Macumba, Candomble, and Umbanda: Brazilian Spirituality

From the http://www.VideoSource.com Global Village Travel Guide and DVD, "Brazil". Stock footage available from http://videosource.com/search.html
Transcript:
THE INTRIGUING WORLDS OF MACUMBA;
CANDOMBLE AND UMBANDA...........
IT WAS THROUGH THE PORTALS OF BAHIA, THE CENTER OF
THE BRAZILIAN SLAVE TRADE, THAT THREE TO FIVE MILLION
AFRICANS WERE FIRST BROUGHT TO THE NEW WORLD.
MISSIONARIES BAPTIZED THEM WHEN THEY LANDED, BUT
DIDN'T CARE IF THEY KEPT THEIR DRUMS, THEIR SONGS,
STATUES BAHIA
AND SOME OF THEIR OWN CUSTOMS.
ALTHOUGH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH LATER ATTEMPTED TO SUPPRESS 9.36.50 PAN TO
AFRICAN RELIGION, THE SLAVES WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE
WHAT TODAY IS CALLED CANDOMBLE. AS PRACTICED NOW,
CANDOMBLE REMAINS CLOSE IN FORM TO THE ORIGINAL
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AFRICAN RELIGIONS BROUGHT BY THE SLAVES.
UMBANDA, THE MOST POPULAR FORM OF MACUMBA,
IS A COLORFUL BLEND OF CANDOMBLE, CATHOLICISM,
AMERICAN INDIAN RELIGIONS AND EUROPEAN SPIRITUALISM.
A CENTRAL FEATURE OF UMBANDA IS AN ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
DESCRIBED BY DEVOTEES AS POSSESSION BY SUPERNATURAL BEINGS.
SPIRIT POSSESSION IS A STATE IN WHICH
THE MEDIUM'S OWN CONSCIOUSNESS LEAVES, AND HIS
BODY IS ENTERED BY THE POSSESSING ENTITY.
THIS ENTITY MAY BE ANY OF A WIDE VARIETY OF
AFRICAN DIETIES, INDIAN SPIRITS, WISE OLD SLAVES,
OR INHABITANTS OF BRAZIL'S DEMI MONDE
OF PETTY CRIMINALS, BANDITS, COWBOYS AND PROSTITUTES.
DRUMMING, SINGING, AND DANCING ACCOMPANY THE CELEBRATION
AS THE SPIRITS ARRIVE, ORDERING FOOD, DRINKS, CIGARS,
SPECIAL COSTUMES OR WHATEVER IT IS THEY LIKE.
THE POSSESSION TAKES HOLD WITH A VIOLENT SEIZURE
DURING WHICH THE MEDIUM IS PROTECTED FROM INJURY BY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP. BY THE END OF THE NIGHT
ALMOST EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES IS VISITED BY AT LEAST
ONE POSSESSING SPIRIT.
UMBANDA MEMBERS REPORT
FEELING SPIRITUALLY OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY "CLEANSED"
AFTER RECOVERING FROM POSSESSION.
ANTHROPOLOGISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND MEDICAL DOCTORS
HAVE BEEN INTRIGUED BY THE SUCCESS OF UMBANDA
IN TREATING CERTAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EVEN MEDICAL PROBLEMS.
THROUGH UMBANDA, THE DISPOSSESSED
SEEM TO REGAIN A SENSE OF POWER AND RESPECT
BY ASSOCIATING THEMSELVES WITH POWERFUL SUPERNATURAL FORCES.
UMBANDA ALSO HELPS TO INTEGRATE THE ADHERENT'S
PERSONALITY BY ALLOWING THE EXPRESSION OF REPRESSED
ASPECTS OF HIS OR HER PERSONALITY IN THE CONTEXT
OF POSSESSION .
HOWEVER IT IS UNDERSTOOD OR EXPLAINED, UMBANDA
FUNCTIONS AS A PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR THE POOR ......
PEOPLE COME SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS
AND UMBANDA OFFERS THEM THE HELP THEY NEED.
IN RECENT YEARS UMBANDA HAS BECOME A POWERFUL FORCE LADY IN SAO PAULO?
IN BRAZIL'S POPULAR CULTURE, PROVIDING A MEANS OF
EXPRESSION AND CREATIVITY, AND IT'S INFLUENCE CAN BE FELT THROUGHOUT BRAZIL.