The Palo religion is sometimes called “Las Reglas de Congo”, and as the name suggests, the religion emerged and developed in Cuba among African Slaves brought from the Congo Basin. This branch of traditional religion is different from other forms of the religions like Ifa and Santeria. Mayombe is one of the branches of the Palo religion that includes sub-dominions like Monte, Briyumba, and Kimbisa.
The Spanish word palo (stick) is used in reference to the religion because of the wooden sticks used in the preparation of the altar. The altars are called Ngaga, el caldero, nkisi or prenda. The Palo priests are known as Paleros; Tatas are male priests while Yayas are female priests. New initiates to the religion are referred to as ngueyos or pino neuvo. The BaKongo religion is the major influence on the Palo Mayombe religion, but it was also shaped by other belief systems.
The Palo Belief System
Palo religion is considered the most powerful and the most feared form of black magic in the world. The Palo belief system was imported to the Caribbean (Cuba and Puerto Rico) during the Spanish slave trade in the 1500s. The influence of the Palo belief system can also be seen in Central America, for instance, in Brazil and Mexico. In Brazil, the religion is known as Quinbanda, which is a mixture of the traditional BaKongo religion, traditional Native American religions, and Latin America spiritualism, for example, the Catholic Church.
The Palo belief system is based on two main pillars and they include the veneration of the spirits and the belief in supernatural powers. Palo practitioners believe that natural objects, especially sticks have the powers of the spirits. Spirits in the Palo religion are called Mpungu in singular and Kimpungulu in the plural and inhibit sacred objects called Nkisi. The spirits are known by their names and deeds, and they are often venerated and associated with human emotions and feelings. The spirits are considered powerful, but not as powerful as God the creator Zambi or Nzambi, which makes the Palo religion a henotheistic one.
The main spiritual practice in the Palo religion is the altar made of sticks known as Nkisi or la- Nganga. The altar is a consecrated vessel and each spirit (mpungu) has its own nkisi. Most Palo practitioners also believe that the altar is inhibited by the spirits of the dead, and the dead spirits are not the direct ancestors of the current owner of the altar. The spirits of the dead that live in the altar are called Mfumbe, and they act as guides to all the religious activities that are performed with the altar.
However, the Palo religion does not include colors, clothing and dancing styles linked to specific deities, which is a common feature in the Santeria and other Yoruba religions. The religion includes music in rituals, and the sound is made with wooden percussion instruments and drums. Some of the music tunes used in worship include the cata, guagua, and the conga or ngoma. The cowbell, the plow, and the hoe may be used as metallic instruments during worship.
The Palo religion uses different divination methods. The common divination methods use items such as coconut shells while others use sanctified animals’ horns with mirrors to foretell the future. The Palo religion also has several denominations called munansos and Mayombe is one of them. Experienced priests, priestesses and elders are in charge of the denominations; the religion lacks a central authority figure.
Palo Mayombe Initiations and Rituals
Anyone interested in the Palo Mayombe religion can learn and be initiated into the religion through a sacred rite of passage. The initiation ceremony is called Rayamiento that loosely translates to being “Scratched.” The initiation ceremony is done in extreme secrecy because authorities in the U.S and many other Western countries criminalize the practice of Palo Mayombe. The prohibition of the Palo religion is based on a misunderstanding by westerners and people who do not know about the Palo religion and its ability to change people lives and destiny.
For example, authorities in the U.S have referred to Palo Mayombe as “Santeria’s evil twin”, and the darkest and the most dreaded form of black magic. In fact, authorities who investigate Mayombe practices are cautioned to be careful when handling items linked to rituals and not to leave any items on the scene. The cautioned is based on the accusation that Mayombe practitioners can use simple items to cast spells and even cause death through religious ceremonies. People opposed to Mayombe are intolerant and have refused to learn about the religion and how it can bring spiritual healing to many souls that are hurting.
Nevertheless, the Palo Mayombe religion has continued to receive an influx of new converts. During the initiation ritual, new converts are expected to take oaths, make vows, and seal pacts that promises loyalty to Munanso Congo (the head of the denomination). The new initiates also vow to protect the tradition and the lineage of the religion. Initiates are not allowed to share the initiation process with outsiders; this is strictly forbidden. The reason Palo Mayombe initiation procedures are kept are secret is to prevent quacks from copying the rituals and falsely initiating people into the religion.
After the initiation process, the new convert is free to take part in Palo Mayombe rituals. However, just like other religions, Mayombe also has a hierarchy in membership. The head of the denomination is the high priest who is also helped by workers and assistants known as Bokanfula(s). Apprentice helpers called Ngaeyo(s) occupy the bottom of the hierarchy. All the members play an important role in the operations of the denomination (Munanso Congo), and every member is expected to help others learn one-on-one once they have mastered the religion and memorized the ceremonies.
