Food for the Gods

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    I find it quite interesting the ways in which humans can use physical items to represent non-physical ideas or beliefs. Perez describes the ways that people of the Afro-Caribbean religion Lucumi use food that they themselves prepared to appeal to and strengthen their connection to their deities, the Orishas, and the spiritual realm. Some claim that when the offerings are taken back they weigh less than they had before being given out to the Orisha, although in most cases it cannot be physically noted in any way that these offerings are being interacted with and appreciated (unless someone is possessed and eats the food as the deity in the body of one of the followers). Despite this, the practice is still incredibly important and relevant to their usual rituals. 

A Lucumi man performing a religious ritual
Lucumi man performing a religious ritual
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4614-6086-2_9109

    Seeing and eating is said to overlap metaphorically in relation to the “taste buds” of the spirits. The Orisha see that they have worked to create these dishes for them and can either be pleased or displeased with what they are given and the sight of the food is what appeases them, since they are unable to physically eat and taste it. These spiritual figures also have preferences in the food they are given. Each Orisha has a specific dish that the Lucumi make for them, with the specifics going as far as needing okra to be deseeded, preferring a specific form of sugar, or having their meat be from a specifically gendered animal. The Orisha have preferred “tastes”, despite not being able to eat the food. The physical human sense of taste is now put into a spiritual form. Not only are the participants of the rituals tasting the food that they had taken the time to make, but the metaphysical beings are also tasting their food in some way, and can either be pleased or displeased by the manner in which it was prepared or presented. The connection between human senses and the spiritual realm is one that continues to fascinate me. Just because you cannot physically see it does not mean it does not exist, but how far can that be taken?


Comments

  1. Charlotte BermanMay 10, 2022 at 10:57 AM

    I think we take for granted so many things we cannot see (gravity, wind, if you've ever just woken up and known it was going to be a bad day), so I think it's interesting how they're able to extend this to something that many of us may ask for more proof on

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