Herbalism, shamanism and necromancy are all important parts of the Palo religion
Nsalamalekum!
Welcome to mayombe.org, online home of the Munanso Primitivo Zarabanda Briyumba Kongo. I am your webmaster, Tata Nganga Malongo Nana Buruku.
By day, I’m a high-tech cube-slave in Silicon Valley, toiling in the trenches of Web 2.0 software development and marketing, but at night I work as a priest of Palo Monte o Mayombe de la Bantu Hebrea, a form of Afro-Cuban shamanism (some say necromancy) closely related to Vodou and Santeria.
By candlelight, in a tiny room filled with the smells of cigar smoke, agua florida and incense, I do “jobs” for clients – working with the “ndoki” (Central African bush spirits) to help people solve the problems in their lives, using concepts and techniques that have survived almost unchanged for hundreds of years. (Inquiries here).
With this site, I hope to demystify Palo Mayombe for the english-speaking public and share a bit of my own spiritual journey. It is my sincere hope that in some small way, this site can help clear up some of the popular misconceptions about Palo and encourage those drawn to the powerful energies of this unique path. (There are also a few good sources listed here.)
The world of Palo is an extremely secretive one, and I feel very blessed to be part of it. For this reason, this site is also in part a tribute to my godfather, one of the most generous teachers I have ever known. Here you can find some of the stories and spells – and even a few off-the-cuff observations on life, love and witchcraft – he has shared with me over the years.
With the permission of my ancestors, my spirits, and my godfather, I thank you for visiting and wish you all safe journeys of your own.
~ Tata Nganga Malongo “Nana Buruku” Zarabanda Briyumba Kongo Palito Wachi Nango a la Fori Ndoki Yaya
