This pancocojams post also showcases four YouTube videos of Oya dances from Cuba. i These videos are different from the ones that are featured in that Daily Kos article.
The content of this post is presented for cultural. religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Praises and thanks to Oya and Shango (who is also referred to in the full article that is excerpted in this pancocojams post.) Thanks to Denise Oliver Velezfor her cultural writing, activism, and role modeling. 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. -snip- Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/06/brazilian-songs-dances-for-iansa-yansa.htmlfor a 2014 pancocojams post entitled "Brazilian Songs & Dances For Iansã (Yansã, Oya)".
It’s always interesting to me how countries portrayed as having majority Roman Catholic populations manage to mask the fact that being Catholic in many cases does not negate that a far older form of spirituality, brought here to this hemisphere via the transatlantic slave trade, is still practiced. In many cases it has grown into larger numbers in these countries than current adherents in West Africa.
Out of those traditions comes a wealth of music, and dance, some of which I have posted here in the past.
[...]
Oya,or Yansa, is the Orisha who rules the winds. Tornados and whirlwinds accompanied by lightning are her element. She is a warrior Orisha who rides to do battle at the side of Shango, her husband. She is also the guardian of the gates to the cemetery. Her symbols are masks,and a horsetail fly-whisk. Her number is nine, said to represent the nine tributaries of the Niger River. She is Catholic, syncretized with The Virgin of Candelaria in Cuba, one of many manifestations of a Black Madonna who came from the old world to the new.
The Yorùbá name “Ọya Ìyánsán” means literally “Oya mother of nine (children)”. Oya is the goddess in charge of wind, tornado, torrential rain and hurricans and beloved wife of Orisha Shango, who is often only called by his name Yor. “ọkọ Ọya”, husband of Oya. Like wind and thunderstorm they cannot be separated one from another. Oya was Ogun’s wife, but left him for Shango. She is also hot-tempered and energetic. In Yorùbáland, Oya is the Orisha of the river Niger. In Cuba she resides at the entrance to the cemetery, where she leads the dead ones and hands them over to the female Orisha Oba and Yewa, who live inside these walls. Walking on the boundary between life and death Oya is closely related to the Yor. “Eégún”, the dead ancestors. She herself had nine stillborn children she is still protecting. With strong winds she can blow away obstacles and bring new things into the life. Oya stands for the female strength in times of struggle, respected for her strong will and fearless through her connection with the world of the deads. Oya is the female warrior goddess and also known for her strong medicines. Oya’s color is mostly burgundy or wine-red. Around her waist she wears a belt with nine different colored pieces of clothes attached, symbols for being the mother of nine dead children. Oya can wear all colors, except black. Sometimes palm fibers from the “palma real,” Shango’s tree, are added.
[...]
She carries an “ìrùkẹ̀” made of a black horsetail. She can hold a “machete” or a “vaina,” a huge painted seed from the flamboyant tree, in her hands. It has the form and almost the size of a “machete” and is used like a rattle to call her. In her dance Oya moves around like a whirlwind or tornado, spins around her axis to the left. She swings her whisk above her head, brings wind and dynamic change, clears and purifies the air. She brings both arms high in the air above her head in mirrored positions and in a sudden powerful movement stretches them downwards to her hips, followed by a wave, a spinal ripple, moving through her body, going from her pelvis up where it twists the head. She is crying out loudly while dancing, looks fierce and strong, aggressive and violent, her movements are impulsive, energetic and characterized by abrupt stops. Some people say one dance of her in the rhythm “shashalokafun” is related to the buffalo, her sacred animal and the steps mimic the gallop of this massive animal."...
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Yoruba Andabo - Oyá Yansa
AyvaMusica, Jan 6, 2014
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: La Rumba No Va A Morir - Echu Alabbony - Event Yoruba Oya
attic chris, Jan 10, 2018
La Rumba No Va A Morir presents a spectacular event by Echu Alabbony - Yoruba Oya
Natividad Calderón prepared a beautiful event with the kids of the group Echú Alabbony in 2007 in the streets of Juanelo, San Miguel del Padron, Havana, Cuba.
I had the chance to film this event together with Virna Hernandez. This was one of the most beautiful times of the project!
This pancocojams post provides some information and comments about the Yoruba (Nigeria) word Àṣẹ" and its Spanish spelling "Aché," its Portugese spelling "Axé", or its English spelling "Ashe".
An explanation for the related term "orisha" and explanations for several other related terms are also included in this post.
The content of this post is provided for cultural and linguistic purposes.
**** WHAT THESE WORDS MEAN Excerpt #1 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orisha 'In the native religion of the Yoruba people, Orisha (spelled
òrìṣà in the Yoruba language, orichá in Cuban practice and orixá in Brazilian
practice of Latin America) are spirits sent by Olodumare[1] for the guidance of
all creation and of humanity in particular, on how to live and be successful on
Àiyé (Earth). Most Òrìṣà are said to have previously existed in the spirit
world (òrún) as Irúnmọlẹ̀, and then become incarnated as human beings here on
Earth. Others are said to be humans who are recognised as deities upon their
death due to extraordinary feats accomplished in life.[2]
Many Òrìṣà have found their way to most of the New World as
a result of the Atlantic slave trade and are now expressed in practices as
varied as Santería, Candomblé, Trinidad Orisha, Umbanda, and Oyotunji, among
others. The concept of orisha is similar to those of deities in the traditional
religions of the Bini people of Edo State in southern Nigeria, the Ewe people
of Benin, Ghana, and Togo, and the Fon people of Benin.[2][3]
[….]
Ashe is
the life-force that runs through all things, living and inanimate. It is
described as the power to make things happen. It is an affirmation that is used
in greetings and prayers, as well as a concept of spiritual growth. Orìṣà
devotees strive to obtain Ashe through iwa-pele, gentle and good
character, and in turn they experience alignment with the ori, what others
might call inner peace and satisfaction with life. Ashe is divine energy that
comes from Olodumare, the creator deity, and is manifested through Olorun, who
rules the heavens and is associated with the sun. Without the sun, no life
could exist, just as life cannot exist without some degree of ashe"... -snip- The bold font or the italic font was given that way on that Wikipedia page.
In my class, I was taught that aché (which usually
accompanied a handslap + fist-bump greeting) meant "love and respect"
or "one love."
But something nagged at me today to go look up the official
meaning of the word... and I couldn't really find one until I came across this:
"The term axé (also spelled aché or ashé – all pronounced
ah-SHEH) comes from the Yoruba peoples of Western Africa. It is the name they
gave to the life force; the concept is similar to the Eastern idea of qi. In
capoeira today, axé has come to mean something like “energy.” If a roda has a
lot of axé, it means it has good vibes, powerful energy. Some groups use the
word as a greeting. Some references to axé in capoeira songs... Axé also refers to a style of popular
music (not related to capoeira) that originated in Salvador, Bahia. There is
also a capoeira group called Axé Capoeira that was founded by Mestre Barrão. -
See more at:
http://capoeira-connection.com/capoeira/2011/10/what-is-axe/#sthash.ahgnZmxv.dpuf "
Is this the true meaning of the word? What does it mean, then, when you say axé to someone as a greeting?
