Religions Similar to African Diasporic Traditons?

[Domi333]

I have heard that the Feri Tradition is similar but I think hat might be because they incorporate a lot from other religions.

 

[Sundance]

Pray tell, in what ways are the two traditions similar?

 

[Politesse]

Do you mean the Afro-Caribbean traditions? It is true that American paganism borrows extensively from Vodou and Santeria, as we have a large diaspora of our own composed of refugees from the Caribbean nations. There are always houngans and manbos in attendance when we have a big gathering here on the West Coast, and I know the magical suppliers cater to everyone if they can. It has led to a lot of mixing. I do not know much about Feri, but it did originate in my state so I would not be surprised if those influences were present.

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

"African Diasporic" usually refers to colonial/post-colonial forms of African religions pioneered in the Americas, such as Santeria and Haitian Vodou. I think that Kemetic Orthodoxy takes influence from African diasporic religions, as do some folks on the fringe of Norse polytheism.

 

[Domi333]

"African Diasporic" usually refers to colonial/post-colonial forms of African religions pioneered in the Americas, such as Santeria and Haitian Vodou. I think that Kemetic Orthodoxy takes influence from African diasporic religions, as do some folks on the fringe of Norse polytheism.

Vaguely Humanoid, as in Galina Krasskova using Espiritismo? I know she is big on Thor and the Jotuns, so quite fringe compared to Asatru.

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

Vaguely Humanoid, as in Galina Krasskova using Espiritismo? I know she is big on Thor and the Jotuns, so quite fringe compared to Asatru.

Galina Krasskova, yeah. She and Raven Kaldera are into Vodou-style possession techniques ("deity horsing"). I really don't like her sort of outlook on the gods in a lot of ways but she definitely fits the category of people from other religions with African diasporic influences.

Also, Thor is really beloved and mainstream to worship in Ásatrú, tho he is 3/4s jötunn by blood. I feel like you probably meant to say Loki, who is pretty controversial.

 

[Domi333]

Loki, of course

 

[Riverwolf]

Loki´s not evil. He´s only "controversial" for those Heathens who are still under the impression that he´s some kind of Heathen Satan, when he´s... not. That conception was created by Christians trying to tie their new faith to their old traditions, and Loki, being the Trickster God, was the easiest target.

 

[Domi333]

Loki´s not evil. He´s only "controversial" for those Heathens who are still under the impression that he´s some kind of Heathen Satan, when he´s... not. That conception was created by Christians trying to tie their new faith to their old traditions, and Loki, being the Trickster God, was the easiest target.

What are your thoughts on the Northern Shamans and worshiping jotuns, @Riverwolf?

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

I hate when people view Loki as some kind of embodiment of evil. He is an Æsir god, sworn to Oðinn. He is a complex god of chaos, change and renewal. People get too swept up in literal readings of Snorri's accounts and don't look at the deeper significance of Loki's actions. Loki disrupts the status quo and often puts the gods thru the wringer, but always in a way that helps them in the long run. He cuts off Sif's hair, but then he spins her new hair out of solid gold. He risks everything on a bet with giants, and gets both a wall for Asgard and the fastest horse in the cosmos out of it (which he gifts to his blood brother). Without Loki, Þor would not have his hammer.

Even in killing Baldr, Loki ensures that he will survive Ragnarok. That myth kinda parallels Set and Osiris, or even Hades and Persephone. The Norse dwelled in a land where the sun never sets in midsummer and never rises in midwinter. It only fits to have a god of light who dies and returns and a universe that is destroyed and remade. In my experience a lot of the loudest anti-Loki voices tend to be folks with a moral worldview indistinguishable from right-wing Christianity.

 

[Domi333]

So only Ragnarok can truly kill the gods? So, Loki doesn't destroy Baldur but saves him for the period afterwards?

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

Loki sends Baldr to the underworld (Helheim) and prevents him from escaping. At Ragnarok, the adversarial forces come out of the lower realms - Helheim and Muspelheim. When the gods and their enemies die at Ragnarok, they are succeeded by their living children - including Baldr, who emerges from Helheim to reign in Asgard. It's a subject of debate how much of this story is Christian-influenced, but that is Ragnarok as portrayed in the Eddas.

 

[Riverwolf]

What are your thoughts on the Northern Shamans and worshiping jotuns, @Riverwolf?

Eh. So long as they don't tell me what I can and can't do, they can do as they will.

Besides, Giants aren't evil, either. We all but worship Mother Earth even to this day, after all.

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

I would not worship a hostile jötunn like Fenrir or Surtr bc it seems disrespectful to the Æsir kinda. But I have no problem with people who are into that because the jötnar aren't "devils", they're primal (often destructive) parts of nature. They are essential to the "cosmic ecosystem", for Miðgarðr was formed from a jötunn's body. And the Æsir and Vanir's jötunn allies such as Skadi, Jörd, Ægir and Ran absolutely deserve to be honored. They are gods every bit as worthy as those of the other two tribes.