Sure Travel Journey Vol 5.2 Autumn 2019 | Page 44

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R O U T E
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D E S T I N A T I O N
P I C K
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44 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE
“
For Brazilians,
healing has a
spiritual dimension,
and one must search
for balance between
the past and the
possibilities of
the future
“
Sensing
Edson
suggested
a
a visit our
to a curiosity,
“House of
Spirits”.
For
visit
to a “House
of ancestor
Spirits”. For
Brazilians
Brazilians
to whom
spirits
are
to
whom ancestor
are entwined
with
entwined
with daily spirits
life, healing
has
daily
life, healing
has a and
spiritual
dimension,
a spiritual
dimension,
one must
and
one for
must
search
for balance
between
search
balance
between
the past
the
and the mysterious
natural
and past
the mysterious
natural world
and
world
and the possibilities
of the
future.
the possibilities
of the future.
Bearing
Bearing
of candles
packs of packs
candles
as gifts, as
we gifts,
were we
led, were
led,
like lambs
to slaughter,
beyond
the
like lambs
to slaughter,
beyond
the well-lit
well-lit
centre
to a shadowy
street
historic historic
centre to
a shadowy
street that
that
smelled
of drains.
Edson
stopped
smelled
of drains.
Edson
stopped
us
us
before
a formidable-looking
before
a formidable-looking
portal
portal
to to
the netherworld, where vigorous banging
roused an eye at the peephole on the other
side. Locks clacked; we were waved inside,
and locks clacked closed again behind us.
The interior was spartan
Spartan and immaculate
in the way of proud, if resource-limited,
households. Lights were switched off. A
man rattled maracas like rattlesnake tails in
a corner. Seated on hard household chairs,
we watched the mãe de santo or “mother
of the saint” transform from genial
grandma to a gravelly-voiced male orisha
who swigged hard spirits and seemed to
be asking Edson some uncomfortable
questions. Lack of fluency didn’t stop the
hair on my neck quivering; the mãe de
santo was
entirely was
convincing.
A few other
(priestess)
entirely convincing.
personalities
followed in rapid
succession,
A few other personalities
followed
in
incomprehensible
but admirably different;
rapid succession, incomprehensible
but
her
features
shifted her
and features
changed shifted
as
admirably
different;
expressive
beings
came and beings
went. came
I was
and changed
as expressive
thoroughly
when it was
time when
for the
and went. I rattled
was thoroughly
rattled
it
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