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Palo Mayombe: African Origins
Rating: 4.4 out of 5(86 ratings)
269 students

Palo Mayombe: African Origins

Discover who the Congo people are and learn about the African roots of the Afro-Cuban religion called Palo Mayombe.
Created byTata Oscar
Last updated 2/2018
English
English [Auto],

What you'll learn

  • After taking this course students will be able to identify the ethnic group that was taken to Cuba and eventually began the religion of Palo. They should also understand their history, better understand syncretism, identify the branches of Palo that developed in Cuba as well as understand what nkisi are.

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Course content

1 section • 7 lectures • 1h 44m total length

  • Introduction13:11

    Define who the Congo people are in Africa and in Cuba, and explain Palo Mayombe as a religion with syncretism and multiple denominations, countering myths of witchcraft.

  • The Discovery of the Kingdom of the Kongo10:03

    Trace the discovery of the kingdom of the Kongo, the spread of Bantu languages, and early links between the Congo River civilizations and Portuguese exploration.

  • The Power of the ManiKongo11:44

    Describe the maniKongo centralized kingdom, where a royal council elects the king and appoints governors to provinces, and explore Christian conversion and Portuguese contact shaping power and belief.

  • The Catholic Priest was an Nganga16:51

    Explore the Congo's religious syncretism, tracing a three-deity trinity, Christian conversion, crucifix symbolism, and gongo cosmology alongside saints and initiation practices.

  • Kongo Christianity11:19

    Traces how the Congo monarchs adopted Christianity, with church protection against Portugal and a nationwide school network. Highlights baptism, missionary priests, and the blending of Christian terms with local cosmology.

  • The Cross and the Dikenga18:03

    Examine how 17th–18th century Goombah religious objects fuse Catholic and African beliefs, creating crucifixes and statues, and analyze the ginga cross and the Dikenga, guiding life, death, and ancestral power.

  • The Nganga and Nkisi23:19

    Explore how the Nganga craft nkisi with herbal remedies, charms, and divination. Trace how Catholic missions and slave trade influenced practice, blending symbols like a rosary with Virgin Mary imagery.

Requirements

  • An Internet Connection and Access to Udemy!

Description

In this course you will better understand how the events and people in Africa shaped what would later become the religion of Palo Mayombe in Cuba. This course is made up of seven lectures that are meant to easily explain the origins of the Palo Mayombe Religion as well as introduce you to the different denominations of Palo that exist today. You will also gain a better understanding of Palo Mayombe's relaionship with other religions including Catholicism and other African religions. 

Oftentimes confused with Voodoo and Santeria, Palo Mayombe is a religion that hails from the people who were known as "Congos" in Cuba. These people weren't just those that come from the present day Democratic Republic of the Congo but from a much broader area. They believed in much more than magic, this is a story of politics and intrigue that includes triumph, deceit, war and much more. 

Who this course is for:

  • This course is open to everyone that is interested in Palo Mayombe including initiates and non initiates alike

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