Hector Avalos, Introduction to the U.S. Latina and Latino Religious Experience, 2004, Eugenio Matibag, If and Interpretation: An Afro-Caribbean Literary Practice, in Sacred Possessions: Vodou, Santera, Obeah and the Caribbean (ed. The orishas serve as messengers between the human world and the divine. We can see African influences and also Christian influences. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Thus, for example, one Gikuyu Christian funeral song bids the deceased farewell and expresses the hope that the person will be met at the gates of heaven by "multitudes of God's angels" (Kikuyu Catholic Hymnal, 1992, hymn 101). The traditional rituals of reinstating the dead into the world of the living, for example, seem to reappear camouflaged in the quite prevalent Christian rituals of "unveiling the tombstone" or "unveiling the cross." Failure to perform burial rites properly makes the deceased unable to negotiate the postmortem phase of the life journey successfully. For one thing, there seems in Christian discourse and practice, a literal demotion or even demonization of ancestors. To become a Santero, or high priest, one must pass a series of tests and requirements prior to initiation. Santera, or La Regla Lucum (or Lukum) as it is more properly known, is one of the African Diaspora; religions spread around the world with the scattering of the enslaved African people brought to the new world. Babalu Aye is known as the Father of the World, and is associated with sickness, epidemics and plagues. There are many reasons why they are drawn to Santeria. When after a long time such individuals are no longer remembered by name, they enter a state of what Mbiti calls collective immortality as they blend into the general world of those who have gone before (Mbiti, 1969). Santeria practitioners believe that herbalism is a foremost essential in their healing practices and plays significant roles in their members health. The Orisha may 'seize the head' of a person (or 'mount them' as if they were a horse), and cause that possessed person to perform 'spectacular dances', and to pass on various messages from the Orisha to community members. Santeria Religion. They are consumed by the community afterward. It is also for this reason that cremation is not a preferred method of disposal of the dead in the African context. As a result of these ceremonial exchanges, the oracle often determines that one particular orisha has claimed the devotee as its child. The members of the il relate to each other in much the same way as members of an extended biological family. This process had a tremendous impact on all aspects of African beliefs, including notions of the afterlife, our immediate concern here. Practicing occultist and writer with a particular interest in summoning magic. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Murphy discusses the continuity of Yoruba religion in America, specifically in Cuba, discussing, inter alia, Yoruba notions about God and how these are linked with concepts of the person. Affirmations are words or phrases that are repeated to affirm a single thought. For this reason, even when a wild beast devours a body, leaving only a few shreds or pieces, these are carefully collected and accorded a full and respectful burial. However, etutu is our process of funeral rights and it does include judgement. But someone who cold-bloodedly murders his family isn't going to have the same fate as a person who has gone through life trying to be supportive and helpful to his family. In situations where a corpse is not retrievable, say because of drowning, a burial must still be performed, and so in some societies, a surrogate is used. Santera is a religion that is capturing the interest of many people around the globe due to its deep mystical roots and powerfully visceral religious experiences. Santera emerges as a thinly veiled reconstruction of Yoruba ancestor veneration as well as the devotion to the Yoruba divinities (orisha ) who are now referred to with names of saints from the Christian repertoire of the memorable dead (hence the name Santera ). In the If oracle, for example, a trained priest, a babalawo (father of the mystery), interprets the fall of consecrated palm nuts to reveal the orishas response to a seekers question. It seems from this myth that the Tutsi understand happiness and immortality to be dependent on how well they maintain the link between themselves and God. Secretly the practitionres prayed to their ancestors gods as they hid behind Christian saints. Occultist.net shares information on magic, witchcraft and alternative spirituality. Kenyatta, Jomo. Such frustrated persons may have to "come back," looking for help or for some vital equipment necessary of the journey. Encyclopedia.com. What those heavens entail etc. In Cuba, the practice became known as Santeria, while in Haiti, it started being referred to as Voodoo. . In order to maintain their religion, Africans living on the island prayed in secret by superimposing their orishas on Catholic saints. Although census data are lacking, it is likely that initiated devotees number in the tens of thousands and that those who consult an orisha at one time or another may be counted in the millions. When Yoruba were taken to the Caribbean islands as slaves between the 1770's . and cause more harm? Santeria for many years was considered to be a secret religion. That vision includes angels, dogs, and an infinite library of books. Santeria is a fairly complex system, because it blends the Yoruba orishas, or . The word syncretistic means to "draw together" or "combine." In a religious environment, this involves the mixing of elements from different or independent religious traditions to create a new belief system. This is primarily an account of Yoruba notions of God. This book by Miguel De La Torre offers a fascinating guide to the history, beliefs, rituals, and culture of Santera a religious tradition that, despite persecution, suppression, and its own secretive nature, has close to a million adherents in the United States alone. Members mostly join as adults, usually after feeling that a particular Orisha has called them to do so. There is a Spanish influence in Santeria, whereas in Voodoo religion the French influence is more prominent. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and the Rule of Osha. Thus, it is possible to speak of the Yoruba notions of afterlife and compare these, say, to the Igbo or Zulu concepts, noting distinctions and similarities. Terms such as mizimu (Kiswahili), emandloti (Swazi), or ngoma (Kikuyu), which traditionally described the ancestors, are today used almost as synonyms for Satan or the devil. It is popularly known as Lucumi in Cuba where traditions are maintained by Lucumi priests and priestesses who were slaves during the end of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Many levels of heaven. Followers believe that these spirits will give them help in life, if they carry out the appropriate rituals, and enable them to achieve the destiny planned for them before they were born. Occultist.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. At drum dances called bembs, initiated devotees, now properly called olorishasthose who have the orishamay lose their ordinary consciousness and manifest that of their orisha patrons. In the crowning ceremony, the symbols of the patron orisha are placed on the head of the devotee, and he or she may enter a ceremonial trance and become a medium for that orisha. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. To put it simply, Santera is a religion for and by women. In a landmark 1993 case, the Church of Lakumi Babalu Aye successfully sued the city of Hialeah, Florida. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and the Rule of Osha. In chapter 3, Mbiti proposes the controversial idea that African eschatological notions are insufficiently developed because Africans lack a future dimension of time, a gap which he suggests is appropriately filled by Christianity with its eschatalogy of heaven, hell, a resurrection, and a final judgement at the end of time. We try to cultivate good character while on earth because it helps us in our spiritual evolution, and it also makes society a more pleasant place to live in. A majority of evangelical Protestants (58%) say that magic or witchcraft can influence people's lives. In a landmark 1993 case, the Church of Lakumi Babalu Aye successfully sued the city of Hialeah, Florida, for the right to practice animal sacrifice within a religious context; the Supreme Court determined that it was a protected activity. The animals are killed by cutting the carotid arteries with a single knife stroke in a similar way to other religious methods of slaughter. Learn Religions. ." Because of the social stigma commonly associated with Santeria by followers of mainstream religions, it is possible that many adherents of Santeria keep their beliefs and practices secret from their neighbors. Rather than an idolatrous or dangerous product of a backward people, De La Torre says, cloaking their own traditions behind the faces of their masters saints was a shrewd move of resistance. The Yoruba people have always been a matrilineal society. It is believed that access to the orishas can be achieved through various types of divination. Wigington, Patti. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Facing Mount Kenya. We aren't wolves who are conditioned to tear each other apart. After the possession, the individual claims not to have any memories of the event. We call it in Spanish "rendir cuentas," which means "explain yourself, tell me why you lived the way you did." Between 1940 and 1960, the immigrants from Cuba spread Santeria in the United States. As early as the first century ce, most of North Africa was part of the Roman Empire and therefore part of Christendom. In Catholic circles, Christianized Africans also ritually connect with deceased family members through requesting a Mass for the dead, a doctrinally legitimate practice. Lets see the typical portrait of the natives, Read More Sign of Taurus, Venus and House II: Personality Traits (Full Guide)Continue. Eleggua is the gatekeeper between life and the afterlife in heaven and is the connection between the Orishas, humans, and god. Santeria (Way of the Saints) is an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with some Roman Catholic elements added. Santeria has a priesthood that includes both men and women. It's difficult to know how many people follow Santeria, as there's no central organisation, and the religion is often practised in private. Followers believe that these spirits will give them help in life, if they carry out the appropriate rituals, and enable them to achieve the destiny that God planned for them before they were born. Practitioners believe that this divinity created the universe but takes little interest in human affairs. Catholic symbols are