Macumba Service
São Cristovão, Rio de Janeiro
US Peace Corps
1964

One of our volunteers was assaulted returning to her home in Telegraph Hill. Our house was robbed in the favela of Tuiti the next day.  We were not home when the robbery happened.  One of the members of our household gave the report to the GLOBO in good Portuguese.  We went to work the next day.  One of the girls from our favela asked us to come to church with her and her mother because our house was robbed.  Her mother was the assistant to the high priest and a member of the “Filhos do Santos” or  “Daughters of the Saints” or the choir in Macumba.

Macumba is not what we know as black voodoo. The Brazilians call it white, meaning it is a form of worship.  It is a combination of both Roman Catholicism and the pagan gods from Africa.  We went with Regina. Her mother was already at church. I use this term very respectfully as it is a form of worship.

We entered their house of worship. The men were separated from the women. This brought a respectful smile to my face. We were invited to sit and take off our shoes.  The drums started playing over and over again the same beat. The altar was a combination of Roman Catholic saints and African or Brazilian decorated with flowers.  The “Daughters of the Saints” dressed in white Bahian dresses with full skirts and heads covered. It was very much like a Pentecostal service.  The order of service was similar with the hymns. The beat was a moving.  Bodies were moving in their seats.  Their was an offering just like at home with a basket.  The offertory music was good.

The priest was dressed in white and made several oblations to the altar.  He had a cigar in his mouth and hand. He was extremely active moving and dancing.  Regina’s grandmother who was very elderly was sitting on the floor mixing the cachaca and herbs which was offered to him and Regina’s mother. The priest and the Regina’s mother were given communion. Things were starting to move and it was time for confession.

Four elders were positioned by the altar to hear confession.  They represented various African Gods.. Oxun is another name for God. The worshippers knew which one to go to with their problems.  We were invited to come up to the altar and be cleansed of our sins by none other than Regina’s mother, “Daughter of the Saints” who was the assistant to the priest.  We looked at each other and we went up one by one. By then her speech was more garbled or possibly we would say in tongues.  She had a cigar in her mouth. She blew smoke from the cigar into our orifices. We lifted up each arm and she blew it into our armpits and between our legs and turned us around incensing us 3 times. Once we were cleansed she told us we were safe.  We had our blessing and returned to our seats.

Once their guests were blessed, they proceeded with the service. Persons in need of prayer or confession were directed to the appropriate Spirit. They received their prayer or direction from that Spirit. Some returned to their seats but others became filled with the Spirit. They were dancing in a circle with the “Daughters of the Saints.”  They were slain in the spirit (fell down) and some made movements of their bodies ridding them of evil spirits as intercessors.  The service closed and we left with our friends from the favela.

Notes:

1.     “Black Orpheus”—Music by Antonio Carlos Jobim.  Story of Orpheus descending in the favelas  (hillside slums of Rio) during Carnival and is probably available from your local library in major cities. His lover dies. He chased by the devil. He goes to the macumba service to speak with her once more.  Winner of many awards.

2.    “Cidade de Deus”  --Another Brazilian movie set in the favelas of Rio and paints a disturbing picture of the drugs and violence.