Santeria

Jun 5, 2024

Why is it called Santería?

Most Santeria practitioners prefer the terms Regla de Ocha or Lucumí religion. Originally from West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Benin, Regla de Ocha is an Afro-Cuban religion. The term "Santeria", of Spanish origin, translates as devotion to saints. Within the Lucumí tradition, the Orichas, or deities, are often called saints. This combination of Catholic and West African religious elements is known as religious syncretism.

Where does Santería come from?

Santeria originated with the Yoruba people of West Africa and spread to Cuba and other regions through the slave trade. In Cuba, Yoruba slaves were called "Lucumí". Despite being forced to convert to Catholicism, many Africans continued to practice their native religions alongside Catholicism. This resulted in religious syncretism, where Afro-Cubans maintained parallel practices of both religions without seeing any contradiction. They attended Catholic masses and baptized their children while worshiping in the temple-houses of Lucumí, mixing elements such as Catholic saints with Orichas, the deities of Santeria. Santeria was practiced in secret for centuries to avoid persecution and social stigma, surviving through oral traditions and initiation ceremonies. As Cubans emigrated, they spread Santeria to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, and South America.

Santeria is a religion

Santeria, or Regla de Ocha, is often misinterpreted by outsiders as a "primitive" or "esoteric" religion. However, it has its origins in the highly civilized Yoruba people, known for their rich culture and profound philosophical and ethical systems. The religion lacks a unified written text and is based on oral traditions, including patakies (sacred stories) and proverbs, passed down from generation to generation. While some knowledge is kept secret due to its sacred nature, Santeria is not esoteric; Its principles are accessible to millions of initiates. It is a practical religion focused on achieving harmony with oneself and the world, emphasizing the concept of ache, the spiritual energy that practitioners seek to acquire and maintain through ethical behavior and spiritual practices.

The notion of God in Santería

A common misconception about Santeria is that it is a polytheistic religion that worships many gods. In reality, it recognizes a supreme God in the Lucumí pantheon, known by three names and representations: Olodumare (the Creator), Olorun (manifested as the Sun) and Olofi (who communicates directly with the Orichas). The Orichas are intermediaries between humans and God, endowed with spiritual energy (ache) to maintain harmony and righteousness. Although some Orichas were once human and obtained a semi-divine status, similar to Catholic saints, practitioners worship them without placing them above Olodumare. Santeros and Santeras identify their Oricha patron through a ceremony, establishing a close and personal relationship with that specific deity.

Who practices Santeria?

Santeria is believed to be practiced by between 75 and 100 million people worldwide and is growing rapidly in urban areas of the United States, particularly among African American and Latino populations. In Cuba, up to 80% of the population may have some connection with Santería. Religion attracts a diverse audience around the world, spanning all races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and educational levels. While maintaining its Afro-Cuban roots, Santeria has expanded beyond those with ethnic ties to Latin America and Africa.

Santería and religious syncretism

When African slaves were brought to Cuba, they were forced to convert to Catholicism and practice it outwardly. However, they kept their African religions secret by syncretizing their deities with Christian saints. For example, they saw similarities between the Virgin of Charity and Obatalá, which allowed them to worship Obatalá covertly. Even today, santeros may have statues of Catholic saints on their altars, but they also maintain separate altars for the African Orichas. Practitioners do not confuse the two; They understand the Orichas as complex and mystical beings whose divine energy permeates everything. The Orichas are represented in patakíes, sacred stories that detail their origins, lives on earth, and relationships with God and each other, each with distinct personalities.

Resistance and change in Cuban Santería

Slavery was introduced to Cuba by Spanish colonists in the late 15th century, but large numbers of Yoruba-speaking Africans, known as Lucumí, arrived primarily in the 19th century to work on sugar plantations. Between 1820 and 1860, approximately 275,000 Yoruba arrived in Cuba. Although the Kongo/Bantu people outnumbered the Lucumí, the latter retained their strong cultural identity, which contributed to the development of Santeria. This religion thrived by adapting to new circumstances, using natural metaphors to symbolize resilience.

Over time, the Lucumí language in Cuba evolved into a creole influenced by Cuban Spanish, diverging from modern Yoruba. This was due to the lack of formal education among the slaves and mixing with other ethnic groups in Cuba. Consequently, Santeria, as practiced in Cuba, differs from the traditional Yoruba religion in Africa.

In Cuba, people of African descent formed close-knit communities in slave dormitories, societies, brotherhoods, and shared urban spaces. They practiced their religion in temple houses and through lineages and cultural associations, which led to the establishment of Santería, also known as Regla de Ocha/Ifá.

Cuban Santería survived by adapting to new circumstances

The terminology and practices of Santeria reflect the influence of Spanish and Catholicism. The initiation ceremony, called kariocha in Lucumí, is often known in Cuba as making saint. The names of Catholic saints are sometimes used interchangeably with those of the Orichás, such as calling Babalú Ayé San Lázaro or Changó Santa Bárbara. While this practice is less common now, it is still accepted that the Orichás can be represented by Catholic saints. The Lucumí terms for priests (Babalocha) and priestesses (Iyalocha) are often replaced by Santeros/as in Cuba. The term Santería, although controversial, is seen by some as a testimony to the resistance of the ancestors.

Santeria has integrated ideas from various cultures while preserving its fundamental ancestral teachings. It attracts people from diverse backgrounds around the world, beyond those of African descent. Despite evolving through transculturation, it maintains an authenticity rooted in its historical and social context.

Santeria operates without a central authority, relying on a loosely connected federation of iles (temple houses) and branches (lineages), each led by a respected Babalocha or Iyalocha. These groups ensure the proper conduct of the ceremonies and guide the new initiates. During the itá ceremony, initiates receive lifelong guidance from the Orichás through dilogún (cowrie shell divination). Discretion is key in Santeria, a tradition born of historical necessity but still valued today, even as the religion becomes more visible.

Changes in Santeria

Santeria is a practical and adaptable religion, which evolves with changing circumstances while maintaining its fundamental traditions. The change is guided by the Orichás, particularly Orula, who through divination offers direction based on sacred stories and sayings. Modern advancements such as telephones and air travel help godchildren and godparents stay connected, but face-to-face consultations remain crucial. Fundamental practices have evolved but retain their traditional essence, and changes occur gradually through collaboration between religious elders who interpret sacred signs and stories.

Santeria is also expanding beyond Cuba and its diaspora, attracting people of diverse backgrounds seeking spiritual growth. Fully initiated practitioners use sacred divination tools, such as the obi, dilogún and epuele, to communicate directly with the Orichás and solve their own problems. This ability allows them to practice religion anywhere, ensuring its relevance and continuity in modern times.

Santeria

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