A brief history of Palo
Palo Mayombe is an African tradition that has truly gained roots in the diaspora. It originated in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Spanish term for it: The Congo Rules – or the Congo Rules, reflects its African roots. Today it is most 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 Palo 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 more than ten million people practice Palo in some form in the Western Hemisphere. The main liturgies, spells, and incantations of Palo are largely based on the Kikongo language. Similarly, Palo spells and rituals require many special herbs, items, 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 in conjunction with other traditional African beliefs. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is more common to hear practices called voodoo – as in the case of Benin – despite being very different from what is recognized as voodoo proper in Benin, or in the diaspora in Haiti. Much of the Palo practiced today in the DRC is very different in many ways from that of the diaspora.
A key difference is that the African stick is often referred to as “Jewish stick”, while the stick practiced in the Spanish-speaking diaspora is more likely to take the form of “Christian stick”. The former has nothing to do with the religion of Judaism and is not intended 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 the communities that practice the “Palo Cristiano”, the traditional Congolese deity Kobayende can be found to be represented as Saint Lazarus. In the diaspora and African communities that practice “Palo Jew”, 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 House in Palo practices differently. Few concrete standards exist throughout the practice. So the story and basics of Palo up to this point should be taken as guidelines rather than absolute canon.
Spells on Stick
Palo mainly uses two spiritual forces: the power of the deceased and the power of African spirits. Both are called upon 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 the Palero or Palo House. 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 sickness, curses, hexes, and other illnesses. This is not without merit. It is widely accepted that the curses on 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 is overlooked that Palo has exactly the same power to heal. The same departed spirits and mpungu can be called upon to cure any illness. The power and effectiveness they bring to the table in terms of healing can be as great as those used to curse. In many cases, even more.
It should be noted at this point that the spirit attached 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 that will define the nature of the spells it can be used on. 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 Casa de Palo, will ultimately have under his control any number of Nganga 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 an obscure practice and it is certainly more than 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, right wrongs, 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.