Caribbean Culture; Revival Zion
CRB 502 - Revival Zion; An Afro-Christian Religion in Jamaica.
Guano, Emanuela. Anthropos Institute, 1994.
Introduction – Afro-Jamaican Religious Variety
Afro-Jamaican religions based on a spectrum from a European to African end.
Based also on how Christianized the religion is
Kumina:
Perceived on the “African” end of the spectrum
Also defined as least Christianized.
Secretive cult in rural areas of St. Thomas and St. Catherines
Traits shared with other Afro-American religions:
Ceremonial drums
Sacrifice of animals (usually a goat)
Spirit possession
Syncretism occurring with Kumina and Revival Zion
Revival Zion:
Result of a syncretism between Baptism and an Afro-Creole religion called “Myal”
From Baptism, Revival Zion took the literal approach to the doctrine
Added elements from Myal such as spirit possession, emphasis on drumming/dancing, and offerings/sacrifices to spirits
Revivalists call themselves Christians
Worship the God of the bible, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost
Kumina spirits occasionally manifest at Revival Zion services
Pocomania/Pukumina:
“Out” group definition
No religious group now would define themselves as Poco
Fallen angels
Seemingly disappeared now
Used to be considered a negative double to Revival Zion
From Myal to Revival Zion – A Historical Outline
Christianity spread in Jamaica beginning of the 18th century
African based religions filled in the gaps where Christianity was not enforced slaves working plantations
Jamaican Blacks blended many traditions into a Creole system that were articulated into Myal and Obeah
Obeah:
“The entity within witches”
Not actually such a form of witchcraft, but an emphasis on ritual manipulations of ointments, powders, and other substances
Myal:
Religion to counter-act the Obeah-men
A set of healing practices
Myal and Obeah:
Constructed on the idea that humans have two souls;
A duppy and a shadow
After death, the duppy returns to Africa
The Shadow at
Guano, Emanuela. Anthropos Institute, 1994.
Introduction – Afro-Jamaican Religious Variety
Afro-Jamaican religions based on a spectrum from a European to African end.
Based also on how Christianized the religion is
Kumina:
Perceived on the “African” end of the spectrum
Also defined as least Christianized.
Secretive cult in rural areas of St. Thomas and St. Catherines
Traits shared with other Afro-American religions:
Ceremonial drums
Sacrifice of animals (usually a goat)
Spirit possession
Syncretism occurring with Kumina and Revival Zion
Revival Zion:
Result of a syncretism between Baptism and an Afro-Creole religion called “Myal”
From Baptism, Revival Zion took the literal approach to the doctrine
Added elements from Myal such as spirit possession, emphasis on drumming/dancing, and offerings/sacrifices to spirits
Revivalists call themselves Christians
Worship the God of the bible, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost
Kumina spirits occasionally manifest at Revival Zion services
Pocomania/Pukumina:
“Out” group definition
No religious group now would define themselves as Poco
Fallen angels
Seemingly disappeared now
Used to be considered a negative double to Revival Zion
From Myal to Revival Zion – A Historical Outline
Christianity spread in Jamaica beginning of the 18th century
African based religions filled in the gaps where Christianity was not enforced slaves working plantations
Jamaican Blacks blended many traditions into a Creole system that were articulated into Myal and Obeah
Obeah:
“The entity within witches”
Not actually such a form of witchcraft, but an emphasis on ritual manipulations of ointments, powders, and other substances
Myal:
Religion to counter-act the Obeah-men
A set of healing practices
Myal and Obeah:
Constructed on the idea that humans have two souls;
A duppy and a shadow
After death, the duppy returns to Africa
The Shadow at