Mala En Se: Measuring Closeness In Afro-Brazilian Religions
Mala en se, a concept in Afro-Brazilian religions, measures the closeness between entities and humans. Entities with high closeness scores (8-10) include deities, spirits, and practitioners. Exu, Pombagira, Babalorixá, and Ialorixá have scores of 8, while Tata Quimbanda and Kimbanda leaders have scores of 9. Quimbanda, with a score of 10, emphasizes the close relationship…