** 2. flamelisk, 2016 "The spirit or the energy of the roda is how we look at it,
if a roda has no axé then there's no point of doing a roda. Similarly someone
can have a good axé meaning their energy output is good and they are a positive
contribution to the roda/class/event" -snip- Here's information about the Portuguese word "roda" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roda_(formation) "Roda (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁɔdɐ]), meaning
"wheel" or, more appropriately in this case, "circle" in
Portuguese, is the circular formation within which participants perform in any
of several Afro-Brazilian dance art forms, such as capoeira, maculelê and samba
de roda. By extension, the whole event may be called a roda (as in "We
will have a roda next Saturday"). Likewise, sometimes a roda may not take
the shape of a circle; it may be, for example, a half-circle if the event is a
public performance, in order for the public to be able to see the performers
easily."...
** 3. morto00x, 2016 "The term is used very loosely, but the Yoruba definition
that your wrote is correct.
Axé is used to describe energy or good vibes coming from
living beings or the Orixás (African gods). When you greet someone with the
word axé, you are wishing them good fortune. When someone says the roda has
lots of axé, it means that people were happy, music was good, games where
intense, etc.
Funny enough, I haven't heard many capoeiristas use the word
axé (except for songs or M Barrão's group) for many years." -snip- These numbers don't correspond to the number of comments in that discussion thread. WARNING: This page includes one curse word.
**** Excerpt #3 From https://asheselah.wordpress.com/about/whats-an-asheselah/ ..."Ashe ( ah-SHAY, also Ase) – A Yoruba word meaning power,
command, and authority. The ability to make whatever one says happen. Often
summarized as “so be it”, “so it is”, or “it definitely shall be so”.”…
**** SELECTED COMMENTS FROM TWO YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS
These comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
1. FLAWDA NAPPY HEAD, 2017 "Ase' to my baba and YeYe! Alafia...." -snip- Here's some information about the word "baba" and "yeye" from https://www.zikoko.com/life/oldies/8-yoruba-words-mean-thing-edo/ 8 Yoruba Words That Mean The Same Thing in Edo", Ronke Otega, June 7, 2017: " "Baba" It means “Father” in both Yoruba and Edo."
"The Yoruba might use “Yeye” more but the words mean the same thing in Yoruba and Edo; “Mother”." -snip- "Yoruba" and "Edo" are traditional Nigerian languages. -snip- Here's some information about the word "Alafia" from https://www.facebook.com/575706419187357/photos/pb.575706419187357.-2207520000.1468493353./1067659546658706/?type=3 IFA: Òrìṣa Scientific Spirituality, July 12, 2016 · "For many, the Yoruba term "alafia" (also spelled alaafia) is used to mean "inner-peace" and said as a greeting like the use of the Kemetic word "hotep" and the Arabic word "salaam."
In the past ten years, there has been much controversy about the term alafia and whether or not it is truly Yoruba or derived from Arabic.
It is noted that the Yoruba word alafia shares its meaning with the Hausa (Northern Nigerians) word "lafiya" which means good health. They derived the word from Arabic's al-afiyah which means "the good health." When said as "zaman lafiya" in Hausa, it comes to mean innerpeace."... -snip- Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/02/excerpts-from-online-articles.html for more information about the word "Alafia".
** 3. line de oliveira costa, 2018 "axé salve todos meus orixás" -snip- From Portuguese to English: “Axé, greetings all of my orishas.” -snip- Google translate incorrectly translates the word “salve” as “save”.
Here's a source for the correct Portuguese to English translation of the word "salve": From https://rioandlearn.com/what-does-salve-mean-in-portuguese/ “What does Salve mean in Portuguese” …”The expression Salve is used as a synonym to greetings such as Olá and Oi in Portuguese”
** 4. A BuTTeRfLy, 2018 "When you start swaying and tears start falling instantly...Ase' 😇🙏💗"
** 5. pat thompson, 2018 "yes this is my ancestral music i bowto my ancestors asche"
** 6. Forbidden King, 2019 "Asé iyin fun Orisha -snip- Google translate from Yoruba to English: "Asé praise to Orisha"
** 7. Frank X, 2019 "I love allthe Orishas deeply here and in the next life, ase eternally."
** Reply 8. LUZ DIVINA YEMAYA, 2020 "Ashe"
** 9. Practical Fitness, 2019 "Asè 📿 to my Yeye. Orishas help her Transition with peace and completion of her task. Always in my heart 💜 the song of my soul. #VME" ** Reply 10. Brianna Salter, 2020 "🙌🏾 asé"
** 11. Vera Allen, 2020 "Ase thank you for this wonderful & beautiful music it's cleansing my spirit & healing my soul. My the ancestors continue to bless you.🎶💞🎶💓👑👑🌹🌹🌹"
** 12. Ahmad Melvin, 2020 "💛💛🧡❤️Blessings to All Ase Ase Ase 🙌🌐📿🤍💚💙💜"
** 13. Shon G, 2021 "Gratitude for all those who came before us and paved the way. Your guidance and protection are greatly appreciated, Ase’
** 14. Amdh Walenda, 2021 "ASÈ to all💖💕🗽"
** 15. Victor Oluwatobi, 2021 "Thank you for doing this for the love of the ancients, homage to the Orishas. Music is not music if it doesn't pay homage to it's root. Asé"
** 16. ishaw, 2021 "Ase remember the ancestors always a call away 🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿"
** 17. Peedi Green Yaddaimean, 2021 "Blessings of our Ancestors,and doi Orishas be upon you all.......ASE'"
1.Romiah Armstrong, 2019 "Thank You for this video. With me newly being free from the
programming of christianity, I simply replaced "Amen" with Ase. I was
using it in the terms of "So will it be"."
** 2. claude reed, 2019 "thanks for the explanation. there maybe another confusion
what are the tonal usage with asheh and the difference between ashay and asheh.
some i fear don't know the difference."
** Reply 3. Asabi Fatosin, 2019 "claude reed the diacritical marks give the correct
pronunciation."
** Reply 4. Trevor Prime, 2019 "Please explain what you mean?"
** Reply 5. Beats Boy, 2019 "Ashay isn't a thing, it's a mispronunciation. It is
pronounced 'Asheh'."
** Reply 6. Yorùbá Lessons with Adérónké̩, 2019 "Like Beats Boy mentioned earlier, those are
incorrect ways of pronouncing 'às̩e̩'. 😃 Everyone who pronounces the word incorrectly is
trying their best, at least. God bless everyone. ❤" *️* 7. Lilli L'amour, 2020 "Àse has been said in the US especially by the conscious
community since the 60s. I'm glad to know from this video it's been used in the
right text." -snip- "the 60s"= 1960s
**** Discussion thread #3 [added March 4, 2021] The Gurunsi Origin Of Tap Black Angel Media, May 2, 2018
Xeper and Remanifest Think Tank of the esoteric, 2018 "taping the algorithms into the earth! Ase'!" -snip- "Gurunsi" are an ethnic group in Ghana, West Africa and in Burkina Faso, West Africa.
