Correio da Bahia, October 8, 2001
Andreia Santana
redacao@correiodabahia.com.br

Las ofensivas recientes contra los terreiros de Candomblé en la ciudad de Tancedo Neves han motivado la protesta

La intolerancia religiosa y el desacato a la libertad de culto protegida por la Constitución brasileña, ha conducido a miembros de una iglesia evangélica a atacar los terreiros de Candomblé en el área de Tancredo Neves, y ha generado una protesta por un grupo diverso de las organizaciones negras del Salvador ayer por la mañana. Juntos en el umbral del Terreiro Vila São Roque, uno de las casas de culto africanas ofendida por los miembros de la Iglesia Internacional de la Gracia de Dios, representantes de organizaciones tales como el Grupo Alerta Pernambués (GAP), de Unegro, Movimiento Negro Unificado (MNU) y el Centro Baiano Contra el SIDA, realizaron un acto de solidaridad con los terreiros ofendidos. Después del acto, caminaron a través de las calles del pueblo, teniendo como objetivo llamar la atención de la población al problema.

Según Luis Carlos Santos Lima, coordinador de GAP, la organización que planeó la protesta, las agresiones a los terreiros continúan. En Castelo Branco, un grupo de evangelistas se aprovechó de una ceremonia conocida como “saída das iaôs” para provocar la confusión, usando idioma ofensivo. En Tancredo Neves, más allá del Vila São Roque, donde cerca de dos semanas el grupo de evangelistas lanzó azufre y sal sobre las paredes del terreiro, el terreiro conocido como Tumbemsi también sufrió agresiones verbales.

Complaint – “They are invading the terreiros to distribute pamphlets that say absurd things like that Candomblé is the religion of the devil and that all who practice Candomblé will become ashes in the fires of the hell,” disclosed Luis Carlos. Based on the law against racism, since Afro-Brazilian cult houses are the only ones under attack, and in the Federal Constitution, the terreiros of Tancredo Neves have already filed complaints with the Public Ministry. “We cannot tolerate that attitudes such as these continue to propagate themselves. Candomblé has been the focus of resistance for the 500 years of black presence in Brazil. In Candomblé, discrimination of unheard of, the women in terreiro have as much power as the men. The feeling of collectivity and community is also very strong, and have strongly influenced the preservation of family values, as during slavery parents were separated from their children to destroy the self esteem of the peoples brought here by force,” pointed out Olívia Santana, representative of the Unegro.

Querella – “Están invadiendo los terreiros para distribuir folletos que dicen cosas absurdas como que el Candomblé es la religión del diablo y que todos los que lo practiquen se convertirán en cenizas en los fuegos del infierno,” divulga Luis Carlos. De acuerdo con la ley contra el racismo, puesto que las casas de culto afro-brasileñas son las únicos bajo ataque, y en la Constitución federal, los terreiros de Tancredo Neves han elevado una querella en las oficinas del Ministerio Público. “No podemos tolerar que actitudes tales como éstas continúen propagándose. El Candomblé ha sido el foco de la resistencia por los 500 años de la presencia negra en el Brasil. En Candomblé, la discriminación se desconoce, las mujeres en los terreiros tienen tanto valor como los hombres. El sentimiento de colectividad y de comunidad es también muy fuerte, y ha influenciado fuertemente en la preservación de los valores de la familia, ya que durante el tiempo de la esclavitud fueron separados los padres de sus hijos para destruir la estima propia de la gente traída aquí por la fuerza”, precisó Olívia Santana, representante del Unegro.

Aunque está horrorizada con los actos de vandalismo contra su casa, Juciara Brito, ialorixá de Vila São Roque, recuerda a los agresores sobre los simientos del Candomblé, los cuales tienen como una de sus principios fundamentales la tolerancia con todos los credos: “los terreiros están siempre abiertos para recibir todo aquel que vengan a ellos, sin importar su religión. No prohíben que nuestros hijos tengan otras creencias. Por satisfacer mi propia curiosidad, una vez acudí a una sesión evangélica y la encontré bonita,” declaró Mae Juciara.

