By Eben van Tonder, 1 November 2024
Abstract
This dissertation explores the convergence of ancient religious and cultural practices with contemporary spiritual traditions in two geographically distinct regions: Ilé-Ifẹ̀ in Nigeria, a sacred city for the Yoruba people, and Styria in Austria, a region steeped in Catholic tradition with lingering connections to pre-Christian Celtic and Noric beliefs. By examining the veneration of Orishas in Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and the Easter meat-blessing rituals in Styria, this work demonstrates how both regions maintain vibrant cultural continuities that connect the ancient past with present-day faith practices. These traditions are not mere relics but actively shape the cultural and spiritual landscapes of each region. Through a comparative study, this dissertation illuminates the intricate ways in which cultural heritage and ancient technologies, such as meat curing and preservation, continue to influence daily life, ritual, and identity in these unique spiritual centers, offering a fresh perspective on how ancient practices remain embedded in modern spiritual and cultural expressions.
Introduction
Throughout human history, sacred landscapes have served as focal points for both religious expression and cultural continuity. The way communities interact with these landscapes reflects their worldview, belief systems, and social structures, creating a profound connection between land, tradition, and faith. This dissertation compares two such regions—Ilé-Ifẹ̀ in Nigeria and Styria in Austria—exploring how these communities have maintained a vibrant intersection of ancient traditions and contemporary religious practices.
Ilé-Ifẹ̀, a revered city in Yoruba mythology, is not only the birthplace of humanity according to Yoruba tradition but a place where deities descended to establish life on earth. This profound history has anchored Ilé-Ifẹ̀ as a center of cultural and spiritual power, preserving ancient rites and beliefs in a continuous practice. In City of 201 Gods: Ilé-Ifẹ̀ in Time, Space, and the Imagination, Jacob Olupona discusses how Ilé-Ifẹ̀ serves as an exemplar of a place where ancient practices have been carried into the present without losing their meaning. Olupona explains that elements such as specific sites for deity worship, the physical structure of the king’s palace, and distinct pilgrimage routes are deeply embedded in the Yoruba people’s identity, providing continuity between past and present. Whenever such markers of tradition are present, one can discern a region with unbroken cultural continuity, where modern practices still resonate with their ancient origins.
Austria, Slovenia, and Bavaria: The Epicenter of European Meat Curing
In examining the importance of place, where the spiritual and the physical, the temporal and the eternal meet, Austria—especially the old Noric lands of Styria, Slovenia, and Bavaria—emerges as a region of unparalleled significance. As documented in Noricum, Bavarian, and Hungarian Sausages: History and Contemporary Recipes on Earthworm Express, this region has preserved a continuous cultural and spiritual heritage dating back at least to the Bronze Age. This uninterrupted tradition includes the unique technology of meat curing, establishing these lands as the foundational center of European meat preservation practices.
Thus, the focus of this dissertation is to draw out these parallels between Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and the Noricum region, exploring how elements of spiritual continuity and ancient technology create a unique cultural fabric that still influences daily life. This study ultimately highlights Austria, Slovenia, and Bavaria as the historic center of European meat curing, a cultural and spiritual legacy that, much like Ilé-Ifẹ̀, serves as a profound link between the past and the present.
Chapter 1: Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and Yoruba Spirituality
The Sacred Significance of Ilé-Ifẹ̀
Ilé-Ifẹ̀, located in southwestern Nigeria, is a place of profound religious and cultural importance to the Yoruba people. Mythologically, it is regarded as the origin of humanity, where Oduduwa, a central deity, descended from the heavens to establish the world. This origin story grounds the Yoruba in a cosmology where deities, or Orishas, have specific domains on Earth. Prominent among them are Ogun, the god of iron, and Orunmila, the deity of wisdom, each believed to inhabit sacred sites in Ilé-Ifẹ̀.
The Yoruba king, known as the Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, is both a political figure and a spiritual intermediary, maintaining the connection between humans and the divine. The Ọọ̀ni’s palace, with its sacred zones reflecting Yoruba cosmology, is a physical embodiment of this connection, structured to symbolize the journey from humanity to divinity. As Jacob Olupona explores in City of 201 Gods: Ilé-Ifẹ̀ in Time, Space, and the Imagination, each shrine in Ilé-Ifẹ̀ provides a point of contact with a specific Orisha, where devotees can seek guidance and engage in rituals, reinforcing the tangible presence of the divine in daily life.
