Mama LolaEssay Preview: Mama LolaReport this essayPhilipa Kerckerinck11.7.01Prof. NasrallahCSP 12Prophetizing- Peaches and CreamPhilipa Kerckerinck11.7.01Prof. NasrallahCSP 12Prophetizing- Peaches and CreamAll religions are very specific with the details which set that religion apart from others. However, when all the little details are melted away, there are only a mere handful that are different in essence. When looked at closely, even the religions which are perceived completely dissimilar at first glance are surprisingly similar. For example, the Voodoo religion, and that of early Christianity are stereotyped as extremely different, but with closer inspection, not only are these two religions are very obviously similar, but Voodooism stemmed, partly, out of Christianity. Both religions revolve around a mortal individual being used as a mouthpiece by a higher, being, be it spirit or god, to communicate with our mortal world. Yet at the same time, each religion has taken its own path and although equivalent in essence, have very different aspects with respect to background (such as time and status), as well as publicity, and language.
In the Voodoo religion, a priestess hosts a number of different ceremonies each year. During these ceremonies, one of the people present (usually the priestess herself) is supposedly possessed by one or more spirit(s) who then communicates with the rest of the people present. A typical example of a Voodoo ceremony is that described in the book Mama Lola by Karin McCarthy Brown. Here, Mama Lola, as this voodoo priestess is known, lives in Brooklyn and does all she can to stay faithful to her Haitian religion. After inviting her voodoo family for what will be the birthday celebration of the spirit Azaka, all members, important and close gather to help set up the intricate and festive alter in the basement of Mama Lolas small apartment in Brooklyn, New York. While setting up the alter, they are sure to include only the things Azaka likes such as his favorite colours, (blue and white) the right liquors, and all of his favorite foods are cooked and placed under the alter, only to be eaten after it is given to him, and then given back for them to eat. Next, all will gather in front of the alter, and begin to prey. After the first few prayers they begin to add songs which include some step/dance moves, and as the Mama Lola, leading the ceremony, feels the energy heighten, and the tension thicken, she pushes it further and further until a spirit makes an appearance. Although the ceremony is meant for Azaka, all major spirits are honored, and some show up; possessing a human body. After the possessions are through, the entire family goes to bed, only to wake up in the morning to call upon Azaka one last time for directions on how to dismantle the alter and any last pieces of advice he is willing to give out.
In contrast, early Christianity, includes only one person in particular at each oracle would go into a trance, upon request from someone seeking advice. The most popular of these oracles was the Oracle of Delphi where the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo, when asked for advice, would enter a cave, and become completely transfixed by what was said to be the spirit of Apollo and she could then communicate with people on behalf of the God. A temple was erected around the cave, and after an offering was made to the god, in return for the advice, Pythia would sputter many incoherent things which were then interpreted by the prophetic priests who translated her utterances into prophetic perimeter.
The details which create differences between these two religions, are extremely important to both religions. For example, the background of both religions consists mostly of the times each priestess practiced her prophetizing. While the Pythia lived in the 14th century BCE, Mama Lola is very modern and still lives and practices her religion today. Thus, even though the time eras are extremely different, the idea of prophetizing has lived long enough to still be alive in present times, although it is in its own, Voodoo manner: as different a manner it may be which makes a large difference in the two religions. Secondly, status has a large effect on the difference of the two religions. Pythia, on one hand, was sought after by many, and people came from all over the Mediterranean to seek this precious advice, and often left a plethora of gifts. Her cave had a temple built around it, and she was extremely well known. In comparison, Mama Lola came from the extreme poverty of Haiti
Pythia is considered to have been most powerful, and the most powerful woman. She is also believed to have been an apostle of the gods to all mankind, although the people who claim to be saints were not actually prophets. She served as the god of fire, the gods, and the sun; she is believed to have died in 938 BCE. At that time, she was worshipped as the savior of humankind by the people of Oka in the region of Oka, and was also regarded as the “first prophet”, and later, as a divine figure and god in other cultures.
Her belief in the god-ship that is known as the “Fate of the Dawn”, is a source of controversy, since it was considered that when she became the goddess of death, that same god-ship was about to implode, just like the god was about to implode as it was about to break free. Thus, if you look for a lot of evidence in this, it appears that not only is she a symbol of a god that is too old in human history (especially, her name), but this god was very familiar with the people in Oka who were looking for the “Fate of the Dawn”.
Pythia worshipped a very high god whose origin lies in the Near East. She was thought to have been responsible for healing the people (or spirits) around the sun and moon, and even bringing the sun back from death to life; she is believed to have taught the people how to become gods themselves. However, some believe that she used her godmother’s name and worship to communicate the people what they would believe they would know; as it is said in an earlier age, it is very difficult for you to find good people who are actually good.
Pythia was also said to have saved the lives of people who were victims of murder and the like, or worse, killed. She was said to have sent her child to die, because no one could ever really save her, but was saved as well because of the knowledge that she was with her children. She is thought to have been able to save a few children who are still alive from being shot and even from the shooting bullets that they had gotten as a child.
The existence of these miracles is well known to Pythia in the stories of the ancient religions she taught, and it is believed that she did this because she wanted to help women who were being abused by men who were actually raping them, or other such atrocities perpetrated by men. These same miracles were also taught to the people of Oka, and they had a belief that the women’s children were being slaughtered (because the children of the abused were still alive) in this way of life. Pythia herself stated the case of “a woman’s child killed by a guy”. They were so terrified and so outraged in their blood that they ran from the town after it was clear that there was a large crowd of men who were ready to kill their mothers and sons, too.
In addition, if you follow many of the stories here, you can check out some that I have been discussing about, including a scene in which she supposedly saved the lives of the children and taught some of the legends that could be related to the religion (in the form of god-ship which was based on the idea of the sun burning all round, and the earth reviving from the dead, the idea of heaven and all this.) If you go into much information for that, you may find that it is clear that there was no such thing as a god and that the people of Oka were completely unaware that they were in this religion and what they thought for sure. I think this means that the legends on this topic are completely false, because there is nothing in them that is directly linked to the fact of a god’s existence