In Matters of Faith: Introducing Salsism

My relationship with organized religion has been a rocky one.  I grew up in an evangelical home.  I read my Bible often, prayed daily, and went to Bible school every Sunday.  My parents did not dare miss a church service.  When I began to slowly distance myself from our church, I didn't walk away from everything I had learned; I simply began to think more for myself rather than saying yea and amen to anything the church minister said. To this day, I continue to indulge in my spirituality.  I seek meaning and understanding not just from scriptures, but from encounters with people, nature, and in music.

There have been many a great messengers who I believe spoke truth in their music sometimes in their lyrics or through their instruments. Some of these contemporary luminaries are the likes of Bob Marley, John Lennon, and Pink Floyd just to name a few.  In the Latin world, we also have a number of musicians who in their devotion to perfect their craft composed some tunes that resonated in the hearts of many and continues to influence one generation after another. They produced what I like to call Salsism or Salsianity, a non-canonical compilation of Salsa songs that speak to different people in different ways.

Salsism began spreading during the 60's and 70's throughout Latin and Central America and the Caribbean.  The debate is still out on when or where the movement began gaining converts/dancers.  Some say it originated in Cuba, others say it started in Puerto Rico, and another group claims that it finally came together as a gospel in New York City.  Thanks to technological advances, some old songs are being restored that may point to a more definitive date and time, but that's for Salsism theologians to grapple about.  What's important is the message.  

Unfortunately, because Morocco has a strict ban on proselytizing, I have only shared it with a select few; however, despite the ban, it appears that Salsism may be an unstoppable force. Ominous signs can be seen in Marrakech, which hosted an International Salsa Festival late September.

Salsism from its inception has been a pluralistic tradition.   In fact, if you were to ask most Salsism followers or as we call them in Spanish Salseros, they will tell you that they also subscribe to a host of other beliefs: Catholicism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Protestantism, and probably to a small degree at this present moment Islam.

Like other faiths, its meaning is incomprehensible.  You can devote time to unraveling the hidden messages within the lyrics, but it is not a requirement for one to devote any time at all to that.  Actually, some of our most fervent followers don't understand a word of what is being sung, but they attend congregational meetings regularly and display their zeal on the dance floor whether it be in Cuban, Puerto Rican, Ballroom, or pegadito (nice-n-close) style.  If you were to ask most salseros about their passion for the music, I think many would agree that it's more about what you do rather than what you believe.  


One way we exhibit that passion is to partake in general congregational meetings where you can hear the gospel truth sung by a soulful sonero and where more often than not alcohol is served in abundance.   The eclectic mix of African drums, indigenous chants, and the smooth brass of NYC's jazz  influence creates an intoxicating magical fusion of captivating beats and rhythms complemented with heartfelt lyrics that quite often leave people with the insatiable need for more.  Dancing is not a requirement, but it is highly recommended for anyone wishing to experience the transcendence of moving in unison with the music and the partner of your choice--it is important to note that in this particular instance too much alcohol can work against you if you wish to reach this transcendent state.  

On my last blog I shared a tidbit of my credo sung by one of the all-time great soneros of the 20th century, Hector Lavoe.  He is one of the many soneros who we salseros believe to have interpreted some profound messages often written by Willie Colon and Ruben Blades that were then delivered through salsa.  A lot of gospel truth emerged during the 60's and 70's in what many call the Golden Age of Salsa.  Lavoe, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz, Ismael Rivera, El Gran Combo, Grupo Niche, and Oscar de Leon are just a few of some of the most prolific interpreters during Salsism's Golden Age.  The songs they sung are so timeless that the studios continue to enhance them, new soneros like Marc Anthony remake them, and DJs continue to remix them.  It's impossible to outline all the values of Salsism: first, because as I said, it's too encompassing to be narrowed down to a few phrases; and second, doing so would result in a biased, incomplete, and woefully inadequate interpretation.  There's only one way to experience transcendence.  You can't take my word for it; you have to go there yourself.

So without further ado, here are a number of songs from some of the most devout interpreters of Salsism:
  

1)  "El Todopoderoso" by Hector Lavoe


A tribute to the All-Mighty, but cautions people to keep their beliefs to themselves.

2) "Todo Tiene Su Final" by Hector Lavoe



Sings of the bloom and withering of a beautiful flower and the rise and fall of a world champion to remind all that nothing lasts forever.  Carpe diem!

