Due to its origins, Umbanda is a truly Brazilian religion.

Umbanda is a Brazilian religion that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century and is characterised by a mixture of elements from Spiritism, Afro-Brazilian cults, indigenous traditions and Catholic influences.

It seeks to promote charity, peace and harmony among people, and emphasises a connection with the spiritual world.

Main characteristics of Umbanda

1. Syncretism: Combines different religious traditions and welcomes spirits from different origins, such as Catholic saints, Afro-Brazilian entities (such as Orixás) and indigenous spirits.
2. Mediumship: Mediums play a central role as intermediaries between the spirit world and practitioners. They channel spirits that guide and help people.
3. Worship and Rituals: Ceremonies usually include singing, dancing, prayers, and offerings, creating an atmosphere of celebration and spiritual connection.
4. Doctrine: Umbanda teaches the importance of charity, spiritual development and charity, and seeks to heal and protect the individual.

Over the years, Umbanda has diversified, giving rise to different currents and practices, but always maintaining its focus on spirituality and the promotion of well-being.

Foundation of Umbanda

Umbanda was founded in Brazil at the beginning of the 20th century, in 1908, by a medium called Zélio Fernandino de Moraes.

He was guided by a spirit called Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas, who became his spiritual guide.

In his search for spiritual understanding, Zélio had a mediumistic experience that led him to create a new belief system that combined elements of spiritism, Afro-Brazilian cults, indigenous and Catholic traditions.

This new religion sought to promote charity and unity among different spiritual currents.

The first Umbanda houses

The first Umbanda Houses appeared shortly after Umbanda was founded. Some of the most notable are

1. Tenda Espírita Nossa Senhora da Piedade – Founded in 1908 in Rio de Janeiro, it is considered one of the first Umbanda houses.
2. Umbanda Spiritist Tent – Also in Rio de Janeiro, where Zélio and other mediums worked.
3. Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas Umbanda House – Located in the Olaria district of Rio de Janeiro, this was one of the main places where the new religion was practised.

Umbanda grew rapidly, spreading to different regions of Brazil and diversifying into different branches and practices.

History of the origins and foundation of Umbanda

• How Umbanda was founded;
• Who were the medium and the leader who founded it?
• What were the first Umbanda houses founded in Brazil?

At the end of 1908, Zélio Fernandino de Moraes, a young man of 17 who was preparing to join the navy, began to suffer strange “attacks”.

His family, well known and traditional in the town of Neves, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, was taken by surprise.

These “attacks” by the boy were characterised by the mannerisms of an old man, speaking nonsense and disconnected words, as if he were someone else who had lived in another era. He often took the form of a quick cat and seemed to know a great deal about nature.

After examining him for several days, the family doctor recommended that it would be best to refer him to a priest, as the doctor (who was the patient’s uncle) said that the boy’s madness did not fit with anything he had ever seen before.

He rather believed that the boy was possessed. Someone in the family suggested that “it was a case of Spiritism” and that it would be best to take him to the Spiritist Federation of Niterói, which at the time was presided over by José de Souza. On November 15th, young Zélio was invited to attend the meeting and took a seat at the table.

Overcome by a strange force beyond his control, and in defiance of the rules that prevented any member of the table from leaving, Zélio stood up and said, “There’s a flower missing here.

He left the room, went to the garden and returned with a flower, which he placed in the middle of the table. This action caused great excitement among those present.

As soon as work resumed, Cardecist mediums manifested, claiming to be black slaves and Indians. The leader of the meeting found all this absurd and harshly admonished them, citing their “spiritual backwardness” and asking them to leave.

After this incident, once again a strange force took hold of young Zélio and spoke through him: Why do you reject the presence of these spirits when you have not even deigned to listen to their messages? Is it because of their social origin and their colour?”

A heated dialogue ensued, and the session leaders tried to indoctrinate and dismiss the unknown spirit, who developed a confident argument.

A psychic medium asked:

“Why do you speak in these terms, expecting the leadership to accept the manifestation of spirits who, given their level of culture when incarnated, are clearly backward? Why do you speak this way when I can see that I am addressing a Jesuit and your white robe reflects an aura of light? And what is your name, brother?”

“If you want a name, let it be this: I am the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas, because for me there will be no closed paths.

“What you see in me are the remains of a former existence. I was a priest and my name was Gabriel Malagrida. Accused of witchcraft, I was burnt at the Inquisition’s stake in Lisbon in 1761. But in my last physical existence, God granted me the privilege of being born a Brazilian Caboclo”.

