Disincarnated people who manifest themselves in a genuinely Spiritist environment, making use of the “pretos-velhos” (Old Blacks), índios (Indians), caboclos (caboclos), marujos (sailors) and similar ones, full of strange tics, communicating orally as if their speech and their voice is of someone disabled, sometimes even limping, inflicting eccentric ways and giving shallow moral lessons, via disjointed physical characteristics that they had “in other lives”, and they are certainly a manifesto of entities cohabitating places not in accordance with their atavistic nature and belief patterns.

Regarding this issue, Allan Kardec clarifies in his fundamental works, above all, in The Book of Mediums, that the (spirit) that preserves some physio-psychological characteristics of material life and acts as a “Guide” among the incarnated, in fact is a “simple-minded spirit”.

And it is no use that the defenders of such “naive entities” yell, forcing analogies with the characteristics of a spirit within the competence of Joanna de Angelis who presents herself as an ex-nun, or Emmanuel, who presents himself as an ex-priest.

“Very advanced” spirits

The “overly simple-minded spirits” need to be clarified that it is not necessary for them to manifest themselves in that way with meaningless atavisms. Defenders of such "naive entities" say that such "entities" form "work orders". That there are directors for "work orders" in the "beyond" and the elements that make up these "work orders", present themselves as “preto-velho” (old blacks), “caboclos” (caboclos), “índios” (Indians), “marujos” (sailors). Are there “work orders” also for the “yellow youths”, for the “red old women”, “Eskimos”, “pygmies”?

Such experts, soaked in emblematic conceptions, guarantee that among such “simple-minded spirit” there are spirits of various evolutionary levels who present themselves with the characteristics of the “so and so grandpa”, the “so and so father”, “an undetermined mother” etc. etc. etc. After all, there are “quite” evolved spirits, who lived as slaves, fulfilling a task of leading their neighbors to “spiritualization” and who had other existences in the most diverse roles and places.

Could it be that these “very advanced” spirits also did not live other existences as “enslaved Indians”, “controlled Hindus”, “captive pygmies”, “Eskimos”, etc.? Now, why can only the “preto(a) velho(a)” (old black man or the old black woman) be "guides" and advisers to others?

The “mentors” the spirits saturated with atavisms

It is so serious that we know leaders of “Spiritist” centers here in the capital of Brazil, who elect as “mentors” the spirits saturated with psychological atavisms of the type - “so-and-so father”, “grandmother sicran”, “grandfather beltrano” and related.

There is a Spiritist “federative” in the Northeast of Brazil (Spiritist?!...) that traditionally evokes (that's right, EVOKES!) an indigenous entity to “inspire” the conductors of public meetings. They say in the so called “spiritist” federation that such an Indian would have become an "angel" after a ghostly "encounter" with "Jesus".

We know that in the afterlife, the spirit has no race, therefore it is not yellow, nor red, nor black, nor white, although it may present in its perispirit distinctions of some caste, age, if it still feels like that, due to its moral and intellectual limitation and or if it so desires. As happened in one of the meetings held at the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, in which Allan Kardec spoke with a Spirit of an “old man” (Father Cesar), in fact, an exclusive episode of the genre referred to in the entire Codification.

Is there any coherence in a “grandpa”, or a “grandma”, an old black man or an old black woman “preto(a) velho(a)”, being a spiritual mentor of an institution whose statute regulates the strict observance of the postulates contained in the basic works? Obviously not, above all, if such entities show insufficient culture, little spiritual evolution, primary language, mystical and foolish arguments, slow reasoning and demand to be called "grandpa", "grandma", preto(a) velho(a)".

The communications of such entities considered to be "spiritual mentors" of a Spiritist institution result from mediumistic self-suggestion, from unacceptable animism, from psychological pitfalls and from stalled mystifications. There is a large number of obsessors who pretend to be such entities and copy their language (of entities of the “terreiros”) in order to elude and maintain unprepared Spiritists under hypnosis.

