CyberAltars: A Postmodern Pilgrimage
There is a long tradition of
pilgrimage in European history. During the Middle Ages pilgrim parties
traveled long distances to visit sites associated with particular
saints. Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales uses such a group
of pilgrims as its basic story. In the spirit of such pilgrimages I
have put together a group of sites in the Afro-Cuban traditions that
you can visit. Each links to a picture of a religious altar. Physical
pilgrimages were often
long and dangerous journeys--one was never assured of a safe arrival.
These pilgrimages, too, can be hazardous. Some are connections to very
large images that may or may not load. It is suggested, like the
pilgrims of old, that you spend the time waiting for these images in
prayer and meditation on the powers you are invoking.
Altars are the boundary between
the visible and invisible worlds, as such they are the sites of ritual
communication with the divine. For more insight read Robert Farris
Thompson's essay
Face of the Gods: Art and Altars of Africa and the African Americas.
Dr. Thompson is a professor of Afro-American Art at Yale University and
the curator of The Museum of African Art in New York City. Several
altars from this exhibit are included on our pilgrimage.
Santeria Altars
Palo Monte Altars
Other Altars and Shrines
- Oracula
(a nondenominational shrine)
If you know of other
cybershrines, let me know. This is an ongoing project and we will be
adding pilgrimages to other types of religious sites soon.
Mary Ann Clark
Comments to: drmaryann49 at mac dot com
Revised: February 2006
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