Book on Palo [Palo Monte – as practiced at Guanabacoa, a suburb of Havana (p

Book on Palo [Palo Monte – as practiced at Guanabacoa, a suburb of Havana (p. 1)] [originally from Angola (p. 3)] {this is apparently from northern Angola, inasmuch as Umbanda is praevalent instead amongst the Ambanda of southern Angola}

chapters

#	*title*	*pp.*
1^st	What is Palo Monte?	3-15
2^nd	Making C^amba	25-8
4^th	Making a Cauldron	35-43
5^th	Deities	45-69
7^th	Spells & Firmas	77-94
8^th	Baths, Spells, Works	95-109
9^th	Prayers	111-25
10^th	Vocabulary	127-43

p. 1 the 4 branches of Palo

Briyumba, Monte, Mayombe, Kimbisa

pp. 12-13 Spanish versions of Palo-Monte deity-names; Yoruba deity-names sometimes used in substitute of them

p.	*Palo-Monte*	*Spanish*	*Yoruba*
12	nkisi-s		oris^a-s
	Nsambi Mpungu		Olodumare
	Nkuyo	Lucero (‘Light-maker’)	Es^u / Elegbara
	Mama Kenge	Tiembla-Tierra (‘Earthquake’)	Os^anla`
	Nsasi	Siete Rayos (‘7 Rays’)	S^ano`
	Kalunga / Balaunde	Madre de Agua (‘Mother of Water’)	Yemaya`
	Mama S^ola		Os^u`n
	Kubayende	Pata en Llaga (‘Sore on Leg’)	Babalu`-Aye`
	Zarabanda		Ogu`n
	Mariwanga	Centella (‘Flash’)	Oya`
	Watariamba	Vence Batallas (‘Win Battles’), Busca Rastros (‘Seek Signs’)	Os^osi
13	Daday	Cuatro Vientos (‘4 Winds’)	Orunmila
	Musilango		Oris^a-Oko
	Burufinda / Nurufinda		Osanyin
	Mama Canata		Nana Bukuu
		Brazo Fuerte (‘Arm Strong’)	Aganju

p. 27 the # of herbs which are used to feed each deity

*deity*	#
Lucero	3 or 21 or 101
Tiembla-Tierra	8
Siete Rayos	6
Centella	9
Madre de Agua	7
Mama S^ola	5
Zarabanda	3 or 7
Pata en Llaga	17

pp. 27-28 herbs belonging to each deity

p.	*deity*	*herbs*
27	Lucero	wheatgrass, asafoetida, basil
	Tiembla-Tierra	lilies, almond, soursop
	Siete Rayos & Brazo Fuerte	plantain, banana, china berry
28	Madre de Agua	vervain, indigo, watercress
	Zarabanda	lemongrass, mimosa, jericho flower
	Centella	yucca, plum, mazorquilla
	Pata de Llaga	cundiamor, sargazo, zazafra

pp. 31-32 functions of the Iroko (Kapok) tree

p.	*its __*	*is __*
31	shadow	reposing-place for spirits
	roots	home of Mama Ungungu
	soil around it	offering to Brazo Fuerte
	tea from leaves	"will open a neophyte’s third eye"
32	wood hung with red ribbon	"by a baby’s crib will protect her from the evil eye."

p. 32 "Other talismans against the evil eye that work are a piece of jet (azabache), a piece of red coral, or a dog’s tooth."

pp. 36-39 contents of a prenda (cauldron)

p. 36	*"otan* (stone)" : "These dark, flat, elongated stones are pointed on one end and have white streaks running through them. They are sacred to Siete Rayos."**
p. 37	"with animal skulls, rams’ horns, machetes and sticks."
p. 38	There will be "some rumbling sounds which will indicate that the spirit of the dead body buried under the chosen grave is eager to work with them. The grave is then dug up and the kiyumba (skull), fingers, toes, tibias, and ribs are removed from the cadaver".
p. 39	"a hollowed piece of bamboo ... filled with mercury ... sealed inside with beeswax; the remains of a small black male dog which will serve as the nfumbi’s pet and messenger, dirt from an anthill, the necessary twenty-one foundation sticks ..., termites, a dead bat, spiders, lizards, a centipede, a toad, cinnamon, chili peppers".

p. 40 contents of a boumba (also called sacu-sacu, or macuto = a burlap bag) [not used in Palo Monte]

"the heads, legs, and hearts from the following animals : ...

a cat,

an opossum ...,

a black goat,

a sparrow,

an owl, ...

a vulture,

a woodpecker,

a blackbird, and

a parrot.

