African Iron Age: Dances of the Orishas

 Unit: African Iron Age

Theme:  Dances of the Orishas

 

 I

 


  Capoeira Circle

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian cultural practice – simultaneously a fight and a dance – that can be interpreted as a tradition, a sport and even an art form. Capoeira players form a circle at the centre of which two players engage with one another. The movements require great bodily dexterity. 

 

 Introduction

Cultural retention, such as capoeira, is the act of retaining the culture of a specific ethnic group of people, especially when there is reason to believe that the culture, through inaction, may be lost. Many African-American cultures experience cultural retention as a result of the influx of Africans into the Americas during the slave trade. The larges group brought to Cuba, for instance, was the Bantu (colloquially referred to as Palo Monte, or the rule of Congo), then the Yoruba (colloquially referred to as Lukumi). While the Bantu imported the "rule of palo (stick) Mayombe, the Yoruba brought the "rule of Ocha-Ifa and Lukumi." Regla de Ochá (Santería) is a religion with a rich history, a history that began in slave quarters and now thrives in black communities.


 

 

There is no movement without rhythm.

Link:  https://youtu.be/lVPLIuBy9CY

In this video rhythm is shown as part of a way of life. Rhythm is present in every aspect of African ancestral living culture. When that changes and industrial society takes over, one can assume that rhythm no longer belongs to the people's culture. This documentary expresses the determination for rhythm to remain a part of African life no matter what.


Question 1

What does the expression "there is no movement without rhythm" mean within the context of African dance? 

 


II
 
Learning Objectives
 
 
  •  Understand the importance of the God of metals
  •  Explain the relationship between dance and rituals in the context of Yoruba rituals
  • Gather an awareness of the influence that Yoruba dances have had on Caribbeans cultures
  •  Experience the explorations of dance moves from the Yoruba pantheon.

 

 
III
 
Main Lesson
 
1
 
Chant to Eleggua / Sexto Sentido
 

 2
 
Chant to Oggun . Lazaro Ros
 

 3
 
Chant to Oshun / Sintesis
 

 
4
 
Chant to Yemaya / Obba de Melli
 

 5
Chant to Oya / Baobab


6

Chant to Shango / Ricardo "Sant Cruz" Gomex


7

Chat to Babalu-Aye / Ochumare



8

Chant to Obatala



 

9

Video

 
Link:
 https://vimeo.com/312332715

Question 2

After watching the video:

Briefly describe the main characteristics of each orisha showcased in the video.

 
10

Oggun
 
 
 
 Read the pages about Oggun.

Question 3
 
Why was Oggun an important deity? 
 
 
 11
 
(Section # 7, paragraph 3)
 
IV
 
A Note to Remember
 
The African nations that became part of the cultural makeup of our continent as a result of the slave trade brought with them their culture, their gods and their dances.
 
 
 
V
 
Case Studies

1


Conjunto Folklorico Nacional
 

2

Cantos y Traducciones de Oggun 

(Chants and Traductions of Oggun)

by David Ala Aggayu

 Spanish

  1. La palma revuelta es el vestido the Oggun el herrero.

  2. Yo digo que lo cubrire con esto, y asi sere libre, el vestido de Oggun el herrero

  3. Oggun acepta  salvame del problema, la cabeza de la medicina salvadora, el salvador.

  4. Oggun el extrano ambulante de Ire, ha llegado, el esta en todas las casas, Ogun esta las casas, Ogun esta en el camino, el esta en todas las casas.

  5. Es un vestido de sangre, Oggun llega, en un vestido de sangre, Oggun llega, Oggun se adorna para que nosotros lo busquemos 7 veces.

  6. Nosotros venimos a honralo, Oggun de las palmas frondosas, Oggun usted limpia el matorral como cazador, dueno de la casa, navaja de afeitar que corta la palma, Oggun llega fuerte.

  7. Nosotros venimos a honrarlo, nosotros venimos a tener la compresion, no bloquee o haga guerra al lado del iniciado. Nostros venimos a obtener el honor Oggun jefe de Ire. No hagas guerra al lado del iniciado.

  8. La palma frondosa uniformemente, oscilante, da la forma, Oggun jefe de Ire, el jefe de Ire.

  9. Oh, grita honra, oh grito de honrar, yo actuo solo como dueno de la calabaza del encanto, de la cabeza escogida.

  10. Palma frondosa, yo estoy trabajando para usted. Yo estoy actuando con Oggun.

  11. Cazador, nosotros siempre lo visitamos a usted. Cazador nosotros siempre visitamos a Oggun, nosotros nos volvemos a el, guerreando para ser salvados con el. 

  12. Nosotros venimos, yo estoy a sus pies.

  13. El respeto se recibe por el rey que rompe y corta los descansos y el corte; yo hablo de Oggun.

  14. Sobre una hiena manchada llega Oggun, Oggun el dueno de la tierra.

  15. Ah, siete Oggun,, siete, Oggun son siete.

  16. El cortador es fuerte, capaz, jefe de los iniciados son saludados. Yo actuo solo con Oggun.

  17. El usa la fundicion para forjar las herramientas.

  18. Nosotros nos hemos hecho ricos. Oggun el poseedor de Ire. Nosotros nos hemos hecho ricos.

  19. Nosotros queremos la bondad de la felicidad. Nostros queremos la bondad de la felicidad.

  20. El es un padre bueno, el herrero es de buena fe, el nino saluda y me saluda con honor.

  21. El no esta lejos, el esta cerca de nosotros. El no esta lejos, Oggun, el dueno de la tierra, no esta lejos, el nunca estara lejos de nosotros.

