Ori
Last month we had the opportunity to do 4 ori ceremoneis. The ceremony of ebori is not an invention of this continent. It has and continues to be an intregal part of an individual's spiritual and religious development in Lucumi.

The Egun and Egungun represent our familial ancestors and the community ancestores respectively. The food prepared for the ancestors is the same as what was eaten by them when alive. For example if a traditional family meal consisted of particular type of main dish and side dishes, these dishes should be prepared in addition to other traditional foods that pay respect to those ancestors of the caribbean and trans-atlantic crossing. One of these dishes, Ajiako, is a stew prepared for Egun.

Ajiako

1. 8-16 ounces of tasajo (cured dry beef)
2. 2-3 pound pig’s head meat
3. 2 sweet plantains cut into chunks
4. 1 malanga (type of root vegetable)
5. 3 ears of tender corn, cut into a total of 9 circular slices
6. 1 quarter slice of pumpkin or calabaza cut into chunks
7. 2 boniato (white sweet potato) cut into medium size cubes
8. onion, garlic, pepper, salt
9. 2 ½ cups of water
10. Clean the pig’s head and place in a large stew pot to boil until soft and done for 30 minutes. Remove the pig head and leave to cool. Clean the tasajo and cut into 5 even pieces then add to broth for 20 minutes. Then remove tasajo to cool. Add the corn to the broth and let cook for 45 minutes; next add the remaining vegetables and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables are done, pour stew into a large bowl, mix in tasajo and place pig head pig’s head on top of the stew. Then serve to ancestors

Written by Yvette Thomas, August 2005. ©. Click here for more information