He also announced the nature of the mission he would bring from the Astral:

“If you think that black and indigenous people are backward, I must tell you that tomorrow (16 November) at 8pm I will be in the house of my apparatus to begin a service in which these brothers will be able to give their messages and thus fulfil the mission entrusted to them by the Spiritual Plan. It will be a religion that will speak to the humble, signifying the equality that must exist among all brothers, incarnate and discarnate“.

The seer replied: “Do you think anyone will attend your service?” he asked ironically. And the spirit, now identified, said:
“Each hill of Niterói will act as a spokesman, announcing the service I will begin tomorrow.”.

In conclusion, the caboclo added:

“God, in his infinite goodness, established death as the great universal leveller. Rich or poor, mighty or humble, all would be equal in death, but you prejudiced men, not content with establishing differences between the living, seek to carry these same differences beyond the barrier of death. Why can’t these humble workers from outer space visit us, when, although they were not socially important people on Earth, they also bring important messages from beyond?”

The next day, at the Moraes family home, at 30 Floriano Peixoto Street, as the appointed time of 8pm approached, the members of the Spiritist Federation were already gathered to verify the truth of what had been declared the day before. Next of kin, friends, neighbours and, outside, a crowd of strangers were present.

At 8pm the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas appeared. He explained that a new cult was beginning at that moment, in which the spirits of old Africans who had served as slaves and who, when they died, could not find a place in the remnants of the black cults, and the Native Indians of our land could work for the benefit of their incarnated brothers, whatever their colour, race, creed and social status.

The practice of charity, in the sense of brotherly love, would be the main characteristic of this cult, which would be based on the Gospel of Jesus.

The Caboclo established the rules by which the cult would be conducted. Sessions would be the name given to the daily periods of spiritual work, from 20:00 to 22:00; the participants would wear white and the service would be free of charge. He also gave the name of the religious movement that was beginning: UMBANDA – Manifestation of the Spirit for Mercy.

The centre for spiritual work that was to be founded was called Our Lady of Mercy, because just as Mary welcomed her son into her arms, so all those in need of help or comfort would be welcomed as children. Once the foundations of the cult had been laid, and after answering the questions of the priests present in Latin and English, the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas moved on to the practical part of the work.

The caboclo went to help a paralytic and healed him. He then went on to help other people who were there, practising his healing.

That same day, he included an old black man named Pai Antônio, who, because of his soft speech, was thought by his family to be mad. With words of great wisdom and humility, and seeming shyness, he refused to sit at the table with those present, saying the following words:

“Negroes don’t sit down, master, Negroes stay right here. That’s for white masters, and Negroes must respect that.”

After some prodding from those present, he says: “No need to worry. People stay where they belong.”

He went on to say other words that represented his humility. Someone at the meeting asked him if he missed anything he had left behind on earth, and he replied:

“My caximba. Nêgo wants the pipe he left on the stump. Send Mureque to fetch it.”

This statement stunned those present as they witnessed the request for the first element of work for this religion.

It was also Pai Antonio who first asked for a guide, which is still used today by the members of the Tenda and is affectionately called the “Pai Antonio Guide”.

The next day, a real pilgrimage formed in the Floriano Peixoto street. Sick people, the blind, etc. came in search of healing and found it there, in the name of Jesus. Mediums, whose mediumistic manifestations had been considered madness, left the sanatoriums and proved their exceptional qualities.

From then on, the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas began to work tirelessly to clarify, spread and consolidate the Umbanda religion.

In addition to Pai Antônio, he had as his assistant Caboclo orixá Malé, a being with extensive experience in undoing low magic spells.

In 1918, the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas received orders from the Astral Superior to establish seven tents for the propagation of Umbanda.

The associations were given the following names

• Our Lady of Guia Spiritist Tent
• Our Lady of Conception Spiritist Tent
• Santa Bárbara Spiritist Tent
• São Pedro Spiritist Tent
• Oxalá Spiritist Tent
• São Jorge Spiritist Centre
• São Gerônimo Spiritist Tent

During the incarnation of Zélio, more than 10,000 tents were founded from those mentioned above.

Although he did not pursue the military career for which he had been trained, as his mediumistic mission prevented him from doing so, Zélio Fernandino de Moraes never made religion his profession.

He worked to support his family and often contributed financially to the upkeep of the temples founded by the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas, as well as to the people who stayed at his house for spiritual treatments, which people say was like a hostel.

He had never accepted financial assistance from anyone, as instructed by his Chief Guide, despite being offered it on numerous occasions.

Ministers, Industrialists and Military officers who called upon Zélio‘s mediumistic powers to cure sick relatives and, seeing them recover, tried to repay the favour with gifts or large cheques.