Fraternal reception of simple-minded spirits in evolution

In mediumistic sessions that I have administered for more than 40 years, if such spirits (“parents”, “grannies” and “grandpas”, “pretas or pretos velhos”, “caboclos” and the like) occasionally occur, and if welcomed by the spiritual director of the session, such spirits will be properly oriented. There will be no intolerance or prejudice against them. But, we will carefully analyze the nature and the content of their communications, as we do with spirits of any origin that manifest themselves in the group.

In fact, such spirits, in order to communicate in the mediumistic group, have no need and do not need an invitation to use bizarre language, incomprehensible to mediums and meeting participants. If such entities present themselves with atavisms of the incarnation of ex-slaves, "old or new", Indians etc. we seek to guide them in the light of Spiritism, so that they can be freed from these atavistic rancid.

Thus, we seek to enlighten them as to their real nature as evolving spirits. Therefore, during indoctrination we strive to remind them that they have reincarnated several times in different conditions and, therefore, have a broader spiritual patrimony, and therefore, they do not need to remain like birds trapped in a cage, feeding a mental pattern of naive beings handcuffed to the past.

There are those who use subtle subterfuge, saying that they present themselves because this or that incarnation was very grateful to them for having allowed them to acquire “virtues”, especially “humility” and hence their desire to exemplify. It is evident that this argument is tricky, because whoever has conquered the virtue of humility has no need to exhibit and or adopt ways of false modesty.

Some people assume that old blacks, Indians and caboclos and alike behave like domestic servants to fulfill their capricious requests. Others believe that such spirits have mysterious powers, capable of solving sorely the problems of the consultants. They also seem to judge them as subject to being bribed, since they would accept to act in exchange for some "payment" or "compensation".

When there are no more stimuli for these atavistic exhibitions in Spiritist institutions, such spirits will cease to present themselves as "father", "mother", "reds", "blacks", "yellows", "old people", "little children", "savages" " etc. etc. etc. and will start to communicate in their own natural way of being.

We must behave according to the moral codes of Spiritism.

Many think that “grandpas”, “grandmas”, “caboclos” and “pretos velhos” and “oriental entities” are more powerful and stronger. They believe that the protection that the common Spirits do not grant them, they get it from such “mandingueiros” (Translator’s note: African wizards that do mandinga, - cast spells and work with witchcraft). Nothing is more burlesque!

We are not saying here that Spiritism is a better Doctrine than the others. However, if we embrace Spiritist principles as a rule of conduct, we must behave as recommended by Spiritism. However, if we still have a need for (“strong”) entities full of atavisms, then let us look for the places where they act (like a “terreiro” (for example) and let us be happy! Because, no one is obliged to be a Spiritist and not even to linger within the Kardecian groups.

What we can't do is mix things up. Each one in their space in full freedom of choice.

Translator’s comments

This attachment has the purpose to clarify the English reader regarding Brazilian religions and spiritual entities originated from the slaves’ beliefs.

Old Black or Old Blacks (Old Black Man or Old Black
Woman) are a line of work of Umbanda entities. They are spirits who present themselves under the archetype of old Africans who lived in the slave quarters, mostly as slaves who died in the trunk or of old age, and who love to tell the stories of the time of captivity.

Caboclos are spirits of many spiritual virtues, such as determination, loyalty and honesty, but who need to develop charity and love for others. Hence their participation in the Umbanda sessions, where they seek to help people in difficulty and thus evolve spiritually.

Umbanda is a monotheistic and Afro-Brazilian religion, born in 1908. It is based on three fundamental concepts: Light, Charity and Love. The word "Umbanda" belongs to the Quimbundo vocabulary, from Angola, and means "art of healing".

Sailors in Umbanda are Umbanda's line of work, formed by entities usually associated with sailors, who in life undertook trips across the seas, facing all sorts of misfortunes. They work on the water line, from Yemanjá, the universal mother in Umbanda, the queen of the seas.

Terreiro is the name for Afro-Brazilian Temples. The real meaning of the word is a piece of land that surrounds the main house and it designates the area where the religious rites take place.

Caboclo Indio. Indian Caboclos follow the Old Blacks in importance and are the great spiritual mentors of the Umbanda. (Translated from Wikipedia.)