Plus the remains of

a snake, ...

a scorpion, ...

a wasp,

a dragonfly,

red ants, ... and

caterpillars."

p. 41 For this boumba, Simbi is invoked.

p. 42 The boumba is used in Mayombe.

pp. 46-47 ingredients of the "secret powder that gives to" Nurufinda / Burufinda – this powder being kept "inside an antler"

p.	*ingredient*
46	the feet of : a tortoise,
47	a small parrot.
	the remains of : a macaw, a turtledove.
	eyen & tongue of a rooster.
	7 each of : large emmets, mate seeds.

p. 49 #s of animals favoring one’s initiator

4 elephants,

10 vultures,

17 hyaenas

pp. 50-61 the 21 paths of Elufe (Lucero)

pp. 50-51 names of the paths			pp. 52-61 functions of the diagrams
p.	#	*name*	p.	#	*function*
50	1.	Kunanmembe "He who is as well good as bad."	51	1.	versatile
	2.	Prima "at dawn or dusk."	52	2.	"a bottle and keep an evil soul trapped there."
	3.	Ndaya "Lord of the Underworld."		3.	"to protect a dwelling."
	4.	Pitilanga "Lord of the Seashore."	53	4.	*"at nightfall ... feed the sign an old black hen."*
	5.	Madruga "Lord of the Wee Hours of the Morning."		5.	"invoking the spirits of dead tatas."
	6.	Aprueba-fuerza "Lord of the Rails."	54	6.	"invoking Zarabanda."
51	7.	Vence Guerra "Winner of Battles."		7.	"to win any battle."
	8.	Vira-Mundo "World-turner."	55	8.	"to break any spell."
	9.	Monteoscuro "Lord of the Dark Mountains"		9.	"when ready to engage in a dangerous battle."
	10.	Busca Buya ("lives as the police station.")	56	10.	"Keeps the police away."
	11.	Mundo Nuevo ("protects prisoners.")		11.	"Use to get someone out of prison."
	12.	Rompe Monte "terra-cotta roof tile."	57	12.	"feed to a snake and ask that it turns {turn} someone crazy."
	13.	Sabicunanguasa ("lives at the river’s edge and eats black hens.")		13.	"Kill him a black hen at the bank of a river".
	14.	Talatarde "Lord of Pestilence."	58	14.	"Place nine different herbs in a bottle of Chamba."
	15.	Katilemba ("Kubayende’s sidekick.")		15.
	16.	Casco Duro "of the lakes."	59	16.	"Sacrifice a chicken ... by a lake".
	17.	Tronco Malva "Lord of the Four Cardinal Points."		17.	"To protect and defend".
	18.	Pata Sueno "Lord of the Crossroads."	60	18.	"embarking on a trip".
	19.	Jaguey Grande "Lord of the Mountain."		19.	"to invoke the spirits of the forest."
	20.	Kabankiriyo "Lord of Darkness."	61	20.	"to attack enemies."
	21.	Siete Puertas "Lord of the Underdog."		21.	"at the gates of the cemetery."

general features of diagrams (in Palo Monte)

basic arrow is pointed upwards;

basic wave (actually a directed wave) is pointed from lower left to upper right;

if horizontal, arrows point (when not alternating) to the right.

