Macumba: The Teachings of Maria-José, Mother of the Gods

by Serge Bramly

Every January millions of people crowd the seashore to receive the blessings of lemanja, goddess of the sea. All year long in terreiros in Brazil and around the world, Orixa worshipers revel in the divine presence of the living Gods, directly experiencing the sacred energy of the universe. Macumba is a way of life and belief that is followed by 15 million Brazilians, as well as millions more across the Western Hemisphere. Yet it-along with its sister-religions of Vodun, Santeria, and Ifa-remains a little known and largely misunderstood spiritual path. This book is a welcome introduction to a rich and profound tradition whose roots lie in ancient Africa. In a series of interviews, Maria José, a Mae de Santo (Mother of the Gods), explains the philosophy and practice of Macumba. She introduces the Orixas, a pantheon of deities who survived the Middle Passage to Brazil along with the African slaves. With humor and grace she describes the essence of Macumba, the divine interaction between humans and living gods, and the spiritual regeneration of its followers. Meet a fascinating Mother of Gods and discover another path to wisdom. Learn to listen to the drumbeat-heartbeat of the mystical universe as it continues to deepen and expand. Saravá Umbanda!

Genres: Religion

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Serge Bramly is a French-language writer and essayist.

Reviews

[Morgan M. Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining read on Umbanda, even if it is sort of the Carlos Castenada of Afro-Brazilian religions (in so far as Maria-José is likely a semi-fictionalized amalgam of multiple Maes de Santo). Still, beautifully expresses some of the main concepts and the general attitude of Orixa devotees.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed this inside view of Brazilian macumba told from the perspective of an Umbanda Mother of the Gods. When reading about afro-caribbean religions I much prefer first-person accounts of the mysteries of the religion as told by advanced practitioners rather than conclusions drawn by outsiders. Umbanda and macumba are beautiful spiritual traditions; Maria Jose's descriptions beautifully capture the beliefs, ontology and wisdom of the Ubanda cult in Brazil.

[Seven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tells you about the African tradition Macumba from Brasil. If you are into this then you should read it.

[K R N]

just remembered this whole phase i had where i read about various religions.

really interesting book, about the sort of african/catholic/voodoo religions in brazil.