Myal
| Myal | |
|---|---|
| Type | Creole |
| Classification | Afro-Jamaican |
| Origin | Slave era Jamaica |
| Separated from | Obeah |
| Separations | Convince Kumina Revivialism
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| Kongo religion |
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Myal is an
History
Origin
The practice of Myal as a spirit possession originated in Jamaica. It derived from the
Christianization
After the abolition of slavery, conservative Christian churches began to lose followers to Bedwardism and Myalist Native Baptist Churches. After 1814, the Myalist chapels started to become more visible.[6] By the 1840s, many Congolese indentured laborers arrived in Jamaica where they revitalised Myal practices and the Kumina religion.[7]
Myal was generally tolerated by slave owners because of its stance against Obeah and its adoption of Christian elements. By the 1860s, Myal-based churches became referred to as "Revivalist" churches and were established as Baptist churches.[8] From 1858 to 1859, a Christian revival swept Jamaica, adding energy to local religious life. Two branches of this revival, the 60 Order or Revival Zion and the 61 Order or Pocomania, emerged. Revival Zion adopted more orthodox Christian practices, while Pocomania continued more African practices.[9]
Myal as a separate religion is no longer practiced, its rituals can be found in Revivalism, Kumina,[10] and Convince.[7]
Practices
Early Myalist religion
Myalists honor a creator god and ancestor or African spirits. These spirits are invoked in Myal rituals. It holds that a human has two souls: the duppy, which departs the Earth after death, and the second spirit, which acts as the person's shadow and needs protection from evil.[3] Under slavery, Myalists would ingest a mix of cold water and branched callaloo to induce an intoxicated state and then dance to commune with the spirits.[11]
Revivalism
Most Revivalist faiths involve oral confessions, trances, dreams, prophesies, spirit seizures, and frenzied dancing.[6] In Pocomania, male religious leaders are usually called "Shepherd", and in Revival Zion, the male leaders are called "Captain". Female leaders are generally called "mother".[9]
See also
References
- ^ Paul Easterling, "The Ifa’ Diaspora: The Art of Syncretism, Part 5 – Obeah and Myal" in [1] (Afrometrics.org, 2017).
- ^ "Creole Religions in Jamaica". www.caribya.com. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
- ^ ISBN 9781439901755.
- ^ "The Evolution Of Myalism – Part 2". jamaica-gleaner.com. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
- ISBN 9789766401238. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
- ^ )
- ^ ISBN 9781134964550.
- ^ "Culture and Customs of Jamaica". books.google.com. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
- ^ a b "In the spirit of Revival". Jamaica-gleaner.com. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
- ^ "The Evolution Of Myalism – Part 3". Jamaica-gleaner.com. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
- ^ "The Evolution Of Myalism – Part 1". jamaica-gleaner.com. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
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| Diverse roots |
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