Eshu

Inspired by the transition of humanities scholar Francis Abiola Irele on July 2, 2017, this essay explores his legacy. The enquiry frames his achievements in terms of his oscillation between individual studies of imaginative works and the exploration of imagination in general, particularly the African imagination, as a cognitive style in the arts and in the correlation of the arts and the sciences, advancing his projection of the possibility of conjuncting Yoruba origin Orisa cosmology and modern scientific cosmology in a synthesis contributing significantly to restructuring dominant conceptions of the cosmos. 

These expositions are complemented by images and accompanying texts demonstrating these disciplinary convergences. These cognitive reworkings are contextualised by a presentation of his efforts in academic organization and leadership. The investigations are subsumed by a conjunction of his work and lines of Ijala, Yoruba hunter’s poetry, saluting the overwhelming majesty and power of the elephant. Irele’s accomplishments are thus depicted in terms of a concentration of ideational and practical possibility rooted in a particular milieu but the significance of which transcends and unifies time, space and cultures.

The essay is organized to enable ready accessibility to its library of sources. The rich links to various online platforms make it a Web linked survey of the components through which it builds a universe of knowledge spanning various disciplines, continents and cognitive cultures. In the choice of links, from Amazon book pages at times enabling one read sections of a book, along with rich customer reviews on those books, to academic essays, a balance has been sought between ease of understanding, speed of access to breadth of information and sophistication of engagement. All links here are active as of  the completion of most of the links on the 12th of September 2017.

Gilles-Félix Vallier, « Le concept du héros imprévisible », Cahiers d’études africaines [En ligne], 204 | 2011, mis en ligne le 06 janvier 2014

R É S U M É

La notion de trickster (décepteur) a été appliquée par plusieurs chercheurs à certains personnages occupant une place prépondérante, parfois marginale, dans certains systèmes complexes de croyances des sociétés ouest-africaines de la tradition. C’est à partir de la compréhension d’Èṣù, médiateur et principe traducteur de la religion yorùbá (Nigeria-Bénin) que se décide la particularité des autres òrìṣà. Ces derniers apparaissent différenciés l’un de l’autre par la présence d’un espace intermédiaire. Seul Èṣù, vecteur du système oraculaire et interprète de la plupart des instances de culte, connaît et domine les secrets de l’univers dont il n’a reçu aucune part — le seul domaine attitré serait l’espace du marché. Figure remarquable du complexe religieux, Èṣù traduit la non-fixité des valeurs et l’envers des institutions. Il introduit au sein même de l’ordonnance du système religieux une marge importante d’imprévisibilité, d’incertitude, qui « donne du jeu » au segment, grâce à la remise en cause de tout ce qui existe. Agent omniprésent et omniscient au cœur même de la religion et des traditions, il nous convie à rester attentif à deux phénomènes : le primat du sacré dans toutes les composantes du système social et politique ; la nécessité d’un principe dynamisant et créateur d’un nouvel ordre. En d’autres termes, si Èṣù représente la traduction et l’instrument de conservation de l’ordre — lequel n’est jamais acquis de manière définitive — il est l’expression du désordre en tant qu’il recrée un ordre nouveau après destruction d’un ordre antérieur. Dans cette perspective dynamique de l’expérience individuelle et collective du sacré, Èṣù assure d’une manière unique et continuelle la condition de sa reproduction. Ces éléments caractéristiques et fondamentaux nous amènent à reconsidérer le concept même de trickster et sa réalité factice et imprescriptible. Celui-là se retrouve de manière inaugurale comme la pierre angulaire de constructions théoriques toujours plausibles, dont les reliefs s’apparentent le plus souvent au mirage.

A B ST R A C T

The Unforeseeable Hero as a Notion (Yoruba Religious System Benin-Nigeria) : Eshu the Unlikely Trickster. —

