Originating in Brazil in the early 20th century, Umbanda is a religion that blends Catholicism, Kardecist Spiritualism and Afro-Brazilian traditions. It started among the lower-class Afro-Brazilian population of Rio de Janeiro but has now spread all over the country. The term "Umbanda" derives from Kimbundu, an Angolan language and means "religious practitioners". Umbanda is a monotheistic, syncretic religion based on the worship of Angolan spirits, brought to Brazil by the African slaves during the colonial period and others b ...

Including:

• Umbanda - Famous Umbandists

Read more here: » Umbanda: Encyclopedia - Umbanda

Umbanda:

A Brazilian spiritist religion.

(See also: Umbanda, Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

Umbanda:

A Brazilian spiritist religion.

See also Candomble, Voodoo .

(See also: Umbanda, Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

Quimbanda is an Afro-American traditional religion found in Brazil, mostly in urban areas (Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Maranhão, Pernambuco). It has historically been considered the counterpart to Umbanda. In recent years, in addition to gaining a greater following among some young, middle class individuals, it has begun to assert itself as a separate tradition from Umbanda. Instead of the wider focus of Umbanda which recognizes entities such as Caboclos, Baianas, Seieras among others, Quimbanda focuses instead on entities named Ex ...

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Axé music is a style of popular music which originated in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The word comes from a ritual greeting that means good vibration and is used in the Candomblé and Umbanda religions. The term axé began life as an insult, intended to point out the perceived pretentiousness of the genre. It was applied vaguely, however, and anything recorded in Salvador was nicknamed axé. Starting in about 1992 and peaking in 1998, axé became one of the ...

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Macumba is a word of African (Bantu) origins. Various explanations of its meaning include "a musical instrument", the name of a Central African deity, and simply "magic". It was the name used for all Bantu religious practices mainly in Rio de Janeiro Afro-Brazilian in the 19th Century. Later (20th century) these practices re-aligned themselves into what are now called Umbanda, Quimbanda and Omoloko. "Macumba" became common in many parts of Brazil used by the non-practicing population as ...

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In Yorùbá mythology, Yemoja is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river (the waters of which are said to cure infertility). Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. She had one son, Orungan, who raped her successfully one time and attempted a second time; she exploded instead, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her. They include Ogun, Olokun, Shopona and Shango. Yemoja is also venerated in Vodun. In the Umbanda religion, Yemoja is a goddess of the ocean and patron deity of the survivors of shipwrecks. In Santería, Y ...

Including:

• Yemaja - Other names

Read more here: » Yemaja: Encyclopedia - Yemaja

Channelling or channeling is the alleged communication of information to or through a physically embodied human being (the channel or medium), from a spirit or other supernatural entity outside the mind (or self) of the channel. Channelling is part of the belief systems and rituals of many religions, such as shamanism, Candomblé, Voodoo, Kardecism, Umbanda, and more. Channelling mediumistic - General. Research of articles by channellers has shown they allegedly have chann ...

Including:

• Channelling mediumistic - General
• Channelling mediumistic - Channelling Definition
• Channelling mediumistic - Hypotheses on Channelling
• Channelling mediumistic - Books channelled texts entities and mediums
• Channelling mediumistic - Books and channelled texts
• Channelling mediumistic - Entities and mediums
• Channelling mediumistic - Channelling in fiction

Read more here: » Channelling mediumistic: Encyclopedia - Channelling mediumistic

Brazil's main religion since the 16th century has been Christianity, predominantly Roman Catholicism. This religion was introduced by the missionaries who accompanied the Portuguese explorers and settlers of Brazil. Brazil has the largest number of baptized Roman Catholics on Earth — about 80% of Brazilians claiming to be Catholics. However, about 20% of the population of Brazil actually attends Mass on a regular basis. Popular traditions of Roman Catholicism in Brazil include pilgrimages to the Appeared Lady, Senhora Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil. Other prominent festivals include Cà ...

