Dispatches from Brazil: Un-Dead Chicken
Religion and mysticism are closely related in Brazil. Catholicism and the belief system brought by the African slaves back in the day, co-exist in a strange yet fascinating way.
One of the most prominent manifestations of the African religious traditions are the offerings to the gods and deities that can be seen all over the city. These consist of a mixture of food such as candy, pastries, fruit and grains, as well as booze, candles, and often the sacrifice of a black or brown chicken. The offerings are left on the street – frequently in the middle of the street – at a crossroads. It seems like some crossroads are better than others, perhaps because they are more easily accessible to the deity in question? I suppose you wouldn’t want to inconvenience the powers-that-be by making them go out of their way to pick up their goodies.
Driving home yesterday, we passed one of these offerings, but something was amiss. The scattering of grains and candy was usual for something that has been left in the street for a day or two. What was out of the ordinary was a live chicken eating an apple. When you’re used to seeing the chicken in the offering being quite dead, you have to wonder if it resurrected or something.
A chicken from the great beyond? Fascinating!
A zombie chicken? Can chickens even become zombies?
Sloppy craftsmanship on the part of the sacrificer? Probably not.
After eliminating other options such as vampire chicken (broad daylight), shape-shifter chicken (like really? Someone would change into a chicken on purpose?) werewolf chicken (aw, c’mon!), and plain un-dead chicken (too vague), it seemed like none of the scenarios added up to much.
As it turns out, this one was just an opportunistic chicken that happened to be wandering by a busy intersection and found itself upon a tasty apple and possibly though: “MMMMMM. Apple!”
This, among other things, is why Brazil is never boring.
One of the most prominent manifestations of the African religious traditions are the offerings to the gods and deities that can be seen all over the city. These consist of a mixture of food such as candy, pastries, fruit and grains, as well as booze, candles, and often the sacrifice of a black or brown chicken. The offerings are left on the street – frequently in the middle of the street – at a crossroads. It seems like some crossroads are better than others, perhaps because they are more easily accessible to the deity in question? I suppose you wouldn’t want to inconvenience the powers-that-be by making them go out of their way to pick up their goodies.
Driving home yesterday, we passed one of these offerings, but something was amiss. The scattering of grains and candy was usual for something that has been left in the street for a day or two. What was out of the ordinary was a live chicken eating an apple. When you’re used to seeing the chicken in the offering being quite dead, you have to wonder if it resurrected or something.
A chicken from the great beyond? Fascinating!
A zombie chicken? Can chickens even become zombies?
Sloppy craftsmanship on the part of the sacrificer? Probably not.
After eliminating other options such as vampire chicken (broad daylight), shape-shifter chicken (like really? Someone would change into a chicken on purpose?) werewolf chicken (aw, c’mon!), and plain un-dead chicken (too vague), it seemed like none of the scenarios added up to much.
As it turns out, this one was just an opportunistic chicken that happened to be wandering by a busy intersection and found itself upon a tasty apple and possibly though: “MMMMMM. Apple!”
This, among other things, is why Brazil is never boring.
Labels: vay-kay-shun
posted by Fe at 3:35 PM
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