Social Organization of the Orisha Religion in Trinidad

[Oju]

Social Organization of the Orisha Religion The Orisha religion is highly variable when viewed in cross section and dynamic when viewed longitudinally or across time. Whether because of opportunism, desire, or sheer necessity, it is a complex synthesis of a variety of religious traditions. Thus, those who practice the religion must be at least somewhat adept at manipulating an assortment of symbols and ideologies; this is especially true for the elders, shrine heads, mongba, and iya who construct and maintain the shrines and actively direct the annual feasts and other important rituals. The shrines of many of the most popular and successful heads in the religion tend to be symbolically complex, an indication of their ability to manipulate the elements of Yoruba religion, Catholicism, the Spiritual Baptist religion, Hinduism, and the Kabbalah. Manipulation of this sort gives rise to island-wide symbolic and ideological hetero* geneity and ultimately leads the many shrines to become increasingly distinct from one another. If left alone, this diffusion of ritual and ideology would eventually cause the religion to disintegrate. There are processes at work, however, that serve to counterbalance this tendency toward diffusion. The first is the annual feast circuit. Although there are over 150 shrines on the island, only thirty-five or so heads actually direct feasts, and only about fifteen of those direct most of the feasts. Thus, each year a relatively small number of individuals disproportionately influence Orisha worship around the island. Second, many orisha worshipers are quite mobile, traveling great distances to attend a feast. As a result of these "pilgrimages," worshipers from all parts of the island are in constant contact with one another. A third process is the movement to Africanize the religion by expurgating the non-African or non-Yoruba elements.

Publication Information: Book Title: Spirits, Blood, and Drums: The Orisha Religion in Trinidad. Contributors: James T. Houk - author. Publisher: Temple University Press. Place of Publication: Philadelphia. Publication Year: 1995. Page Number: 125.