Including:

• Religion in Brazil - African Religions
• Religion in Brazil - Other Religions

Read more here: » Religion in Brazil: Encyclopedia - Religion in Brazil

Brazilian Culture is of a very diverse nature. The religion of most Brazilians is Roman Catholic. In fact, Brazil is the largest country in the world whose predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. Many other beliefs over time have been incorporated into the Brazilian catholic belief system such as Spiritism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Ayahuasca, and Judaism as well as religious syncretisms, such as candomblé, umbanda, and macumba, that mix Catholicism with African tribal religions. A majority of the population are non-practicing Catholics ...

Including:

• Culture of Brazil - Curiosities

Read more here: » Culture of Brazil: Encyclopedia - Culture of Brazil

The mythology of the Yoruba is sometimes claimed by its supporters to be one of the world's oldest widely practised religions. It is a major religion in Africa, chiefly in Nigeria, and it has given origin to several New World religions such as Santería in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil. Yoruba mythology is only one part of itan — the complex of myths, songs, histories and other cultural concepts which make up the Yorùbá religion and society. Yoruba mythology - Deities. Yoruba deities are called O ...

Including:

• Yoruba mythology - Deities
• Yoruba mythology - The Orisha
• Yoruba mythology - Other concepts
• Yoruba mythology - Yoruba mythology in the New World
• Yoruba mythology - External link

Read more here: » Yoruba mythology: Encyclopedia - Yoruba mythology

African religions are distinct to African ethnic groups. In certain respects the term is awkward as traditional African religions have a wide cultural variety that makes virtually any overall statement a sweeping generalization, but the majority of African religions do share some commonalities. There is no universal aspect found in all African religions. Not all people of African descent are known to follow these gods, however. Many tribes in Africa have been converted to Islam and the Nation of Islam group tries to convert Afr ...

Including:

• African religions - Animism
• African religions - The ancestors
• African religions - Spiritual Harming and Healing
• African religions - Rituals
• African religions - Intermixture with other religions

Read more here: » African religions: Encyclopedia - African religions

In Yorùbá mythology, Shango (Xango), or Changó in Latin America, is perhaps the most popular Orisha; he is a Sky Father, god of thunder and the ancestor of the Yoruba. In the Lukumí (O lukumi = "my friend") religion of the Caribbean, Shango is considered to be the center point of the religion as he represents the Oyo people of West Africa. The Oyo Kingdom was sacked and pillaged and its residents brought in chains as slaves to the Caribbean and Brazil. All the major initiation ceremonies (as performed in Cuba, Puerto ...

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Major world religions have been distinguished from minor religions using a variety of methods, though any such division naturally reflects a particular bias, since many adherents of a religion are likely to consider their own faith "major". Two methods are mentioned in this article, number of adherents and the definitions used by classical scholars of religions. For a list of all religions, please see the article list of religions. For a discussion of the relationships between religions, see Religious pluralism Including:

• Major world religions - Defined by population
• Major world religions - All religions or belief systems by number of adherents
• Major world religions - Organized religions by population ranking
• Major world religions - Historic classic view

Read more here: » Major world religions: Encyclopedia - Major world religions

Brazil obtained 37% of all African slaves traded, and more than 3 million slaves were sent to this one country. The Portuguese were the first to initiate the slave trade, and the last to end the slave trade. Starting around 1550, the Portuguese began to trade African slaves to work the sugar plantations once the native Tupi deteriorated. During the colonial epoch, slavery was a mainstay of the Brazilian economy, especially in mining and sugar cane production. The Clapham Sect, a group of Victorian Evangelical politicians, campaigned d ...

