Comments: some more explanation would clarify how her beliefs fit henotheism
Celeste Jackson 4/25/22
REL 100 Melissa
Project 2 - Interview
For my project I chose to interview my cousin-in-law, Melissa J. I conducted our interview virtually using Google Meets. She practices three African Traditional Religions (ATR). I chose to interview her because I didn’t know she no longer considered herself a Christian and I was not familiar with ATR. The three ATR’s she practices are Haitian Vodu, Yoruba Ifa, and Hoodoo.
Hatian Vodu was started by African’s brought to Haiti as slaves. It combines West African practices with elements of Roman Catholic Christianity. Yoruba Ifa is a divination practice that originated in Nigeria. Hoodoo is a group of practices started by Africans brought to America as slaves that includes elements of Christianity and the use of roots and herbs in their practices. In order to join one must study and then be invited into each system to become a full member. Once initiated they continue to study to achieve higher levels of understanding.
Melissa was not born into her spiritual practices. She joined as an adult after many years of not feeling satisfied with the Christian religion of her family. Throughout her life she searched for a spiritual practice that would feel accepting of her and where she felt included. Eventually she began studying ATR’s with her godmother and was drawn to the religions.
Hatian Vodu, Yoruba Ifa, and Hoodoo are voluntary religions but have similarities to natural religions communities. Livingston says natural religious community are “maintained through blood, kinship, race, or nation, [and] great attention is devoted to rites of passage... and ancestor veneration” (Livingston 127). The ATR’s that Melissa practices have many of these elements likely because they have roots in natural communities of Africa. Hatian Vodu and Hoodoo are two of the religions that were brought from Africa to America by African slaves and then incorporated elements of Cristianity so they could continue their practices. In order to join these religions a person has to be a descendent of African slaves. When you are interested in joining, studying is required and then an invitation is offered. Only people who are invited can join. That makes these religions voluntary but only to a point. While Melissa was not born into these religions, joining could be seen as her discovering her natural religions community.
Livingstongs states that within a voluntary religious community there is a “...break with natural ties” (130). This is something Melissa experienced when she left Christianity. Within her Christian church she witnessed women not being able to have the same roles as men. Leaving created a small break in her familial ties because all of her immediate family in Christian. They fully believed in their own religion and also had negative views of ATR’s. In their view, leaving Christianity meant she would go to hell. Despite the pushback from her family, Melissa's experience with adopting new religious beliefs gave her “a new spiritual insight... [and] spiritual power” (131). In her new religion she found a place where women were full participants and seen as important members with special gifts.
In chapter 5 various rituals and rites were described that are found in Yoruba and Ifa religions. An important part of Melissa's religious practice are her daily rituals. In her home she has an altar set up to honor her ancestors. In her rituals there is an emphasis on propitiation where she works to keep the ancestors happy. At the beginning of her day she checks in with them and provides them with food and drink. Her Yoruba practice has a different òrìṣàs (previously human divine spirits) for each day that sets the tone for what she will focus on daily. As a part of her religion she believes that by offering food, drink, and gifts to them she will keep them in a good mood and they will better be able to and more inclined to answer her requests. Honoring the ancestors and òrìṣàs allows them to have influence in her life and guides the decisions that she makes.
Melissa believes that there are light and dark energies in everything. The concept of light and dark reminds me of the yin/yang concept found in Chinese religions. The yin/yan and light and dark energies can be described as “a benign, complementary conception of two primordial sacred cosmic forces of principles” (164). Light and dark are equally helpful and it is your intention behind their use that makes it right or wrong. The focus on intention in using the light and dark are similar to the understanding of karma in Buddhism. Similar to Buddhism in her religion, once someone has died they can choose to come back and help others fulfill their “ashe”, which is their term for life path or gift similar to dao in Confucism.
Along with her belief in the forces of light and dark, and acknowledging ancestors, is her belief in an ultimate God. This would make ATR polytheistic and more specifically henotheistic. Henotheism is “recognizing the reality of many gods, [and] worship and believe in the ascendancy of only one god” (172). While she honors her ancestors and looks to them for guidance they are not the highest spiritual force in her religion. She believes in a higher God who created the òrìṣàs and humans. The ultimate goal of her religion is to grow closer to God and honoring the ancestors is how you do that.
Another rite of her Ifa practice in divination which allows people to experience God and learn His will through spirit possession. During our interview we discussed how this part of her religious practice has been portrayed in a negative light in our American culture. Oftentimes when an African religion is portrayed on screen it is portrayed as scary, crayzed, or "demonic". This she feels is a very untrue representation of her beliefs. We also discussed how although people view divination in African religions in a negative light people from mainstream Christian faith also practice this when they are "filled with the spirit" or practicing glossolalia.
The ethics of these religions seem to be utilitarian and focused on the virtues of the individual and the community. Melissa says that the message that ATR's teach is to treat others how you would want to be treated and to act with a good heart and pure intentions. Good character is important as it can affect the actions that come back to you. In these practices there is no belief in sin or a belief in the need of salvation.
I enjoyed the interview process and found that my religion classes provided me with a good foundation for understanding Melissa’s beliefs. Having an understanding of religious elements and concepts was very helpful. I was very happy to see Melissa volunteer for the interview. I was honored to be someone she was willing to open herself up and share a part of her life with me that she doesn’t always get to share with our family. I believe Melissa has found a belief system that fully represents and acknowledges her as a Black woman. Hearing her story and learning about her religion has given me a better understanding and appreciation for ATR which is a religion that my own ancestors would have likely practiced.
Work Cited
Livingston, James C. Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion. 6th ed., Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2009.
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