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Published: June 15th 2009
translation of the title "I feel bad"
So I have been sick for the last couple of days. I have had a fever and a very bad cough as well as a headache and body aches.
We went to see a capoeria show put on by all of the local capoeira schools. It was a benefit for the local areas here suffering from severe flooding. The entry fee was 2lbs of non perishable food per person. It was freakin awesome. I got lots of video for us rich. Then we went to the club and danced our faces off. I even got up on top of the speakers and danced. I have found that when I go with lots of friends to dance with I really like to do it and I like being taught different dances. I had to leave the club before everyone else though because I got sick while I was there and have been feeling ill ever since. We were invited by our capoeria mestre to go to an african religious ceremony involving dancing drums and spirit possesions. Apparently you can only go if you are invited. I pushed myself pretty hard and went despite my illness. It was pretty intense. One lady came in possessed from outside. She is not even part of the same religion, she was catholic. They told us that she was possessed by vengeance because she could not forgive here sister. It was very intense, she was making all kinds of strange noises and kicking around. They had to stop their ceremony to deal with her and hold her down to talk to her. They finally told her that she is catholic and should remain catholic and sent her home. They told her to come back today and they would help her some more. I got lots of video of this too. Although most of the really strange stuff I did not get on video because when I would pull out the video camera she would stop or I would just be so stunned that I wouldnt think to record it. I have been resting today though and I was supposed to go visit a rural school tomorrow, but because of my health I probably won't. I had to push myself to see the religious ceremony, but now I need to rest.
Many of the Christians I have spoken to about this african religion talk poorly of it because of the possession, but really Christianity is not so different. People speak in tongues in Christianity and pass out from the power of the lord and speak of being a vehicle for the lord. This sort of possession is very similar in my experience. Very different, but not so different that one should condemn the other.
well I am starving and I am going to eat.
tchau!
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Bahiana77
Solteropolitano
cultural ignorance
You should be aware that there has been a relationship between the Catholic religion and the African religions such as candomble since the slaves were brought to Brazil from Africa and forced to take the Catholic religion of their masters. They 'combined' the two (syncretism), so the African (Yoruba) orixas have a Catholic 'equivalent' and many people of African descent practice both religions side by side. So you don't often find Brazilian Catholics who "talk poorly" of candomble. I find your attitude to be very culturally insensitive and invasive, especially filming a private religious ceremony as if it were some sort of show or spectacle put on for your benefit.