Sunday - Day ten:
We traveled to Koso, Oyo today and attended a Royal Reception by
His Royal Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo. There were bata
drummers and dancer and a wonderful spirit of celebration. This was
the last event of the 7th World Congress on Orisa Tradition and Culture.
I had become comfortable in this ravaged environment. The warmth
and
inner beauty of the people had nurtured me through all of the difficulties.
Everywhere we went the greeting of the people was, "Welcome!"
"Welcome home!" And I had come to feel at home. And that feeling
leaves me with a sense of commitment and responsibility. I’ve been
to the Source and seen Its power and beauty for myself. And I’ve
seen the needs that exist; needs that are not that great compared to
the resources that are available.
The word Orisa (Orisha) is ancient in its roots and is
translated variously. One such translation says that Ori means ‘to see’,
and sha means ‘to choose’.
So as a unified word, Orisa (Orisha) means ‘to choose to see’.
Orisa called me to Nigeria and gave me an opportunity to see; and I’ve
chosen to see! If only the rest of the world will take a moment, ask
the important questions, and perhaps for the first time in three thousand
years, choose to see!
Later in the day we attended another initiation ceremony. A sister who
had traveled with Chief Adelekan from London was initiated into the
House of Ifa. The ceremony was attended by the World Chief of Oduduwa,
the World Chief of the Ile of Ifa, the World Chief of the Ile of Ogun,
and the father of the World Chief of the Ile of Ifa. I saw and felt
the living presence of Orisa and the reason that the Europeans were
determined to bury this tradition and culture. In his 1883 speech, Jules
Renkin is reported to have said,
"Revenend Fathers and dear Compatriots; the task I ask you to
accomplish is very delicate and demands much tact and diplomacy. Fathers
you are going to preach the Gospel, but your preaching must be inspired
by first, the interest of the Belgium State. The main goal of your mission
in the Congo in not to teach the Negro the knowledge of God, because
they already know Him. They talk and commit themselves to their God.
They know that killing; stealing; adultery and blasphemy are not good.
Let’s have the courage to admit this fact so you won’t teach
them the things they already know. Your role essentially will be to
easily facilitate the task of the administrative and industrial personnel.
That is to say, you will interpret the Gospel in a way to protect and
serve the interest of Belgium, in that part of the world. You will take
them away from anything and act that procures them with the courage
to confront us. I’m alluding myself here to their magic, ie, Ju-Ju,
Voodoo. They should feel like abandoning their JuJu and you will do
your best to take them away at the same time. Teach the Negroes that
their statues and idols are works of the devil, confiscate them and
fill up our museums with them. Teach the Negro to forget about their
heroes in order to worship and give praise to ours…" (1883).
I’m sure that during the centuries long period of the African
Holocaust, Belgium was not the first or only government, nor was Renkin
the first
or only official to deliver this message. [Full
Article]
