The Orixa´ Iemanja, goddess of the sea, in the Afro Brazilian spiritual tradition.
Danced by Rosangela Silvestre, filmed and edited by Layne Redmond.
Shot in Salvador, Brazil on the beach of Iemanja in Rio Vermelho.
Percusionists: Alcides Morais, Fabio Santos, Andre Souza, Joel Souza
Vocalist: Mariella Santiago
Vocal Arrangement: Mariella Santiago

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1995 the great percussionist, Nana Vasconcelos invited Layne Redmond to perform at Percpan, the world wide percussion festival in Salvador, the capitol of Bahia in Brazil. To perform on the same bill with Gilberto Gil accompanied by legendary pandeiro player Marcos Suzano, Milton Nascimento with his incredible drummers Robertinho Silva and his sons, and many, many others was truly one of the high points of her life, but more importantly this was the beginning of a personal and musical transformation that continues to this day.

 

 

Brazil was known by the indigenous people as BARA - TZIL (Land of the Cross or Land of the Light). To arrive in Bahia is to enter into a reality defined by rhythm and sublime melody, where new styles of music continually spring from the many thriving musical traditions of Brazil. The infinite, timeless rhythms of the African universe surface here in the urban capitol of Salvador lusciously embracing and interweaving them with musical traditions from all over the world. From Jamaica in particular came the languid rhythms and powerful politics of reggae giving birth to samba reggae. American jazz, soul, funk and rap, along with Cuban, Haitian and other Caribbean drumming traditions, have also spiced the tropical bouquet of Salvador's music.

Yet it is certainly the pulse of Africa, which has supported the human spirit through generations of slavery followed by abandonment to poverty and the struggle to survive which defines this music. Millions of people were abducted from their homeland, transported across the ocean and then sold into the nightmare of slavery. It is a triumph of the human spirit that this experience gave birth to rhythms and chants whose essence was to enable people to survive unimaginable human suffering. These rhythms helped to uplift, transcend and transport the participants into the universal realm beyond every day experience, into a pervading sense of well being that comes from being conscious only of keeping in time with everyone else. As thought melts away into the rhythm and each person merges into the flow of the unified group energy, the individual is submerged yet enlarged by the exaltation of the group energy. Feelings of contentment, satisfaction, a sense of pleasure in life and oneself and the community of drummers and dancers arise. This contributes to personal and community mental and emotional health and is what draws me so strongly to this city that has given birth to many of the greatest stars in Brazilian music -- Joao Gilberto, Dorival Caymmi, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Maria Bethania, Carlinhos Brown, and Olodum to name only a few.

Bahia for centuries has been the holder and preserver of these rhythmic rites of transcendence preserved in the traditions of candomble´, which like Cuban Santeria, is rooted in ancient African religious traditions. These traditions came to Brazil with the enslaved Africans brought to work the vast sugarcane fields of Bahia. By identifying African deities, called the orixas´, with Catholic saints the orixas´ were hidden within the religion the Africans were forced to embrace. The earliest sacred houses or terreiros, the ritual ceremonial places of workshop, for candomble´ were built in Bahia and have survived to the present day.

The rhythms and dances of candomble´ are specific to each of the orixás. Three sizes of atabaque drums, the Brazilian version of the conga, are used in the rituals: the smallest and highest pitched is the Le; the largest and deepest sounding solo drum is the Rum; and the Rumpi is the medium sized and pitched drum. The powerful rhythms of candomble´ are certainly a deep source feeding the new music, dance and art flowing out of Salvador.

In August of 2005 Layne Redmond arrived in Salvador with 18 students to study the dance, chants and rhythms of Bahia. The profit from the trip bought drums for the Escola Pracatum, a music school in a poor neighborhood and the percussion department at the university in Salvador. Her conscious goals were to introduce a fusion of techniques on Middle Eastern tambourine and to record an album called Moroccan Samba fusing trance rhythms of North Africa with the powerful rhythms of Bahia. But after she arrived she found that the energies of this power spot had different plans.

