Sacred Chamba Preparation Guide
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ScribdTranslationsSacred Chamba Preparation Guide
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ScribdTranslationsPractitioner's Manual:
The Job
The chamba is the sacred liquid of Palo. There are many ways to prepare the chamba.
the main ingredients of the work, which we use for multiple purposes, are:
Rainwater, collected especially during the first rain of the month of May, while
it settles in the cracks of the ceiba
forming small puddles.
River water
Sea water
Holy water from a Catholic church
Palm oil
Lard
Cascarilla
Whole black pepper
Eru (a Nigerian root)
Kola Nuts
A burning coal wrapped in a malanga leaf
At least twenty-one of the herbs of the orishas
The work serves to purify and sanctify stones, necklaces, seashells, amulets, and everything.
class of items used for ritual purposes or to provide protection. The herbs that
They should be placed on a straw mat for the preparation of the job.
in front of several elders who will chew some to imbue them with their ashé (grace). Of the
those present during the job preparation, the one who has been there the least amount of time will collect
the herbs and, walking on their knees as a sign of respect, will pass the herbs to the elders to
that they chew them. After the elders have chewed them, they will deposit them in
clay containers that have already been painted with the emblematic colors of each orisha
represented. Thus, the sacred herbs for Shangó will be placed in a container.
red, those of Obatalá in a white one, etc. The elders will have recited the prayer Mo Juba.
before starting, they must sing to each orisha while working with the herbs
corresponding. It must be sung in the following order: Lucero, Zarabanda, Oshosi,
Tremble-Earth, Seven Rays, Lightning Ndoki, Mother of Water and Mama Chola, and next
any other orisha that needs to be invoked. After the selection ceremony of the
herbs, the person with the longest tenure will lift the straw mat where they worked with
the herbs and will ensure that even the smallest blade of grass is used in the work.
Work is essential when making a ngangulero (owner of a cauldron).
After a striped member of the munanso has successfully completed their
learning period of one year and seven days, you can ask Tata for a reading regarding if
You are psychologically, spiritually, and physically prepared to take on the imposing responsibility.
to have their own nganga (charm, cauldron). Assuming everything goes well and the applicant is
accepted for inclusion in the range of nganguleros, the corresponding Tata, called
the steward or, if she is a woman, Yayi or Tikantika, will have to bathe the future ngangulero with work
for seven consecutive days. The butler must also ensure that his 'person in charge'
She drinks three big sips of work every morning. A super demanding job as well.
it will contain the blood of some sacrificed animals, as well as some rum.
The aberikolas (non-initiates) should never see any of the ceremonies mentioned here.
After the initiation as ngangulero, the newly ordained priest possessing a cauldron must
to be closely observed by his godfather, the butler or the nanny, since in the following week after
the initiation, its strengths and weaknesses will be magnified a thousand times; it is the responsibility of the
Master to recognize those strengths and weaknesses to guide the new ngangulero through them.
further on. Some of the nkisis like Centella, Monte Oscuro, Siete Rayos, Tumba Loma,
Defeat Battles, Mariquilla Ndoki, End of the World, Block the Ways, and Turn the World. These are forces
powerful. Before we can allow one of our priests to channel one of
these spirits, we have to be sure that he is capable of handling it. One week
later, we will offer the new ngangulero his Esengue, an object made of Iroko wood,
while holding a lit candle over a white plate.
The chamba is also used to feed and give strength to the deities. The chamba of Lucero
it can carry three, twenty-one, or one hundred and one different herbs, the one of Tiembla-Tierra carries eight, the
of Seven Rays six, that of Centella Ndoki nine, that of Mother of Water seven, that of Mama Chola
five, the one from Zarabanda three or seven, the one from Pata en Llaga seventeen, etc. All the herbs
They must be properly consecrated as already described. Work should be added to
any food cooked for the orishas or during festivals. The following are
some of the herbs that belong to the different orishas.
LUCERO: horse tail, cow tongue, grass, wheat grass, asafoetida, real itamo,
mango, basil, pine nut, yam
Earthquake: clove amaranth, elderberry, encampane, white Christmas bonus, lilies, pigweed
almond, mango, marquise, white jagua.
SEVEN RAYS and STRONG ARM: Red bledo, atipóla, guanaco mucus, baria, platanillo, banana,
banana, zarzaparrilla, baya china, olmo, jobo.
MOTHER OF WATER: verbena, lechuguilla, indigo, prodigious, little umbrella, water flower, lotus, hyacinth,
["fern","watercress","peppermint","purple basil","guásima","buttercup","girl's herb"]
cockroach, cinnamon stick, blackberry herb, pigeon heart.
ZARABANDA: lemon grass, hen's foot, rooster bone, mimosa, everlasting, Jericho flower,
["romerillo","pine nut","break saraguey","purple basil","ebony"]
CENTELLA NDOKI: yerba garro, guasimilla, baria, yuca, ciruela, cabo de hacha, mazorquilla. No
never put sticks or bark in the work, only leaves and tender stems.
Lucero, Zarabanda, y Oshosi puede intercambiar hierbas. Lo mismo ocurre con Madre de Agua
and Mama Chola. However, Pata en Llaga should never be mixed with other orishas in the
rituals, except with Nana Bukuu and Afra. The herbs of PATAEN LLAGA are: cundiamor,
["sargasso","pazote","zazafra","ateje","small scorpion","bitter broom","pine nut","jug","casimon","ube vine"]
road cover, carabalí the yaya, and hold on. We must not forget that the most important ingredient
the important thing about Chamba is the water, the very essence of God's favorite daughter, Oshún, who
she embodied in Angola as a queen named Chola Wanga.
The baths keep our members healthy and ready to receive the good.
vibrations that our spirit guides bring. Any possible member of our munanzo
He must get some work to drink. Then he will be bathed in work and taken to a.
cemetery or sacred grove where a loyalty oath will be made to Tata, the munanzo, and
all its members. The initiations should ideally be carried out outdoors in
nature, but putting many plants, tree branches, and herbs in a room can
be a substitute if the circumstances require it.