UMBANDA CONCEPT

UMBANDA

It is a Brazilian tradition based upon the existence of multiple phalanxes of Spiritual Guides that support humanity in service of goodness and charity. The practitioners learn ritualistic practices based upon designated archetypal Umbanda 7 Lines and symbols to respectfully interact with those evolved Spiritual Guides. The connection established is called mediumship and can happen through clear communication, psychic abilities, meta-senses, irradiation, divine trance, incorporation, artistic abilities, dance, etc.

The Umbanda also works deeply with vibration and the frequency of Axé energy.

Those spiritual practices are anchored in a peculiar set of beliefs based in the African tradition of the Orishas, as well as an openness to incorporate in their foundation a syncretism of other traditions such as: shamanism, esoteric knowledge, folk Catholicism, eastern philosophies, and more.

SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS

The Umbanda religion was conceived deep inside of the heart of Brazilian rural culture, and born officially in a complex contest of the beginning of the 1900 century. Among all different traditions, we believe that the knowledge from the Yoruba region in northwest Africa became the most popular tradition in Umbanda.

Primarily, the Umbanda set of beliefs is anchored in the AFRICAN knowledge of the Orishas spiritual forces and Axé [Ase] energy practices that arrived in Brazil. This powerful wisdom came from the African immigrants who arrived in an slavery condition from different countries of the ancient continent. This knowledge was re-framed in a Brazilian interpretation with a variation of ethnically groups from different African regions like Bantu, Jeje, Nago and Yoruba. The development of the Afro-Brazilian traditions happened mainly inside of the slavery quarter through 3-4 generations of people who survived the 388 years of the slavery period in Brazil.

From the forest, it is possible to understand that the Umbanda roots are also deep interconnected with the INDIGENOUS people's knowledge like the shamanic practices of Encantaria and the existence of mythical creatures of the forest called enchanted beings. Iconic spiritual guides like Cabocla Jurema and the presence of the Umbanda Forest Line are powerful forces inside of the tradition.

The presence of the colonizers from different parts of EUROPE also matched and mixed with the African and indigenous spiritual practices by adding elements of Catholicism and Esoterism. From all these miscellanies, it solidified a diversity of lineages of cultural Brazilian manifestation such as Cabula, Catimbó, Jurema, etc. Those practices organized the pre-ritualistic practices that will be the foundation of Umbanda as an official Brazilian religion.

The begging of the XX century was a complex period of existential understanding of the Brazilian identity as a nation, especially because of the slavery Abolition in 1888 and the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889. The new century brought a new self-comprehension of a country based on a challenging interconnection with 3 different ethnicities - indigenous people, Africans and Europeans - carrying the wounds of colonialism and slavery.

SYNCRETISM

It is important to emphasize that Umbanda has a well established ritualistic and specific set of practices called Fundaments which must be learned inside of a Terreiro (Umbanda Temple) with a guidance of a Pai de Santo or Mãe de Santo (Umbanda Priest or Priestess). Also, it is necessary to say that the main tradition of Umbanda is the African roots because the majority of the Terreiros and their Fundaments are anchored in the Afro-Brazilian interpretation of the Orishas.

Syncretism could be understood as an extra element accepted into the established foundation to be always carefully incorporated with awareness and respect of the traditions. The positive aspect of syncretism in Umbanda is the possibility to embrace the complex diversity of people from urban areas and different backgrounds, especially ones who are "orphans" of traditions as a result of being oblivious of their ancestral roots. The Umbanda practitioners don’t necessarily need to have a direct ancestry with the Yorubas or other African groups to respectfully honor the Orishas.

The main common set of beliefs among all this lineages and centers is the understand that exist evolve phalanx of spirits that work as spiritual guides in service of the Umbanda Lines, as: Caboclos (forest spiritual guides), Pretos-Velhos (ancient spiritual guides), Eres (children spiritual guides), Almas (departure souls), Ondinas (water related spiritual guides), etc. All the Umbanda Terreiros are organized according to the 7 Umbanda Lines. Each Line represents the phalanx of evolved spirits that work as Spiritual Guides in that specific Umbanda center.

A PINCH OF HISTORY

The official event that designates Umbanda as a religion happened in 1908 at Rio de Janeiro state. There was a 17 years old medium called Zélio Fernandino de Moraes who went to one of many Spiritism Federation in Brazil because he received a miracle healing from spirits and he needed orientation about his mediumship. In the middle of the Spiritualism session, Zélio incorporates a mix of black and indigenous spirit called Caboclo 7 Encruzilhadas (7 crossroads). The person who was orienting the Spiritualism session judged this spirit as an inferior frequency asking him to go away. The medium Zélio was offended because his evolved spiritual guide was labeled as inferior just because come from black and indigenous knowledge. He decided to open a center that would receive the phalanx of spiritual guides called Caboclos and Pretos-Velhos honoring black and indigenous spirits.

Some sociologists affirm that later on Zéiio contradicted himself because he was practicing Umbanda without honoring it African roots. Other people believe that there was other personalities that could be the founders of Umbanda before Zélio. For instant, Tata Tancredo founded the Umbanda Omolocô linage with deeper African roots in the end of the 1800.

In 1933 happened the first Umbanda Conference that deepened the Umbanda dialogue with European esotericism, Kardecism, as well as eastern philosophies and concepts like chakra and meditation. It was an important event to fortify the Umbanda religion and the syncretic characteristic. However, academic authors such as the sociologist Roger Bastide pointed out that the African roots of Umbanda were not considered relevant which resulted in a predominance of a more “white” understanding of Umbanda.

During the XX century, the Umbanda religion branched in many different lineages. The fluid characteristics of Umbanda made each Terreiro (Umbanda center) have a diversity of elements. The Umbanda religion not only emerged from a syncretic cultural context but, also, developed a flexibility to keep incorporating over the years a diversity of spiritual understanding and practices from different traditions and philosophies.

UMBANDA BRANCHES

Umbanda Branca e de Demanda

Based on the fundamentals of Zélio Fernandes de Morais.

Influenced mainly by Spiritism doctrine;

Umbandoblé

Based on the fundamentals of unknown sources.

Influenced mainly by Candomblé religion;

Umbanda Omolocô

Based on the fundamentals of Tata Tancredo.

Influenced mainly by African roots;

Umbanda Esotérica

Based on the fundamentals of W.W. da Mata e Silva.

Influenced mainly by Esotericism and Astrology.

Umbanda Sagrada

Based on the fundamentals of Rubens Saraceni

Influenced mainly by Esotericism and Rubens Saraceni;

Umbandaime

Based on the fundamentals of of Baixinha, Padrinho Sebastião, and Maria Alice

Influenced mainly by Santo Daime.

UMBANDA GLOSSARY

UMBANDA TEMPLE = TERREIRO

MAIN ALTAR = CONGÁ

OTHER ALTARS = PONTO

CHANTS = PONTO CANTADO (SIGNED POINT)

FEMALE PRIEST = MÃE DE SANTO (MOTHER OF SAINT)

MALE PRIEST = PAI DE SANTO (FATHER OF SAINT)

PRIEST ASSISTANT = MÃE OR PAI PEQUENO (SMALLER MOTHER OR FATHER)

FEMALE SPIRITUAL MENTOR = MADRINHA

MALE SPIRITUAL MENTOR = PADRINHO

OFFICIAL DRUMMER = OGÃ

UMBANDA PRACTITIONER = FILHO OR FILHA DE SANTO (CHILD OF THE SAINT)

UMBANDA PRACTITIONER = IRMÃOS DE FÉ (SIBLINGS OF FAITH)