Itâs a 33-minute Cuban documentary about the Kongo-derived Afro-Cuban religion commonly called Palo ( Palo Monte/Palo Mayombe). Under the original title âNganga Kiyangala: Congo Religion in Cuba,â it explores the role of the nganga (ritual cauldron/altar), ceremonies, music and dance, and contrasts Palo with other Cuban traditions like LucumĂ (SanterĂa) and AbakuĂĄ. The film is credited to researcher Tato Quiñones and director Luis A. Soto and was released in the early 1990s (Spanish, with subtitles)
AbakuĂĄ is a male secret society that originated in Cuba in the early 1800s, specifically in Regla, Havana, in 1836.
It was created by enslaved and free Afro-Cubans who brought traditions from the Ekpe societies of the Efik, Ibibio, and Ejagham peoples in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon.
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Palo
Palo is an Afro-Cuban religion with various denominations that developed among Central African slaves and their descendants, particularly those of Congo and Bantu origin.
The Spanish word palo (âstickâ) refers to the wooden sticks used in the construction of ritual altarsâcalled la Nganga, el caldero, or la prenda.
Denominations (âBranchesâ) of Palo
- Mayombe (or Mallombe)
- Monte
- Briyumba (or Brillumba)
- Kimbisa
Practitioners
Priests and initiates of Palo are called:
- Paleros
- Tatas (male priests)
- Yayas (female priests)
- Nganguleros
Core Beliefs
The Palo belief system rests on two foundational pillars:
- Honor of the spirits
- Belief in natural / earth powers
All natural objectsâespecially sticksâare understood to contain spiritual power, typically connected to the spirits themselves. This differs from SanterĂa and other Yoruba religions, whose orishas are more closely associated with human or anthropomorphic forms.
Distinctive Traits
- No deity-specific colors, clothing, or stylized dances (unlike SanterĂa).
- Ritual emphasis on natural objects and the nganga.
Music in Palo Rituals
Palo music typically begins with wooden percussion, followed by drums and metal tools.
Wooden instruments:
Drums:
- Ngoma (conga-style drums)
Metal instruments:
Higher Deities and Syncretism
Nkuyu
Also known as: Mukudji, Nkuyu, Mañunga, Lubaniba, Lucero, Lucero Mundo, Remolino, Cuarto Vientos, Kbuyu
- Deity of forests and roads; a guide and balancer
- Guardian of cemetery entrances
- Associated with the moon
- Syncretized with EleguĂĄ/Eshu (Yoruba) and the Holy Infant of Atocha
Kengue
Also known as: Mama Kengue, Yola, Tiembla Tierra, Pandilanga
- Sky Father and primordial creator
- Deity of knowledge and justice
- Equivalent to ObatalĂĄ (Yoruba)
- Syncretized with the Virgin of Mercy
Sarabanda
Also known as: Zarabanda, Rompe Monte
- Strong, forceful, willful deity
- Equivalent to OgĂșn (Yoruba)
- Associated with Saint Peter
El Christo Negro
- Black manifestation of Jesus Christ
- Considered all-powerful; all spirits bow to his authority
- Symbolically linked with black crows and black roosters
Mama Chola
- Goddess of fertility and love
- Equivalent to OshĂșn, the Yoruba orisha of beauty and love