HavanaCultura, Published on Apr 19, 2017 -snip- Statistics for this video as of Feb. 24, 2021 at 9:03 AM ET Total number of views - 2,291,835 Total number of likes - 46K Total number of dislikes - 413 Total number of comments- 702
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the official YouTube video "La Rumba Me Llamo Yo" as performed by Cuban singer Daymé Arocena
This post presents an English translation for this song which is sung in Spanish. Some explanations in English for some of these lyrics are also included in this post.
This content is presented for cultural, entertainment, and
aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owner.
Thanks to Daymé Arocena for her musical legacy. Thanks to
the producer of this video and all those who are featured in this video and
thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher
of this video on YouTube. -snip- Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/cuban-singer-dayme-arocena-la-rumba-me.htmlfor the June 2019 pancocojams post entitled "Cuban Singer Daymé Arocena - "La Rumba Me Llamo
Yo" (video & comments)." That post includes biographical information about Daymé Arocena that is found in the summary of that video and selected comments from that YouTube video's discussion thread.
**** ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOR LYRICS FOR "LA RUMBA ME LLAMO YO" ("THE RUMBA IS MY NAME"]
[Scat singing]
My mother says that black is gifted That he approaches me for shadow And that he does not love my side That I am a daughter of luck That mine is natural That I do not share my glory Pa that don't love me wrong
My mother says, your ocha is not babalawo But if you were a man, drummer you were consecrated Moyugba Eggun, who does not let you fall That goes to war with you so that I can win
Says my mother will be fine and thin But the conga With you, Dancing you pal bembe That gives you laughter, and a tumbao that tumbles And that is why the dead are going to pull you to the rumba
[Scatting]
I'm Iya, I'm Bongo, the rumba is my name The rumba is my name, the rumba is my name I am Iya, I am Bongo, the rumba is my name
[Scatting] (x5)
I'm Iya, I'm Bongo, the rumba is my name… (x5)
Imborooooo
What do you want 'to be given? Rumba, come come, what do you want to do?
What do you want them to give you? Rumba, come come, what do you want 'to be given? Rumba, come come
(Tell me what you want them to give you?)
What do you want them to give you? Rumba, come come…
**** EXPLANATIONS FOR SOME OF THE LYRICS IN THIS SONG OCHA From https://silirecio.com/blog/what-have-i-done-and-other-answers-to-your-questions#:~:text=Here's%20what%20it%20means%3A,during%20a%20seven%2Dday%20ceremony. …“Ocha = Ocha (Kariocha, making Santo): The initiation of a
new priest or priestess where his/her tutelary Orisha is put on his/her head
(crown) during a seven-day ceremony. The newly initiated priest/priestess then
enters their Iyaworaje, their year and 7 days of purification, rejuvenation,
transformation and learning. -snip- Here's information about the word "orisha" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orisha "In the native religion of the Yoruba people, Orisha (spelled
òrìṣà in the Yoruba language, orichá in Cuban practice and orixá in Brazilian
practice of Latin America) are spirits sent by Olodumare[1] for the guidance of
all creation and of humanity in particular, on how to live and be successful on
Àiyé (Earth). Most Òrìṣà are said to have previously existed in the spirit
world (òrún) as Irúnmọlẹ̀, and then become incarnated as human beings here on
Earth. Others are said to be humans who are recognised as deities upon their
death due to extraordinary feats accomplished in life.[2]
Many Òrìṣà have found their way to most of the New World as
a result of the Atlantic slave trade and are now expressed in practices as varied
as Santería, Candomblé, Trinidad Orisha, Umbanda, and Oyotunji, among others.
The concept of orisha is similar to those of deities in the traditional
religions of the Bini people of Edo State in southern Nigeria, the Ewe people
of Benin, Ghana, and Togo, and the Fon people of Benin.[2][3]”…
**** BABALAWO From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babalawo#:~:text=Babaal%C3%A1wo%20or%20Babalawo%20(Babalao%20or,priest%20of%20the%20If%C3%A1%20oracle. "Babaaláwo or Babalawo (Babalao or Babalaô in West Africa; literally meaning
'father of the mysteries' in the Yoruba language) is a spiritual title that
denotes a priest of the Ifá oracle. Ifá is a divination system that represents
the teachings of the Òrìṣà Ọrunmila, the Òrìṣà of Wisdom, who in turn serves as
the oracular representative of Olodumare. A Babalawo's female counterpart is
known as an or Ìyánífá
**** MO'JUBA (given as "Moyugba Eggun" in that song)
from https://sites.google.com/site/theyorubareligiousconcepts/suyere-prayers/mo-juba-iba ..."The Mo'juba is a ancestral prayer that santeros/as use to
called the spirit, material and ancestral spirit into being . This allows the
Ase ( spoken power) to manifest into the material world as a guide and tool for
any given ceremony. The main thing about the Mojuba is that it come from the
heart of the person speaking it"...
[,,,]
Mojuba eggun-gun ile e eleri e mi ( Reverence to the spirits
of my house and of my head)”…
When an individual is born, her soul incarnates, that is,
takes on a physical body. This soul comes from a constellation of energy that
continuously incarnates within a family line. This is a very broad concept,
because all family lines eventually return to one people. However, it is
commonly believed that familiar energies tend to stay together, which is why we
bear the traits of our recent ancestors. While the soul is here, it gathers
wisdom and knowledge through its experiences on this plane. When the individual
dies, the spirit dis-incarnates and returns to that constellation of energies,
the cull of souls, if you will, to await reincarnation.”…
**** IYA From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iya_Nla "Ìyá Nlá is the primordial spirit of all creation in
Yoruba cosmology. She is believed to be the source of all existence. Iya Nla
literally means “Great Mother” in the Yoruba language (Ìyá: Mother; Nlá:
Big or Great).”...
In The Gẹ̀lẹ̀dẹ́ Spectacle: Art,
Gender, and Social Harmony in an African Culture, art historian Babatunde Lawal
reveals that Ìyá Nlá in Yoruba cosmology is the orisha who is the
“Mother of All Things, including the deities.”[1] Lawal also asserts that the
female principle in nature has been personified as Ìyá Nlá (The Great
Mother), whereby human beings can relate to one another as children of the same
mother.”[2] Teresa N. Washington’s Our Mothers, Our Powers, Our Texts:
Manifestationsof Àjẹ́ in Africana Literature, states that Ìyá
Nlá — the Mother of All, who is also known as Yewájọbí, Odù, Odùduwà, and
Àjẹ́ — is not merely an orisha; Ìyá Nlá is the primordial force of all
creation.[3]"
**** I'm not sure what the word "Bongo" means in this song. Since "Iya" means "Mother of all", my guess is that in the context of the line "I'm Iya, I'm Bongo, the rumba is my name", "Bongo" means Father of all".
