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On November 1, our ceremonialist RJ will be leading us in our Homecoming with the Ancestors.
Preparing for Homecoming
Let us re-member our roots and be re-minded of the spirits that bring us all together: the Egungun. To honor their presence and importance in our lives, we offer them this homecoming with open minds, hearts, and a sweet spread of gifts!
This altar will be the spiritual hub of not only the Egun who tend to each of us in our own lives, but the Egungun, communal ancestors who have and continue to tend to the lands and their peoples. Outside of our blood relations, this altar will also honor those who have touched us without knowing us, and the lands, waters, and winds that have moved our lives, minds, and spirits.
In particular, we give thanks to the First Nations People of Powhatan, or so-called Richmond, and the legacy of the Powhatan Confederacy. We humbly acknowledge our presence as guests.
Ashé and Ometeotl!
How to participate
Please bring any of the following to place on the altar:
Dried beans, corn, and legumes
Herbs and dried flowers
Fresh flowers
Encased glass candles
Fruits and vegetables
Prepared dishes or plates your beloveds enjoyed
Loose-leaf tobacco, cigars, or cigarettes
Tap water from your home, or water from nature
Photos of your ancestors, human, animal, or otherwise
Please refrain from bringing images of your ancestors who are pictured with anyone still living.
We give them these offerings of gifts, our devotion, and our gratitude for the ways they shift in the dark, so that we can thrive in the light. Maferefún Egun! Maferefún Egungun!
All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this space of ancestral veneration!
With gratitude and blessings to all,
Ruby Joy (they/them)
Ceremonialist at Every Table Ministries
Honor Indigenous sovereignty where you live by visiting native-land.ca to learn whose ancestral lands you are a guest on.
History and Functions of Egungun Altars
What is an Egungun?
Egungun is the Nupe Yoruba word for the presence of the Collective Spirit, or Collective Ancestor. Ancestral veneration is one of the core pillars of African Traditional Religions, or Indigenous African cultural and spiritual practices.
Egungun or Egun, what's the difference?
Egungun translates to collective Ancestor. Egun translates to Ancestor. Egun altars are built for an individual or family, showing reverence to our lineages, which include both blood and chosen family.
We revere Egungun as the spirits who walk amongst us because of the community and land we live on. We may not personally know them, but they walk with us as protectors, guides, and tending ancestors of the land we are physically visiting.
On Turtle Island, or the land mass known as North America, it is integral that we remember the First Nations caregivers and tenders of the lands we inhabit. We recognize the violent legacy of settler colonialism and genocides throughout these lands and waterways.
Why an Egungun altar?
The altar stands as a bridge between worlds, serving as a doorway to the world of the dead. Our Ancestors are in constant watch of their beloveds still earthside. They provide us with protection, guidance, and blessings as we navigate the world of the living.
The altar is dynamic, being not only a place of worship but also a table for interaction, remembrance, or sitting with those who have passed on.
Who participates?
The Egungun Altar is for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, age, or other identities. We can all reach into the unknown to benefit from the wisdom, guidance, and profound love of the ancestors walking alongside us. Consider how you want to be remembered.
What goes on the altar?
Items that go on the altar are all considered offerings to our passed Beloveds. We always include:
Water, as a physical representation of memory.
A candle for guidance, its flame acting as a lighthouse to spirits.
White rum, representing the blood of the enslaved Africans who were lost to chattel slavery and white supremacy.
Everything else is the gift of an energetic exchange.
Email Rj@everytable804.org for more information and to RSVP!
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