Palo Mayombe – Real African spells, but are they good or bad?

A Brief History of Palo

Palo Mayombe is an African tradition that has truly taken root in the diaspora. It originated in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Spanish term for it: Congo Rules – or the Rules of the Congo, reflects his African roots. Today it is more widely practiced in various forms in the African diaspora, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. However, it can also be found as a widespread practice in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, as well as French-speaking Haiti. Palo Mayombe is also known as Brillumba, Palo Monte and Kimbisia, among other terms. But for this speech we will simply refer to it as Stick for simplicity.

The origin of Palo is, of course, the Congo Basin region of Africa, today the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was transported to the New World as part of the slavery campaign and African traditions have become widespread. It is estimated that over ten million people practice Palo in some form in the Western Hemisphere. Palo’s main liturgies, spells, and incantations are largely based on the Kikongo language. Similarly, Palo spells and rituals require many special herbs, elements, roots, and sticks found only in the Congo Basin. In fact the name stick itself means “stick” in Spanish.

Palo is still widely practiced today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as other neighboring African countries such as Nigeria and Benin. It is usually practiced alongside other traditional African beliefs. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo it is usually more common to hear practices called voodoo -as in the case of Benin- despite being very different from what is recognized as voodoo itself in Benin, or in the diaspora in Haiti. Much of the Palo practiced in the DRC today is very different in many ways from that of the diaspora.

One key difference is that African palo is often referred to as “Jewish palo”, whereas palo practiced in the Spanish-speaking diaspora is more likely to take the form of “Christian palo”. The first has nothing to do with the religion of Judaism and is not meant to be pejorative. Rather, this is indicative of the fact that the former rejected syncretism with Christian traditions, such as the cult or the combination of Catholic saints with the African tradition. mpungu, or spirits. In the diaspora of communities that practice “Christian Stick”, the traditional Congolese deity Kobayende can be found to be represented as Saint Lazarus. In the diaspora and African communities that practice “Jewish Stick”, Kobayende is still primarily Kobayende.

There are exceptions: Catholic missionaries in Africa began a process of syncretism long before the slave trade began. And each Casa en Palo practices differently. There are few concrete standards in all practice. So the history and basics of Palo up to this point should be taken as guidelines rather than outright canon.

Spells on Stick

Palo mainly uses two spiritual forces: the power of the deceased and the power of the African spirits. Both are called in each and every Palo ritual. The power of the deceased is especially highlighted. This departed soul, or the dead in Spanish, it is linked to a magical artifact, or nganga, which serves as the focal point of Casa Palero or Palo. The more powerful the soul of the deceased, the more powerful the spells can be.

Palo has a reputation for being evil and aligned with the forces that bring disease, curses, hexes, and other maladies. This is not without merit. It is widely accepted that curses in Palo are the strongest in all spiritual communities. Even Yoruba priests, Vodou Houngans, and Santeria Babalawo will seek out Paleros if powerful curses are needed. Curses are fast acting, strong, and often deadly.

But it’s overlooked that Palo has exactly the same power to heal. The same departed spirits and mpungu can be called upon to cure any disease. The power and efficacy they bring to the table in terms of healing can be just as great as those used for cursing. In many cases, even more.

It should be noted at this point that the spirit linked to the Nganga will largely define the power of the spells in place. For this reason, many Paleros have more than one Nganga to use in different rituals. A nganga with an evil spirit, often a convicted criminal, can be used to curse. And a Nganga with the spirit of a deceased saint can be used to heal. Similar Nganga can also be designed to focus on bringing love or financial prosperity.

Each Nganga is also linked to a traditional African spirit which will define the nature of the spells it can be used in. A Nganga linked to Kobayende will be more skilled in healing than a Nganga linked to Chola Wengue, a spirit of material wealth and wealth. Tea daddy, or Father, of a House of Palo will ultimately have any number of Nganga under his control to use in various situations. Many Tata focus on only one thing, such as providing curses, while others may be “general practitioners” so to speak.

The take home point is that Palo can be used for every type of magic and spell imaginable. It is not a dark practice and it is certainly more than just an evil branch of Santeria. Palo is a traditional Congolese religion that predates Santeria itself. It encompasses the values, goals and hopes of African communities since the beginning of time. And while it can be used for nefarious purposes, you can also use Palo for pure good. Palo can heal the sick, correct mistakes, help you get out of debt, and mend relationships. In fact, compared to the restricted use of curses, Palo has far more potential for good than harm in the lives of its practitioners and adherents.