From Correio da Bahia, October 8, 2001
Andreia Santana
redacao@correiodabahia.com.br

Recent offensives against Candomblé terreiros in the town of Tancredo Neves have motivated the protest

Religious intolerance and disrespect to the freedom of worship protected by the Brazilian Constitution, that has led members of an evangelical church to attack Candomblé terreiros in the area of Tancredo Neves, generated a protest by a diverse group of Salvador’s black organizations yesterday morning. Congregated in the doorway of the Terreiro Vila São Roque, one of the Afro-culthouses offended by members of the International Church of God’s Grace, representatives of organizations such as the Grupo Alerta Pernambués (GAP), Unegro, Movimento Negro Unificado (MNU) and the Centro Baiano Anti-Aids, carried out an act of solidarity with the offended terreiros. After the act, they walked through the streets of the quarter, aiming at to call the population’s attention to the problem.

According to Luis Carlos Santos Lima, coordinator of GAP, the organization that planned the protest, the aggressions to the terreiros continue. In Castelo Branco, a group of evangelists took advantage of a ceremony known as “saída das iaôs” to provoke confusion by using offensive language. In Tancredo Neves, beyond the Vila São Roque, where about two weeks a group of evangelists threw sulphur and salt on the terreiro’s walls, the Afro-culthouse known as Tumbemsi also suffered verbal aggressions.

Complaint – “They are invading the terreiros to distribute pamphlets that say absurd things like that Candomblé is the religion of the devil and that all who practice Candomblé will become ashes in the fires of the hell,” disclosed Luis Carlos. Based on the law against racism, since Afro-Brazilian culthouses are the only ones under attack, and in the Federal Constitution, the terreiros of Tancredo Neves have already filed complaints with the Public Ministry. “We cannot tolerate that attitudes such as these continue to propagate themselves. Candomblé has been the focus of resistance for the 500 years of black presence in Brazil. In Candomblé, discrimination of unheard of, the women in terreiro have as much power as the men. The feeling of collectivity and community is also very strong, and have strongly influenced the preservation of family values, as during slavery parents were separated from their children to destroy the self esteem of the peoples brought here by force,” pointed out Olívia Santana, representative of the Unegro.

Although horrified with the acts of vandalism against her house, Juciara Brito, ialorixá of Vila São Roque, reminds the aggressors about Candomblé’s foundations, that has as one of its basic principles tolerance with all creeds: “the terreiros are always open to receive all those who come to them, regardless of their religion. Our children are not forbidden to have other beliefs. Out of curiosity I once attended an evangelical prayer session and found it pretty,” declared Mae Juciara.

Correio da Bahia, October 8, 2001
Andreia Santana
redacao@correiodabahia.com.br

Recentes agressões a terreiros de candomblé, no bairro de Tancredo Neves, motivaram o protesto

A intolerância religiosa e o desrespeito à liberdade de culto prevista na Constituição brasileira, que tem levado membros de uma igreja evangélica a agredir terreiros de candomblé em Tancredo Neves, gerou o protesto, ontem pela manhã, de diversas entidades negras de Salvador. Reunidos na porta do Terreiro Vila São Roque, uma das casas de culto afro ofendida por membros da Igreja Internacional da Graça de Deus, representantes de entidades como o Grupo Alerta Pernambués (GAP), Unegro, Movimento Negro Unificado (MNU) e Centro Baiano Anti-Aids, realizaram um ato de solidariedade aos terreiros perseguidos. Após o ato, aconteceu ainda uma passeata pelas ruas do bairro, visando chamar a atenção da sociedade para o problema.

De acordo com Luís Carlos Santos Lima, coordenador do GAP, entidade que organizou o ato de protesto, as agressões aos terreiros continuam. Em Castelo Branco, um grupo de evangélicos se aproveitou da cerimônia de saída das iaôs para provocar confusão através de palavras ofensivas. Em Tancredo Neves, além do Vila São Roque, onde há cerca de duas semanas um grupo de evangélicos atirou enxofre e sal nas paredes do terreiro, a casa de culto afro Tumbemsi, também sofreu agressões verbais.

Queixa – “Eles estão invadindo os terreiros para distribuir panfletos onde dizem coisas absurdas do tipo que o candomblé é a religião do diabo e que todos devem se converter senão arderão no fogo do inferno”, revelou Luís Carlos. Baseados na lei contra o racismo, já que só casas de culto afro-brasileiro estão sendo agredidas, e na Constituição Federal, os terreiros de Tancredo Neves já entraram com queixa no Ministério Público. “Não podemos tolerar que atitudes como essas continuem acontecendo. O candomblé é o foco de resistência durante os 500 anos de presença negra no Brasil. No candomblé, não existe discriminação de nenhuma espécie, as mulheres no terreiro têm tanto poder quanto os homens. O sentimento de coletividade e comunidade também são muito fortes, eles foram os responsáveis pela preservação do sentimento de família, já que durante a escravidão afastavam-se pais e filhos justamente para destruir a auto-estima dos povos trazidos à força para cá”, pontuou Olívia Santana, representante da Unegro.