Many scholars have applied the term trickster (deceiver) as a notion to some characters occupying a prominent place, other times not, in some complex beliefs systems among West African traditional societies. Understanding Eshu, seen as a mediator or translator of Yoruba religion (Nigeria, Benin), will determine other orisha’s specificity. The latter are different from one another in the, way they are delineated by an intermediary gap. Eshu is the only one who, as a geomantic oracle vector and the interpreter of most of cult-groups authorities, knows predominantly all about the secrets of universe whom he has received no share — the only identified realm has been the market place. As a remarkable figure met within the religious system, Eshu means fluctuant values and the reverse (or other) side of institutions. Within the well established religious system order he introduces an important margin of unpredictability or uncertainty that “loosens the ring up”. Therefore he sets the whole organized religious system free questioning all that exists. As an omniscient and ubiquitous agent — whatever are the levels of traditions or religion concerned —, he urged us to consider attentively two phenomena: the sacred primacy found in each component of the social and political system; the need of a stimulating principle to create a new social order. In other words, whether Eshu must be seen as the translator and commissioner of the social order — this one remaining definitely out of reach — after the destruction of a previous social order, he expresses disorder thus creating a new social order. Considering individual or collective worship experiences from a dynamic standpoint Eshu solely and continuously maintains an absolute prerequisite for sacred replication. All these basic characteristics lead us to reconsider the notion of trickster itself and its false and indefeasible reality. This notion will be found firstly as an ever plausible working out keystone whose highlights are similar to mirage or delusion.

Print reference
Gilles-Félix Vallier, « Le concept du héros imprévisible »,  Cahiers d’études africaines, 204 | 2011, 811-845.

Electronical tag – Online reference
Gilles-Félix Vallier, « Le concept du héros imprévisible »,  Cahiers d’études africaines [En ligne], 204 | 2011, mis en ligne le 06 janvier 2014. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/etudesafricaines/16868

Macunaíma, protagonista da obra clássica de Mário de Andrade, é filho de Exu, como o próprio narrador esclarece, no capítulo " Macumba ". Veremos que os dois personagens são tricksters, e por isso têm diversas características em comum. O trickster é um conceito extraído da observação de personagens mitológicos de culturas distintas, mas que conjugam certas características, dentre as quais se destacam a astúcia e o poder de mediação. Desse modo, primeiro discutiremos alguns aspectos essenciais dos tricksters. Ao final da primeira seção resumiremos, em tópicos, estes aspectos. Na segunda seção verificaremos, um a um, como eles se manifestam nos personagens em análise e em quais pontos percebemos interseções e afastamentos entre eles, dentre os quais se destaca a maturidade jamais alcançada pelo " herói da nossa gente " , mas da qual Exu desfruta ao final do seu ciclo. Isso ocorre porque os trickster passam por um ciclo, migrando da ingenuidade e do domínio do princípio do prazer para a maturidade e para a predominância do princípio da realidade. Macunaíma, contudo, ao contrário de Exu, é um trickster de ciclo incompleto, sendo esta a principal diferença entre pai e filho espiritual, conforme restará demonstrado.

Master thesis (in German language), submitted Dec 2017, Vienna (Austria).

| Religion as tool of resistance in Hip Hop and Afrofuturism as exemplified by Jiba Molei Anderson's Black Comic "The Horsemen" |

abstract: |
This master thesis examines the countercultural adaption of religion and spirituality by artists in popular culture. This is exemplified by Chicago based Afrofuturistic artist Jiba Molei Anderson and his Black Comic series “The Horsemen”. This work surveys two hypotheses. The first one assumes that Black artists formulate protest for social justice in their media (comic) by using religious elements (Santeria and Conscious Hip Hop). The second hypothesis assumes that two different media (comic and hip hop) are able to into one intermedium (Visual Rap). The master thesis focuses closely on communicative techniques of Black Vernacular Tradition, especially Signifyin(g), Nommo and NeoHooDoo. Anderson’s “Horsemen” comic is, therefore, considered as a spiritual, magical medium—as a Visual Conscious Rap. Anderson includes concepts of the new religious movement “Five Percent Nation” in his comic’s composition and plot. On one hand, Anderson criticizes social injustice in a Gnostic-messianic storyline; on the other hand, he secretly apprises the readers of Five Percenter teachings (Supreme Mathematics, divinity of humanity). To reveal and emphasize his hidden communications, the African-American literature theory “Signifying Monkey” is viewed as a tool of religious aesthetics. Anderson intentionally misleads (inexperienced) readers by using ambiguous signs to hide and protect his Five Percenter esoteric content. By recognizing these esoteric concepts, the comic becomes a vessel for word-magic (Nommo) and positive mental powers (Afrocentric New Thought). Anderson uses visual techniques as mechanics to exchange spiritual energy; his superheroes “The Horsemen”, who are based on the West-African Orisha, serve as realized potential of Anderson’s mental power. This positive energy is used to heal the readers’ minds, suffering from racism and its ramifications. Influenced by Afrofuturism, Anderson regards African religious concepts as occult-spiritual technologies. Afrofuturism is a movement in popular culture calling attention to the historical Black experience by adapting African concepts and the Black anthropology to elements of Science Fiction. Consequentially, Afrofuturism regards Black people as Aliens and/or Cyborgs (thus as non-human beings), because they have been designated to be non-humans in slavery and racism. On the basis of those post-colonial aesthetics, Anderson sources his own body out into his comic which consequently becomes a Black body itself; it becomes a living machine operated by Afrocentric energy. This work advocates a stronger focus on specific communicative techniques in media research conducted by scholars of religions. As an outcome of this plea, it introduces two terms: “media magic” and “techno-religion”. “Media magic” is characterized by a synthesis of religion/spirituality and medium; a mass medium becomes a vessel for magic and occult powers under certain aesthetical conditions. The second term “techno-religion” provides a new perspective for the study of religions which takes the entanglement of power, religion/spirituality, technology, science and society into account. It is conceptualized to be capable to think Religion and Post-Colonialism (i.e. race, gender, society, power and resistance) together.