The sacred prayers and rituals believers and initiates of Palo Mayombe are expected to adhere to is simple yet complex at the same time. Performing rituals with the spirits is one of the most important tenets in the Mayombe religion. The more time a believer spends working with the spirits, the more the spiritual benefits he/she reaps. However, Mayombe spirits never give someone things they can’t handle. Nevertheless, all Mayombe practitioners are tempted to prove their allegiance to the spirits at some point. Those who fail are rejected by the spirits until they prove their trust, and this may take time. The higher a member rises in the Mayombe religion, the more rituals he/she will be required to perform.
Casting spells is another key ritual in the Mayombe religion. The success of a spell is determined by the faith of the person and the spiritual experience the person casting the spell has. This means that new members cannot cast spells until they cultivate their occultic powers to a certain level. Beginners are encouraged to be patient because spiritual powers are not acquired overnight. Palo practitioners are advised to engage in deep thought before casting a spell because the spell can cause happiness or serious damage to one’s life.
Cleansing ceremonies are also common among Mayombe practitioners. Cleansing ceremonies are often performed to counter the powers of evil spirits that cause suffering to people. Only a qualified Palero/priest can exorcise evil spirits. The priests work with the spirits of the dead, which they use to save the individual held captive by an evil spirit. If the first round of cleansing fails, then a second round is performed with herbs, live animals, candles and spiritual water. A Palero priest has the ability to assess an individual and determine the type of exorcism they need.
Animal sacrifice is another important ritual to those faithful to Mayombe and Santeria related religions. The sacrifice of live animals is an important ritual that every Mayombe faithful is expected to perform. The religion stipulates the procedure that should be followed when sacrificing live animals. For instance, practitioners are not allowed to torture or make the animal suffer in any way because it violates both the Palo Mayombe and the Santeria codes of ethics.
The rituals performed in Palo Mayombe are dedicated to the spirit of the dead that reside in the prenda or nganga. To the practitioners of Palo Mayombe, the altar nganga provides the means of communication and communion with the spirits of the dead. The altar is often built in a careful design because it serves as the habitat for the spirits of the dead. Some of the altars have pots or containers filled with different artifacts obtained from nature to help with the preservation of the spirit of the dead and offer them peace and protection.
The animals slaughtered during Mayombe rituals are offered to Nzambi or nfumbi in a ceremonial offering performed at the nganga. The ceremony includes rituals such as singing, drumming, heating repercussions made of metal and timber, and sharing rum and tobacco in front of the altar. Some rituals performed in the Mayombe religion are top secret only known to high ranking members.
For example, entering into a covenant with dead spirits is still a guarded subject in the Mayombe religion and has attracted varied opinions. Practitioners who have entered into pacts with dead spirits have claimed to have seen the dead spirits in different forms and personalities. The Palero can be possessed by a dead spirit and act and talk on behalf of the spirit. In some cases, a Palero can converse with the spirit of the dead like he/she was having a face-to-face conversation with a human. The spirits of the dead are called “mi Congo” is some Palo denominations. The manner a Palero perceives the world is influenced by his/her Congo/spiritual companion.
Hence, every practitioner of the Palo religion has their own god or Nfumbi/Nzambi. The practitioners of Mayombe have a strong belief in the idea of Nzambi, god the creator. Some ritual songs salute Nzambi at the beginning. Such songs are sung during Mayombe ceremonies. Nzambi is perceived as an ever-present but distant creator. This means that Mayombe practitioners do not consider God a spirit of the dead, but as an everlasting power that is in everything. God often receive salutation but he is not the subject of most Mayombe ceremonies. God is crucial in specific ceremonies for example, the initiation of new members involves a priest asking for the permission of God to accept the new “born child”.
The idea of the existence of one powerful creator is a key tenet in the Palo religion and influences all the religious practices. An altar is not created for Nzambi, but objects belonging to conventional religions such as the crucifix are sometimes used as a symbol of God the creator in the Palo religion. God the creator is connected to certain altars, that is, good or bad spirits and practitioners revoke both good and bad spirits during incantations.
The association of the altar with good and bad spirits resonates with the conception of spirits and God in the Judeo-Christian belief. In the Mayombe religion, God uses good spirits to bring good deeds to the faithful while bad spirits are used to punish defectors and enemies. Similarly, God the creator is in command of spirits both good and bad. The good spirits are called the angels while the bad ones are called demons. The angels are associated with good deeds that manifest as rewards to the faithful. The demons are responsible for the pain and suffering that befall members.
The parallel similarities that can be drawn between Judeo-Christian beliefs and the Palo Mayombe rituals and practices are evidence that the Palo religion borrows from Christian principles, especially the dogmas of the Catholic church. Palo Mayombe is a religion like any other and people from all walks of life are welcome to join so long as they undergo the initiation process. The negative attitude towards Palo Mayombe in Western countries is influenced by the dominant negative perception the West has towards the African culture in general.
