Some folks who claim to be traditional conjure workers seem to be confused about the Ancestor altar. A Traditional conjure workers ancestor altar holds, photo's of their ancestors, a Bible, {1} glass for the offering drink, personal items that belong to the Ancestors or things that they liked in life. This altar is set up to honor and respect the ancestors. This is the place where you leave offerings for your Ancestors. These are your kinfolks, they can be blood kin or heart kin. If you loved them and they felt like your family then you can honor them on your altar.
A lot of folks are under the misconception that you can't place anyone on your altar that is not blood kin; this is absolutley not true. If they were like your family in life and you want to honor them then please do so. I find it very funny that folks who claim to be traditional conjure workers don't know how to set up a Traditional Ancestor altar. Something is fishy somewhere; but someone who has worked with a Traditional Conjure worker or knows one will know the difference. There is to much mismatching going on and calling it Hoodoo, Rootwork or Conjure. Don't be fooled learn the difference go out and find an old worker you will be suprised!
Now that we know what a REAL Rootworkers ancestor altar consist of lets take a look at what a lot of folks are calling a Traditional Ancestor altar. Below is a picture I found on line of someones altar. As you can see it is a Boveda and looks absolutly nothing like my altar. That is because this is a altar used for a Spiritual Mass.
The above photo IS NOT a Rootworkers ancestor altar. I don't care who says it is it is NOT! This is a spiritualist altar. This is the type of altar that is worked with in Santeria. On the Spirit altar or Boveda as some call it only white is placed on this altar. They are almost always set up the same although the glasses maybe placed in different places on the altar. Below is another photo I found on-line of a Boveda.
As you can see they both have {7} glasses and one large glass with a cross in it in the center. This is NOT a Conjure Ancestor Altar! The placement of the glasses differ from person to person it depends on what your spirit leads you to do. Some folks beleive that the Boveda not only holds your Ancestors but also your spiritual guides, this is way off course of a Traditional Conjure workers Ancestor altar. Cascarilla, Flordia Water, and rum are some offerings given on the Boveda, this has absolutly NOTHING to do with Conjure work or its workers if they are Traditional workers. Traditional Conjure workers don't use Cascarilla they use chalk, they don't use Flordia water they use Holy water, river waters, swamp water, Thunder water or just plain ole water. I'm sorry if this up sets some folks but it is the truth.
Peace Starr
Couldn't agree more! :)
ReplyDeleteWith regard to putting non relatives on the altar, I was taught to make a separate altar for friends and/or pets, but hey, to each their own.
Love this blog!
Thank you. It's been slow going but I am trying to build it up. Momma Starr
ReplyDelete@ Momma Starr,
ReplyDeleteI'll give you a shout-out over at my blog.
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi. I'm not sure if you'll see this, but I'd like to know what I should do if the only people in my family who have passed on were people I really didn't even know too well, like my father, great grandparents and beyond. I know some of their names and I may have spoken to some of them a couple of times, but that's it. Is it still possible for me to connect to them? How do I know if they even know me or like me?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
The Boveda is used in Espiritismo and Santeria. It depends on how you are taught to put your boveda espiritual. Its recommended that in the boveda to place your ancestors, spirit guides (cuadro espiritual), and if initiated into Santeria or any religion your godparents. Its not recommended to put people in the boveda that has committed suicide or that were horrible people (such as murders or drug addicts that may have died due to drug overdose). In the boveda you can put Saints, pictures, and things that the ancestor may have loved when they were alive. In my altar I put things that my family loved, such as the Saints that they adored and things like, coffee, honey, pictures of them, and cigars. We do use them for help in things that affect us or our family. The misa espiritual is oftend done prior coronation (initiation into Santeria, from which they tell you who your spirit guides are) and also its done when they want to do an investigation (they invite other espiritistas or santeros with knowledge with spirits) to assist in the misa readings. Sometimes people have them done to get answers to questions that they may have or issues that they are facing. I work a lot with my Boveda and I use it for issues that affect me and my family. My spirit guides and ancestors help me immediately with issues that I bring up to them, so its like my form of communication with my spirits. I also use it to cleanse myself when I'm feeling negative energies.
ReplyDelete