“Don’t accept them. Return them!” the caboclo would always command.

As for the use of the term Spiritualist and the names of Catholic saints in the tents that were erected, this was due to the fact that at that time it was not possible to register the name Umbanda, and as for the names of saints, it was a way of establishing a point of reference for followers of the Catholic religion who sought the services of Umbanda.

The ritual established by the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas was very simple, with low, harmonious chants, white clothing and no animal sacrifices. Atabaques and clapping were not allowed. Helmets, swords, headdresses, coloured clothing, lace and lamé were not allowed.

The guides used are only those that determine the being manifesting.

Herbal baths, amulets, concentration in the vibratory environments of nature, along with doctrinal teaching based on the Gospel, are the main elements of preparation for the medium.

The ritual has always been simple. Animal sacrifices were never permitted.

They did not use atabaques or any other objects or props. In time, atabaques were used by some of the tendas founded by the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas, but the Tenda Nossa Senhora da Piedade still does not use them in its rituals.

After 55 years of activity at the head of the Tenda Nossa Senhora da Piedade (an Umbanda temple), Zélio handed over the management of the temple to his daughters, Zélia and Zilméa, and continued to work alongside his wife, Isabel, a medium for the Caboclo Roxo, working in the Cabana de Pai Antônio, in Boca do Mato, district of Cachoeiras de Macacu – RJ, dedicating most of his day to caring for people with psychic illnesses and anyone who sought him out.

In 1971, Mrs Lilia Ribeiro, director of TULEF (Tenda de Umbanda Luz, Esperança, Fraternidade – RJ), recorded a message from the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas which clearly reflects the humility and high degree of evolution of this highly enlightened being. Here it is:

“Umbanda has progressed and will continue to progress. There must be sincerity, honesty, and I always warn my long-time companions: Basic motives will harm Umbanda; mediums who sell themselves will be expelled later, just as Jesus expelled the merchants from the temple.

The danger of the male medium is the female counsellor; the danger of the female medium is the male counsellor. One must always be on one’s guard, for the very possessors who seek to attack our homes touch something in the heart of the woman who speaks to the Father of the Terreiro, just as they touch something in the heart of the man who speaks to the Mother of the Terreiro.

It takes a lot of morality for Umbanda to progress, to be strong and cohesive. Umbanda is humility, love and charity – this is our banner.

At this moment, my brothers, I am surrounded by various spirits who work in Umbanda in Brazil: Caboclos de Oxossi, Ogum and Xangô.

I, however, come from the Phalanx of Oxossi, my father, and I did not come by chance. I have come with a mission. My brothers: be humble, have love in your hearts, love from brother to brother, for your mediumship will become purer as you serve the higher spirits that come down among you; it is necessary that the apparatus is always clean, the instruments attuned to the virtues that Jesus preached here on Earth, so that we may have good communication and protection for those who come seeking help in the houses of Umbanda.

My brothers: My device is already old, with 80 years of service, but it started before I was 18. I can say that I helped him get married so that he wouldn’t get into trouble, so that he would be a useful medium, and so that I could establish our Umbanda through his mediumship.

Most of those who work in Umbanda, if they have not gone through this Tenda, have gone through those who have left this house. I ask you this: if Jesus came to planet Earth in the humility of a Manger, it was not by chance. It was the Father’s choice. He could have chosen the home of a powerful figure of the time, but He chose the one who would be His Mother, that Spirit who would show mankind the steps to peace, health and happiness.

May the birth of Jesus, the humility with which He came down to earth, serve as an example, illuminating your minds, removing the darkness of evil thoughts and practices; may God forgive the evil that may have been thought, so that peace may reign in your hearts and in your homes. Close your eyes to your neighbour’s house; close your mouth that you may not murmur against anyone; do not judge that you may not be judged; believe in God and peace will enter your house. It is from the Gospels.

I, my brothers, as the lowest spirit that has descended to earth, but a friend to all, in perfect harmony with the companions who surround me at this moment, ask that they feel the needs of each one of you, and that when you leave this Temple of Love, you find the paths open, your sick improved and healed, and health forever in your bodies. With the wish for peace, health and happiness, with humility, love and charity, I am and always will be the humble Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas.

Zélio Fernandino de Moraes dedicated 66 years of his life to Umbanda, returning to the spiritual plane on 3 October 1975 with the certainty that his mission had been accomplished.

His work and the guidelines established by the Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas continue to be followed by his daughters, Zélia and Zilméa de Moraes, who carry in their hearts a great love for Umbanda, a leafy tree that always bears fruit for those who know how to harvest it and deserve it.

HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND FOUNDATION OF UMBANDA

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