3) "El Cantante" by Hector Lavoe written by Ruben Blades



Talks about the life of a famous singer who many envy and believe to be the happiest man alive.  Yet, throughout the song he claims that he is like everyone else.  He suffers and has had hard times that have hurt deeply; however, no one asks or wants to know.  He is told and he knows quite well that he is a singer.  His role is to sing and to bring joy to the people.

4) "Plastico" by Ruben Blades (This video has lyrics translated into English and shows a number of congregational meetings)



Talks of rejecting materialism and the illusion of social class.

5) "El Gran Baron" by Willie Colon


"No se puede corregir a la naturaleza, palo que nace doblao', jamas su tronco endereza."  (You can't correct/change nature.  A tree that grows bent, never does it's trunk straighten.)  The song interprets this famous dicho(saying) by telling the story of the only son of a rich man who will one day be heir to his father's fortune.  The young man is sent abroad to study, and while away from his father's constant gaze, he "comes out of the closet".  One day the father decides to make a surprise visit to his son.  The young man dressed in women's clothes and makeup greets his father on the street.  The father is appalled and disowns his son.  Years later, the young man dies all alone in a hospital.  His father after so many years wonders about the fate of his only son and inquires about him only to learn that he passed away.  Another famous dicho is added towards the end, "Si del cielo te cae limones, aprende hacer limonada" (If the heavens send you lemons, learn to make lemonade).

6) "Pedro Navaja" by Ruben Blades



In this song, Blades tells the story of a street hustler and a prostitute working the same street.  The hustler decides to assault the prostitute.  The prostitute is stabbed, but before she collapses she fires her revolver and shoots the hustler.  Both die and then a drunk man passes by tripping over them, grabs the revolver, a few coins that were on the sidewalk, and then says: "La vida te da sorpresas; sorpresas te da la vida ay Dios" (Literally, life surprises you; colloquially, shit happens.)
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As with any message that is being delivered, one should strive to understand the context in which it was written.  Many Salsism gospel songs criticize or comment on the Latin American machismo, rampant crime, corruption, and a host of other societal ills.  I've tried not to interject my interpretation of the songs because I think everyone should determine meaning for themselves.  I've provided only brief synapses of the lyrics, but even my translations and summaries should not be taken completely to heart.

I cannot tell you what to do with the gospel that has been shared.  Some feel the need to tell all.  As for me, I prefer to live by example attending congregational meetings on a regular basis and inviting anyone in search of truth and transcendence.  Now that I am down to my last month of Peace Corps service, I can't wait to reunite with fellow salseros.  Perhaps years down the road, I will return to Morocco to partake of the festivities of what I hope will be one of the biggest congregational meetings ever.

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For the closest congregational meeting in your neck of the woods, check out Salsadancecongresses.com or http://www.salsapower.com/

Also, to continue to hear more gospel truth, these days you can stream live salsa from Live365, Pandora, or Spotify.    You'll also find that once you type Hector Lavoe or Willie Colon on YouTube the names of other salsa greats come up.  Good luck in your search! Keep listening and keep dancing!

In Matters of Faith: Minding My Own

In Morocco, faith and religious practice is intertwined with everyday life.  The call to prayer is loud and clear five times a day and especially noticeable at five in the morning.  Every action, it seems, is preceded or followed by what are commonly referred to as God phrases.  If a Moroccan happens to notice that you took a shower, got a haircut, got new clothes, got done exercising, or finished a meal, he or she instinctively blurts out a bssHa (To your health) to which one must respond with a llah y3tik sHa (May God give you health) .  If you are about to start cooking a meal, eating a meal, about to walk out the door, jump in a car, or go anywhere in particular uttering a bismillah (In the Name of God) is necessary to bless the start of the journey or activity.  If you're grateful about anything, you should throw in a hamdullah (thanks be to God).  When you're about to walk out the door or leaving your circle of friends, you could say bslama, which according to our Peace Corps Darija (Moroccan Arabic) textbook is your equivalent of a goodbye, but a lot of Moroccans combine that with a llah y3wnk or llah yfdk (God help you or God protect you).  Lastly, if one is to mention anything that is likely to happen in the near or distant future, one should expect to be interrupted with a customary inshallah (God willing).