Alternating small crossed and small Os are used decoratively {much as asterisks are employed in Lukumi`}.

pp. 52-61 descriptions of the firmas (diagrams) of the 21 paths of Elufe

p.	#	*diagram*
51	1.	circle upon crossed arrows
52	2.	arrow crossed by complex wave and by 4 cross-circles
	3.	same as #1, with dots (4) at intersections
53	4.	upon partitioned-based stand : trident crossed by arrow – verticals are crossed by 4 lines above and by 3 lines below; horizontals are crossed on each side by set of 4 downward-pointing arrows
	5.	arrow crossed by wave and by 4 slanting arrows
54	6.	arrow crossed by : X; 2 cross-circles; 4 arrows
	7.	similar to #4, except that horizontals are crossed on each side by set of 3 lines
55	8.	arrow crossed by : wave; 2 arrows; arrow-X
	9.	3-nocked arrow crossed by : 3-nocked wave; 3 arrows; 3-nocked arrow; arrow; arrow-X
56	10.	arrow crossed by : line; 8-sectioned circle; wave; line crossed at each end; partitioned line
	11.	arrow crossed by : concentric cross-circles (with X between them); 3 curves (with 2 circles); line; wave crossing arrow crossed by 6 alternating arrows; cross-circle
57	12.	arrow crossed by : cross-circle; wave crossed by 7 arrows
	13.	arrow crossed by : 7 lines; self-crossing wave crossed by 7 long lines (at wave self-crossing) and by 7 short lines (at non-self-crossing part of wave)
58	14.	arrow crossed by wave and by 4 slanting lines
	15.	6 vertical lines crossed by 7 alternating arrows
59	16.	3-nocked arrow surmounted by rayed disk, and crossed by : semicircle with star & crescent; wave upon line upon circle
	17.	weapon having trident at each end : crossed by double-arrow and by cross-circle
60	18.	trident crossed by : line; circle upon slanted cross having wave; wave crossed by 9 alternating arrows
	19.	3-foliaged-above downward-pointing trident, crossed by : 2 cross-circles; partitioned triangle
61	20.	pinwheel upon wave
	21.	8 directions, with a slanting directional crossed by complex wave; vertical semicircle enclosing sun, jolly-roger, moon, and 6-pointed as well as 5-pointed star

each of these hath 21 dots : #4, #5, #7, #8, #11, #18; #19; #21 (for #19, the dots are along circles; for the others, the dots are along the wave)

pp. 49-50, 62-64 attributes of the deities

*pp.*	49-50	62	62-3	64
*deity*	Tata Nkuyu	Kenge	Nsasi	Mama Kalunga
*colors*	49 red & black	white	62 red & white	blue & clear
*fruits*	guava	soursop	red banana	watermelon
*herb*	pasture	jasmine	palm frond	seaweed
*mineral*	jet	marble	63 flint	aquamarine
*condiment*	50 palm oil	cocoa butter	palm oil	molasses
*wood*	abre-camino	silk-cotton	palm	bamboo
*numbers*	3; 21	8; 24	4; 6	7; 12

pp. 64-69 attributes of the deities

*pp.*	64-5	66-7	68	69
*deity*	S^ola Wange	Zarabanda	Kubayende	Mariwanga
*colors*	64 yellow & amber	66 green & black	purple; brown	(all)
*fruits*	cantaloupe	plantain	dates; raisins	papaya
*herb*	chamomile	lemongrass	escoba amarga	caimitillo
*mineral*	65 amber	iron	quartz	bronze
*condiment*	honey	67 black pepper	sesame seeds	eggplant
*wood*	cinnamon	algarrobo	arbol del sebo	guara
*numbers*	5	3; 7	11; 13	9

pp. 62-69 some other features of the deities

p.	*deity*	*feature*
62	Nsasi	"lives on the top of the extremely tall royal palm trees."
64	Mama Kalunga	"wife of Brazo Fuerte".
65	Zarabanda	"A small black dog must be sacrificed, his skull being kept forever in the cauldron." {cf. the hounds immolated to Enualios}
65	Zarabanda	"The following sticks are indispensable to Zarabanda : palo hueso, palo jiqui, quiebra hacha, malambo, and palo yaya."
68	Kubayende	"the devotee to dress in burlap ... for one day per month, usually on the 17^th."
68-9	Mariwanga	"wife of Siete Rayos." (p. 68) "she rules ... over lightning, ... as ruler of the wind." (. 69)

