There are many ceremonies in Nkisi Malongo or Palo Mayombe as people would call it and initiation or rayamiento is one. Sometimes even referred to as “Scratching” ceremony, this is the ceremony that delineates the people into two groups: Initiates and Non-Initiates. In this traditional religion, this is the single most sought after ceremony. To understand the manic obsession with this specific ceremony one has to understand that this ceremony grants certain aspects of wisdom and authority in which many have wrongfully become engulfed in, the need to have it in order to commercialize the religion. This has gone to the extent of Priesthood being for sale instead of being properly acquired by more traditional means. In more traditional practices, initiation would be called Nkimbo and the process would only grant you access to the title of Ngueyo, which is a non-priest title. In more modern times, people have commercialized the religion to such an extent where people are doing Nkimbo and being granted titles of Priesthood immediately, namely Tata and Yaya. This is a religion shattering development and should be avoided at all costs.
There is a natural and linear progression that should take place, the ceremony of Nkimbo is a rite of passage at heart and the religious protocols should always be observed. Naming someone priest without any prior training, commission or qualification is a deeply egregious act. First they have to do Nkimbo and become an apprentice or disciple and receive training until an already recognized priest acknowledges them and then the spirits must also acknowledge them to be commissioned as a priest. This process, while lengthy, produces responsible, trained, qualified and acknowledged priests and elders. Bypassing this process in favor of just selling the priesthood titles produces people commercializing the religious beliefs of the people who came before them and refusing to practice the religion in place, instead opting to turn it into a for-profit business venture and welcome capitalistic and hyper individualized mindsets that erode the religion itself by way of disregarding history, culture and community.
In this particular lineage, we strongly disavow such practices. People come first, tradition is critical, culture is not optional and community is our livelihood. Though we do not regularly practice the granting of priest titles upon initiation, the spirits can determine that someone would need to be a priest immediately. This would be a very rare occurrence that someone may never see in their life or just a handful of times but not something every single initiate is granted. While we are not against the compensation of individuals for their hard work, this is a non-profit Temple and all compensation is accepted as donations. This translates back to us helping people based on who they are and what they feel in their heart, in contrast to how much they have to offer. All who wish to be part of this Temple are given a chance regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or any other circumstance, so long as the spirits approve of them. This means that every single person is afforded the opportunity to stand in front of the sacred altar of the spirits and ask if they can become an apprentice or disciple, which may further lead down other paths. This coupled with the ideology of every member of this Temple being siblings and all traveling the religion with tradition in mind, leads to the cultivation of culture, community and history.
In summary, the ceremony of initiation into Nkisi Malongo or Palo Mayombe is a really big step in a spiritual journey. It’s a step that should not be taken lightly and one that begins the path of deeper wisdom and authority. Though other lineages and Temples may have different requirements and processes than our own, we hold to our own tradition and our own practices. All are welcome but only the ones who are accepted by the spirits can become apprentices or disciples.
People should always come before money.
For more information about initiation