María Lionza
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María Lionza is the central figure in one of the largest cults in Venezuela. Her cult is a blend of African, indigenous, and Catholic beliefs similar to the Caribbean Santería. She is revered as a goddess of nature, love, peace, and harmony. She has followers in many layers of Venezuelan society from small rural villages to the modern capital of Caracas, where a statue stands in her honor. The salsa singer Rubén Blades composed a song in her honor.
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[edit] Her Life
According to the legends, María Lionza was born in 1502 to an Indian chief from the region of Yaracuy. She was believed to be a well endowed and strong woman, riding a big danta. It's said that she reign over the savage beasts, and in the throne are authoctonal animals like turtles and snakes. She is said to still live on the mountain of Sorte, where her followers come to pay homage to her, calling her their "Queen". Because of the tradition, the mountain of Sorte was declared National Park in the 1980's.
The name María Lionza comes from María de la Onza (Mary of the Jaguar), from the full name "Santa María de la Onza Talavera del Prato de Nívar" given by the Catholic Church to hide and christianize the cult. Eventually the name was contracted to "María Lionza".
[edit] The Cult
The María Lionza cult, while similar in most aspects to Santería, is in fact a combination between Catholicism, indigenous beliefs, Santería and European spiritism, especially the Allan Kardec theories.
The mountain of Sorte, in Yaracuy state, Venezuela, is the principal place of María Lionza cult. There is where the "Altar Mayor" or principal altar is, and is the main destination of pilgrimage from other places in Venezuela and the Caribbean came to pay homage. Even though pilgrims came here all year round, the most important day is October 12. On this day, all the principal shamans and priests of this cult come together to pay homage to their Queen and many of them do a tribal show called "Baile de las Brasas", where they do many old indigenous dances including dancing over lit coals.
[edit] The Pantheon
María Lionza is the highest and most important deity in the pantheon. She is part of a trinity of gods called the tres potencias or "three powers". The two other figures in this trinity are Guaicaipuro, an Indian chief murdered by the Spanish colonists, and Negro Felipe, a black slave that was also murdered by the colonists. These three gods are the leading figures of the pantheon and lead several "courts" of lesser deities. These courts are:
- The 'Indian' court, led by María Lionza and composed of many Venezuelan Indian chiefs.
- The 'Medical' court, led by José Gregorio Hernández and composed of many other famous doctors.
- The court of the 'Juans' composed by a number of figures belonging to Venezuelan folklore.
- The 'Teachers' court, led by Andrés Bello and some other authors.
- The 'Black and African' court, led by popular black figures of Venezuelan history, such as La Negra Matea (Matea was a slave to the Bolivars and nanny of Simón Bolívar), and El Negro Primero (Pedro Camejo, was known as Negro Primero because he was black and also among the first to go into combat).
- The 'Celestial' court, composed of a number of Catholic saints.
- The 'Political' court, including Simón Bolívar.
- The court of 'Malandros' , composed by some deceased criminals.
[edit] Sources
[1]CarribeanInside.com: Cult to Maria Lionza
[2]Beliefs or Realities
[3]A Girardian reading of the myth of Maria Lionza [4]The Spanish version of this article, and the Spanish article about the Espiritismo Marialioncero [5]