Including:

• Afro-Brazilian - History
• Afro-Brazilian - Origins
• Afro-Brazilian - Cuisine
• Afro-Brazilian - Religion
• Afro-Brazilian - Capoeira
• Afro-Brazilian - Music
• Afro-Brazilian - Famous Afro-Brazilian musicians
• Afro-Brazilian - Other groups

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Candomblé is an Afro-American religion practiced chiefly in Brazil but also in adjacent countries. The religion came from Africa to Brazil, carried by African priests and adherents who were brought as slaves between 1549 and 1888. The name Batuque is also used, especially before the 19th century when Candomblé became more common. Both words are believed to derive from a Bantu-family language. Although originally confined to the slave population, banned by the Catholic church, and even criminalized by some govern ...

Including:

• Candomblé - Nations
• Candomblé - Beliefs
• Candomblé - Syncretism
• Candomblé - Rituals
• Candomblé - Temples and priesthood
• Candomblé - Books

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An amulet (from Latin amuletum; earliest extant use in Natural History [Pliny], meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble") or a talisman (from Arabic tilasm, ultimately from Greek telesma or from the Greek word "talein" which means "to initiate into the mysteries.") consists of any object intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner. Potential amulets include: gems or simple stones, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants, animals, etc.; even words said in certain occas ...

Including:

• Amulet - Amulets and talismans in folklore
• Amulet - Hermetic talismans

Read more here: » Amulet: Encyclopedia - Amulet

Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. It is especially associated with the attempt to merge and analogize several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, and thus assert an underlying unity. Syncretism is also common in literature, music, the representational arts and other expressions of culture. (Compare the concept of eclecticism.) There also exist syncretic politics, although in politi ...

Including:

• Syncretism - Social and political roles
• Syncretism - Origin of the word
• Syncretism - Syncretism in Ancient Greece
• Syncretism - Syncretism in Rome
• Syncretism - Syncretism in Christianity
• Syncretism - Syncretism in Islam
• Syncretism - Syncretism in the Bahá'í Faith
• Syncretism - Syncretism in the Caribbean
• Syncretism - Syncretism in the Enlightenment
• Syncretism - Modern syncretic religions
• Syncretism - Modern syncretic social movements

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Spiritism is a religious and philosophic doctrine established in France in the mid 19th Century by Allan Kardec. The term was coined by him as the specific name of the doctrine he was about to publish but, given the fact that the word was created from roots taken from the common language, it was soon incorporated into the normal use and has been used to name other doctrines as well, though the ...

Including:

• Spiritism - Spiritism and Related Religions
• Spiritism - Precursors
• Spiritism - Fox Sisters
• Spiritism - Spinning Tables
• Spiritism - Mesmerism
• Spiritism - An Overview
• Spiritism - Basic Books
• Spiritism - Doctrine
• Spiritism - Leading a Spiritist Life
• Spiritism - Organization
• Spiritism - The Role of Spiritism
• Spiritism - Spiritism as a Religion
• Spiritism - Spiritism as Science
• Spiritism - Spiritism and Other Religions
• Spiritism - Spiritism and Christianism
• Spiritism - Spiritism Through History
• Spiritism - Syncretic Religions
• Spiritism - See Also

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The Yoruba (native name Yorùbá) are the largest single ethnic group in Nigeria. The Yoruba constitute approximately 24% percent of Nigeria's total population, and number upwards of 30 million individuals throughout the region of West Africa. They share borders with the Nupe and Borgu peoples in the northwest, the Esan and Edo to the southeast, the Igala and other related groups to the northeast, and the Egun, Fon, and other Gbe-speaking peoples in the southwest. While the majority of the Yoruba live in the south-west of Nigeria, there are also substantial Yoruba communities i ...

Including:

• Yoruba - Odùduwà
• Yoruba - Yoruba mythology
• Yoruba - Yoruba cities
• Yoruba - History
• Yoruba - Precolonial Social Organization
• Yoruba - Culture
• Yoruba - Sports
• Yoruba - Famous Yoruba People
• Yoruba - Language Links
• Yoruba - Pictures

Read more here: » Yoruba: Encyclopedia - Yoruba