A Macumba sacrificial altar with a black hen
Macumba is a religion that originated in Brazil as Afro-Brazilian witchcraft, spreading to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay afterwards. It is currently known as Umbanda and Quimbanda, having lasted from the 19th to 20th centuries.
History[]
Macumba was one of the many religions formed as a mixture of Catholicism and Animism that were formed in the aftermath of the European colonization of the Americas during the 16th century, such as Santeria in Cuba. Macumba was more of a tradition and way of life than an actual religion, as it could be practiced in addition to the Abrahamic faiths. The beliefs included sacrifices and retribution, and it was called "witchcraft" by its opponents. In the 20th century, the Macumba beliefs were turned into the Umbanda and Quimbanda religions.