I've gotten so accustomed to using these phrases that now I insert preemptive inshallahs before I start any future tense verb.  Some of my Moroccan friends think that I'm being really considerate of God's will by inserting inshallahs at the start, middle, and end of my future tense sentences, but truth is that I don't really like to be interrupted when I'm speaking :). Who does?

To a foreigner adding all these God phrases can seem quite burdensome and odd if unaccustomed to invoking God in their native language.  There are so many different phrases and using one out of place can get you some chuckles or stares and is a tell-tale sign that you haven't been in the country for very long.  For Moroccans, uttering them is second nature.  They add these phrases effortlessly into their conversation.  The more you use them, the more respectful or pious you come across.  The utterance of Allah (God) is intrinsically tied to their everyday sayings regardless if you're speaking in Darija, Tamazight, Tashelheit, or Tarifit.

During Ramadan, it seems as if people are a bit more devoted to the practice of their faith than is commonly seen throughout the year.  They attend the mosque with more frequency, read the Qur'an, and wear what some consider to be more reverent attire.  More men put on their skull-caps and dust off their ankle-length white tunics.  People turn even more nocturnal than usual as circadian rhythms and blood-sugar levels are thrown out of whack by the sunrise to sunset fast and the late night meals.  The other day as I walked around Rabat just before the break of fast, I was taken aback by how people sat in front of a hot, delicious serving of Morocco's famous harira, fat, juicy dates, sugary fried dough delicacies, and a glass of juice or milk without taking a bite or a sip at least until the imam called out the end of the fast.  It was remarkable to witness this degree of self-control.

Religious traditions also play a role in the family's finances.  For every new child that is born, the father must sacrifice a sheep during its naming ceremony.  For the grand feast of L3id Kbir/Al-Adha, the family takes out the savings to purchase one to two sheep depending on the size of the family.  Every sheep can cost anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500DH or $120 to $180.  This may not sound like a lot in dollar terms, but when the average salary for a day laborer is 50DH or $6.25 p/day; just imagine the effort families have to make to have the money for this must-do religious rite.  Not too long ago, one of my Moroccan friends told me that his wife was  expecting twins.  He was elated, but also somewhat concerned because within a few months he would have to purchase two sheep for the naming ceremony.  I asked him why couldn't just one sheep suffice, but the thought of that was something he'd rather not even contemplate.  He felt a sense of obligation.  

Another ritual that all Muslims should do, according to what is regarded as the five pillars of Islam, within their lifetime is the Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca, which can run between 50-60,000DH per person for an all-inclusive travel package.  For many Moroccans especially here in the rural and semi-urban towns, having that much cash available is something of a pipe dream; however, that doesn't mean that they don't think about it.  If the economic circumstances would permit it, they would most certainly follow through with it without any hesitation.

Sometimes people's religious fervor can also be in-your-face, literally.  During our pre-service training, we were warned that many people would approach us to speak to us about Islam with the goal of converting us.  According to our cross-cultural facilitators during our PC training, he stated that the Qur'an speaks of a reward in paradise for those that bring someone into Islam.  Most people have been cordial when speaking about Islam while some, perhaps by nature are belligerent and judgmental, speak about their faith in a forceful and absolutist way.  Others are really sly and attempt to convert you by having you repeat the shahada, the declaration of faith, without explaining to you what you're about to say--I think most volunteers have probably unintentionally converted, but supposedly according to Muslim scholars, if one does not say the shahada knowing fully what one is saying and in earnest, then it doesn’t count. Most everyone asks if I fast and how many times I pray. When I tell them that in my old church we were not required to fast and that we did pray during church services and before meals, some have said that they like the prayer before meals idea, but found it odd that we were not asked to fast.


Any response about my former religious practices were met with comparisons. If I said that some Catholics fast for Lent for a week or up to a month, I was reminded about how much Muslims fasted. If I said that my family used to pray before meals, traveling, and before going to bed, I was reminded about how most Muslims pray five times a day. If I told them that I would go to church service twice per week, I was then told that most Muslims go to the mosque at least five times per day. Every answer was met with a response showing how much more devoted Muslims were in terms of all the things that they did.


