Rama ARA ATARE - Pimenta line
One of the original traditional leaders who advanced Yoruba tradition in New York City was Cuban-born Mercedes Nobles (Yoruba name, Oban Yoko)MY IYANLA (GRANDMOTHER IN OCHA ) , who traveled to New York in 1952. Yoko's mother was eight years old when her Afro-American grandparents moved to Cuba during World War I. In 1958, Yoko returned to Cuba and was initiated into the Yoruba tradition on March 9 as a priestess of Chango. Julito Collazo played for her first cumpleano de Santo, her Orisha birthday celebration, on March 9, 1959 (Collazo interview).
During the late '50s, as the Orisha community expanded in New York City, believers would return to Cuba to perform initiations. In 1961, Oban Yoko, with the consent of her Orisha, performed the first initiation of Orisha ('mounting of the Orisha,' or hacer Santo) on the head of Julia Franco- ONI chango , at 610 W. 136th Street in Manhattan. Yoko went on to establish a casa de Santo ('House of Orisha') in New York City.
she had initiated thirty-two people into the Orisha tradition, and as the first santera to initiate a recognized Orisha godchild in New York City, she established precedents for performing initiation ceremonies there. The reaction to this pioneering move was much criticized . However, Oban Yoko's pioneering spirit gave Orisha a permanent home in New York, and the presence of Babalowos Pancho Mora and Bebo sanctioned this first step in initiating devotees in New York City. Not only did Yoko's courageous and pioneering action validate New York City initiations, but local initiation allowed people who could not afford to travel to Cuba to become recognized members of the Orisha community.
Our Line as you can read has collapsed one into the other starting with Efuche , to Coral Encaje to the Pimenta line ..
I will say I tend to be anal about the way things are done in todays santeria community. I tend to stay close to the traditions I have been taught from Regla de Ocha of Cuba. I do not mix Candomble with Ocha nor Palo with Ocha ... I stand on the shoulders that have come before me in pride.
I have not been a Ile "jumper" nor have I left the teachings of my padrino ALA EFUN, Mario Eduardo Cruz OLO obatala/ Tata/ Oriate
I have decided to close all my websites and refrain from posting in other forums and websites due to the lack of respect that is given or shown about our religion. These, are my private writings and essays that I am sharing.
Modupe
Ota Omi
