I know that I have already written a general letter with emotion about all my ancestors, known or not, but I would like to honor the Mexicans and Africans to whom I also have a very strong connection. Before the beginner classes I always had a lot of appreciation for Mexico, and until then these dead spirits have been helping me (especially in the matter of insomnia and fear) with their trumpets and their laughter.
In fact, I have always been enchanted by La Muerte and by all of Santeria Cubana, I did not imagine finding ancestors from there. The same happened to me with an African entity that was brought to Brazil in the past by colonizers, many call them “grandpa” or “preto velho”.
And whenever I was sad, a point would repeat itself in my head:
Fio
Se suncê precisar
É só pensar na Vovó
Que Ela vem te ajudar
Pensa numa estrada longa, zifio
Lá no seu jacutá
E numa casinha branca, zifio
Que a Vovó tá lá
Sentada num banquinho tosco, zifio
Com seu rosário na mão
Pensa na Vovó Maria Redonda
Fazendo oração
Pensa na Vovó Maria Redonda
Fazendo oração
I don’t feel the need to translate all this into Portuguese, because some words don’t have in English. But the summary is about the entity being there when you need protection, affection and affection. This entity “line” represents the African ancestors, considered to be of great spiritual elevation. They are credited with the knowledge of divine magic and the manipulation of herbs. Although not all of them lived in slavery, they reflect feelings such as humility, wisdom, or patience, in reverence for the pain suffered by these people during the slavery period.