sometimes used in Santeria rituals. Many dress in white to symbolize purity. Idowu, Bolaji. What is Santeria? Wigington, Patti. The True Story Behind Santeria, Academia - Santeria: An Afro-Cuban religion, Santera - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). I.e. Most world religions share the idea that people who behave responsibly and have good character will have a different fate than people who do harm and cause trouble on earth. Santeria, which came out in October, is one of three recent books by De La Torre, whose earlier works include the 2002 Reading the Bible from the Margins by Orbis Press. Corrections? Now, I present you with the opportunity to REQUEST A RITUAL directly on this website. A vital unit of the Santeria community is the 'house' called a casa or il. Especially about birth, life, death and the Afterlife. Voodoo can be traced to the Fon and Ewe in West Africa, currently known as Benin. Generically called, African Traditional Religion or ATR, it is more complex than one practice, and not religion. Divination can be done by casting palm nuts, interpreting the fall of shells, or using a divided coconut. Originating in West Africa among the Yoruba . While traditionally one's body was considered integral to one's person and was therefore considered important even after death, today Christian funeral songs depict the body as incidental if not detrimental to one's positive destiny after death. Yes - the "did you leave the Earth a better place" thing? The deceased is also ritually consulted to indicate his or her acceptance thus to be reintegrated into the family (Gundani in Cox, 1998, p. 201). Yemaya, the spirit of motherhood, is often associated with the Virgin Mary. The book, by Chalice Press, also distinguishes the differences and similarities between the U.S. theologies and their Latin American counterparts. Orishas are also nourished by other forms of worship and praise. Apart from vague notions that it somehow involves animal sacrifice and is a syncretistic religion blending Catholic and African beliefs, most Americans know little of anything about Santeria, yet it is probably the most-practiced religion in Cuba and is growing in the United States, De La Torre argues in Santeria: The Beliefs and Rituals of a Growing Religion in America by Eerdmans. Santeria, a closed religion, has drawn false advertising that animals are sacrificed while performing rituals. Animals are cooked and eaten following all Santeria rituals (except healing and death rites, where the sickness is believed to pass into the dead animal). Kenyatta distinguishes between the worship of Ngai (God) and the veneration of ancestors who he portrays as mediators between God and the living. Santeria has the basic features and traditions of an ancient African religion practiced among the Yoruba in Nigeria. Santera is a religion of African origin that developed in Cuba before spreading throughout Latin America and the United States. In effect, it may be considered a mainstream American faith along with Christianity, Judaism and Islam.. Santera focuses on building relationships between human beings and powerful (but mortal) spirits or divinities called o risha. Meticulous and proper burial signifies that Africans understand the finality of death as a marker of the end of physical life. Many Christians, albeit in camouflaged or covert ways, continue to honor and remember their dead through ritual in spite of the formal doctrinal ban. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and the Rule of Osha. Sometimes feared and often misunderstood, Santera and other Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions still persist in the U.S. - especially in South Florida. This is a monograph on African belief systems. The religion focuses on natural forces instead of the afterlife. Santeria has no scriptures and is passed on by word-of-mouth. A Santero, or high priest, traditionally presides over rituals and ceremonies. Sacrificial animals include chickens (the most common), pigeons, doves, ducks, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, and turtles. Animal sacrifice is integral in both Santeria and Voodoo since they use blood for initiations and cleansing. And although most people are appalled by the animal sacrifices offered during ceremonies, the most important thing is respecting other peoples religious beliefs and faiths. Santeria is based on Yoruba beliefs, while Voodoo is based on Fon and Ewe beliefs. Today, roughly 70 percent of Cubans observe one or more Santeria or other religious practices based in an African tradition. The one thing that is for sure, both Santeria and Voodoo have mysterious, occult practices. This is a Lukumi based discussion forum. In this time anyone caught in the worship of native gods would be punished and many times by death, Africans and the native Tainos. Santera, (Spanish: The Way of the Saints) also called La Regla de Ocha (Spanish: The Order of the Orishas) or La Religin Lucum (Spanish: The Order of Lucum), the most common name given to a religious tradition of African origin that was developed in Cuba and then spread throughout Latin America and the United States. Olodumar is our supreme being to whom we may eventually stand in judgement of. As a Living-Dead one continues to be involved in matters of the corporate group of family and clan and retains one's personal name and corporate identity in this context. Mohawk Native Americans are an Iroquois people with origins in