RÉSUMÉ

La notion de trickster (décepteur) a été appliquée par plusieurs chercheurs à certains personnages occupant une place prépondérante, parfois marginale,  dans certains systèmes complexes de croyances des sociétés ouest-africaines de la tradition. C’est à partir de la compréhension d’Èṣù, médiateur et principe traducteur de la religion yorùbá (Nigeria, Bénin) que se décide la particularité des autres òrìṣà. Ces derniers apparaissent différenciés l’un de l’autre par la présence d’un espace intermédiaire. Seul Èṣù, vecteur du système oraculaire et interprète de la plupart des instances de culte, connaît et domine les secrets de l’univers dont il n’a reçu aucune part — le seul domaine attitré serait l’espace du marché. Figure remarquable du complexe religieux, Èṣù traduit la non-fixité des valeurs et l’envers des institutions. Il introduit au sein même de l’ordonnance du système religieux une marge importante d’imprévisibilité, d’incertitude, qui « donne du jeu » au segment, grâce à la remise en cause de tout ce qui existe. Agent omniprésent et omniscient au coeur même de la religion et des traditions, il nous convie à rester attentif à deux phénomènes : le primat du sacré dans toutes les composantes du système social et politique ; la nécessité d’un principe dynamisant et créateur d’un nouvel ordre. En d’autres termes, si Èṣù représente la traduction et l’instrument de conservation de l’ordre (lequel n’est jamais acquis de manière définitive), il est l’expression du désordre en tant qu’il recrée un ordre nouveau après destruction d’un ordre antérieur. Dans cette perspective dynamique de l’expérience individuelle et collective du sacré, Èṣù assure d’une manière unique et continuelle la condition de sa reproduction. Ces éléments caractéristiques et fondamentaux nous amènent à reconsidérer le concept même de trickster et sa réalité factice et imprescriptible. Celui-là se retrouve de manière inaugurale comme la pierre angulaire de constructions théoriques toujours plausibles, dont les reliefs s’apparentent le plus souvent au mirage.

ABSTRACT

The Unforeseeable Hero as a Notion (Yoruba Religious System Benin-Nigeria): Eshu the Unlikely Trickster. —
Many scholars have applied the term trickster (deceiver) as a notion to some characters occupying a prominent place, other times not, in some complex beliefs systems among West African traditional societies. Understanding Eshu, seen as a mediator or translator of Yoruba religion (Nigeria, Benin), will determine other orisha’s specificity. The latter are different from one another in the, way they are delineated by an intermediary gap. Eshu is the only one who, as a geomantic oracle vector and the interpreter of most of cult-groups authorities, knows predominantly all about the secrets of universe whom he has received no share — the only identified realm has been the market place. As a remarkable figure met within the religious system, Eshu means fluctuant values and the reverse (or other) side of institutions. Within the well established religious system order he introduces an important margin of unpredictability or uncertainty that “loosens the ring up”. Therefore he sets the whole organized religious system free questioning all that exists. As an omniscient and ubiquitous agent — whatever are the levels of traditions or religion concerned —, he urged us to consider attentively two phenomena: the sacred primacy found in each component of the social and political system; the need of a stimulating principle to create a new social order. In other words, whether Eshu must be seen as the translator and commissioner of the social order — this one remaining definitely out of reach — after the destruction of a previous social order, he expresses disorder thus creating a new social order. Considering individual or collective worship experiences from a dynamic standpoint Eshu solely and continuously maintains an absolute prerequisite for sacred replication. All these basic characteristics lead us to reconsider the notion of trickster itself and its false and indefeasible reality. This notion will be found firstly as an ever plausible working out keystone whose highlights are similar to mirage or delusion.