**** I don't know what "Imboro" means in this song.
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural information.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Larocque Bey, the real composer of the song "Funga Alafia" and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip- -snip- For people interested in this subject, I recommend that you click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-real-origin-of-song-funga-alafia_26.htmlfor the latest version of this post that was published on November 26, 2024. That 2024 post contains material that isn't included in this 2019 post. However, that 2024 post doesn't include the comments are in the discussion thread for this 2019 post.
An earlier version of this pancocojams series was published in 2011. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/11/real-history-of-funga-alafia-fanga-song.html for that post. That post contains additional information about the history of "Funga Alafia". Links to Part II and Part III are found on that page. Part II provides some text (word) examples of that song and Part III showcases YouTube videos of "Funga Alafia" other than those that are found in this 2019 post.
****
CORRECTING MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "FUNGA ALAFIA" [Revised on April 29, 2019]
I first wrote about the song "Funga Alafia" on this pancocojams blog in 2011.
I decided to revisit this subject because of the relatively widespread inclusion of "Funga Alafia" in school curriculums in the United States andin other non-West African nations and also because of the widespread misinformation about where this song comes from.
Even if people prefer later arrangements of a particular song, I believe it's important to document and share that song's provenance (origin/source).
If possible, it's important to know who composed the song - if not the actual composer/s than which population it came from. It's also important to know what the original words were, which tune and tempo was originally used and what performance activities, if any, where used while singing or chanting the composition.
Knowing where the song came from can help determine the overall meaning of the song itself as well as the meanings of specific words/phrases (including slang and colloquial expressions).
Knowing the provenance of a song can also help instill and reinforce group self-esteem and personal esteem in people from that particular population.
Here's some basic information about the song "Funga Alafia":
1. The song "Funga Alafia" was composed by African American drummer and dancer LaRocque Bey in Harlem (New York City) in 1959 or 1960.
2. The word "funga" is a folk processed form of the Vai (West African language) or the Mandinka (West African language) word "fanga".
3. The word "ase" is from the Yoruba (Nigeria, West Africa) language.
4. The word "alafia" (aalafia) is a loan word in the Yoruba language. "Aalafia" was derived from the Hausa (Nigeria) word "lafiya" which means "good health". The Hausas derived the word from the Arabic word "al-afiyah" which means "the good health.
5. The tune for the song "Funga Alafia" is from the American folk song "Little Liza Jane".
****
CORRECTING MISINFORMATION ABOUT "FUNGA ALAFIA" DANCES
"Funga Alafia" dances may be based on the traditional Vai (Liberian) dance called "Fanga", but aren't authentic replications of that traditional dance. Widely performed Funga Alafia "head and shoulders" movements are contemporary American adaptations that aren't part of the traditional Liberian Fanga dance.
****
DOCUMENTATION AND COMMENTARY ABOUT THE PROVENANCE (ORIGIN/SOURCE) OF THE SONG "FUNGA ALAFIA"
(numbers provided for referencing purposes only)
1. Information about Sierra Leonean musician Asadata Dafor:
"Asadata Dafora Hortan (August 4, 1890 – March 4, 1965) widely known as Asadata Dafora was a Sierra Leonean multidisciplinary musician. He was one of the first Africans to introduce African drumming music to the United States, beginning in the early 1930s...
In 1929 Asadata Dafora journeyed to New York City to try and pursue his career as a musician. He was then 39 years old...
[...]
Dafora co-authored a radio play with Orson Welles entitled "Trangama-Fanga" [in 1941]."
Source: From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asadata_Dafora
-snip-
Sierra Leone borders Liberia, and some members of Assata Dafor's dance company were from Liberia. It's therefore likely that Dafor would have known the Fanga rhythm and dance. In her PhD dissertation, dance historian Marcia Heard indicates that Asadata Dafor was the first person to introduce the Fanga dance to the United States, and he called that dance "Fugale". Furthermore, multi-instrumentalists, writer, and educator Sule Greg Wilson*, who drummed with Babatunde Olatunji, asserts that Assata Dafor was the first person to introduce Fanga to the United States.
Source: Google Books [hereafter given as "Schwartz: Pearl Primus Biography"].
*Read a comment from Sule Greg Wilson given below #2 in this section of this post.
****
2. Information about African American dancer/choreographer Pearl Primus
From http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/h/black-dance/:
"[Pearl Primus] was born in Trinidad before her parents immigrated to Harlem in 1919. She worked at the New Dance Group Studios which was one of few places where black dancers could train alongside whites. She went on to study for a PhD and did research on dance in Africa. Her most famous dance was the Fanga, an African dance of welcome which introduced traditional African dance to the stage."
From The Dance Claimed Me: A Biography Of Pearl Primus by Peggy Schwartz & Murray Schwartz:
" "Fanga" was central to Pearl's school, her performances, and her lectures. A dance of welcome that she brought back from her first trip to Liberia it was probably a variation of a traditional dance that she continued to change over the decade." [page 88]
-snip-
[information from that book] Pearl Primus' Fanga dance was picked up by other African dance companies in the United States and was reconstructed by them. Babatunde Olatunji was the first company to do so, because two dancers from Primus' company left to perform with Olatunji.
[quote from that book]
"Virtually every black community dance company in America has its version of "Fanga" and most start with the chant "Fanga alafiyah ashe ashe, fanga alafiyah ashe ashe" as its accompaniment. This chant was added by LaRocque Bey, a percussionist in New York in the late 1950s, was not part of the original work. Primus used two other chants "gehbeddy jung jung jung" with a strong, active, insistent rhythm, or "dum dake dake dum dake, dum dake dake dum dum dake", gentler, and with a swing and a sway to it." (Schwartz, Pearl Primus Biography, p. 88).
-snip-
Here's a comment that was posted to a YouTube video discussion thread by Sule Greg C. Wilson in 2011:
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnju7nD5cR8
Funga Alafia, published by Kathryn Nobles on Jun 14, 2009
[This is a YouTube video of a group of mostly White American drumming and moving to a version of the song "Funga Alafia"]
"They were having fun--great! But: what they're doing is not the dance Fanga, which was created by Pearl Primus after her trip to Liberia. Nor is it the rhythms traditionally played with the dance. The melody is U.S.: Lil Liza Jane, with Yoruba words put to it in New York City by LaRoque Bey. Would it be cute for Blacks to do Swan Lake with Firebird choreography? It would be fine with me--if they knew that's what they were doing. Spread culture around, but try to keep it intact...."
****
3. The song/chant "Fanga Alafia" that was composed by LaRocque Bey includes two Yoruba words: "alafia" and "ase" (usually written in the United States as "ashay").
Here's how an African American man in Harlem in 1959/1960 likely became familiar with those Yoruba words: In the late 1950s and early 1960s (and since then) a small number of African Americans practiced/practice the Yoruba religion of Ifa in Harlem. The Yoruba Temple in Harlem was under the leadership of Baba Oserjeman, the first African American to be initiated into the traditional Yoruba religion of Ifa. Baba Oserjiman, a former dancer with Katherine Dunham, was initiated into that religion in Cuba in 1959. Source http://www.bnvillage.co.uk/news-politics-village/99564-south-carolina-voodoo-sect.html
It's likely that LaRocque Bey was familiar with Baba Oserjiman and the Yoruba drummers & dancers (if he himself wasn't a member of that drum group). And it's also likely that some of the Yoruba drummers and dancers were (also) members of Bey's drum company. The community of afrocentric African Americans wasn't all that large in the late 1950s and the 1960s.