Apesar de horrorizada com os atos de vandalismo que ocorreram em sua casa, Juciara Brito, ialorixá do Vila São Roque, ainda consegue lembrar aos agressores os fundamentos do candomblé, que tem como um dos princípios básicos a tolerância com todos os credos: “Os terreiros estão sempre abertos para receber todos aqueles que nos procuram, independentemente da religião deles. Nossos filhos não são proibidos de ter outras crenças. Eu mesma, fui uma vez por curiosidade assistir uma oração dos evangélicos e achei bonita”, declarou mãe Juciara.

On October 7, 2001, babalawos, olochas, and omo oricha gathered at 1354 Parkwood Road, N.W., Washington, D.C., to bring down Orunmila and consult him about appropriate responses to the tragedies of September 11 and the subsequent war, the beginning of which was announced during the ceremony. Eloi Hernández-Otura-Nico and Michael Atwood Mason-Ocán-Oñí called the gathering.

Through the ikin of Eloi Hernández-Otura-Niko in the hands of Orimoladé Ogúnjimi-Odi-Roso, Orula provided the following direction:

Odu: Oshé-Irete
1st Witness: Irete-Otura
2nd Witness: Irete Meyi

Through the ibo, Orula marked Iré with Irete Meyi.

The blessings were:

Iré arikú elese ocha Ochún cotoyale

Orula marked the following ebós:

  1. Adimú to Ochún: Everyone should make offerings of fruit, candles, honey, or her favorite foods.
  2. Altar for the ancestors: Everyone should create an altar for the ancestors with flowers, water, and a candle, and each person should pray for the peace of those killed in this conflict.
  3. Gifts to the garbage collectors and the police: Everyone should give between $1 and $5 to these people in their area, because they work with the ancestors all the time.
  4. Flag of Otura-Nico: Everyone should create a flag that is half white and half purple to hang behind the main door of the house.
  5. Individual ebó: Each olocha should make the ebó from itá or ask Elegguá to mark a new one. Each person with the hand of Orula or cofá should make the ebó from itá. When making ebó, everyone should pray for the peace and security of family and friends.
  6. Goat and drumming for Orunmila: The community needs to come together and offer a goat to Orunmila.

This will be followed by a drumming in his honor.

Those seeking more information or wishing to support the collective ebó can contact Michael Atwood Mason-Ocán-Oñí at Ocanonyi56@yahoo.com.

Those present were:

Babalawos:
Eloi Hernández-Otura-Nico
Orimoladé Ogúnjimi-Odi-Roso
Eduardo Sierra-Ica-Koso
Ifá Biyii Sangode

Olochas:
Francisco Macías-Echu Bí
Michael Atwood Mason-Ocán-Oñí
David H. Brown-Eguín Coladé
Shango Yemí
Fani Trump-omo Ochún
Carmen Trujillo-omo Ochún

Apetebí, Awofaka ni Orula and Omo Oricha
Ariel Alexander
Pamela Alexander
Mercedes Frazier
Vincent Huckle
Ruth Jara
Jumal Lewis
Marian Lobred-Iyanifa Ifafunlayó
Logan
David Lounsbury
Juanita Minor
Marcelo Minor
María Minor
Nicolas Soria
Harold Snyder

Participants:

Lazaro P. Alfaro Lazaro Ramos
Antonio Pena Abelardo Hernández
Angel Riana Jorge C. Cuadra
Juan Carlos “Yiyi” Ernesto Pichardo
Otto Tianga Esther Amores
Olga Ramos Henry Pascual
Beatriz Rodriguez Dolores Rivera
Rita Guerra Jeffrey Gonzalez
Fabian Hernández Cristina Hernández

Place:
The meeting took place at Olorisha Henry Pascual, Oñí Lainú’s home in Miami.

Donations and Preparations:
Ernesto Pichardo opened the meeting notifying the group that $ 1,800.00 had been donated thus far.