  22. El degolla cortando, el dogolla cortando. Nosotros corrimos, nosotros corremos lejo, nosotros corremos lejos porque el degolla mientras corta las cabezas.

  23. Oggun esta mas de cazador, Oggun el verdadero cazador. La corona tiene el dinero, tiene la piedra, tiena tela, el es el dueno de los ojos que hacen que el cuerpo regrese.

  24. El gallo de la granja comedor de piedras pequenas, el maiz de Oggun es para siempre.

  25. Sus testiculos

  26. El fracturador, dislocador, Oggun victorioso llega a la cabeza.

  27. La casa de Oggun acaricia al dueno de la casa. Oggun acarica al dueno de la casa.

  28. El machete que viaja es el cuchillo de Oggun. Oggun lo usa para reunir a los cazadores.


 English

 

1. The twisted palm is the dress of Oggun the blacksmith.
2. I say that I will cover it with this, and thus I will be free, the dress
 of Oggun the blacksmith.
3. Oggun agrees to save me from the problem, the head of the saving
 medicine, the savior.
4. Oggun, the traveling stranger from Ire, has arrived, he is in all the 
houses, Ogun is in the houses, Ogun is on the road, he is in all the 
houses.
5. It is a dress of blood; Oggun arrives, in a dress of blood; Oggun 
arrives; Oggun adorns himself so that we look for him seven times.
6. We come to honor you, Oggun of the leafy palms, Oggun you 
clear the bush as a hunter, owner of the house, razor that cuts the 
palm; Oggun arrives strong.
7. We come to honor him; we come to have the understanding; do 
not block or make war in the presence of the initiate. 
8. We come to obtain the honor from Oggun chief of Ire. Do not wage 
war in the presence of the initiate.The leafy palm evenly, swinging, 
gives the shape; Oggun chief of Ire, the chief of Ire.
9. Oh, shout honor, oh shout of honor; I act alone as owner of the 
gourd of charm, of the chosen head.
10. Leafy palm, you, I am working for you. I am acting with Oggun.
11. Hunter, we always visit you. Hunter, we always visit Oggun; we
turn to him, fighting to be saved with him.
12. We come, I am at your feet.
13. Respect is received for the king who breaks and cuts the breaks 
and the cut; I'm talking about Oggun.
14. On a spotted hyena comes Oggun, Oggun the owner of the land.
15. Ah, seven Oggun, seven, Oggun are seven.
16. The cutter is strong, capable, chief of the initiates are greeted. 
I act only with Oggun.
17. He uses the foundry to forge tools.
18. We have become rich. Oggun the possessor of Ire. We have 
become rich.
19. We want the goodness of happiness. We want the goodness of 
happiness.
20. He is a good father, the blacksmith is in good faith, the child 
salutes and greets me with honor.
21. He is not far away, he is close to us. He is not far, Oggun, the 
owner of the land, is not far, he will never be far from us.
22. The beheader cutting, the beheader cutting. We ran, we ran away, 
we ran away because he cut the throat while cutting off the heads.
23. Oggun is more of a hunter, Oggun the true hunter. The crown 
has the money, it has the stone, it has fabric; it is the owner of the 
eyes that make the body return.
24. The rooster of the farm eats small stones, the Oggun's corn is 
forever. 
25. His testicles
26. The fracturer, dislocator, victorious Oggun reaches the head.
27. The house of Oggun caresses the owner of the house. Oggun 
caresses the owner of the house.
28. The traveling machete is Oggun's knife. Oggun uses it to gather 
the hunters.



 VI

Activity
 
Students learn the orisha-dances and then create groups to focus on just an orisha of their choice. 
 
 
MUSIC
 
Eleggua
8:30
 
Oggun
3:00
 
Oshun
3:30
 
Yemaya
6:00
 
Oya
3:00
 
Chango
6:00
 
Babalu-Aye
3:00
 
Obatala
6:45


VII

Journaling

 

VIII

Glossary

orisha: The orishas are the emissaries of Olodumare or God almighty. They rule over the forces of nature and the endeavors of humanity.  

Ire: In the Yoruba religion, both Iré and Osogbo are temporary paths in stages of our life, astral states. The iré blesses us and the osogbo keeps us alert, warning us to be cautious and act shrewdly in the face of a certain negative situation.


IX

Sources

Ala Aggayu, David (2017). Cantos y Traducciones de Oggunhttps://youtu.be/nXJisjHGuhs?si=ezgNd-R7ErecdamL

Capoeira Circle. Inscribed in 2014 (9.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/capoeira-circle-00892

 

Morejon, Jorge Luis (n.d.) The Fashion of Rituality.  https://www.academia.edu/31079474/The_Fashion_of_Rituality

X

Students' Work 
 

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