Pilgrimage and Rituals in Ilé-Ifẹ̀
Ilé-Ifẹ̀’s landscape is dotted with sacred sites, each representing a deity’s presence. Pilgrims travel from shrine to shrine, receiving blessings and performing rites that affirm their bond with the Orishas. These sites are not only symbolic; they are physical manifestations of faith where devotees experience the presence of their deities. For example, devotees of Ogun seek iron artifacts at his shrine, and followers of Orunmila use wisdom artifacts to connect with his spirit. Each visit embodies a blend of personal faith and cultural heritage, making Ilé-Ifẹ̀ a living testament to Yoruba spirituality.
Chapter 2: Styria and the Continuity of Celtic-Catholic Traditions
The Sacred Landscape of Styria and the Influence of Noricum
Styria, a region in southeastern Austria, is characterized by its rural Catholic traditions, deeply intertwined with ancient Celtic beliefs. Before Christianity, the area was part of the Celtic kingdom of Noricum, where natural forces and fertility gods were central to worship. When Christianity spread, these beliefs were not eradicated but adapted, creating a unique synthesis in which Catholic rites became an extension of pre-Christian spirituality.
Monasteries like Admont and Vorau became centers of scholarship, preserving knowledge and promoting cultural connections with monastic sites in Ireland. These sites continue to shape Styrian identity, with festivals and blessings deeply rooted in the land and echoing the practices of their Celtic ancestors.
Cured Meat Blessings: A Unique Tradition Linking Ancient and Christian Practices
One of the most distinctive rituals in Styria, Bavaria, and Slovenia is the Easter blessing of cured meats. This tradition, which includes foods like speck, sausages, and ham, has ancient roots tied to survival practices dating back to Hallstatt and Noric times. The Hallstatt Celts, known for their advanced curing and smoking methods, developed techniques for preserving meat through harsh winters. Later, the Noric people continued these practices, and they eventually became integrated into Christian Easter celebrations, creating a continuity that links ancient survival skills with modern spirituality.
In Historical Origins, Symbolism, and Easter Traditions of Cured Meats & Meat Blessing, it is noted that “the blessing of meat, especially cured meat, is more than a ritual; it is an homage to the resilience and resourcefulness of generations past who depended on these methods.” This unique focus on cured meats, as opposed to fresh meats or other foods, reflects the region’s historical reliance on preserved food and is celebrated as both a religious and cultural event.
All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days: A Continuation of Celtic Samhain
The Christian observances of All Saints’ Day (November 1st) and All Souls’ Day (November 2nd) align with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. In Samhain tradition, it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead became thin, allowing spirits to visit the mortal world. In Styria, these themes persist as families light candles, visit graves, and offer prayers, blending Catholic observance with ancestral reverence. The mist that frequently envelops the Wechsel mountains during this time adds a mystical quality to the landscape, reinforcing the sense of spiritual continuity.
Chapter 3: Comparative Analysis – Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and Styria as Sacred Sites
In both Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and Styria, faith is intertwined with specific landscapes, providing a tangible connection to their respective spiritual traditions. Ilé-Ifẹ̀, as described by Olupona, is a living cosmology where each deity has a physical space on Earth. Similarly, Styria’s rituals, such as the blessing of cured meats, provide a link to ancient practices, making faith a lived experience.
The Hohlwege (hollow roads) in the Wechsel mountains further illustrate this connection. Used for seasonal cattle drives, these roads represent the historical rhythms of life tied to the land, akin to the Yoruba pilgrimage routes in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. In both cases, these paths are imbued with cultural memory, connecting generations to the land and their faith.
Chapter 4: Austria, Slovenia, and Bavaria as the Epicenter of European Meat Curing
In a study that considers the importance of place, where spiritual and physical meet, Austria—especially Styria, Slovenia, and Bavaria—stands as the center of the European meat curing tradition. As documented in Noricum, Bavarian, and Hungarian Sausages: History and Contemporary Recipes on Earthworm Express, these lands have preserved an unbroken cultural and spiritual heritage, integrating Bronze Age knowledge with contemporary rituals.
This dissertation shows how the sacred aspect of meat curing in Styria and its surrounding regions is unmatched. This region is home to the oldest documented curing practices, maintained through the Catholic tradition of cured meat blessings at Easter. As noted in Austrian Blended Ham: Pressschinken and Schinkenwurst, Admont and Vorau’s monastic libraries were not only custodians of religious knowledge but also centers for the preservation of meat curing technologies. The monks who staffed these libraries focused on niter beds, ham curing, and sausage production as part of their work.
