doing fieldwork... at Santo Daime rituals...

Doing Fieldwork‌ at Santo Daime rituals‌ 1

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This photographic essay is posted in Facebook since 2009. <https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.211979891859.143685.551091859&type=3>

Céu das Águas! This is how this Santo Daime's church is called. It was built in 2006, when members gathered and bought a little piece of land for building the church. This picture was taken by Sandreana Melo, who works as my research assistant (along with 3 more other students). I conduct this ressearch among three different religions that use ayahuasca in rituals here in Alagoas (UDV, Essência Divina and Santo Daime).

This document is hanging on Céu da Águas church wall, and authorizes Santo Daime rituals practices. It is from CEFLURES (Fluent Universal Ecletic Light Cult's Church), one of Santo Daime trend (whose founder is Padrinho Sebastião Mota). It is signed by Padrinho Alfredo (President of the Superior Doctrinal Board). This athorization is dated on 30th of March 2003.

"Viva Padrinho Sebasti達o!" This is a way of expressing joy during rituals breaks, when one may shout "Viva..." to guests, children, saints, nature, etc. and others will answer, saying "viva".

Padrinho Sebasti達o's picture is on the table where "the Daime" (ayahuasca) was given (it was inside the empty large pot). By this table, men had stood on the right side, and women on the left, in order to drink cups of this "tea" that is usually served by the one who conducts the ritual. All Santo Daime rituals are conducted with women and men siting apart on oposite sides of the room.

This picture was taken during a Concentration ritual, which happens every 15th and 30th day of the month during at least four hours, when through one hour everybody stays quietly meditating (under "concentra巽達o"). During all Santo Daime rituals, the first two "despachos" (expression used to refer to the ayahuasca's servings) has to be drunk by the participants. Usually it is served three times during this ritual.

This is a kind of drum. It has several symbols used in Santo Daime religion, such as: six-pointed star, caravaca cross, humming birds (which simbolizes Mestre Irineu, who received all the Santo Daime hyms and doctrines). Other musical instruments like guitars and specially maracas are played during Santo Daime rituals.

I took this picture and worked in photoshop.

at home... This is a picture of a table, when Concentração ritual happened before Céu das Águas church was built. From 2003 'till then, rituals took place on different spaces where people made them available for rituals. Three rituals happened at my house. I considered a blessing to have rituals at home. I have always felt expanding goodness through Santo Daime rituals, as Earth healing practices.

The ritual is realized around a table, with candles, flowers, saints, cross, rosary... The picture shows booklets where the hyms are printed, so participants may follow and sing the music played (which were received by Mestre Irineu and Padrinho Sebastião).

Rituals are realized with hyms being sung. A green maraca is an example of the kind used in Santo Daime rituals This picture was taken by Juliana Barretto (who worked then in a research I conducted on indigenous peoples'shamanism in Alagoas),

at Japaratinga...This picture I took during a Nossa Senhora da Conceição ritual (December 8th/2009). Rituals that celebrate Saint's day are called "hinário" and can last from 8 to 12 hours.

This is a very special church, located in Japaratinga (about 2 hs from Maceió), it is a beautiful place. Early morning after this long ritual, two children and a young woman were baptized, and two couples got married. Very special time! Lot's of joy and blessings.