On the first day of class I tried to look at the different religions we were studying holistically. Trying to define every object with its meaning, and trying to match that meaning to the overarching, main idea of the religion. This proved overwhelming and not very useful as there was a depth to the Diaspora that I could not yet comprehend. The class lined up, to a strangely perfect degree, with an anthropology lesson which introduced the concept of ethnography, understanding a culture from the perspective of the culture, not my own. This made sense, I had been looking at the culture from a strict, personal definition of religion. I also wrote down in my notes from that class to strictly pay attention to the interactions people had with their surroundings, as they will tell you more about the culture than looking over the culture with a birds eye view.
As class progressed, I eventually began to adopt this attitude. I tried to put myself into the religion, a person no different than who were in my readings. As Professor Brennan continued to talk about objects and altars, I could then see the importance they played in the religion. The object is an extension, a symbol of something in somebodies life. An object can encompass so much past, present, and future that only the owner of the object could tell you how much it means to them. Objects are deeply personal artifacts that encompass entire pieces of one’s life. We see the surface of what the object is, but not the extent to what it means. Studying the religion from the perspective of those artifacts helped me realize that their was no “main” idea of the religion, but spiritual connection through symbols, something that everyone does daily.
The artifacts owned and worship by Professor J. Lorand Matory held a purpose similar to my own personal playlists or CDS. They held personal meaning, memories, and were with me through new experiences as well. They are how I reflect and how I think many times between the day, and I am constistantly adding on to the collections of music as well. With this being said, objects are kept with care and hopefully passed down through generations, they accumulate meaning and further culminate in a piece of the owner’s soul. Who or what they signify will always be present if the object is present.
The altar on the other hand was trickier to understand, however studying religion from their importance helped me understand they are a catalyst for connection. The altar is a stage that presents the objects in a way which connects someone to spirits. The spacial display and collective importance incorporated into the altar creates a device which fuels connection. However, it is not necessarily a man made creation. An altar can be an ocean, I know thats what my personal altar is. The ocean offers a place to reflect and feel rooted to an intangible faith. An altar is a place to present symbols and connect to the spirits which they summon.
The materiality of African Diaspora ended up changing my definition of religion indefinitely. Religion does not have to hold any definition other than whatever connects one to a higher level of faith and healing. The focus on objects and symbols in these religions constructed the idea that they only meant as much as they did to the person to whom the belonged, no more or no less. However, the object combined with the altar took them to a place of healing, reflection, and purpose. Religion does not have to be defined or scheduled, but a practice in which one finds understanding and clarity. A personal religion may be different in practices and ideas, but the intrinsic mechanisms behind them are similar.