pp. 80-85 intricate firmas

p.	*purpose*	*firma*	*where drawn*
80	to help inmate achieve freedom	8-direction ring, containing line crossing 3 lines	cedar wood
81	to empower a house	*slanted cross, its 4 arms having : cross & wave; wave; cross-circle; lozenge of 6 4 lozenges**	in front of the main cauldron
82	to obtain material wealth	2 curved arrows mutually double-crossing; circle containing 7 arrows; interior circle containing arrow
83	to exorcise evil spirits	crescent; 2 8-rayed circles; 3-footed arrow, on circle containing wave; crossed arrows, on circle containing wave crossing line; circle containing crossed arrows	on floor in front of cauldron
84	for permanent protection	vertical arrow crossing 7 alternative directional arrows; on circle containing crescent, star, man & woman	nso (temple)
85	to make one’s self invisible to the police	2 curved arrows mutually double-crossing, crossed by 7 arrows; arrow upon circle containing arrow crossing line; 2 curved arrows mutually double-crossing, crossed nigh extremities by 2 arrows, with circle around centre of the double-crossing curved arrows	parchment to be carried with one’s self at all times

pp. 86-90 firmas depicting nkisi-s (deities)

p.	*nkisi*	*firma*
86	Tiembla Terra	on stand : curved line crossed by 2 lines
	Zarabanda	circle containing cross
87	Pata en Llaga	on 2 crutches : arrow crossing arrow
	Centella Ndoki	circle upheld; whirl; comb
	Mama C^ola	slanted line across cross
88	Nurufinda	circle containing : tree; arrow with curve; line with 2 curves, upon circle
	Nfuiri	arrow crossed by : line upon circle; X; triangle; line upon circle; wave enclosing lines
89	Balaunde	arrow crossed by : triangle; 7 alternating arrows; 2 complex waves mutually crossing
	Kalunga	cross upon complex wave crossing circle
	Lucero	on partitioned-based stand : rayed oval inclosing X; X
90	Mama Kenge	on stand : rayed disk
	Mama S^ola	crossing anchored arrow : slanted branch across circle
	Nkuyo	crossing arrow : complex wave upon 3 alternating arrows

pp. 91-94 ideographs

pp. 102-109 simple firmas

p.	*purpose*	*firma*	*where drawn*	*food*
102-3	to find a lover	arrow within shrine	flat ground	cinnamon
104	to send back evil	8 directions	ground
105	for good luck	crossed anchors within shrine	ground	parsley, watercress
108	to make business prosper	pinwheel	behind door of bathroom	starfruit, jutia
109	cleansing	ball	inside cauldron	egg

pp. 117, 118, 119, 120, 121 litany (of deities’ names)

Tiembla Terra

7 Rayos

Madre de Agua

S^olan Genge

Pata en Llaga

Centellita

Zarabanda

Nanga

Palo

Madre Ceiba

Limpia Piso

Sigue Rastro

Mayordomo

Empaca

Cuadrilla

Manzanero

pp. 127-128 "alphabet"

p.	*letter*	*name*
127	A	yugo
	B	yulo
	C	yili
	D	salvari
	E	buo
	F	came
	G	nie
	H	busili
	I	tituli
	J	yaluni
	K	tolada
	L	bi
128	M	duli
	N	suli
	N~	bulu
	O	bisula
	P	dilonia
	Q	simbula
	R	yolio
	S	yuriko
	T	bolva
	U/V	soyke
	W	sume
	X	saulau
	Y	teuse
	Z	kintoo

pp. 128-134 glossary of Ki-kongo words

pp. 135-143 Ki-kongo & Lukumi names of plants

Baba Raul Canizares : The Book on Palo. Original Publications, Old Bethpage (NY), 2002.