**** WHAT IS THE GENERAL MEANING FOR THE SONG "FUNGA ALAFIA" IN THE UNITED STATES (AND, BY EXTENSION, IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE IT IS TAUGHT)?
In the United States, "Funga Alafia" is generally considered to be a welcome song, probably because the word "alafia" can be interpreted as meaning "greetings" or "welcome". The word "alafia" is a part of this song's title and is part of its original lyrics. However, the English words "We welcome you" and other English words as well as the hand to heart and other movements that accompany those words don't appear to have been an original part of that song.
**** THE MEANINGS OF THE AFRICAN WORDS IN THE SONG "FUNGA ALAFIA"
THE WORD "FANGA"
The word "fanga" can be found in several traditional African languages. However, it's important to remember that even words that are spelled the same and/or may be pronounced the same may not have the same meaning.
Here's an excerpt from Hillary Sargent's website: http://www.fanga-music.com/myFanga:
"The word FANGA! Originates from the West African Mandingo lingo.
Literally it translates: Power! - It hits you to the core, in its multifaceted, powerful meaning: everybody has his or her own FANGA! - To me it is resilient, not only powerful, in essence the African rhythm in FANGA! inspires me with a spiritual enlightenment which has become the matrix of my soul identity."
-snip-
Another example of the word "fanga" is found in this description of a Malian film: Taafe-Fanga is the title of a highly acclaimed film from Mali, West Africa. The film is produced "in Bambara and Kaado [languages] with English [language] subtitles", and the title means "Skirt-Power". http://newsreel.org/video/TAAFE-FANGA.
-snip-
Presumably, the word "fanga" also means power in one of those African languages cited above.
Another example of the use of "fanga" is the French afrobeat group by that name. Here's information about that interracial group's name from http://cd1d.com/en/artist/fanga:
"Fanga means 'Force' (spiritually speaking) in Dioula, one of the numerous dialects of Western Africa. This French group of 7 musicians, deeply immersed in Afrobeat - a musical language pioneered by Fela Kuti in the 70's, combining African music, jazz and funk - was born from an encounter between the hip-hop programmer Serge Amiano and the rapper Yves Khoury (aka Korbo) of Burkina Faso."
I've also read that "Fanga" is a Vai (Liberia) word and I've usually seen "fanga" used as the name for the rhythm and accompanying dance which are based on a traditional Vai (Liberia, West Africa) welcome dance. Given those three examples, I believe that it's likely that the Liberian word "fanga" also means "force" or "power".
It should be noted that the authors of The Dance That Claimed Me: Biography of Pearl Primus by Peggy & Murray Schwartz indicate that drummers and dancers in different American companies didn't perform "Fanga" with the same tempo or in the same way. (Schwartz, Pearl Primus Biography, page 91)
I have two theories for how LaRocque Bey used the word "funga" instead of "fanga" for "Funga Alafia" song.
1. La Rocque Bey purposely changed the word "fanga" to "funga" because he wanted to distinguish his song and his beat from other Fanga chants and beats that were being played in the United States.
2. LaRocque Bey accidentally mispronunciation of the word "fanga" as "funga" and he kept that accidental pronunciation because he liked it.
I lean toward theory #1.
**
ALAFIA (ah-LAH-fee-ah)
A number of online sources indicate that the word "alafia" is a greeting word used by Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa.
According to various online sites, the "Yoruba" word "alafia" originated from the Arabic word "alaafiyah" meaning "health" or "good health" and entered the Yoruba language by way of the Hausa (Nigeria) modification "lafia la".
In the past ten years, there has been much controversy about the term alafia and whether or not it is truly Yoruba or derived from Arabic.
It is noted that the Yoruba word alafia shares its meaning with the Hausa (Northern Nigerians) word "lafiya" which means good health. They derived the word from Arabic's al-afiyah which means "the good health." When said as "zaman lafiya" in Hausa, it comes to mean innerpeace.
The indigenous Yoruba word for good health is ilera. Hence the popular Yoruba phrase, "Ilera loro" which means "health is wealth."
However, does all this mean that alafia is not a Yoruba word? Not necessarily....
All of this being said, alafia (whether indigenous or of Arabic origin) is not traditionally a greeting as seen in the Arab's salaam. That is definitely an attempt for people to imitate [sic] the Arab's greeting pattern of "peace" instead of learning Yoruba conversational protocol."....
-end of quote-
From at least the late 1960s, some afro-centric African Americans have used "alafia" as a greeting word that means "hello", "welcome, and/or "peace". I believe that "alafia" was first used by African Americans as a traditional African language way of saying the Arabic phrase "A salaam alaikum" ("Peace be unto you").
Furthermore, for some period of time (at least in 1990s to the early 2000s) some afro-centric people in the United States would say "Peace" as a greeting word, and especially as a word said when they were leaving a person or people. I don't know how widely the word "Peace" is still used that way in the 2020s.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/02/excerpts-from-online-articles.html for a pancocojams post on the origins and meanings of the word "alafia"
**
THE WORD "ASE"
Here's some information about the Yoruba (Nigeria, West Africa) word "ase":
"Ase" is the Yoruba term for "the energy of creation"; "the spark of life". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_mythology ; hereafter given as "Wikipedia: Yoruba Mythology" -snip- From http://asheselah.wordpress.com/about/whats-an-asheselah/ "Ashe (ah-SHAY, also Ase) – A Yoruba word meaning power, command, and authority. The ability to make whatever one says happen. Often summarized as “so be it”, “so it is”, or “it definitely shall be so”. -end of quote-
I've heard the word "ase" pronounced "AH-shay" or "ah-SHAY" in the United States*
*I've heard both pronunciations in Newark, New Jersey and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(Yoruba speakers- please share the correct pronunciation for this word. Thanks!)
In the United States the word ase is often (incorrectly) written as "ashe".
In the context of the song "Funga Alafia", the word "ase" has colloquially (and probably incorrectly) been interpreted as meaning either "amen" or "really". With regard to the "really interpretation, some people believe that "Alafia ashe ashe" means "We really welcome you" or "We enthusiastically welcome you."
****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.
This pancocojams post showcases the official video of "Soco" and presents its lyrics (with English translations). Also included in this post is some information about this song and selected comments from the discussion thread of the official YouTube video.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Wizkid, Ceeza Milli, Spotless & Terri and all others who are associated with this song and its official video. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
WARNING: The end of this video embedded in this post includes a vulgar word from Jamaican Patois. Information about the meaning of that word and its use in this song is presented in the Addendum to this post.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: STARBOY - SOCO ft. TERRI X SPOTLESS X CEEZA MILLI X WIZKID (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
StarBoy TV, Published on Mar 26, 2018
StarBoy Entertainment Worldwide presents the visuals to its recently released smash single - "SOCO". Visuals by
Clarence Peters.