What was absent from most of our conversations was the question of what I believed. In the U.S., there are so many denominations branching out from Christianity that often what one believes is central to one's religious or spiritual identity, but in Morocco, only a handful of people asked me what exactly did I believe. When I read Seyyed Hossein Nasr'sHeart of Islam, I began to understand the questions or the absence of some questions from my Moroccan friends and colleagues. He said that Muslims are not concerned with orthodoxy, but rather orthopraxy. It's not about what you believe, but what you do. Hence, what they say throughout the day, what they wear, the number of times they pray, the slaughtering of the sacrificial lamb, complying with Shari'a law, fasting, making the pilgrimage to Mecca, and zakat (almsgiving) are a daily demonstration of their devotion and submission to God.

Having worked with previous volunteers, my tutor knew that I would be confronted about my Christian faith.  He gave me some phrases that would help to diffuse the tension and would call to question the actions of the often self-righteous and presumptuous proselytizer.  Basically, he told me to do the following: first, one shouldn't be speaking about Islam with complete strangers so one can call out people for being impertinent; second, once the person has apologized and invited you and your friends over for lunch or tea, but should they persist, one should tell them that should one decide to become a Muslim, one need not only to hear about the faith, but also to see living examples of the faith where the principles (mabadi), values (qiyam), and manners/behaviors (axlaq) are in full display; thirdly, if that doesn't prompt the proselytizer to reflect on their own lives and conduct, one can appeal to them to respect (Htrm) one's faith or call them out for being judgmental, which according to the Qur'an should only be God’s prerogative. 

With religion being ever-present, it is hard not to think about one’s beliefs.  Seeking to understand where people around me were coming from, I read a number of books that gave me some insight into my neighbors’ faith and how that faith shaped their values.  I went through Karen Armstrong’s History of God, which chronicled the evolution of Abrahamic faiths.  Ms. Armstrong’s detailed account of the birth, expansion, inner struggles, outside influences, and future challenges of each of the three Abrahamic faiths helped me understand the context in which the divine scriptures were written and how over the centuries different people in different regions with different influences read or heard the scriptures, which helped them determine a course of action for their lives and the lives of others.  Several years before coming to Morocco and before I even applied to the Peace Corps, a dear mentor of mine recommended Ms. Armstrong’s Holy War: The Crusades and Their Impact on Today’s World, which documented the interaction between East and West and Christianity and Islam crusade by crusade.  These two books gave me a lot of great insight and also gave me more of an impetus to continue learning.  

I followed Armstrong's books with Nasr’s Heart of Islam.  This book was written shortly after 9/11 in the hopes of creating an interfaith dialogue and to counter the media’s negative portrayals of his faith.  It’s a contrast to Armstrong who as a religious historian attempts to remain objective in her narrative.  Nasr makes no excuses about what he believes and has little regard for the work of Enlightenment scholars who first attempted to describe his faith.  In fact, in his preface he goes on to say that the Age of Enlightenment was “an age of the darkening of the soul and eclipse of the intellect”.  Like Armstrong, he compares and contrasts various passages in the Torah, Bible, and Qur’an to show how the scriptures resemble one another.  He counters the media critics who allege that Islam is a violent religion or that it supposedly endorses violence by pointing to other verses in the Qur’an that speak of tolerance, forgiveness, and peace.

Later on, I came across a copy of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Infidel, a book that supposedly is banned in Morocco and in many other Islamic countries because of what some consider to be a poor depiction of Islam, but probably most importantly because she is a Muslim turned atheist.  Ali’s struggles in war-torn Somalia, her brief stint in Saudi Arabia, living as a refugee in Ethiopia, her courageous escape to Europe, and her spiritual transformations make for a riveting read.  Even if one objects to the characterizations about Islam, her life story is a remarkable journey.  I found it insightful to read about how different people with distinctive cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds from the various countries she lived in, within and outside of the Abode of Islam, interpreted the scriptures and then applied them to their daily lives.  Throughout most of the book I believe she is intending to demonstrate how someone's culture can frame the faith, but then towards the end, she seems to forget that point and resorts to making similar generalizations about the role of the faith in various aspects of Muslim society.  She picks and chooses verses to show that the Qur'an endorses oppression and calls out some Muslism for not being true Muslims because they don't adhere to a literal interpretation.  It's almost as if she turned into the very thing she despised.

