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TOP | RELIGION | AFRICAN | DIASPORIC | PALO

Palo Mayombe: The 'Dark Side' of Santeria?

To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.religion.orisha,alt.paranormal.spells.hexes.magic,alt.magick,alt.pagan.magick
From: richard sprigg 
Subject: Re: Palo Mayombe: The 'Dark Side' of Santeria? (was Drums & Shadows)
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 04:03:51 GMT

FWIW I had some contact with a Palero some time ago: the gentleman in
question was operating out of Miami's Cuban Community, and doing quite
well offering protection spells to drug smugglers, who seemed to believe
that he could prevent detection of their cargo.

He claimed that Palo was a different tradition from Santeria, much
closer to the African traditions. He also asserted that there were two
distinct traditions of Palo Mayombe, one of healing and helping, and one
of dark and primal forces.
He claimed to have been apprenticed to a palero master at age nine, and
to having spent the next ten years learning the secrets of the craft.

The main weapon in his arsenal was his "N'ganga" (sp?) a cauldron-like
affair, with all manner of nameless stuff in it, which he claimed held
the spirits of sacrifices. Part of the tradition seemed to be that the
sacrificial victim had to expire in great agony to feed the spirits of
the N'ganga.
These spirits were manipulated by moving various sticks in the N'ganga,
though exactly what the effect was supposed to be would seem to be one
of the secrets of the craft.

As a subjective assessment, I would say that he was certainly an
individual of some power, certainly enough to gain respect and a
substantial income from his operation.

On a somewhat related note, the serial killer Adolfo Constanzo was
alleged to be a Palero, who had killed his victims to feed the power of
his art. Possibly valuable information was lost when the Mexican Police
burned his altar and all his ritual impliments during their
investigation of his ranch in Matamoros. It seems that the mexican
police were concerned about the power of even a dead "Brujo".

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