-snip-
Statistical information about this video as of April 8, 2019. 7:31 PM
43,841,344 views
204,000 like
9,800 dislike
7,441 total comments
-snip-
A commenter on this video's discussion thread responded to a question about whether "Starboy" was another name for "WizKid" with the information that "Starboy" is the record label" and Wizkid is the main artist on that label.
****
LYRICS TO “SOCO” BY WIZKID
INTRO WIZKID
On! Holy fire, holy water, holy money (4x)
Oya put the fire, oya put the thunder, holy money (3x)
Beatzzzz
PRE CHORUS
Eledumare bless you with body o baby o, star boy go bless you with money o omoge (fine lady) o (2x) uhh
CHORUS (WIZKID)
Oya soco soco, soco soco soco, soco soco baby o, soco soco soco soco so (Quickly throw something)
Oya gbefun lopo, lopo lopo lopo (oyoyoyo) (Give it to him in different ways.
Oya gbe fun baby o- soco soco soco (Give it to him baby)
VERSE 1 (TERRI)
Oh when I come through, they know it’s a vibe, so they turn up. All eyes on me nooow
So many things you fit do with your bum bum; maje ki o re baby (Don’t be tired baby) ah ah ah. StarBoy get plenty money
Girl you know what the doctor do; soco. She low for me, show me attitude; soco
Don’t doubt am the one for you; soco. Am the one bony tv anytime you blow; soco
Ibadi like Olodo (Your waist is like that of the size of a stream); soco. Omoyi le pa eyan (This babe can kill someone), you’re my type of olosho (prostitutes); Eh yea yea iye eh
CHORUS (WIZKID)
Oya soco soco, soco soco soco, soco soco baby o, soco soco soco soco so (Quickly throw something)
Oya gbefun lopo, lopo lopo lopo (oyoyoyo) (Give it to him in different ways.
Oya gbe fun baby o- soco soco soco (Give it to him baby)
VERSE 2 (SPOTLESS)
Body o body o, girl you confuse my thinking. With your body o body o, girl it is for you that I am singing
With your body o body o, girl come chop all my money oh. Oh with your baka behind oh, girl come chop all my money oh
You make a man wan smoke cannabis; soco. All my brain don reset; soco
All i see na your waist; soco. Girl come manya make we dance o; soco
I like the way your body semkpe for me; soco. Baby come jogodo for me oh; soco.
Make your body move for me; soco. Baby come shake bombom for me o; soco.
CHORUS (WIZKID)
Oya soco soco, soco soco soco, soco soco baby o, soco soco soco soco so (Quickly throw something)
Oya gbefun lopo, lopo lopo lopo (oyoyoyo) (Give it to him in different ways.
Oya gbe fun baby o- soco soco soco (Give it to him baby)
VERSE 3 (CEEZA MILLI)
Step in the place the party scatter. Make them surrender
But dem dey give them what they need, another hit, another one.
Nicki Minaj, she starts to dance, girl I love the things you do
So baby dance and dance sukusu eh. When you do da dirty whine; yeah yeh
Oya jo baby (2x) Oya ju badi; soco. Oya jo baby; soco
Oya jo baby, Oya go crazy, Oya ju badi; soco
Want to spend money, make me spend money (2x); soco
Oya jo baby, oya go crazy, Oya ju badi nye
CHORUS (WIZKID)
Oya soco soco, soco soco soco, soco soco baby o, soco soco soco soco so (Quickly throw something)
Oya gbefun lopo, lopo lopo lopo (oyoyoyo) (Give it to him in different ways.
Oya gbe fun baby o- soco soco soco (Give it to him baby)
PRE CHORUS
Eledumare bless you with body o baby o, star boy go bless you with money o omoge o (2x) uhh
CHORUS (WIZKID)
Oya soco soco, soco soco soco, soco soco baby o, soco soco soco soco so (Quickly throw something)
Oya gbefun lopo, lopo lopo lopo (oyoyoyo) (Give it to him in different ways.
Oya gbe fun baby o- soco soco soco (Give it to him baby)
-snip-
This transcription doesn't include the vulgar Jamaican Patois word that Wizkid says at the end of the embedded video of this song.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LANGUAGES USED IN THIS SONG
The languages used in the song "Soco" are Nigerian Pidgin English & Yoruba.
UPDATE: April 9, 2019: Here's a comment exchange from the discussion thread for this song's official video
Opulent Soundz, 2019
"Wish I knew what they were saying. Such a dope track! Much love from Canada 💯"
**
REPLY
SANKOFA X, 2019
"he's basically telling the girl to throw it down and dance"
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SONG'S MUSICAL GENRE
This music genre is "Afrobeats". The "s" in this word distinguishes this music from "Afrobeat" music created by Fela Kuti in the 1970s.
Here's information about "Afrobeats": https://travelnoire.com/ayo-jay-afrobeats-music/
April 09, 2019 "Afrobeats Music Is Taking Over Mainstream Pop Culture Worldwide: A Talk With Ayo Jay"
"Step into any club or lounge in New York, Miami, or Atlanta, and you’re bound to hear energetic beats, Caribbean melodies, and international lyrics. Afrobeats music is the new intentional wave of infectious music reaching outside of the continent and into the rest of the world.
Birthed out of West Africa, Afrobeats is the sound blending traditional African music with contemporary sounds of hip-hop, R&B, and dancehall music. It has been the driving force other genres of music, moving into pop, urban and dance music, taking over mainstream pop culture.
Over the years, it has evolved since the influence of legendary African artist Fela Kuti in the 1970s, with artists creating their own individual style. Kuti’s music and politically driven lyrics were used as a call to action for African politics."...
-snip-
In contrast, here's information about "Afrobeat" music" "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrobeat
"Afrobeat is a music genre which involves the combination of elements of West African musical styles such as fuji music and highlife with American funk and jazz influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion.[1]
The term was coined by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who is responsible for pioneering and popularizing the style both within and outside Nigeria."...
****
EXPLANATIONS ABOUT CERTAIN TERMS/REFERENCES IN THIS SONG
These comments are presented according to theme and are numbered for referencing purposes only
1. What The Word "Soco" Means
From the official video's discussion thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VrWaED18_g
1. African Traveler, 2018
"soco means "throw it down" slang from yoruba "so nkan""
**
REPLY
2. deey A, 2018
"@African Traveler no soco is actually a Yoruba word. Spelt as Soko, It does NOT mean "so nkan" it means, dance, groove, party etc. We Yorubas will say " wa soko, wa gba ijo which means come and dance, come and party. The word "So nkan" that you have mentioned means to say something . They sound similar though."
**
REPLY
3. African Traveler, 2018
"deey A soko doesn’t mean “ to dance” in any Yoruba dialect I know ."
**
REPLY
4. deey A, 2018
"@African Travelerit's a Yoruba slang. It's my language."
**
REPLY
5. African Traveler, 2018
"deey A its mine too. Repping Ife right here. And neither I nor any Yoruba person I know has ever heard this “slang” before...."
