Mauritian weird traditions: Di (Protector of the house)
The cigarette is because our ancestors smoked a lot, the Rum because they couldn't live without it (but eventually died because of it). For the bread, sometimes people put Sardines (fish) in it. The candle is perhaps for them to be aware that their offering is ready.
Now what is this tradition really? As usual, I did my investigation and contacted pandits. The real meaning of this is to feed the animals; the birds, dogs and so on. But they don't eat and smoke right? The original tradition had only food. There were no cigarette, candles or Rum. It was offered as a gift to animals after prayers (pujas, hawan and so on). As time passed, misinformed people started to put whatever they wanted on the banana leaf. And so the story continues...
As far as I know, souls do not need to eat; they are immortal. How can they smoke without a mouth or lungs. And how can souls drink or eat or even how can souls protect you! Stay tuned for more weird Mauritian traditions.
this practice seemed to have originated from far eastern(china, vietnam, japan, south korea, etc..) practices... Once I attended a vietnamese reliogious festival where they put fruits, cigarette, rhum, flowers in from of their statues, some, of local heroes, ancestors... and when I asked the reason of the practice, they claim it is done on order to satisfy spirits and in return, they obtain protection... and since we know that mauritius is multi racial where people lived as one in the past(not like now, I heard from many people that in the past, 50 years ago, many sino and afro mauritian spoke fluent bhojpuri). so I suspect it might be due to mixture of traditions n cultures, or as usual, the 'priest' will tell everyone that rituals are over, and will come at night to take everything... :PPPPPPPPPP and I agree with u saying that all these were initially meant to feed animals lower in the alimentary ladder, from birds to ants...and then gradually, darkness crept into 'poojaris' hearts... :PPPPPPPPP
ReplyDeleteNeed to give everyone a book of SDS.
DeleteI wrote a post on this too. To sum up, I love "di" :-)
ReplyDeleteRead it here -> http://www.yashvinblogs.com/di/
Lol I love the comments there.
DeleteNever thought someone would write about Di as people get really scared when I ask about it.
Btw I hope you got my mail.
Glad that you liked the visit there :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I got the mail but forgot to reply back :( Thanks.
btw, the topics we talk about on our blogs are quite similar. same style, same point of view etc. You found that too?
Guess I can say the blogger is in us :-)>
DeleteDo I remind you of the younger you by any way? lol...
I won't say younger. When reading ur posts, I just see ME. Btw, u should add me on fb :p
DeleteI won't say younger. When reading ur posts, I just see ME. Btw, u should add me on fb :p
DeleteHey that was heart-touching. I almost felt I own yashvinblogs loool..
DeleteUnfortunately Facebook blocked me from adding friends for 30 days..again lol. If you can add me then great. http://www.facebook.com/bama.obarack
haha.
ReplyDelete1) the thing should be done without the alcohol or cigarette
ReplyDelete2) tell the truth why it is being done
3) everything should be bio degradable
in this way, whoever 'god' 'spirit' they want to worship, fine with me, but there should not be any type of pollution...
The original tradition is like you just described, without pollution. And it's beneficial to animals too!
DeleteHey khush, you should not approve spamming comments :/
ReplyDeleteDid not accept I don't moderate for the moment. Luckily blogger puts them away for me hehe.
DeleteThis custom cannot be linked with certainty to any specific religion or community. It is also followed by some older generation Creoles [or Afro-Mauritians] who address it to 'Gran Dimun' [rather than to 'Di]
ReplyDeleteIn traditional Bantu societies the names meaning Older One can be used to mean either God [creator] or the the First Ancestor [like the Adam of Christians] or the founding father of the specific tribe. This 'confusing' of names seems to be deliberate as it occurs in several Bantu tribes. An example is Nkulunkulu of the Zulus.
Bantus don't build temples but practice rituals similar to the Gran Dimun [or Di] in a corner of the yard, sometimes in small roofless rooms. The ritual may also be practiced in the fields, on hills, near rivers, or in any clean and discreet place.
I believe God or ancestors do not need prayers or offerings. When we 'offer' we are really 'asking'
We light a candle or a lamp to ask for Light in our daily life. We offer water to ask for Healthy life. We offer camphor or other essences to ask for Inspiration and Guidance in our thoughts and attitudes.
Over time what is offered has probably changed due to improper understanding of the ritual, unavailability of the proper elements of the ritual or admixing of other religions.
The bread [and sardines?] and the rum may have been influenced by the bread and wine offering of the Catholic mass. Or they may have been used as substitutes for offering products of the field or of the offerer's work to ask for prosperity.