Accommodations:

The group agreed that preparations would be made for 500 attendees.

Food:

A motion was made by Abelardo Hernández to eliminate cooking and food for drum. He
stated that it was “. . .a drum and not a dinner party!” After some discussion and objections, it was decided to only have akará (bean fritters), sweets, and bread to serve to the attendees.

For the Oro Christina and Lazaro volunteered to prepare and bring the adimús to be offered to Egún.

More canned sodas will be purchased in addition to the 75 sodas already donated.

Abelardo Hernández (2), Cristina Hernández(2), and Otto Tianga (2) will bring water coolers to be used for the refreshments.

Ebó:

There was some concern over this issue but it was finally decided that seven cars will take the fruits from the throne to seven religiously symbolic places.

The following people volunteered:

1-Fabian & Cristina Hernández: Southern point (Perine)
2-Isabel and Oscar Urtiz: Northern Point (Broward)
3-Otto Tianga: Western Point (Everglades/Krome Avenue)
4-Henry Pascual: River
5-Betty Rodriguez: Savannah
6- Pending volunteer: Ocean
7- Pending volunteer: Bush

Security:
Betty Rodriguez has a friend who volunteered to as a security guard. Cristina Hernández will also call Mario Yaques to ask for advice and/or a volunteer. Otto Tianga will call his uncle to ask for a 2nd volunteer.

Tasks:

1. Angelito Riana- will call “El Negro,” the drummer to ensure that he has been informed of the activities

2. Christina Hernández – will confer with Willie Ramos to investigate the status of the panels and head-wear pledge he obtained. She will also call Tony Pena about the outfit that has been donated for Ogun.

3. Everyone whom attended the meeting will bring a white towel and a gourd (jícara) to
the Oro for use at the Drum on Sunday.

4. Henry Pascual and Otto Tianga- will purchase bread, akará mix, and sodas.

5. Otto Tianga- will call Red Cross to get information on donating food that will
not be used. He will also call to rent portable toilets.

6. Cristina Hernández- will call Esequiel to organize when Abelardo Hernández, Angelito
Riana, and Cristina Hernández will go to take Aña its tributes.

Everything will be brought to the ranch on Friday the 2nd in order to prepare for the drum.

Volunteers:

Otto Tianga will organize the volunteers. (Please contact him with any names at
305-505-2358 or ottomail@bellsouth.net)

1. Isabel & Oscar Urtiz
2. Xiomara (Monga)
3. Maria Adela
4. Sini
5. Betty Rodriguez
6. Oneida Prado
7. Lola Rivera
8. Pablo Alvarez

By Biaggio Talent
Translated by W. Ramos

Salvador- The atabaques (drums) of Bahia’s Candomble terreiros (Orisha temples) will beat for world peace, to prevent a confrontation of great ratios between the United States and the Muslim peoples. Tomorrow, 40 olorishas, followers of the afro-Brazilian religions, representatives of the most important Candomble terreiros of Salvador, will congregate in the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Homens Pretos, in the Pelourinho district of Salvador, to ask the African deities for protection and world-wide peace.

One of the organizers of the gathering, Ozeas Santana, of the Terreiro Luan-Deua, situated in the Railroad Suburb of the Bahian capital explained that the leaderships of the Catholic Church, Judaism and Islam had congregated to defend the peace, but at no moment were representatives of the African religions invited. “We decided, then, to take this initiative, condemning the terrorist attacks and in solidarity with the families of victims, so that pacific solutions against terrorism are found,” he said. The Candomble clergy have chosen Oxala, the father of all orixas, as the deity to which the ceremony will be directed. He is the orixa called upon by all who seek peace.

As a temple where celebrations of Bahian syncretism are traditional, the Church Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Homens Pretos was chosen for the meeting because it is considered a historical symbol of the social insertion of Africans and their descendants into Brazilian society. African slaves built the church, constructed in the 18th century, during their moments of rest from their long workdays. The expression “to rest carrying rocks,” originated during the period in which the church was constructed, accurately describing the endeavor, as in the evenings, slaves carried the rocks that were taken from a nearby quarry to the place where the temple was raised.

The 40 leaders of the Afro-Bahian religions already congregate regularly on Wednesdays, in the headquarters of the Bahian Anti-AIDS Center to discuss ways of preventing sexually transmitted diseases among the people affiliated with Bahian terreiros.

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