will to evangelise and extricate the people from the devil's jaws and eternal hell fire. With this objective, Christian missionaries in Africa worked tirelessly to substitute African Traditional Religion (ATR) with Christianity. There was no design for religious dialogue, enculturation or acculturation. To justify their mission, according to Ugwu and Ugwueye (2004) ATR was contemptuously described as native, pagan, heathen, juju, fetish, animism, idolatry, primitive and polytheism. It was associated with anything denigrate like witchcraft, ghosts, hobgoblins, charms, superstitions, evil omens, magic, etc.

This dialectical approach employed by the missionaries which negated any form of dialogue with the people in terms of ethos, socio and religious values, in their proclamation of the gospel, put the gospel and the recipient culture at loggerhead. There was complete derision, condemnation and destruction of Africa Tradition Religion's native rites, arts and artefacts by overzealous churchgoers. Shrines and native places of worship were burnt and sacred observances violated. Sacred totems were killed (Achebe 1958:112). Mammy Water was not spared. Awfully, the act of demonising the other, which happens to be the Christian tactic, was employed on the myth and it was roundly condemned. She was called a mermaid and queen of the coast. Jell-Bahlsen (2014:237) revealed that diverse water gods and goddesses were all lumped together as 'mammy water' and branded as 'aquatic evil spirits'. The term Mammy Water was used as a simplified synonym for all water deities and, moreover, placed on the same level or associated with physical properties such as barrenness, accidents, untimely death, etc.

The resistance by the natives was not enough to forestall the incursion and destruction of their culture by the combined efforts of the missionaries and their nationalists, the colonial masters (Achebe 1958:114). Native culture and tradition yielded to the demands of the gospel involuntarily and cosmetically. The result is that today many Africans are inwardly more Traditionalists than Christians. In their different Christian denominations, they have imported certain aspects of ATR like songs, titles, clapping of hands and superstitions. Some of these Christian believers in their moments of crisis seek help more from the native religion than from Christianity."...

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SOME COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR LARRY GAAGA'S VIDEO "EGEDEGE" THAT I BELIEVE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY REFER TO MAMI WATA

These comments are all from 2021 and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. Oseni Enemayi Michael
"This Woman did a good job in the Chorus,I don't understand Igbo bit the rhythm is mad gan.😍"

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2. Martez Uwa
"She own the original song , the song is more than 30yre old , what she is saying in the music is it’s time to have fun and who will come and dance with me , this is a moonlight music in the olden days , where people come out at night and gather to dance together mostly when there is a full moon 🌕"

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3. The Watcher
"Wow. very soon your pastor will tell you this heavenly song is inspired by evil spirit and you stupid fool will follow him or her. Igbo culture is divine.  egedege all the way"

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4. nnaji emeka
"It’s great to bring Theresa out for the new  generation to know and see her . It’s good to put her image out to many youth who grew up to know her as ( mami water) musician that she’s just a good musician without any negative name attached to her . Much respect ."

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5. Maryjane Okpala
"🤣🤣 growing up i was legit scared of her songs unto mami water🤣🤣🤣 chai   See what i was missing"

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6. Tiktok funny kings and queens
"Dis woman is not far from mami water 💦 aswear her voice is too beautiful 🤩"

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7. Soughtafter
"That maami water ish is So true🤣🤣🤣🤣"

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