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Babalú-Ayé and the Coronavirus Pandemic: Reflections on Humility in a Difficult Moment



“Babalú-Ayé wants everyone to place his altar directly in front of the main door of the house,” a friend texts from Perico, Cuba.

“He wants everybody to place seven gourds in front of him, each with a different kind of grain, a red onion, and cigar. And most importantly, he wants everyone to light two candles and pray to Him to scare away the pandemic.”

This admonition is followed by another prescription for a cleaning at the foot of the Old Man.

In this moment, the coronavirus pandemic has killed thousands of people, paralyzed whole countries, and quarantined millions. So oricha communities around the world are naming ways to acknowledge his impact and pray that he go easy on us. As one traditional praise song says:

Ason kuele, Ason kuele, Ason kuele, Ason ño
Sickness, be gentle with us

Babalú is sometimes said to “rule” infectious disease, but in fact, he is infectious disease and its antidote. So at this moment, we are becoming intimately acquainted with his effect on the world. He is killing people, paralyzing countries, and sending us all inside for isolation. He is also providing knowledge to manage this situation, the brave dedication and care given by thousands of health care workers and first responders, and the vaccine that we are all waiting for.

Like the pandemic, Babalú reminds us of all those things over which we do not have direct power or influence. He reminds us that we are not fully in charge of our destinies.

Key to coping with this realization is humility, an attitude that pervades the worship of Babalú. While we greet other riches standing up, we always prostrate ourselves when speaking to Babalú. We kneel, place our foreheads on the ground before him, and clap our hands against the earth. The devout do in a weekly ceremony to tend him. Oricha communities bow down before him in the awán each year at this feast in December. And pilgrims crawl or drag themselves in a procession in his honor each year.

While we dress other orichas in rich fabrics like brocade, satin, and silk, Babalú always wears sackcloth, even when he is on a ritual throne. This reflects his history as a beggar who dressed in discarded burlap bags used to store rice, sugar, and beans. He knows what it means to live in a precarious situation and make do with what you have. 

Babalú reminds us to humble ourselves and give thanks for the blessings we have. 

And he reminds us to always—always!—pray for health and long life.

Maferefun Babalú-Ayé. Sofalú Asojano.
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  1. ArthurBarlowApril 21, 2020 at 10:56 PM

    Thank you for posting this. I work in a hospital providing the equipment needed for all discharging patients and clean myself off with Baba's ja every night when I return home from work. I thoroughly enjoy your posts about Baba. There is something truly special about this oricha. My path of Asojano is Alua and I wanted to know if you could tell me what you've learned from your elders about this particular road.

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    1. Michael Atwood MasonApril 24, 2020 at 4:02 PM

      Upon reflection, I realize that I have little information about Aluá. My elders suggest that he takes black beads and his necklace has two strands. He is thought of as a companion to the leader, but little else is said about him.

      Delete
  2. Michael Atwood MasonApril 22, 2020 at 10:59 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

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