Palo Mayombe Rituals as A Unique Form of Treatment
People who belong to the Palo Mayombe religion work with both the spirit of light (Ensambi) and the spirit of darkness (Endoki). Paleros that exclusively use the spirit of darkness in their healing do not use symbols associated with the Christian faith like crosses. To start benefiting from the treatment and healing Palo Mayombe offers, one must be initiated into the religion through the Rayameinto, which loosely translates to “scratching.” During the initiation ritual, special marks called “to swear with the Nganga” are made on the initiate chest and back.
From the moment an individual completes the initiation process, he/she will be under the protection of mpungu/spirit that rules the nganga of the priest or Godfather. After successful initiation, the new member can now start the journey of becoming a Tata (Father) or Yaya (Mother) and receiving a personal altar. The path the new initiate decides to choose is determined through divination.
Healers in the Mayombe religion are in contact with both the spiritual and physical world. In the spiritual world, they are in contact with ancestral spirits and other deities. The priests communicate with the spirit of the dead and other deities by using iron or clay pots. Spiritual healers heal and protect individuals from both spiritual and physical problems. So, Mayombe healing practices have no boundaries like in western medicine. Mayombe rituals heal physical diseases and spiritual ailments like bad luck, bad relationships, court cases, and offer spiritual readings that can predict one’s future and align it with the goals of the individual.
Cases of people seeking the help of Mayombe spirits to protect them from gunshots, machete attacks, and blade attacks among others have been reported. Palo practitioners believe that the spirit of the dead can also live inside someone and communicate through the paleros. The priests summons spirits of the dead to protect someone from the harm inflicted using guns, knives, and blades. People seeking protection from different forms of malice are sometimes made to undergo a ritualistic cleansing using medicinal herbs.
Palo Mayombe priests have reported cases of people coming to them for their blessings shortly before attending an interview and successfully securing the position. Some believers consult the priest with family issues, especially death, while others ask for help to keep their marital vows sacred. Palo priests report that the request to keep partners from cheating is the most common they received from those faithful to the religion.
Palo Mayombe priests have the free will in choosing how they use their occultic powers in healing. Some use it to bring light/Goodluck and healing while others focus on causing harm or even death to people. Ritual music and dance are part of Palo Mayombe just like Santeria. However, the main difference between Santeria and Palo Mayombe is that the former originates from the Yoruba people of Nigeria while the later comes from the Congo. Slaves from the Congo were imported much earlier than their counterparts from Nigeria.
The negative perception of Palo Mayombe is western societies are based on the misnomer that Palo practitioners sacrifice humans in their rituals. This is not true because Palo priests only sacrifice fowl and goats to the spirits. In some Mayombe rituals, human bones and skulls are used to sermon the spirits. This has made Mayombe practitioners be accused of disturbing the dead i.e. robbing graves. This accusation is not entirely true because most Mayombe practitioners who use human remains in their rituals buy them online from willing sellers. Few cases of grave robbing by Mayombe members have been reported, but no religion is perfect.
Moreover, Palo practitioners only offer animal sacrifices to the spirits once per year and during special occasions. Nevertheless, the Mayombe religion has been criticized for dealing with human remains, but the accusers have forgotten that even mainstream churches such as the Catholic Church that Mayombe heavily borrows from use human remains. For example, it is in the tradition of the Catholic Church to place the remains of its holy dead in the altars. The believers in the faith venerate and consider the remains of dead saint powerful scared objects. Despite the practice, no one has ever accused the Catholic Church of using human remains in prayers and rituals.
The above example further brings out the point made earlier in this chapter that Palo Mayombe is looked down upon and prosecuted by authorities in western countries because it is an African religion considered a dangerous thing. Additionally, most other religions have their rituals and ceremonies that are also practiced by Mayombe practitioners, but they have never been ostracized for it. For example, most adherents of Judeo-Christian religions light candles during ceremonies. Jews light candles to welcome the Shabbat while Catholics light them during the intercession of saints. Western magic religions such as Wicca and other pagan orders also share in some of Mayombe practices, but they have never been hunted by authorities or portrayed negatively in the media.
The assertions made above doesn’t mean that Palo Mayombe is a faultless religion. One dark side of the Mayombe religion is the tendency to be used in achieving evil goals. This depends on the needs of the individual and the type of Palero he/she consults. For instance, some women have procured the services of Paleros to help them strike a cheating spouses who are physically abusive. Palero priests who use dark spirits in treating and healing believers may perform such a ritual. Hypothetically speaking, if the abusive man is hit by a car; the Palo priest who administered the curse sees nothing wrong with it because the priest has solved a problem, but the spirit used chose to take care of it, does not concern the priest.
