Picture Post: Drum Altar, Equinox 2011

The drum altar is one of my favorite parts of participating in events with my spiritual family. Made up of eclectic, ecstatic, and excited witches, we use this space as a focal point for the community at large weekend events.

The core structure of the drum altar uses the Yoruban Ifá sprits, the Orisha, and their archetypes to build from...but the altar is not limited to that tradition. We have many different paths at these events, and the common languages are love and drum...so there is a Ganesha, a Legolas doll on the Ochossi altar (hunter, archer, tree-dweller), many many different things used to symbolize the energies we are all bringing together to work with.

Along with symbols, the festival participants bring food, candy, fruit, bread, wine, rum, whisky, cigars, candles, and more...the offerings left on the higher tiers are left for the gods, and those on the blanket are for the hungry and thirsty drummers, dancers, and watchers as the night grows darker and the fire grown higher.

Here are some glimpses of the altar during the daytime...imagine it at night, lit by tealights and candles, the mirrors flashing with the firelight, the pounding drums at your back, and the blankets full of happy people feeding each other chocolate, honey, and grapes!

Oshun, Mary, Sweet Mother, the center and heart of the altar.

A larger view of the altar...Oshun, Yemaya, and Eleggua

Ganesha is chilling next to Ochossi, and under Ogun.

Ancestor, trickster, gate and crossroads

A view of the left side, Ogun near the top, Obatala at the top, Chango opposite Ogun.