REFLECTIONS ON THE "SACRED WOOD"

by Christophe of Mbeng-N'tame

At the border of the "Sacred Wood" the question is: "To believe or not believe? "
After having fueled up with a subtoxic dose the question is: "To be or not to be? "
Why after a successful initiation,
that is to say, a transcendental journey into this infinite universe of ours,
there are some insiders still wondering if God and we are finished in the same mold?
This means that knowing God is something easier
than even the experience we have every day.
The best behavior of a Bandzi,
that is to say, the most complete use of the body and mind,
takes place at ceremonies of dance.
The costumes, makeup, singing, and heavenly harmonics associated
At the mini dose of "Sacred Wood" permit us to be receptive to ourselves,
To other things, to anything at all
to hang a little bit more to the permanence of consciousness.

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This disc features genuine Bwiti iboga cult initiation and other music and dance by the Fang Bwiti group/family Mbeng-N'tam, based near Libreville, the capital of Gabon in Central Africa. Mbeng-N'tam was founded in 1998. This authentic Bwiti group of about 60 men, women, and children is innovative in its openness and desire to share the traditions of Bwiti with outsiders. Besides their ritual activity, they have performed concerts of Bwiti music and dance in Gabon, Canada, and France. The troupe has won First Prize at the Fetes des cultures a Libreville, Gabon in 2001 and 2002 for costume and masked performance, and First Prize UNESCO at the same venue the following year for best instrumental traditional performance.