Where does the Umbanda religion live in Brazil?

Since then, Umbanda has spread across mainly southern Brazil and neighboring countries like Argentina and Uruguay. Umbanda has many branches, each one with a different set of beliefs and practices. Some common beliefs are the existence of a Supreme Creator known as Olodumare.

Who are the members of the Umbanda temple?

Umbanda temples are autonomous organizations that focus around a leader, mediums (psychics who are able to intermediate communications between the physical and the spiritual worlds), initiates (people with psychic abilities who are being taught in the ways of Umbanda) and lay members.

What’s the difference between Umbanda and Quimbanda?

Umbanda is juxtaposed with Quimbanda which now reclaims its identity as a separate religion and distinct from Umbanda. One hundred years after its establishment, Umbanda divided itself into several branches with different beliefs, creeds, and practices.

When was the peak of the Umbanda religion?

The apex was during the 1970s, with 7,627 Umbanda Terreiros, 856 Candomblé Terreiros and 202 Spiritism Centers. The period from the 1950s to the 1970s was the prime of the Umbanda religion. Police repression decreased, the number of followers soared, but the Catholic Church opposition increased.

What kind of people are the Marinheiros of Umbanda?

The Marinheiros work in the energy of Yemanjá. They are happy, funny, and easy going. When a Marinheiro talks, he sometimes appears to be drunk, but that’s just his way. They can’t stand straight and— frequently stumble as if they were in a ship, at high seas.

Which is the first line in the Umbanda hierarchy?

The exact order of the hierarchy varies by region and practitioner, but a generally agreed upon structure are the Seven Lines, or Sete Linhas da Umbanda. The first line is the top, usually associated with Oxalà, and the bottom is always the Linha das Almas, or Line of Dead Souls.

Who are the Umbanda Exu and what do they represent?

The Umbanda Exu is a phalanx of spirits that are adjusted to Karma following the laws of Jesus Christ. They are confused with demons by the use of tridents, but the Tridents were never Satan’s but Poseidon’s, and they symbolize the fight against all evil.

Who are the gods and goddesses of Umbanda?

Umbanda has one supreme god known as Olorum (or Zambi in Umbanda d’Angola) and many divine intermediary deities called Orixás. Orixàs and spirits are organized in a complex hierarchy of legions, phalanges, sub-phalanges, guides, and protectors. The exact order of the hierarchy varies by region and practitioner,…