Here’s a synchronicity story from Dave Malcolm, the former AUTEC engineer who has previously contributed. He notes that sometimes he’s disturbed by synchronicities because they tend to occur whenever he’s worried about a loved one. But fortunately his worst fears have never manifested after the synchronicity. “I’ve always been wrong I am happy to say.”
In any case here’s his story.
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As a network engineer I am frequently on global conference calls as I was at 4AM on a recent Saturday. While we talk on the conference many of us send instant text messages making comments about participants and have nicknames for lots of our colleagues.
Our man from Cuba got on and while I recognized him, some didn’t. So I texted that it’s Babalu, a reference to Ricky Ricardo from the “I Love Lucy show”.
Later that night, my grandchildren and I watched The Cable Guy, a movie we have all seen. No one really wanted to see it again, but there was nothing else on. At the end of the movie when an injured Jim Carey was asked his name, he replied, Babalu.
Now if I could just see those Mega Million numbers the morning of the next drawing.
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Ricky Ricardo sang a song called Babalu, a name that refers to the Afro-Cuban orisha (or god) Babalu Aye, also known in Brazil as Obalu Aye. He is known as the deity associated with illness, disease, insanity, aging and death, but is also the deity that cures same. He is appeased on the earth, and cool water is one of the mainstays of his appeasement.
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Although I don’t know the circumstances of Dave’s concerns, his worries about a family member could be reflected not only in the synchronicity itself, but also in the particular deity within the synchronicity.
Just a little etymology related words, "babel", "babble" and "Babylon", from the online etymology dictionary: https://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Babel
Babel: capital of Babylon, 1382, from Hebrew Babhel (Gen. ix), from Akkadian bab-ilu "Gate of God" (from bab "gate" + ilu "god"). The name is a translation of Sumerian Ka-dingir. Meaning "confused medley of sounds" (1529) is from the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.
Babble:
1230, babeln "to prattle," akin to other Western European words for stammering and prattling (cf. Swed. babbla, Fr. babiller) attested from the same era, some of which were probably borrowed, but etymologists cannot now determine which were original. Probably imitative of baby-talk, in any case (cf. L. babulus, Gk. barbaros). "No direct connexion with Babel can be traced; though association with that may have affected the senses" [OED]. Meaning "to repeat oneself incoherently, speak foolishly" is attested from c.1418.
Babylon:
1362, from Gk. version of Akkad. Bab-ilani "the gate of the gods," from bab "gate" + ilani, pl. of ilu "god" (cf. Babel). The O.Pers. form, Babiru-, shows characteristic transformation of -l- to -r- in words assimilated from Semitic.
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As you can see, since -l- and -r- are interchangeable than the word Barbarian can be seen as Balbalian. The word barbarian carres the meaning as "babble" (etymology of barbarian: 1338, from M.L. barbarinus, from L. barbaria "foreign country," from Gk. barbaros "foreign, strange, ignorant," from PIE base *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners (cf. Skt. barbara- "stammering," also "non-Aryan").
Now, the interesting thing about "Balbalian" is the similarity to the Arabic fertilty cult deity of old with their dual deity– Baal(God) and Belial (Goddess).
One has to realize that throughout warring history, conguerors would (and still do)further demoralize the conquered by defiling their deity in one way or another, one of them was to give a derogatory definition to a revered name.
I think that there could very well be a parallel meaning… is the voice of synchronicity trying to tell us something…
BaBUlu: close enough, Joseph. So it can be a term of endearment, too.
Hi:)
Greetings:)
Very interesting story packed with a lot of information. The comments are also very informative.
Babalu reminded me of my wife calling my children when they were small as BABULU. Even now she calls my eldest son who is 27 as babulu.
Have a nice day:)
Joseph
i loved lucy and ricky too!!!
I remember ricky ricardo singing, too. In Spanish. We lived in Venezuela then and I Love Lucy was only broadcast in Spanish!
neat story! love the image, too – and i remember ricardo's song of babalu – gee, shades of yesteryear, for sure!
Actually, the boogeyman tale is one that British sailors brought home after venturing into Malaysia and encountering the mysterious seafaring Bugis who navigated great distances using their sixth sense. They were also pirates.
Rob
Or is it bogeyman?
Harun, fascinating insight into Babalu. It seems that many cultures have boogeymen concepts. It may be universal enough to be considered a Jungian archetype. Thanks for posting!
Being from an Afghan descent, Babalu in farsi(persian language) means the boogie monster or what parents taught their kids for bedtime stories. Babalu is going to get you if you misbehave etc etc. Been Sync-King alot in the last week.
Thank you for sharing.
As always, great etymological background, Toumai. Thanks!
A name search re:Babalu, brings up the closest name "BOIPELO"– a South African name given to either male and female… it means "proud" in Tswana.
The phonetic similarity to our old english word 'pap', the original meaning being 'nipple'… and 'soft food'(hence leading to related 'pablum'… and 'baby'… and okay, the Papacy).
So, note how 'baby' sounds like 'Babalu'. In fact, I often hear people use the endearing term 'babylu' when refering to their young and I've used it myself. Note also the word "papoose" from Narragansett (Algonquian) papoos "child," lit. "very young." Etymology reveals that the letter "P" and "B" are related and interchangable (they're likeness in sound leaves an obvious clue)
These obvious relationships in words belonging to diverse cultures would be just one of the many tell tail signs that exist to indicate that vocal language and culture had a root origin that for some reason, had split and diversified.
Experts believe that these connections could one day be pieced together to reveal a root language and culture. Perhaps this discovery will go hand in hand with the who and why of synchronicity.
We liked Man on the Wire…recommended to us by our daredevil daughter.
Very interesting story. Also the origin of Babalu, yes, having lived in Brazil I know its Brazilian equivalent, a very powerful deity. When you said you were all watching Cable Guy, I though you were referring to the delightful movie "Man on the Wire". If you have not seen it yet, I am sure you will enjoy it.