Gilles-Félix Vallier, « Le concept du héros imprévisible », Cahiers d’études africaines [En ligne], 204 | 2011, mis en ligne le 06 janvier 2014

A B ST R A C T

The Unforeseeable Hero as a Notion (Yoruba Religious System Benin-Nigeria) : Eshu the Unlikely Trickster. —

Many scholars have applied the term trickster (deceiver) as a notion to some characters occupying a prominent place, other times not, in some complex beliefs systems among West African traditional societies. Understanding Eshu, seen as a mediator or translator of Yoruba religion (Nigeria, Benin), will determine other orisha’s specificity. The latter are different from one another in the, way they are delineated by an intermediary gap. Eshu is the only one who, as a geomantic oracle vector and the interpreter of most of cult-groups authorities, knows predominantly all about the secrets of universe whom he has received no share — the only identified realm has been the market place. As a remarkable figure met within the religious system, Eshu means fluctuant values and the reverse (or other) side of institutions. Within the well established religious system order he introduces an important margin of unpredictability or uncertainty that “loosens the ring up”. Therefore he sets the whole organized religious system free questioning all that exists. As an omniscient and ubiquitous agent — whatever are the levels of traditions or religion concerned —, he urged us to consider attentively two phenomena: the sacred primacy found in each component of the social and political system; the need of a stimulating principle to create a new social order. In other words, whether Eshu must be seen as the translator and commissioner of the social order — this one remaining definitely out of reach — after the destruction of a previous social order, he expresses disorder thus creating a new social order. Considering individual or collective worship experiences from a dynamic standpoint Eshu solely and continuously maintains an absolute prerequisite for sacred replication. All these basic characteristics lead us to reconsider the notion of trickster itself and its false and indefeasible reality. This notion will be found firstly as an ever plausible working out keystone whose highlights are similar to mirage or delusion.

R É S U M É

La notion de trickster (décepteur) a été appliquée par plusieurs chercheurs à certains personnages occupant une place prépondérante, parfois marginale, dans certains systèmes complexes de croyances des sociétés ouest-africaines de la tradition. C’est à partir de la compréhension d’Èṣù, médiateur et principe traducteur de la religion yorùbá (Nigeria-Bénin) que se décide la particularité des autres òrìṣà. Ces derniers apparaissent différenciés l’un de l’autre par la présence d’un espace intermédiaire. Seul Èṣù, vecteur du système oraculaire et interprète de la plupart des instances de culte, connaît et domine les secrets de l’univers dont il n’a reçu aucune part — le seul domaine attitré serait l’espace du marché. Figure remarquable du complexe religieux, Èṣù traduit la non-fixité des valeurs et l’envers des institutions. Il introduit au sein même de l’ordonnance du système religieux une marge importante d’imprévisibilité, d’incertitude, qui « donne du jeu » au segment, grâce à la remise en cause de tout ce qui existe. Agent omniprésent et omniscient au cœur même de la religion et des traditions, il nous convie à rester attentif à deux phénomènes : le primat du sacré dans toutes les composantes du système social et politique ; la nécessité d’un principe dynamisant et créateur d’un nouvel ordre. En d’autres termes, si Èṣù représente la traduction et l’instrument de conservation de l’ordre — lequel n’est jamais acquis de manière définitive — il est l’expression du désordre en tant qu’il recrée un ordre nouveau après destruction d’un ordre antérieur. Dans cette perspective dynamique de l’expérience individuelle et collective du sacré, Èṣù assure d’une manière unique et continuelle la condition de sa reproduction. Ces éléments caractéristiques et fondamentaux nous amènent à reconsidérer le concept même de trickster et sa réalité factice et imprescriptible. Celui-là se retrouve de manière inaugurale comme la pierre angulaire de constructions théoriques toujours plausibles, dont les reliefs s’apparentent le plus souvent au mirage.

Print reference
Gilles-Félix Vallier, « Le concept du héros imprévisible »,  Cahiers d’études africaines, 204 | 2011, 811-845.

Electronical tag – Online reference
Gilles-Félix Vallier, « Le concept du héros imprévisible »,  Cahiers d’études africaines [En ligne], 204 | 2011, mis en ligne le 06 janvier 2014. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/etudesafricaines/16868