The history and culture as Ali shows are key in the exercise of an individual, community, or a nation's faith, but I can't help but think about the socioeconomic factors at play that have put oppressive governments in power. Just recently, I read a blurb on a recent copy of The Economist magazine about the curse of oil.  According to the author, one of the reasons why the U.S. has made strides in gender equality is partly due to world events that prompted change.  World War I & II forced women to the workforce and in the process they gained skills and political clout in the dynamics of the family.  Also, in our market-driven economy, we are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to generate domestic demand; therefore, ignoring the needs, aspirations, and ideas of 50% of the population would be bad for business.  On the other hand, oil-rich countries, which also happen to make up a significant portion of the Islamic World, are export driven, mostly state-controlled, and have steady cashflows that makes it less of an imperative to diversify their economy.  Also, men in some of these countries earn enough to feed the family; thus, women, aside from consumption side of an economy, are nearly absent in other areas.

I think that logic rings somewhat true in Morocco.  Because they lack the oil deposits, they have a much more diversified economy where women play a much bigger role in government and business.  The dynamics in a family where the wife is an income contributor is remarkably different.  When our CBT group asked a cooperative about gender expectations relating to work within Islam, they reminded us that the Prophet's wife, Khadija, was the head of a large caravan trade business.  The women of the cooperative did not feel at odds with their faith for pursuing a profitable trade or career.  Like Ali showed the environment in which Islam is practiced will differ and in turn so will the laws, gender roles, and expectations.  Socioeconomic policy can certainly influence the societal structural.  I'm not saying that petrodollars are the sole cause for why for instance women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive, but they can certainly prop a ruling class that may have a very rigid interpretation different from those of the women's coop I worked with and from that of other Muslim countries.

After reading the Heart of Islam and Infidel, I felt I needed to formulate my own opinion about the Qur’an so I started reading it.  As of November 5, I am only about a quarter of the way through it.  It’s a tough book to read with a lot of complicated passages that I believe are lost in translation.  Other passages are quite clear especially when speaking of the Five Pillars of Islam and I can see why many Moroccans feel comfortable telling me that I’m going to hell because I decided not to fast, but then again from what I have read, Surah 5 v. 47 of the Qur’an also states, “Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein.”  Mid-way through verse 48 it adds, “Had Allah willed he could have made you one community.  But that He may try you by that which He hath given you.  So vie one another in good works.  Unto Allah ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ.”  The first sentence of Surah 2 v. 256 says, “There is no compulsion in religion.” These passages I’m sure could be interpreted in a number of ways and should be read with as much historical context and commentary.  For me, given my background, limited knowledge, and my limited capacity to understand religious scriptures, they mean that Allah has revealed Himself in different ways, He alone is the judge, and people should stop forcing others to do something in the name of religion. But don't take it from me.  Read it for yourself!

Be mindful that even after reading through several Surahs, these were the verses and passages that stood out to me.  Why did they stand out? Because these were the verses that my innately biased mind searched for.  Back in college, we had a name for this bias.  It was called selective attention.  We all practice it, but few acknowledge it.  My selective attention derives from growing up in an all-women household in Latin America under tough economic conditions in a conservative Christian environment.  I also moved around quite a bit, and every time we moved, I heard from a different pastor who quite often focused on different passages of the Bible or interpreted various verses in his own peculiar way.  Different people with different backgrounds read the Qur'an and other scriptures, and it speaks to them in different ways.  Others pick out various religious scriptures that give them meaning or justifies their behavior and sometimes overlook or place less emphasis on other passages that may run contradictory to their absolutist or legalistic ideology.  Some people are aware of their biases, but others are not.  In an ideal world, I would have any would-be interpreter of religious scriptures add a disclaimer, similar to the pharmaceutical commercials, about their cultural and socioeconomic background and even the natural environment he/she grew up in before he/she utters one word of interpretation or offers a selection of verses.  This would provide much-needed context to the individual's deliberate and unconscious biases when reading religious texts.        

Like I said, I’m only a quarter of the way through the Qur'an.  I’m still making up my mind about what has been said.  At the same time, I don’t think I will ever get to the point where I’ll have a clear understanding of anything written in any of the Divine Scriptures.  Armstrong tells stories of scholars of the Abrahamic faiths who gave up trying to make sense of the Scriptures and just began to recite and sing them believing that their meaning was beyond human comprehension.  I would agree with her. 

Unfortunately, many are not humble enough to accept that.  My prayer is that those who are aware of their inability to fully understand the Divine Scriptures will have the fortitude to stand up to those that claim to know it all or purport to carry out God’s will.  As for now, when it comes to matters of faith, I'll continue to mind my own.

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Here's a recent speech by Karen Armstrong on TED on her Charter for Compasssion: