Red, Fragrant and Powerful: Discover the Energy of the "Pomba Gira"
Fragrances and Cultures

by Ítalo Pereira
03/24/23 23:44:01 ( 11 comments )

Some of you may remember that some time ago, I started a series of articles that referenced religious cults of African origin in Brazil and how fragrances have a deep connection with each of the principal deities. However, the pantheon of deities, gods, and goddesses of Afro-Brazilian religions is vast, and among the many, a specific lineage of entities calls my attention for its indissoluble relationship with some fragrances.
 

Exu God

Today I will share with you a little about the entities that represent the feminine mystical energy and all its facets as a woman, wife, mother, and lover. I am pleased to introduce you to the "Pomba Gira." In a superficial and non-specific sense, I could define the Pomba Gira as being spirits of strong, beautiful, and sensual women who did not submit to the will of men... But that alone is nothing close to what these beings really represent. In fact, the Pomba Gira is a disembodied feminine energy that works together with spirits to help them evolve and finally find their mission.
 

Gypsy Pomba Gira

These female spirits also receive the name "Lebara," from the Yoruba language, which would be the female side of "Exu," one of the most important gods of Candomblé and Umbanda, being responsible for opening and closing the paths of life, love, and money for all. In the opposite sense, the "Pomba Gira" is the delicate, sensual, feminine, and revolutionary energy of the Exu, responsible for awakening passion, love, libido, and femininity in human beings.

Therefore, the physical representation of these energies is of gorgeous women, always dressed in large, voluminous, and beautifully embroidered Victorian dresses in shades of red, black, purple, and gold. According to legends, the mysteries of love are underneath each one of the layers of the skirts of the Pomba Gira.

Even disembodied, they still have some human marks; they like scented cigarillos with cinnamon and cloves, wine and sweet liqueurs, and even sparkling wine, and in addition, they love gold and ruby jewelry, as well as fans, tarot cards, and of, course perfumes!

Many people who do not understand the importance of the symbology of the energy of the Pomba Gira marginalize them and fear their manifestations, which are often distorted.

The Pomba Gira do not represent evil, just as they do not represent absolute good; once disembodied, their mission is to help materialized and dematerialized humans on the path to spiritual evolution, and depending on the will of each one, they will be able to grant you love, money, sex, and peace.

That's why it's essential to know what to ask of these powerful forces.
However, there is not only one Pomba-Gira; each candomblé strand unfolds into seven lines, and for each of these lines, it is multiplied by seven secondary strands that unfold into seven others and so on in an infinite wheel of possibilities and frequencies of energy.

Fragrances are actually the most crucial element for these energies to manifest themselves. Some like sweeter and amber scents, while others prefer spices and honey, but the note that unites them all is rose. A perfume dedicated to these energies must have rose, preferably red and very present.

The main reason for the scent of roses being the favorite of these "lebaras" is that in almost all civilizations, the rose represents sacred femininity. Sweet and spicy rose aromas are essentially dedicated to one of the most powerful and misunderstood energies of Afro-Brazilian religions.

Personally, I like to think of these energies as archetypes of wild and wise women who keep within themselves the mysteries of magic. Whenever I think of a perfume that would define them, I think of red roses that are almost black and slightly smoky, wrapped around spices and woods. The discontinued and fabulous Dior Midnight Poison comes to mind as a fragrance as dark and powerful as the energy of the Pomba Gira.

And for you, what fragrance would best define these energies?