Ontario, Quebec and New York State. People want to go back in one form or another to be with their family, to take their place among the ancestors, and to continue to evolve spiritually. Wazobia, N.Y., 1994. There are about three thousand African ethnic groups, each boasting a distinctive common history, culture, language, and recognizable belief system. This entry presents a brief, general picture of Africa's traditional religious heritage, focusing on the major beliefs because these underlie the, Pan-Africanism is an internationalist philosophy that is based on the idea that Africans and people of African descent share a common bond. we worship the orisha and honor our ancestors. These individualistic, otherworldly, and disembodied notions of salvation seem contrary to the indigenous sensibilities that focus on "embodied" and "corporate" destiny of the person both in this life and beyond. African Religions: The Moral Traditions of Abundant Life. Image courtesy of Jacob Tabo/Unsplash. Santera altar in Cuba. They continued to practice their own rituals, which they found to be useful and effective, and which, most importantly, filled the spiritual space in lives torn from their original cultural foundations. Discussing African notions of afterlife necessitates several preliminary and pertinent observations. My clients tend to be ambitious people from all walks of life. The Luo call such restless, deceased persons jochiende, while the Shona call them mashave. Explains that santera is a sensible religion that focuses on helping individuals live more in harmony with themselves and the world around them. That a person is considered a composite and integral whole is also evident in that often, when people claim to encounter the dead through visions and dreams or when they communicate with them through ritual, they claim to have met or spoken with "so and so," a person identifiable by name, rather than the "ghost" of so and so. Moreover, in the African view, to be is to participate in an ongoing dance of life propelled by God's creative and sustaining power. The issue of concern is whether at death one will be in a state of readiness to meet God in the final judgment (Kikuyu Catholic Hymnal, 1992, hymn 100). In 2009, a federal court ruled that a Texas Santero, Jose Merced, could not be prevented by the city of Euless from sacrificing goats in his home. Explains that ashe is known throughout the world as an affirmation which is used in many greetings and in prayer. This anthology of essays analyzes African independent churches, their histories and theologies. The Heartbeat of Indigenous Africa. Download Full Image. Santeria is based on Yoruba beliefs, while Voodoo is based on Fon and Ewe beliefs. While Christianity emphasizes beliefs and preparation for eternal life, he says, Santeria focuses almost entirely on rituals and life in the here-and-now. Magesa, Laurenti. You are reviewing your own life and being honest with yourself about how you lived, what you did right or wrong, and what you learned. Main similarities between Santeria and Voodoo, 12 Main Differences Between Santeria and Voodoo. Santeria falls in the . The difference between religion and spirituality is that religion has a rigid set of tenets while spirituality encourages the spiritual elevation and development of the person. The religion emphasizes the here and now rather than the afterlife, and it focuses on natural forces. Did we fulfill our destiny ETC. Belief in Santeria can peacefully coexist with a belief in Christianity, and especially Catholicism. Yet it is packed with high-powered rituals that are seeing the light of day for the first time in this century. This is very much a mutual relationship as the Orishas need to be worshipped by human beings if they are to continue to exist. Santeria. Whereas in the past the hope was to attain personal immortality as a Living-Dead and to enjoy a status of honor among the ancestors, Christianized Africans look forward instead to joining an otherworldly/heavenly community of God and angels as defined in the Christian discourse. Devotees see the Orisha tradition as a world religion and have received public recognition of their spiritual achievements. Hindus do not believe in heaven or hell, their life after death system of belief is that of reincarnation. Chapter 10 focuses on Gikuyu religious beliefs and highlights the place of ancestors (ngoma ) in this system. Its roots are in the Yoruba traditions of present-day Nigeria, but through the influence of Catholicism, it exists as one of the most syncretic religions in the world. Recently, recognizing that rituals to honor the dead are carried out despite the ban, and conceding that ancestors hold a key position in African traditional religions the Catholic Synod of African Bishops recommended that attempts be made to harmonize African beliefs in ancestors with Christian beliefs regarding saints (Schotte, 1992, p. 55). There are lawyers and professors, civil servants and musicians whose homes are filled with altars laden with flowers, rum, cake and cigars to keep the gods happy and helpful. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Babaila leads a quintet, and coaxes African folk rhythms from his conga as 40 to 50 sweaty believers dance their entreaties to a succession of Santeria deities. Of these ritual texts, the most notable are Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld; Ishtar 's Descent to the Netherworld; and Nergal and Ereshkigal. 22 Feb. 2023