This convergence of culinary and spiritual tradition makes Styria, Slovenia, and Bavaria the epicenter of the European meat curing universe, preserving and evolving techniques that connect ancient heritage with the everyday faith practices of modern communities.
The Unique Role of Cured Meats in Styrian Easter Rituals
The tradition of blessing cured meats during Easter is specific to this region, reflecting the cultural significance of meat preservation within the Noricum heritage. In other Catholic regions, Easter blessings might include fresh meat, bread, and eggs, but the centrality of cured meats is unique to Styria, Bavaria, and Slovenia. This specificity likely results from the historical reliance on cured meats as staples in mountainous and temperate climates, where fresh food was often unavailable during winter months—a tradition rooted in antiquity.
As noted in The Historical Origins, Symbolism, and Easter Traditions of Cured Meats & Meat Blessing, the blessing of cured meats is not only a ritual but also a homage to the resilience and resourcefulness of generations past. Through this practice, the people of Styria honor the ingenuity of their ancestors—Celts, Noric peoples, Romans, and monastics—who developed these methods out of necessity. The act of curing, which preserves meat through chemical transformation, became a metaphor for spiritual renewal, embodying the cycle of death and rebirth that lies at the heart of Easter.
The Technological and Spiritual Convergence of Meat Curing in Monastic Practice
Monastic practices further refined the Hallstatt and Roman techniques, which themselves stem from ancient times. The monks added a spiritual dimension to these culinary traditions. For them, curing meat was not merely a culinary process; it was a sacred act that symbolized the transition from perishable to imperishable. The process of salting, drying, and fermenting meat mirrored spiritual purification, transforming something raw and transient into something stable and enduring. By sealing meat in salt and controlling the curing process, the monks created a natural barrier that protected the food from decay, symbolizing the triumph of life over death.
The preservation methods extended to gelatinous meat dishes, detailed in Comprehensive Exploration of Brawn: Sülze and Presswurst, where collagen-rich cuts were boiled and set in their own broth. This technique not only protected the meat from spoilage but also held symbolic significance: as the salt in cured meat represents the soul’s preservation, the gelatin encases and protects, reflecting a spiritual encasement of resilience and nourishment.
The emphasis on disciplined curing methods reflects the monastic dedication to both culinary science and spiritual symbolism, ensuring that meat curing remains central to Styrian and broader Noricum identity.
Conclusion: Cured Meats as Symbols of Faith, Resilience, and Cultural Identity
Through the unique practice of blessing cured meats, Styria embodies a profound cultural and spiritual legacy that links the ancient past with present-day faith. This tradition, rooted in Hallstatt, enriched by Roman techniques, and formalized by monastic scholarship, stands as a testament to the Noricum region’s resilience and cultural ingenuity. The curing of meat, once a survival technique, has become a sacrosanct ritual that embodies themes of resurrection, continuity, and reverence for life—a practice that connects generations of Styrians to their ancestors and to the divine.
In comparing this region to Ilé-Ifẹ̀, we see a shared reverence for land and tradition, where rituals become not only expressions of faith but also powerful symbols of cultural identity. As in Ilé-Ifẹ̀, where the land holds sacred meaning for the Yoruba people, Styria’s Easter blessing of cured meats illustrates how ancient traditions remain embedded in the cultural fabric, shaping lives and beliefs across generations.
References
1. Olupona, Jacob K. City of 201 Gods: Ilé-Ifẹ̀ in Time, Space, and the Imagination. University of California Press, 2011.
2. Historical Origins, Symbolism, and Easter Traditions of Cured Meats & Meat Blessing. Earthworm Express. Link
3. Noricum, Bavarian, and Hungarian Sausages: History and Contemporary Recipes. Earthworm Express. Link
4. Austrian Blended Ham: Pressschinken and Schinkenwurst. Earthworm Express. Link
5. Diocese of Graz-Seckau. Pilgrimage and Sacred Spaces in Styria. Church Archives.
6. Austrian Archaeological Institute. Reports on Celtic and Early Christian Sites in Noricum. Vienna, Austria.
7. Monastery of Admont. Library Archives and Agrarian Knowledge in Monastic Manuscripts. Admont Monastic Library, Styria, Austria.
8. Monastery of Vorau. Early Monastic Influence on Agricultural Practices in Austria. Vorau Monastery Library.
9. The Wechsel and Hohlwege Traditions in Austrian Agriculture and Faith Practices. Austrian Folklore Archive, Vienna, Austria.
10. Comprehensive Exploration of Brawn: Sülze and Presswurst. Earthworm Express.