She had also the intention of making a video with choreographer Rosangela Silvestre about the dances of the orixas´ that she teaches. At first they planned to make a dance instructional video but soon thought of making a music videos for each Orixa´. They decided to go into a recording studio to do the soundtrack for the videos and met with the engineer, Tadeu Mascarhenhas. With this connection the project fell under a magical process of being guided into existence.

The filming and recording was an enchanted experience in itself, full of incredible synchronicities and auspicious coincidences. Everyone felt that the universal energies embodied in the concepts of the orixas´ directed the process of recording and videotaping. At one point Rosangela said that the producers of this project were called to sacrifice their normal lives to be channels for the information the universal forces wanted communicated. These universal, archetypal forces can be thought of as similar to the concept of the higher self, or the Muse, or Kundalini Shakti or however one visualizes the sacred. Rosangela said that the universe is always trying to communicate with us but our minds are so full of our own thoughts that we do not hear. Or if one does hear the person may not have the necessary skills to translate the information into words, music, movement or art for the community.

For the practitioners of candomble´ the orixas´ are elemental and sacred forces of divinity expressed through music and dance. The human body absorbs the cosmic power through the lineage of the ancestors and the divine connection and illustrates the meaning embodied in the orixas´. The traditions were created by human beings to express information coming from these universal energies and this is what is passed down in the lineage. Yet Rosangela believes that these energies continue to speak to us, and if the mind can fall silent and hear, one can become a channel or a conduit for these energies -- one can become embodied wisdom for the present moment outside of the traditional concepts.

Candomble views the universe as a manifestation of the spiritual and creative force called axe´, the Yoruban word for divine power or life force. I perceive axe´ as similar to the concept of prana in the yogic tradition or the concept of qi in Asia, or pneuma for the ancient Greeks. It is the infinite and all-pervading creative energy of the universe that supports consciousness and animates the mind and body. It links the physical mental and spiritual dimensions of our consciousness. The Orixas´ are perceived as fundamental manifestations and transmitters of axe´. They are thought to move in the human realm as living vibrating Truth and represent the forces of nature that are called during the process of the chants and dances invoking them. The orixas´ can be experienced and comprehended through spiritual awakening.

It is taught that each person has a dominant orixa´ and an influential secondary orixa´. These powers predetermine how the personality and life path will unfold. As the orixa´ is a manifestation of specific forces of nature, coming to understand the power of one’s orixas´ enables one to unfold their lives more efficiently and more powerfully.

For the recording we used four young master drummers who have grown up in the candomble´ tradition and also within the professional training program of Bale Folclorico, Alcides Morais, Andre Souza, Joel Souza and Fabio Santos. Each musician on the recording belongs to a candomble´ house and participates in the rituals there. This is a living and at the same time highly professional presentation of the sacred rhythms and chants of candomble´. Two of the singers, are also a part of Bale Folclorico, Dora Santana and Miralva Couto. We were also very fortunate to have vocalist Mariella Santiago and Gilmar Sampaio, a pae do santo, a priest of candomble´, sing and make the ritual prayers on the recording. Vocal arrangements were by Mariella Santiago.

These chants and rhythms call to the orixas´ to come to the celebration being given to honor them. At the opening of each chant Gilmar sings the traditional invocation. The songs have the power to bring the initiate in line with the energy of the orixa´ and in an ultimate sense they function as mantras or sacred chants do in the yogic system. In Hinduism the mantra of a specific deity also brings the practitioner into alignment with the presence and energy of the deity. Among the most ancient principles of spiritual practice is ritualized, rhythmic speech. Through the repetition of certain sounds, the practitioner creates vibratory rhythms within the body that energize the brain and the nervous system. The chant of a specific goddess or god is equivalent to the energy of the deity itself. To dance and sing the chant ritually is to invoke and enter into the consciousness of the goddess or god. Rosangela teaches that the rhythms, chants and dance movements of candomble´ function as mantras. You cannot put your mind completely on this music without being transformed – the matrix of your consciousness will be restructured and re-integrated in a new and powerful way.

