Summary Of The History Of Umbanda

By Janine Hughes


Umbandism is a combination of religious believes borrowed from Catholicism, African tradition religion and native Brazilian religion. It has an added flavor of Spritualism and also closely resembles Candomble. The history of Umbanda dates back to 1900 with the origin being Brazil under Zelio Fernandino. During its expansion years, it spread to Argentina and Uruguay.

Followers this religion across the three countries do not have a strictly uniform belief system. In fact, most followers regard themselves as Catholics. However, there are common believes that act as a uniting factor. They include the belief in as supreme deity who is called Zambi or Olorum. Zambi has several representations that are manifested in daily life.

Catholic influence has seen some of the followers believing that certain catholic saints emit some forces or powers that are called orixas. These energies or forces are considered divine. Faithful also seek the intercession of spirits of their deceased relatives and friends. Their rituals involve interacting with them.

Karma and reincarnation are central tenets of Umbandism. This is exemplified in their worship when they seek the intercession of their ancestors and departed acquaintances. The belief in karma states that the good or bad human beings experience is a result of their deeds in the past.

Sociologists explain the origin of Umbandism as a blend of Brazilian, Catholic faith and Spiritualism. Spiritualism is manifested in their insistence on communicating with dead relatives and friends. In fact, intercession for the faithful happens through mediums and psychics. The idea of a Supreme Being and believe in saints were borrowed from Catholicism. Orixas came from Brazilian religions which were a blend of African practices imported during slavery.

It is Zelio who founded the religion in 1900 while in Rio de Janeiro. He acted as a psychic under Allan Kardec and therefore had influence over his followers. This explains the presence of spiritualism which resembles what the followers of Kardec Allan did. Brazilian religions had been influenced by slaves from African and were therefore not purely traditional.

The precise date for formation of Umbanda is said to be 08, November 1908 during a seance in Rio. Zelio, the psychic, was 15 years of age. He had the power to manifest in two spirits that followers of Allan regarded as inferior. This did not deter him from commencing the journey towards own religion. It did not gain momentum until 1930 when Brazilians needed a unifying factor during political turmoil. The religion by Zelio was the only authentic Brazilian focal point they could find.

There are priests and priestesses in Umbanda temples who interact with spirits on behalf of worshipers. The temples are built like the Catholic churches and are called terreiros. Their worship ceremonies are characterized by dances, eating and drinking. There are sacrifices made to God and accompanied by chanting. For visitors to join the group, they are likely to have manifested a spirit.

Despite Umbandists identifying with Catholicism, many religious groupings consider them ungodly. In particular, the Catholic Church is opposed to the worship of spirits and mockery of sainthood. While evangelicals can be credited for enhancing spiritualism among the faithful, they consider their way of practice inappropriate and insist that it causes possession by demons.




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