View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by OTHES DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit Egbe Onisin Eledumare - 40 Years of African Resistance and Re-Definition in the Caribbean Diaspora. Religion, Politics and Identity of a Pan-African organisation in Trinidad & Tobago Verfasser Bernd Staudenbauer angestrebter akademischer Grad Magister der Philosophie (Mag. Phil.) Wien, im September 2012 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 307 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie Betreuer: Dr. Patric Kment EOE – 40 Years of African Resistance and Re-Definition in the Caribbean Diaspora Page 2/131 EOE – 40 Years of African Resistance and Re-Definition in the Caribbean Diaspora Content I. Acknowledgement (Trinidad).................................................................... 6 II. Acknowledgement (Austria) / Danksagung (Österreich) ....................... 6 III. Terminology............................................................................................ 7 Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................ 9 1.1 Aims of this work ...................................................................................... 10 1.2 The fieldwork situation and conditions in Trinidad & Methodology ................ 11 1.4 Structure of the work ................................................................................ 15 Chapter 2. Theoretical Framework ............................................................. 17 2.1 Identity from a postcolonial/postmodern perspective (Homi Bhabha, Stuart Hall).................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Stereotypes and the Subaltern. The Need for Different Representations ....... 21 2.3 The importance of history – as sites of memory (Pierre Nora) ...................... 24 2.4 Identity and History................................................................................... 26 2.5 Relational Models and the perception of the field (Pierre Bourdieu) .............. 28 2.6 The Problem of Syncretism – Anti-Syncretism (Stewart & Shaw) .................. 31 2.7 Imagined Communities(Benedict Anderson)................................................ 33 2.8 Processes of Re-/Africanization .................................................................. 34 Chapter 3. Historical Environmental Developments................................... 39 3.1 The situation in West Africa and the Slave Trade......................................... 39 3.2 The Situation in Trinidad............................................................................ 41 3.3 Civil Rights Movement and Black Power ...................................................... 43 3.4 Black Power in Trinidad – The Black Power Uprisings/Revolution.................. 45 3.5 The Orisha religion on Trinidad in the second half of the 20th Century ......... 46 4. Yoruba Mythology and Cosmology ......................................................... 48 4.1 The Supreme Being/Divine Intelligence....................................................... 48 4.2 Structure and functioning of the Cosmos .................................................... 49 4.3 Ori ........................................................................................................... 51 4.4 The Divinities ............................................................................................ 51 Chapter 5. Becoming EOE (period of the 70ties)........................................ 55 5.1 The situation in the 60/70ies period ........................................................... 55 5.2 Pre-Definition of Self – Redefinition of self – From 'Negro' to 'African'........... 57 Page 3/131 EOE – 40 Years of African Resistance and Re-Definition in the Caribbean Diaspora 5.3 African/Black Consciousness in Trinidad - the mushrooming of Pan-African bodies..................................................................................... 59 5.4 The need for spirituality of the African self – the path of Chief Oranfe and the first steps of EOE........................................................................... 62 Chapter 6. Contemporary EOE - a Pan-African organisation since 1970 ... 65 6.1 The Compound/Shrine/Ile – connection to Africa......................................... 65 6.2 The philosophy of EOE .............................................................................. 66 6.3 Membership/Initiation................................................................................ 68 6.4 The structure of EOE ................................................................................. 69 6.5 The ritual calendar(festivals) and finance.................................................... 71 6.6 Orisha conferences.................................................................................... 72 Chapter 7. Issues of political legitimation and African Identity ................ 74 7.1 Who are the innovators? Introduction into the Pan-African-Field in Trinidad – reference to Frances Henry ........................................................ 75 7.2 Afrocentrism !? Introduction into the Identity debate of Otherness............... 77 7.3 Issues of Identity. Identity as an ongoing Issue from a theoretical and practical perspective............................................................................ 79 7.4 National Identity – The Politics of Group/Communal Identities in Trinidad – "Here Every Creed and Race find an equal Place" versus "There is no Mother Africa" ........................................................................ 85 7.5 Spiritual Identity and Politics. Acts of Political recognition of the Orisha religion ........................................................................................... 88 7.5.1 The Ooni of Ife ................................................................................... 88 7.5.2 The Council of Elders........................................................................... 89 7.5.3 The Orisha marriage act ...................................................................... 91 7.5.4 Shango Day........................................................................................ 92 7.5.5 Acceptance of the Orisha religion by the IRO ........................................ 94 7.5.6 Council of Traditional Afrikan Chiefs ..................................................... 95 7.6 Towards Africa – The ongoing Road of Africanization (in the Orisha/Ifa religion) on Trinidad ....................................................... 98 Chapter 8. The Divine Entrepreneur ......................................................... 106 8.1 The meaning of the orishas/ori in daily life.................................................106 8.2 Divination and its importance in the ongoing process .................................110 8.3 Commemoration – The Compound as a Site of Memory / as a portal to Africa ..................................................................................112 Chapter 9. Perspectives for the future ..................................................... 115 9.1 The 2045 goals of EOE and their practical basis .........................................115 Page 4/131 EOE – 40 Years of African Resistance and Re-Definition in the Caribbean Diaspora 9.2 Further Development of Ifa Religions/ Yoruba Sacred Science.....................118 Chapter 10. Identity, Politics, Religion and Africans – A conclusion ....... 120 Chapter 11. Literature .............................................................................. 123 11.1 Print media ............................................................................................123 11.2 Internet .................................................................................................125 11.3 Interviews..............................................................................................126 11.4 Internet links (throughout the work)........................................................127 IV. Attachment A: Abstract....................................................................... 129 V. Attachment B: Curriculum Vitae ........................................................... 130 Page 5/131 EOE – 40 Years of African Resistance and Re-Definition in the Caribbean Diaspora I. Acknowledgement (Trinidad) I give thanks to all the people that supported me during my stay in Trinidad, all the people that ensured my safety and well-being, all the people that tried to help me to understand Ifa (known as the Orisha religion), the Black Power Movement of 1970 or also of course the whole complexity of the Pan-African organisation Egbe Onisin Ele- dumare. Thanks goes to Chief Oranfe for his patience and time during the countless conversations we had, with and without an audio recorder. I am thankful that he was able to visit Austria in Winter 2011 and for all the beers we could drink together. Thanks goes to Abasewolu who gave me shelter and good advice. I can not describe with words how much it meant to me that you welcomed me in your family, and that you became a friend. Therefore I also give thanks to your daughters and wives. Thanks goes to Sangode, for her encouraging words and support, thanks goes to all the participants of the class of initiation of autumn 2010 for all the nice evenings we could have together. Thanks goes to all members of Egbe Onisin Eledumare and their befriended shrines for their support and acceptance. I give thanks