If a person synchronizes deeply with the fire element that is represented by the orixa´ Xango, they come to embody this energy. The elemental energy of fire can then be expressed through the movement of the dancer. In the past those people who had a primal connection with these universal powers created movements, songs and costumes that evolved into tradition and because of the respect for the lineage initiates repeat these traditional movements. Yet it is important to understand that the people in the past were free to express what they felt when they embodied this power. As you become involved with the elemental forces you can become a vehicle for the energy to translate how this power flows through the body.

We feel that bringing people back into rhythmic alignment, synchronizing mind and bodies is essential for mental, emotional and physical health. We hope by bringing ancient wisdom into contemporary life to facilitate the challenge of negotiating modern life.

There are many orixas´ that exist in the ancestral traditions and we asked for permission to share some information about some of them at this time. We hope that this information will help in the search for answers to bring balance and well being into our minds in the midst of the chaotic conditions in the 21st century.

The recording opens with a chant to Iemanja, the great primordial ocean mother, the cosmic womb of all things, the goddess of the sea. She connects the world through the ocean, uniting disparate cultures and peoples, protecting fishermen and everyone who works on the ocean. Her colors are blue and white and her day is Saturday. When she dances she demonstrates the movement of the waves and the power to calm the wild seas. She has an instrument called the abebe, which can be used as a mirror and also as a light, to orient people out at sea, or to lend guidance to our lives. In some dances she shows how she can fight and use the mirror as a shield to ward off the blows of life. People connected with this energy are very sensitive, very open hearted, with lots of forgiveness and have a tremendous sense of love and compassion for others. Her words comfort, and she gives incentive and courage to accomplish positive things. She has been associated with the Virgin Mary, essence of motherhood sacred motherhood. Odoia´ is the salutation and ritual invocation to her.

The second chant is dedicated to Omolu who is the elemental energy of earth, an ancient god of mud or clay. He’s the lord of knowledge and wisdom, the wounded healer and when you are sick you ask him for intervention. His healing intervention is invoked in particular with diseases of the skin. He presents mysteries and secrets, he is mystery himself -- covered with a long grass headpiece and skirt. His color combination can be red and black, or black and white, separate colors but combined in the costumes. His day is Monday. In his dance he demonstrates the suffering of diseases, malignancies, viruses, and epidemics. His movements show the power of healing, and the respect that people have to have for the earth. From the earth you get your life and when you die you return the body to the earth.

The xaxara´ is the instrument he brings in his hands containing his healing power and magical healing herbs, and he it rhythmically in front of people to create healing and protection against disease. In the dance movements he shows his connection to the earth, pounding the hand down on the earth, showing people how to respect the earth that we come from.

The people that have a connection with this energy are full of wisdom and knowledge, characterized by intelligence, a natural grasp of intuitive knowledge and a very developed sense of compassion. Omolu’s children have the great capacity to develop ideas and project them into reality. They are often doctors, non-traditional healers, designers, architects, engineers or community organizers. The salutation to Omolu is Ah – to – to, creating silence and contemplation. Because he represents the great mystery of death he manifests as the awesome presence of mystery

The third song is dedicated to Iansan Oya, a warrior goddess who symbolizes the power of the element air, the wind, her color is red, and her day is Wednesday. Iansan is transformation through destruction with the power to dispel or bring death. She is the power and beauty of the storm and she blows the world clean. She will do the same to your mind of you ask it of her. She is the controller of the mental, emotional and physical winds of change and is usually behind sudden and radical changes in one’s life.

Her dance demonstrates the movement of the wind, the energy that leads the spirits of the dead into the next dimension. Her realm is death and she is the power at the threshold between death and life -- if you are sick, she judges whether you stay or go. There are forms of Iansan that live in and guard the cemeteries. The people who embody her are dynamic, courageous -- they are always ready to help others and not afraid to confront any challenge. Iansan is the traditional protector of the women who run the market place. She has a way of being very transparent and saying things face-to-face, not sly and hidden. She is charismatic with a natural beauty and wild sensuality that she doesn’t concern herself with too much. She decides who or what she wants, she chooses her own men, not waiting to be chosen. She’s not looking, she doesn’t care, and it isn’t her agenda. She is good at anything that she does -- if she cooks, or makes love she is good at it, radiating a powerful self-confidence. Iansan walks as if she is wearing high heels even if she isn’t. Her salutation is Epa Hei, which calls happiness and youthful energy. She has been associated with Saint Barbara.