**
REPLY
6. deey A, 2018
"@African Traveler you deffo don't know much about Yoruba slangs then. Alot of Juju and Fuji musicians have used the slang "soco" in there music. Dbanj also used the slang in the Tongolo album. He had a "soco" track, here is the link. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rWsugwMCIAk
Try and ask grown Yoruba people who are streetwise i grew up listening to lots of Fuji and Juju so got my facts. I will not reply to this any longer mate regardless.
Cheers!"
**
7. Olatoyan Femi, April 2019
" Sókò(soco) means dance in Yoruba language"
-snip-
I read a large portion of this video's discussion thread. Most of the commenters who responded to the question "What does "soco" mean [in Wizkid's song with that title] wrote "dance". A few commenters wrote "throw away" and even fewer referred to the Yoruba term "so nkan". The author of the article which served as a source for the lyrics (given above) belongs to the "throw away" camp regarding the meaning of the word "soco" in Wizkid's aong. Read the comment that follows.
Soco is a song from the “Starboy” king- @Wizkid and his newly signees; @Terri, @Spotless, @Ceeza Milla. The word “Soco” is a word abbreviated from the Yoruba word “so nkankan”, which means to say something or “san nkan” ‘pay something. However, overtime, when people say “so nkan” they also mean “Throw something”. Having watched the video and listened to the audio countless times I have come to the conclusion that what the artist means by “soco” is the latter, which means “To throw something”
****
COMMENTS & INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "ELEDUMARE" IN THIS SONG
[[from the discussion thread for this video, link given above]
1. Arasa Malik, 2018
"I like how he says "Olodumare bless you" instead of "God bless you". Stay true to your culture 🇳🇬. Respect ✊🏾
**
REPLY
12. MR N.O.V.A, 2019
"@Burnetta Hood You're welcome.Yes he is from Yoruba land. He is from Surulere, Lagos State, Nigeria and his real names are Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun ."
-snip-
Here's some information about Eledumare/Olodumare
From https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5893219718076521675#audiencestats
"Olodumare (Yoruba: O-lo-dù-ma-rè) also known as Olorun (Almighty) is the name given to one of the three manifestations of the Supreme God or Supreme Being [1] in the Yoruba pantheon. Olodumare is the Supreme Creator.[1]
The Yoruba believe Olodumare is omnipotent and is also responsible for the creation of all life,[2] Yoruba tradition says everything is in the hands of God (Olodumare) when they are going to bed at night.[2]"...
Definition
One of the most popular swear words in Jamaica. Though this word doesn't have an actual meaning or english translation, it is mostly used as an exclamation of shock, surprise, anger, frustration or for any other intense emotions.
[...]
Bumboclaat is actually a very vulgar swear word so you can get arrested for using it around police officers as well as dismissed from a class or formal business place."
****
Comments from the discussion thread of the official video [link given above]
1. Gavin Riley, 2019
"Wai-...did Wizkid say "bumboclaat" right at the end?? 😭😭😭😔🤔🙃"
**
REPLY
2. Terese Brown, 2019
"Yes! It's a trend on some of the tracks to use it at the end. Davido does it too. I almost wished he hadn't. Isn't authentic"
This pancocojams post provides information about Haitian vodoun loa (lwa)* Erzulie Dantor (Ezili Danto).
This post also provides information about Haitian Vodou as well as information about the important Haitian city Gonaives.
In addition, this post showcases two videos of "Jenndantors Des Gonaives" along with selected comments from these videos' discussion threads.
* From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
" "Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.[1]:229 They are also referred to as "mystères" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (from French Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")—the Supreme Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.[1]"...
****
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to JENNDANTOR DES GONAIVES, the publisher of the two YouTube videos that are embedded in this post.Special thanks to yiehom for sharing information with me about the meaning of the videos' title "Jenndantors Des Gonaives".
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HAITIAN VODOU
From https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vodou
"Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a religion practiced in Haiti. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. The word Vodou means “spirit” or “deity” in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin).
Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystè (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic “Africa.” The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world.
The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (“serve the spirits”)—to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. During religious rites, believers sometimes enter a trancelike state in which the devotee may eat and drink, perform stylized dances, give supernaturally inspired advice to people, or perform medical cures or special physical feats; these acts exhibit the incarnate presence of the lwa within the entranced devotee. Vodou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and the spirits of the unseen world."...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ERZULIE DANTOR (EZILI DANTO)
(These excerpts are given in no particular order.)
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezili_Dantor
"Ezilí Dantor or Erzulie Dantó is the main loa or senior spirit of the Petro family in Haitian Vodou.
Worship
Tuesdays are the days reserved to worship Ezili Dantor, practice which is normally done in solitary by the worshipper in front of an altar identified by the colours blue, green and red. Its most recurrent sacrifices consist in samples of créme de cacáo, jewels, specially golden rings and Agua de Florida. For its birthday a wild pig is normally the main sacrifice.
Ezili Dantor and the Haitian Revolution
Black Madonna of Częstochowa.
It is accounted that the slave revolt of 1791, started with a pact which followed a big feast in honour to Ezili Dantor. For this reason it is considered the national lwa. Considered to be the lwa of vengeance and rage, made it to be popular among single mothers during the 1980`s and 1990`s in Haiti and Dominican Republic.
The syncretic modern representation of this lwa is commonly associated to the Black Madonna of Częstochowa,[1][2] the patron saint of Poland. The original association of Ezili Dantor with this catholic icon is hypothesised to be from copies of the icon brought to Haiti by Polish soldiers sent by order of Napoleon Bonaparte, to subdue the then still ongoing Haitian Revolution. It is accounted that the Polish legion decreased significantly in numbers in contrast with the insurrected slaves, forcing the remaining captive soldiers to switch band to the side of the slaves. As a consequence of this action, during Jean-Jacques Dessalines's massacre, which took place short after the Haitian victory in 1804; the Poles where left alive and granted citizenship for the newly founded Republic of Haiti. The descendents of these soldiers are still living in the island, specifically in the locality of Cazale.[3]"....
Mama Mambo Ezili Danto – Haitian Vodou Petro Lwa: Ezili Dantor (pronounced eh-zee-lee Dahn-tor) is by far one of the most popular female Petro Lwa. She can be a tough lady, a little wild, but before all she is a mother. She is the most perfect mother one could wish to have.Dantor is a mother who watches and cares for her children very much. She can be a disciplinarian, as she does not and will not tolerate children behaving badly. She will defend her children and family until the very end. Dantor will also help a person for very little sacrifice on their part.
Dantor is served with the Image of Mater Salvatoris, sometimes also known as Santa Barbara Africana, which is the image you see on the top left hand corner of this page. She is also associated with other Madonnas who hold a child such as Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Czestochowa. Other images include Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Danto is also considered a protector of children. As naturally as a mother would protect her own, Mama Danto will always go to extremes to ensure the safety of her children. She will stop everything she is in the process of doing in order to go to her child’s aid. She will always be featured with her child in any image.
[...]
