The Pinaldo is a very old, very serious and beautiful ceremony. When a person receives their Pinaldo or knife it is, in a very real sense, the completion of their Ocha or initiation. It is the second half of the calabash that puts a top to the kariocha or initiation ceremony. A Priest is not considered quite 'complete' and is not able to initiate godchildren as Priestesses or Priests until this ceremony has been performed for them. It is the 'clave' or nail that firms up the initiation process.

Not so. This is a common misconception because there is a rite during the initiation ceremony for a child of Ogún in which they receive a knife. This knife (machete) is wooden. The reason for this is that they have not received the knife, but must respect Ogún's ownership of the knife, therefore the knife is made out of wood not metal. It represents the knife until such time as the Priestess or Priest can actually receive the knife through the ceremony of Pinaldo.

It doesn't mean this at all. Often when a person receives Pinaldo, they soon start initiating people into the Priesthood themselves. It is often a sign that they are 'grown' you might say. They are capable of being more independent. It does not make them a Mayor or Elder. They still have much to learn from their Godparents and their Elders in the ile or house. To abandon one's Godparents after receiving Pinaldo is the equivalent to writing off your parents, grandparents, etc., once you're old enough to drive. They cut themselves off from their lineage and all of its knowledge and its beauty and support. And people who do this generally cheat themselves as they find themselves without anyone to teach them, instead going through life with only the 'basics' of the religion. Remember please, that this religion is one of knowledge and of secrets and is extremely profound. To pretend that one has all the knowledge early in the game is foolish in the extreme.

This is perhaps the single biggest misconception about the Pinaldo ceremony. I would say the majority of people who have received Pinaldo do not actively participate in the sacrifice of animals. As mentioned above, the real purpose of Pinaldo is to give 'firmeza', to firm up, seal and cap the Kariocha ceremony which initiates the person as a Priestess or Priest in the religion. Once again, The Kariocha is the Calabash that contains the Orishas so to speak and the Pinaldo is the other Calabash that puts a top or 'caps' it.

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