Diaspora Conversions: Black Carib Religion and the Recovery of Africa

Glossary

287 Glossary abeimahani Women’s songs, sung by women forming a line with linked little fingers, and accompanied by rhythmic arm gestures suggestive of shared work. ahari Ancestral spirit that aids buyeis; often used interchangeably with hiyuruha; usually the spirit of an ancestor in its beneficent mode. amalahani Placation songs, sung at climactic intervals during the dügü when roosters (gayu) are presented to the gubida. amuidahani “Bathing” of the deceased, an intimate familybased ritual held at least six months following a death. arairaguni The practice of calling down the spirits during a consultation with a buyei, to divine the nature of a problem and the procedure for its resolution. arumahani Men’s songs, sung by men forming a line with linked little fingers, and accompanied by rhythmic arm gestures suggestive of shared work. buyei Garifuna shaman, healer, and ritual leader. caldero Iron pot constituting a contract with a spirit of the dead, in Afro-Cuban Palo Monte, now used by Garifuna buyeis in New York as well. chugu Second-largest ritual, performed to feed and fete a dissatisfied ancestor summoned in spirit possession, requiring drummers and a buyei as leader. 288 GLOSSARY curandera Generic Spanish term for a wide array of folk healers who use herbs and traditional practices to cure illness. dabuyaba Temple constructed in traditional palm-thatch style (manaca) specifically for a single dügü. Also called gayunere. dibasen Shelter for sleeping, cooking, and relaxation, contiguous with the dabuyaba. dügü The largest ritual event, performed periodically to heal a specific patient or reunite a dispersed family by summoning gubida spirits in spirit possession and placating them over a period of a week. ereba Cassava flatbread, the food representing tradition par excellence. Esquipula Catholic saint from Guatemala, now also a key Garifuna saint known as Cristo Negro (Black Christ). furunsu Rum and egg punch made by the buyei at the conclusion of a chugu or a dügü, just prior to “burning the table.” gayu Roosters presented to ancestors during the dügü; also the symbol of a buyei’s successful initiation. guagai Handwoven baskets used during the dügü. gubida Spirits of the ancestors that confer benefits on their living descendants, but are also capable of bringing on bad luck and sickness when not appropriately remembered in ritual. gulei Shaman’s altar; also the room containing the altar during a dügü. hasandigubida An illness or other crisis discerned to be caused by a displeased ancestor, a gubida. hiyuruha Buyei’s spirit helpers and patrons. idugahatiñu The start of the dügü proper, marked by the departure and arrival of the traditional fishermen, “the providers.” lemesi Garifuna “mass” performed for the dead. lugusurugayu One-day ritual on the first-year anniversary of a dügü. mureywa Baton wielded by buyeis to “balance” spirits when they arrive to take possession of ritual participants’ bodies. GLOSSARY 289 ocha Afro-Cuban term for Yoruba orisha, contracted from oricha. orisha Deity or divinized ancestor in Yoruba religion. punta Formerly a funereal dance, now a secularized style of dance and popular music genre. Used for everyday recreation and entertainment, but also as a festive part of rituals for the ancestors. puro Cigars used by buyei for ritual work. Sairi The otherworld where ancestral spirits reside, sometimes associated with the island of St. Vincent. sisiri Maracas used to summon the spirits; a key part of the buyei’s toolkit. toque Afro-Cuban ceremony involving drumming. wanaragua Also called máscaro; a mask dance performed almost exclusively by males, in whiteface and gowns. veluria All-night wake and vigil held immediately after a community member’s death. Yurumein Garifuna name for the island Europeans called St. Vincent. This page intentionally left blank ...