Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents information about Jamaica's Revivalist Thanksgiving tables and showcases seven videos of these religious occasions.
The content of this post is presented for religious and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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This post is part of a series on Afro-Caribbean religions.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/general-information-about-jamaicas.html for the pancocojams post entitled "General Information About Jamaica's Revivalist Religion."
Click the "Afro-Caribbean religions" tag for additional posts in this series.
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INFORMATION ABOUT JAMAICAN REVIVALIST TABLES
From https://sensejamaica.com/Revival Revival
From Sense, the Jamaican encyclopedia
"A distinctly Jamaican Religion created by a synthesis of European and African religious influences. Revival embraces two different branches: Revival Zion and Pukumina (also called Pocomania or Poco). Revivalists are noted for their colourful dress (robes and turbans in different colours depending on the ceremony), for their powerful drumming and singing, and their characteristic wheeling dance to induce spirit possession. In recent times the general public has been more exposed to Revival ceremonies such as their elaborate ‘Tables’ and to some of their imagery through art and Music.
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Revivalists usually hold three distinct types of meetings - prayer meetings (divine worship), rituals for special occasions, and street meetings - in addition to ‘baths’ for healing. The special services include baptismal rites, death rites, dedication of new church, installation of new officer. The rituals are usually elaborate ceremonies -each held for a specific purpose, and might last for days. ‘Tables’ are held for special events such as anniversaries or for specific purposes such as healing, mourning, etc. and can last for a week. A ‘feasting table’ is held as thanksgiving for deliverance from trouble. The Table is laid with spirit conductors such as rum, flowers, fruits, water and candles. These along with the colour theme will indicate to initiates the purpose of the ritual. Each spirit - like the orishas or deities in other African-Caribbean religions, such as Santerfa or Vodun - has a special colour, food preference, music, etc. which must be used if it is to respond to the summons....‘Getting into the spirit* or possession, is brought about by the use of a specific ritual which involves singing, drumming, dancing, clapping, groaning, and prayers.Zion deals only with sky spirits, i.e. God, archangels, angels... Unlike European beliefs that see ‘good’ and ‘evil’ as two separate and distinct forces, Revivalists are concerned with harnessing the unseen forces of the universe that are not good or bad in themselves but can be utilized by man for different purposes."....
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Video #1: Bishop Ray Foster @ Bishop Shaw Thanks Giving Table 2010 #1
Howard Beckford, Published on Nov 2, 2010
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Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
lisa goodas, 2013
"Everyone has their own style of worship. Revival or African worship was all the African knew.chanting for mercy in the spirit....it is beautiful. If the Catholics can stick to their tradition, why can't we keep the African tradition alive? yes there is a big difference between religion and tradition and tradition doesn't save anyone but for most zion ministries around Jamaica or even throughout the westindies we honor our tradition. I love zion church and the order in which they move."
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Video #2: Jamaican Zion Table Part3
johnnybegood60, Published on Apr 7, 2011
Pastor Stewart in action
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Video #3: Bethel Table Service For Leadress Bell
BethelPower, Published on Apr 17, 2011
Leadress Belle Table
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Video #4: mother Rowe church in jamaica
Fellowship Redeem Church, Published on May 16, 2011
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Walking around table begins around 4:41 in this video.
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Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
Carole St. louis, 2019
"Guys this looks like a traditional Church from slavery mixed with a taste of the British colons. The candles and the decor say it all. The ladies are wearing the most beautiful "afranchi dresses" which are the outfit of the free slave women. A few Churches similar to this one can be found in Casemance, Senegal. I definitely agree this is a lot of fun to sing and dance to the beat. The music is lovely and the way they dance is very graceful. Most particularly between a man and a woman. Praise be Jesus!"
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[Pancocojams Editor's note] Articles that I've read about the two divisions of Jamaican Revivalism: "Zion Revivalist" and "Pocomania" Revivalism usually indicate that "Zion Revivalism" is less African than Pocomania. However, from the YouTube videos that I've seen, it appears to me that the attire worn by members of Zion Revivalist churches - and particularly the women- is closer to traditional West African attire than the clothing worn by members of Pocomania churches.
In particular, in this video and in some other YouTube videos of Revivalist churches that I've watched (including some other videos in this post) the women's attire-including their headwraps (geles) remind me of Yoruba (Nigeria, West Africa) women's traditional formal attire. Less often, some of the men's attire in Revivalist videos (but not their turbans) remind me of Yoruba men's fashions."
