O R I H A T E                                         M A N U A L

PROLOGUE

Doing the prologue of a book, is not an easy thing, that is to say, it is in itself, a diligent work, product of the examination of all the ideas and concepts shaped by the author in the body of the same, in order to provide an outline to the readers, the purpose that has followed its generator to present into the public opinion and also the prologue author has to himself , formulating a personal concept on the work, doing so to emphasize an educative and instructive purpose, as well as, its literary value, without losing of sight of the signaling of the small errors from which the entrusted work could suffer.

Therefore, I have to limit myself not only to the content of the work, but the benefits that could be reported in the future, to the readers which they have a little knowledge of the African mythology, which has been object of a ruthless criticism, mainly, by those commentators and writers specialized in the field of the sociology, that are distrustful and hungry to know the mystic or African mythology, has fed on the versions or commented out by people who boast themselves to know the true mysteries of Afro-Cuban science, and these as well, shape these ideas in their books, the belief that they have had the luck of the lucumi' religion , when the certain thing is that source of the acquisition is entirely false and devoid of veracity.

We say this, for the reason that the modern commentators do not know, nor can know the secrets thoroughly of African mythology, since the African slaves who brought to Cuba, diverse African feudalist mythologies, never revealed their secrets, that according to commentaries of the last successors reserves which they remain as relics of the lucumi' race, assure, that their predecessors hid from their children when verifying their religious rites. I do not doubt that due to some intrusiveness and falseness they have tried to discover by the persuasiveness tract, the evolution and development of those religious rites, but, yes I assure you, that even they have not been able to know the basic and essential fundamental of the lucumi'es ceremonies.

I do not doubt either that they have been able to discover some real points of the referred ceremonies, but, we can assure, that they cannot give a basic explanation of the foundation of a ceremony, thatis to say, as is its reason of being and its purpose.

The modern commentators and writers, strive in their attempt not only to a speculative aim, but, to heighten their literary reputation very little mattering to them, the damage that could result to those through their sanctity or creed, are working hard in perpetuating its secret and its mysteries through the history of the world, such as them a son's and other religious organizations. The revelation of the cult of a religion, is profane and a treason to the sacred religious principles.

A true mason has an oath that imposes the will to let itself be cut on the neck before revealing the mysteries of masons, then, thus were the lucumi'es ancestors; they died and they took with themselves the secret of its religious knowledge. Equally the Indians verified this, never have I had before mean example or work, that has revealed the secrets of this almost extinguished race.

On the other hand, the writers who like the subscribed, very thoroughly know the mysteries the lucumi' religion, are not able to publicly reveal the mythological essence of this religion, that in my opinion is most human and most adaptable to the Christian religion in its purpose. Then the acquired erroneous concepts of the "popular" or other books published by opportunistic writers, have caused a serious damage in the public opinion, who flee from it considering it like a repugnant religion of people of low social culture.

Now I ask: What knowledge will be able to have the modern writers, if these are not " SANTEROS ", nor practice this religion, And what ideas will be able to suggest to the public opinion, if the source of knowledge which these writers have used themselves, is the commentaries of people who are not santeras either, nor practices this religion? As it appears in the work recently published titled " the MONTE ", in first place, this work is the compilation of ceremonies of the religion Ganga', Lucumi', Conga and Arara', mixing the African language, as if it was an "UNIQUE" language , when the certain thing is that Africa was cradle of a " FEUDAL " civilization, where there existed tribes of feudal type, and where each tribe had its own typical language, different from the language of the other tribes.

When in the XVI Century the Negro commerce, known in annals of History, by " TREATY " emigrated to Cuba enslaved African of different regions from this vast continent, that in form of hostages were transferred to America, as subject merchandise to the gear of the mercantile transaction. How is it possible, that if those slaves had a regional local language, local customs and a religion that was agreeable with the religious deity which they adored, how is it possible I repeat, that now anyone tries to mystify the words, fusing them in a unique language? Those commentators do not know, that each tribe adored a deity or religious pattern! For example, in the land of " TACUA "they adored Santa Barbara, well-known, as Chango' the king of the ray and the thunderclap; and which in the land of the religion of "Arara", they adored San Lazaro, well-known in the lucumi' region, by BABALUAYE or the king of health and disease.

I have seen a treaty or book where the author confuses the lucumi' language with the language "Arara" and the "bricano", that also is of African origin, being observed in this work that their exists a true ignorance of the linguistic differences of the African slaves, who in honor to the truth, many slaves were not understood. The same it happened in America with the Indians, who according to NICOLASESTE-VANEZ, notable historian, said that there existed between the Indians more than TWO HUNDRED DIALECT. Really, the titled work " the Monte" is a literary jewel, but with regard to the revelation of the secrets of the Lucumi' religion, they are mystified, as much the ceremonies, as the applied language.

As far as the work of the friend NICOLAS ANGARICA, titled " MANUAL Of The ORIHATE ", it is a work that magnifies, with more abundant details than its previous work, since in the same one, was careful to avoid the written errors contained in its titled work " the LUCUMI WITHIN REACH OF ALL ", because it has arrived at his hands a dictionary and a Bible translated in language YORUBA, in order that the readers can know their legitimate and true writing and its correct pronunciation. On the other hand, the author presents in an abstracted form the history of the SAINTS or DEITIES of origin LUCUMI, that nowadays is practiced and adored in Cuba. Also he exposes the duties that the IGUOROS or Santeros have with their godsons and each towards each other.

The work is an extension of the previous one, since also it has extended the ODDUN, in order that the ORIHATE, can extend their conversations or registries. On the other hand, it reveals the relation that exists between the stars and the living beings. The author, on the other hand, gives an extensive explanation of the History of the ODDUN, in a moral form, in order that they can verify his reasoning of the way that has to follow in agreement with the ODDUN that radiates to the consultant. Therefore, more than a Manual, it is for the ORIHATE, a luminous center of direction, knowledge and wisdom.

The lucumi' tongue is unique and exclusive, that comes from a very powerful civilization of Africa called the Yorubas and cannot be mixed nor be confused with other African tongues. The readers and modern writers should know, in the region of the Yorubas the language has the degree of "NATIONAL TONGUE", because in this land, two essential tongues are spoken, that is, the Yoruba and the OYO, with its defined grammar rules, being these, the product of the fusion of all the lucumi'es dialects. OYO and Yoruba, to whom the modern commentators do not know, and whom are inserted in this valuable Manual, of that dignifies me to be its limitless propagandist and prologuist.

Dr Jose Roque of the Nut (Efu'n Yomi')

Habana, 3 of August of 1955