I am Débora Greer (she/her) and I am a makumbeira, a Makumba practitioner.

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In my case, being a makumbeira means that I was born and raised in my Godmother's terreiro in Brazil, a place dedicated to the healing medicine of the Orisha Oshun, led by the Ancestor Vovó Joaquina das Almas (aka as my godmother.)

 

Our practice was considered backyard Makumba, folk magic, something that survived in our kitchens and gardens, meant to make our lives better through ritual and community.

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Her terreiro played (practiced) Umbanda, which means that much of my Godmother’s work was dedicated to healing and preservation of good health.

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The terreiro was understood as ancestral territory: a physical space that served as a temple, ritual ground and community gathering.  My Godmother used to say that she played Umbanda and Kimbanda because her magic was inclusive of the wisdom of Pombagira and Exu. The practice I've inherited is deeply reactive, necromantic and nature based: a confluence of powers between Bantu spiritual practices, Indigenous Brazilian knowledge of the Land and Yoruba structural Powers.

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 Makumba is nowadays an umbrella term that can be used when referring to practitioners of different Afro-Brazilian traditions or a specific practice. Makumba as a spiritual tradition was illegal in Brazil for a very long time and the word itself has historically been used as a pejorative term.

 

I have been ritualized and initiated and my title within my community is of Cambone/ Ekedi: I am a teacher, supporter of rituals and story teller.

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I moved to the United States as a teenager to study dance, and besides being an author and teacher of many Makumba related things, I am also a professional ballet dancer and dance teacher.

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The Ancestor in charge the spiritual work I offer is the Pombagira Gypsy of the Road, who can also be called Sofia by close friends and family. Sofia is the oldest known Ancestor of my family and I usually refer to her as 'ghostly mother.'

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The Moon Garden work, my work as a spiritual teacher here in the USA started in my living room in Virginia, among friends, and it has grown into books, conferences and all the materials you see here at this website. Besides the Spirits I met in my Godmother's terreiro, I also work (outside of my Makumba practice) with a couple of Goddess who I perceive as expressions of undiluted feminine power such as Inanna, Kali, Sekhmet and Hathor.​

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I don’t believe in one size fits all or that there’s only one truth and one way. I believe in ancestral reverence and that our magic should be embodied in our everyday life: how we vote, how we treat each other and our activism are all aspects of our spiritual practices.

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And because there is no teacher without teachers it’s important to mention that I still constantly learn from my mother Leila Cristina, the current matriarch of my family, Tata NlongiKimpa also known as professor Claudio Zeferino, the leader of the Quilombo das Almas and North American Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar whose love for the plants constantly inspires me.

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I have also had the privilege of studying with Sacaca Caninana - Mãe Cristina Gadelha de Magalhães, Prof. Alexandre Teles - Bàbá Omosangoteles, witch and writer Eddie Van Feu and Shuvani Ramona Torres.

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The main goal of my work is to cultivate empathy, spiritual autonomy and self-care.​​

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I am happily married to a wonderful human who edits all of my videos, currently live in NYC, popcorn is my favorite comfort food and I live with over 150 house plants!

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I am fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, English and Spanish and am also a tarot and Pombagira and Exu cowrie shells reader.​

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