Also, I noticed that in this video and in a number of other YouTube videos on Revival thanksgiving ceremonies couples (a woman and a man, or two people of the same gender) dance together. I'm not sure if this dancing occurs as a result of two people "feeling the (Holy) Spirit" and/or if two people dance holding hands do so spontaneously just out of joy. about dancing as couples in that is found in a number of Zion Revivalists videos. In those videos couples (man and woman as well as two people of the same gender) dance together in what reminds me of square dancing (quadrille) swing or promenade movements.
I'm aware that some Afro-Caribbean groups perform quadrilles similar to how those dances were performed in the Caribbean in the 19th century. Perhaps Afro-Caribbeans familiarity with quadrille moves explain why they would incorporate those dance moves while they are "in the Spirit". This couple's dancing is in contrast to the "getting happy" ("feeling the Spirit"; "going in") fast footwork dance that is characteristically done by individuals in African American churches. I don't think that couple dancing ever occurs in African American religious services and, if there were couple dancing, I think it would be highly unlikely that the dance moves would be from any quadrille (square) dancing traditions.
*Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/03/caribbean-quadrille-dancing-dominica.html for a 2017 pancocojams post entitled "Caribbean Quadrille Dancing (Dominica, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, St. Lucia, & The Virgin Islands)"
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Video #5: Jamaican spiritual table
johnnybegood60, Published on Mar 5, 2012
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Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
Pretty E, 2017
"Awaken zion awake"
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Video #6: Zion Sacred Heart Christian Church
Rupert Bourne, Published on Mar 21, 2014
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Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Juliet Giddings, 2013
"Mi miss Jamaica!!! loving the vibz!!!"
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2. omar edwards, 2013
"Keep mesmerize by this sister voice....God was in this place,felt it here at home..Keep up the good work Bishop Bourne and saints,one love!"
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3. Taesha Clarke, 2015
"Lord sweet ,sweet revival music, am feeling the holy Ghost Glory to God. I love it."
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4. Barbara Malcolm, 2019
"yes pastor I like how you take control March then Heaven is in view no time to was"
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Video #7: Zion Sacred Heart Christian Church
Rupert Bourne, Published on Apr 15, 2014
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Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. omar edwards, 2014
"KuKudoo is great and Bishop Bourne big up urself u a big singer too!! U both can win many souls with ur voices.."
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2. shamar white, 2015 [In response to the question "Where is this church located?"
"its locaated in kingston jamaica in water house"
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2. Angela Reid, 2015
"I wish you all were in New York or Pennsylvania, USA. I'm from Jamaica, and I was raised in a Revival Zion church just like this one. So, I'm accustom to worshiping like this. It touches every part of me and reminds me of going to church with my grandmother. No other church can worship like Zoin church. When you're done for the day, you already lost ten pounds. Revival church gives you a work out!! No gym is required when you attend a Revival church lol!! God Bless my homeland JAMAICA!!"
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3. Oquive Morgan, 2015
"I love Jamaican revival so much u'll making dance all the time"
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4. Britishinduindii Sage, 2016
"Revivals are some of the most energetic Christians ever and that's what God wants ...he wants true n energetic worship ...he said in his words ...u can either be hot(energetic) or cold ..but if your lukewarm ..he has the desire to spew (spit) you out...let's not be lukewarm todaii ...let's be energetic n give God praise..true worship ....I grew up in a revival church ...dad was the rev n mom was an evangelist.. They bout where the founder of that church"
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5. Esmerelda Reid, 2016
"Sound exactly like back home and how my grandmother did the same thing love it and keep up the good work and bless everyone in this Zion scared church"
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6. Charles Burton, 2017
"I love. Revival. Sogs. It got lots. Of. Energy. It. Was. In the. Revival church. I received. My. Holy. Spirit. They. Always laugh at me. God. Has increase. My. Portion. It. Is very strong. When. I am. In the spirit"
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7. Jemelia Miller, 2018
"Spiritual Baptist JA version."
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"JA"= Jamaica
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REPLY
8. Ro in the cut, 2018
"Jemelia Miller i love jamaican revival & spiritual Baptist my parents are Jamaican but i grew up in spiritual Baptist church in Canada"
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REPLY
9. Just Games, 2019
"Baptist has nothing to do with revivalist totally different sects hun"
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Spiritual Baptist is another Afro-Caribbean religious denomination. A pancocojams post on Spiritual Baptists will be published as part of this blog's Afro-Caribbean religious series. Click the "Spiritual Baptist" or "Afro-Caribbean religions" tags to find that post.
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10. Mellicent Slowley, 2019
"Come on revival people"
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"Come on" (also "come on now") is an interjection of support and praise which is similar in meaning to African American Vernacular English phrase "Do it!".
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11. Shaquan Orlando, 2018
"Revival feel the vibrations watching from my beautiful country Guyana."
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12. Claudette James, 2019
"Yes zion children come on now glory to God hallelujah
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