Dantor is also associated with heavy rains that destroy things in its path.Dantor is sometimes referred to as Ezili Zye Wouj or Ezili Red Eyes. The fact is that this is a separate spirit, yet she walks so closely with Dantor that some consider it to be Dantor extremely mad. Ezili Zye Wouj does talk yet can be difficult to understand. The eyes of someone possessed by this spirit will usually become extremely red in a matter of seconds. This is considered a very dangerous spirit.
Sometimes people confuse the many Ezilis together. Dantor is a spirit that is separate from the others. Dantor has many sister spirits that walk with her, like most Lwa. Some of these are known as Ezili Ke Nwe or Ezili of the Black Heart, who spits black liquid when riding someone’s head. Ezili Mapyang, Balyan, and Mambo Zila are a few others.
There is a long time rivalry between Ezili Dantor and Ezili Freda. They are sisters and just cannot stand each other. Like many sisters in real life, there is powerful jealousy between them. As the story goes, Dantor and Freda were both courting a particular Ogou Lwa. Over this man they fought and never reconciled. During this battle, Dantor took her dagger, which she always carries with her, and stabbed Freda in the heart. One can see evidence of this in Freda’s saint image. A gold dagger is seen coming out from her heart. Freda, in turn, removed the dagger and cut Dantor’s face, scarring her. Thus you will see scars on the Santa Barbara Africana image. Although there are only two marks, these marks are often called “twa mak” or three marks. Facial scarring of exactly that variety can point to Dantor’s African roots, where such facial scarring is common."...
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INFORMATION ABOUT OSUN (OSHUN) (SAID TO BE A TRADITIONAL AFRICAN SOURCE FOR ERZULIE DANTOR)
From http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/oshun.php
"Oshun is the Yorùbá Orisha (Deity) of the sweet or fresh waters (as opposed to the salt waters of Yemaya). She is widely loved, as She is known for healing the sick and bringing fertility and prosperity, and She especially watches over the poor and brings them what they need. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman. In some tales She is said to be a mermaid, with a fish's tail.
The Yorùbá clans inhabit parts of western central Africa, in present-day Nigeria. Oshun is the Goddess of the river of the same name, and She is especially worshipped in river-towns. During Her yearly festival, She is said to choose one or more women dancers to descend into (much like participants in Vodou ceremonies may be "mounted" or "possessed" by a Lwa). These women then take new names in honor of Oshun and are thereafter consulted as healers.
Oshun was taught divination with cowrie shells by Obatala, the first of the created Orishas, and then She brought the teaching to humans. She was at one time the wife of Shango, the Orisha of storms, as was Oya, the Orisha of the winds and tempests. Oshun is also said to be the mother of the birds or fishes.
With the African diaspora, Oshun was brought to the Americas, and adopted into the pantheons that branched out of the African traditions. In the Brazilian religion of Candomblé, which retains close ties with the Yorùbá religion, as well as in Cuban Santeriá, She is called Oxum. In Haitian Vodou She is an inspiration for Erzulie or Ezili, also a Deity of water and love."
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Italics added to highlight this sentence.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE HAITIAN CITY OF GONAIVES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gona%C3%AFves
"Gonaïves (Haitian Creole: Gonayiv) is a commune in northern Haiti, and the capital of the Artibonite department of Haiti. It has a population of about 300,000 people (2011 census). The city of Gonaïves was founded in 1422 by Indians who named it Gonaibo (to designate a locality of cacicat of the Jaragua). It is also known as Haiti's "independence city". The Bay of Gonaïves is named after the town.
In 1802 an important battle of the Haitian Revolution, the Battle of Ravine-à-Couleuvres was fought near Gonaïves.
Gonaïves is also known as Haiti's City of Independence because it was there that Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti, the former Saint-Domingue, independent from France on January 1, 1804, by reading the Act of Independence, drafted by Boisrond Tonnerre, on the Place d'Armes of the town. Marie-Claire Heureuse Félicité, the wife of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, died here in August 1858."...
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Also, read my question and the response given after Video #1 below.
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS:
Video #1: JENNDANTOTOR DES GONAIVES
JENNDANTOR DES GONAIVES, Published on Apr 29, 2018
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Here's the comment that I wrote in the beginning of September 2018 about this video:
"With all due respect, would someone please share what Jenndantor des Gonaives means? I looked up the meaning of Gonaives and found out that it is a Haitian city. that is known as Haitian's independence city. Is it also a sacred place in Haitian vodou?
However, I couldn't find any English meaning for Jenndantor or jenn dantor.
I'm African American and I love the singing and dancing but I'd love to know more about these Jendantor des Gonaives videos that I happened upon when I was looking for Haitian music and dance videos.
Thank you.
One love."
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Here's a reply from yiehom that was posted on September 21, 2018:
"You got the first part right by yourself. Now check for Erzuli Dantor (ezili danto), she is our queen mother who has been copied as mary by the christians, along with many concepts they now claim to be authors of. Jenn=jeune=young"
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Video #2: JENNDANTOR DES GONAIVES
JENNDANTOR DES GONAIVES, Published on May 26, 2018
Giving a new outlook on music and religion in the Haitian community.
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Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers given for referencing purposes only). Google translations from Haitian Creole to English are also given. Please improve this comment's translation. Thanks!
1. Lavila Joseph, 2018
"Chak dimanch ,chak Mardi pa Chita lakay nu vinn Nan vodou bigot Kay bonapat neg lafrik ginen sa we laa pa anyen se Lew Al gade wap we pibyen felicitation medam yon gwo kout ayibobo pandan map gade video a la m santim ap vibre kotem kouche a"
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Google translate from Haitian Creole to English
"Every Sunday, every Mardi by Saddle home is coming In Voodoo Bigot Home Good luck guys that we have nothing to do is see Lew we pibyen felicitation women a great short ayibobo while map watch the video the cinema is vibrating"
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"Mardi"= French word for "Tuesday"
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2.Harold Daniel, 2018
"Haitian voodoo spirits powerful the best"
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3. Kechelet Germain, 2018
"ayibobo pou ginen an"
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Google translation from Haitian Creole to English:
Ayibobo for the Ginen
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Here's information about the Haitian Creole word "Ayibobo":
From https://www.facebook.com/Imhaitian/posts/did-you-know-using-the-word-ayibobo-as-it-is-more-commonly-used-among-vodou-prac/669468669769519/
I am Haitian. July 2, 2014 ·
"Did you know using the word Ayibobo as it is more commonly used among Vodou practitioners. Therefore "Amen" and Hallejujah or "Alelouya", in its creole spelling, are used by mainstream Christians and "Ayibobo" are for those that practice Vodou."
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From https://www.erzulies.com/haitian-voodoo-glossary-of-terms/
"Ayibobo- ritual word of Ewe origin meaning “amen” "
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*Ewe- West African ethnic group from (Ghana; Ivory Coast)
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Here's a quote about "Ginen" from the britannica.com article excerpted above:
"All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic “Africa.” The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits"...
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5. Jean Abrege, 2018
"Se group kem remen anpil sim pat tro lwen se group sa ki pou ta vinn jwe pou mwn jou dans mwn 28 jwen"
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Google translation from Haitian Creole to English:
"This is a very good group so far is the group that would be able to play for my dance day 28 weeks"
