May 17: A Babalawo at IMA!
“Seeing Santería: A Guided Tour” explores the roots of Magdalena Maria Campos-Pons’s art in Afro-Cuban religion
When: Thursday, May 17, 7:00 pm
Where: Indianapolis Museum of Art: Meet at entrance to Special Exhibitions Gallery
Free with special exhibition ticket ($12) / Free to museum members
Santería is a New World religion derived from Yoruba (Nigeria, West African) spiritual traditions and Spanish folk Catholicism, practiced by millions in the Caribbean and South America. Growing up in Cuba, the practice of Santería shaped the life of María Magdalena Campos-Pons. Central to Santería are Orishas, multi-dimensional beings representing forces of nature symbolized by colors, numbers, rhythms and more. On “Seeing Santería: A Guided Tour,” Anthony Artis, a.k.a Babalawo Awodele, a Santería high priest, leads a fascinating tour through the Campos-Pons exhibition with an eye to the Santería rites, rituals and symbols reflected in her works. Babalawo is directly translated as “father of the secrets”.
Know before you go … In Santeria/Lukumi, the Babalawo is the High Priest of Orunmila. Babalawo is the Highest rank of the Priesthood in Santeria. Babalawos specialize in divination- communication with the Orishas. They determine through a variety of divination methods the will of the Orishas. A Babalawo determines which Orisha rules the “head” of a candidate for initiation, and Only a man may become a Babalawo; women become Ayalochas (Mother of the Orishas).
