Africa Speaks Reasoning Forum

Well, let me try to offer you some basic information. First and foremost, Afrikan temples in the West, including the U.S., are not usually set up like in Afrika. This is due to social and economic circumstances as opposed any "better way of doing things." We use the term Afrikan temple, but it is not always a stand alone facility that is used for only that purpose. Temple refers to the people that are considered members of a particular spiritual community more often than not.

The Deities used for community worship are not communally owned in most cases, but are owned by the Priest that heads that temple, or another priest in that temple that has a particular Deity that is the subject of inquiry at the time. For example, I am initiated into Olokun priesthood. My godsister is initiated into Sango priesthood. The head of our Temple is initiated to an Orisa entirely different from both of us. While in most cases we do Orisa work to one of the Orisa that is "owned" by our head priest, in the case of Sango or Olokun work, the temple members may come to make sacrifice, offer prayer, seek medicine etc. from our Orisa instead, because we have a stronger relationship to those particular Orisa based on the initiation process than others would, including the person that initiated me, because its a relationship that continuous and that forms parts of my destiny and personality, while it merely one aspect of the Creator to another person. (That is a quick summation of the logic, but it should suffice for this conversation)

The Akan and Ausar Auset Societies usually have buildings, but not always. Orisa'Ifa, Palo, Macumba, Vodun etc. usually base their "temples" around their home. When means dedicated space in a priest's house, maybe a seperate facility on their property, a basement, etc etc. It just depends.

But in all instances, people can go and commune with the Deities of Afrika. But JUST AS IT IS IN AFRIKA, you don't just decide you want to go, show up and get in. In Afrika, being found in the sacred grove of an Afrikan Deity, especially in the area where the main shrine is located, would have gotten you in BIG trouble in the past! You have to be inspected and approved to enter certain space, taught how to carry yourself and what you can't and can do - as your actions, wrong or right, fall on the caretaker of that Shrine. So if you walk in and drop peanuts down in front of Esu (and Esu doesnt eat peanuts) then who is at fault? The person that let you waltz in unsupervised.

In Western religions, you can do what you want, and make up whatever relationship and protocol you want to have with Deity. In Afrika these interactions are scientific and to a great extent based on prior experience and knowledge of other clients, devotees and priests. So If you're looking for a place where you can just walk in without notice and do "whatca' like" its not going to happen. Here or anywhere on the planet. Also, 8 times out of 10 (being safe with my statistics here) you arent going to gain access out of mere curiousity. If you are coming to get spiritual services or to get spiritual renewal, no one is going to say "sure, you want to see what one looks like? Here take a peek, down the hall and down the stairs." Shrines are active vortexs of energy and don't make the best "tourist spots". Not to say that whats you are looking for in particular, but just emphasizing that there is only one reason to want to visit a shrine - communion with Spirit.

Now individual with their own shrines to Deities or Ancestors allow people to look all the time, a decision I could unwise and couterproductive, unless you are showing somebody what they might be getting involved with in the future. Why would you want to show somebody where you go to YOUR ancestors to talk or where YOU go to talk to God to get spiritual protection, battle your enemies, recharge your spiritual energy etc? and merely to satisfy their curiousity? This is a very western desire that need not ever be filled. Ever. If they want to meet God but arent interested in Afrikan systems, tell them to go look at the empty pews and podium at their church, mosque or synagogue and pretend that there is an Shrine there. lol (No disrespect to those reading, but the idea of someone having their own religion or no religion at all - with no intentions of leaving that situation, but wanting to see where you get your business taken care of, is very offensive!)

Social Conditions
So what are some of the social conditions that warrant "temples" being people that form an association, more than a standalone building these days? We are still fighting a considerable amount of racism and xenophobia. Many cities priests decide that rather than battle week after week to do spiritual ritual to protect a building from vandalism or religious bigotry they would rather focus on the people that come to them. So if the a building is going to attract Christian terrorists or overly aggressive agnostics to their door, worst yet people that want to destroy, burn, hurt etc.. why bother? A building aint what's important. Its the Shrine, the People initiated to activate and maintain that shrine and the people that come to it fortify, identify and pursue spiritual evolution.

Now even in parts of Afrika where there is trouble due to Christians and Muslims that are terribly aggressive, its still pretty easy to set up a temple with the general public tripping. In fact, its expected.

Economic Conditions
Whether you are afrikan, amerindian, chicano, asian etc., if you live in amerika, you are either broke, used to be broke, or one to three generations from being broke. Finances make buildings, temples etc happen. And again, while some Deity and Ancestors want that for a community, other times they don't - they would rather see a group of people working out their spiritual and personal financial paths, instead of rallying people to buy a building. Some temples use their community dues to help pay for initiations, family emergencies, school or trips to other communities throughout the country.

There is no fast rule on the subject of why some do and others don't have standalone temples. Heck, some priests just don't want to be bothered with buildings because it means they have to quit their jobs and maintain the space more often or charge more for certain spiritual services to pay for the space. (Remember Afrikans ALWAYS gave something for a spiritual service. Somebody spends all day making medicine for you, or erecting a shrine for your ancestors you didnt send them home sweaty, hungry and broke, besides we think rappers should get money for their effort but not clergy with family? and bills? what does that say to our children about the ability to earn a living doing something righteous? Maybe this is why we never had a real national effort to stand by school teachers and their salaries as well?)

Lastly, using our living space makes many people more comfortable than meeting in a building. They really believe you when you say "dress comfortable to the ritual or lecture" And we spend time with each other, not focusing on how we are dressed, what we arrived in, and how "fly" the whole situation is...

Now in Afrika, many people would work to establish a temple. They might even build it together in rural areas and they would expect and encourage one, if not a few priests to maintain it and provide spiritual services (some by fee) as their only profession.


Or just go here for updated list of Afrikan Systems Practiced and Locations of Temples, URLs, phone #s, addresses etc of Afrikan Temples in America (http://www.rootsandrooted.org/temple_sites.htm). I am working hard to get more priests to give out their contact information outside of normal circles because they are So many people looking to connect for spiritual renewal.