RT Article
T1 Women's Initiation Rites In Afro-Brazilian Religions: a Structural Source Analysis
JF Journal of ritual studies
VO 2
IS 1
SP 101
OP 118
A1 Myscofski, Carol A.
LA English
YR 1988
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1669511669
AB This study analyzes the initiation rites performed in twentieth-century Afro-Brazilian groups which introduce a dedicated follower to her mediumistic role. The essay describes the background of Afro-Brazilian religions, summarizes the initiation ceremonies according to recent studies, and systematically compares the structures of the rituals with similar African rituals. Afro-Brazilian religions are centered in the ritual worship of personal deities. Since their establishment, they have been led by women of African descent. The initiated mediums of filhas de santo embody sacred powers during rites and keep the practice a living religion. For them, initiation rites are believed to be derived from African practice. My purpose in this paper is to investigate this claim and to discover the specific African sources for the Afro-Brazilian religious initiation ritual and to relate Christian or indigenous influences.
K1 Catholicism
K1 Ceremonies
K1 Deities
K1 Divinity
K1 Priestesses
K1 Priests
K1 Religious rituals
K1 Temples