The fourth chant is dedicated to Xango, the elemental energy of fire, the god of thunder and lightening. Yet he obtains his thunder and lightening from one of his wives, Iansan who often fights at his side. His forces can be felt in rocky mountains and powerful outcroppings of rocks, which contain his energy. His color is red and white and his day is also Wednesday. Xango dictated the laws of the universe and is said to represent the concept of justice. He is epitomizes the Rule of Law. He guides people into the direction of balance -- by following the cosmic laws he brings, you will be in balance with the universe.

People who embody Xango’s energy are filled with self-esteem, have an erect, regal posture, are often leaders, very organized, responsible, and honest, are often leaders and devoted to their family life. Xango’s children love life, want to be immortal -- to live forever.

Xango is an ancient mythological kind of the Yoruban people and traditionally he is concerned with the welfare of all of his subjects, and deals out rewards and punishment with a balanced hand. He is arrogant, regal, just, kind and beneficent. Xango is the protector of policemen and lawyers, judges, or those who work for the good of the State in any way. Xango's children possess all the attributes of the King, both positive and negative. If there is a spotlight to be found, they will find it. Xango children prefer to be the clear power of the throne. He is exalted as the giver of courage, providing courage for any change that people face in life and in death. Although Iansan opens the portals to death, Xango endows the initiate with the courage to face death. His invocation is Kaoh Kabeeaseelay, come, witness the exploding birth of growth from within the earth. Xango is associated with Saint Jeronimo.

The fifth song is to Oxumare, the serpent and rainbow God of transformation embodied in the endless, infinite cycles of the universe. Oxumare is a golden rainbow fusion of the elements of air and water, his day is Tuesday, his color is green and yellow gold. His symbolic form can be a snake or the rainbow, half the year he manifests as a male, the other half as a female. He is the ouroboros – the snake that bites his tail, holding all opposites within himself, good and bad, day and night, Shiva and Shakti, Yin and Yang, positive and negative. He illustrates the power of the connecting principle between heaven and earth; he is the serpent energy of Kundalini. The dance of Oxumare shows the movement of the index finger pointing up to the heavens, and pointing down to the earth, echoing the rainbow and the snake. His movement is done on the floor, and the mid range body level, showing the undulation of the snake. The hands show the form of the snakehead, symbolizing the snakehead about to strike. He embodies the power to strike down wrong doing, to give lessons.

The people connected with this energy are happy, maintain their humor, their good mood, uplifted, they appreciated richness and the elegant things in life. They love to relate with famous and influential people. They are charismatic and make friends very easily. They live intensely and in the moment. They continually seek to transform life into this uplifted state. His salutation is ah ho bo boee meaning infinite continuation. He is associated with St. Bartholomew.

The last song is dedicated to Oxun, the golden goddess of sweet water – of rivers, springs, lakes, waterfalls and estuaries. Gold is her color, her day is Saturday and she is always represented as beautiful and she adores honey. She is the Yoruban goddess of love and pleasure, beauty, intimacy and diplomacy. As the golden goddess of abundance, she is associated with money and luxuries. Since she is the Orixa of love and money, she is invoked to increase wealth, find a mate, bring happiness and all good things. Her blessings make life worthwhile. She is beneficent, very kind and generous.

Her dance movements show sensuality and the suave, gentle undulations of the water. She uses an Abebe, the mirror to reflect her beauty, the goddess of love and fertility. People who embody this energy are elegant, graceful, sensual, and love to keep up their appearances with finery. They also attract attention anywhere they go. Oxun’s children have the ability to genuinely care about people. As Oxun governs the arts, many of her children become artists. The invocation, the chant to call or honor her presence is orayeyeoh, which calls the energy of sweet water. She is associated with the Virgin of Charity.

Oxun's Temple