Santeria

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Santeria

• A Religion of African Origins.

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Presented by

• Lester A. Bolanos

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Introduction and Origins of Santeria

• Santeria is a syncretistic religion of
  Caribbean origin. Santeria or La Regla Lucumi
  originates in West Africa in what is now Nigeria
  and Benin. It incorporates the worship of the
  Orisha (literally "head guardian") and beliefs of
  the Yoruba and Bantu people in Southern Nigeria,
  Senegal and Guinea Coast.

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• These are combined with elements of worship
  from Roman Catholicism.
• Its origins date back to the slave trade when
  Yoruba natives were forcibly transported from
  Africa to the Caribbean. They were typically
  baptized by the Roman Catholic Church upon
  arrival, and their native practices were
  suppressed.

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• They developed a novel way of keeping their
  old beliefs alive by equating each Orisha of
  their traditional religions with a corresponding
  Christian Saint. Santeria is not a 'primitive'
  religion. On the contrary, the Yorubas were and
  are a very civilized people with a rich culture
  and deep sense of ethics.

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Santerias Beliefs

• Deities God is referred to as Olorun, or
  Olódùmarè, the "owner of heaven". He is the
  supreme deity, the creator of the universe. Ashe
  motivates the sacred world of Santeria. Ashe is
  growth, the force towards completeness and
  divinity. Ashe is the absolute ground of reality.
  All the things that we are accustomed to call
  beings are, in reality, ways of Ashe that can be
  liberated and perceived by those who understand
  them.

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• Ritual Sacrifices These form an integral part of
  many Santerian religious rituals. Communication
  between orishas and humankind is accomplished
  through ritual, prayer, divination and ebó or
  offerings (which includes sacrifice). The
  animal's blood is collected and offered to the
  Orisha. Chickens are the most common animals
  used. Their sacrifice is believed to please the
  Saints, and to bring good luck, purification and
  forgiveness of sins.

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Major Orishas of Santeria

• Eleggua ( Elegbara, Elegba Eshu)
• Ausar (Osiris,Obatala, Oxala)
• Sekhert (Babaluaiye, Omulu)
• Chango
• Oggun
• Ochosi
• Maat
• Oshun
• Yemaya
• Ajagun (The Warriors)

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• Eleggua, is the Yoruba Orisha (Neteru, Angelic
  Force) of Possibility. Eleggua is the owner of
  the roads and doors in this world. According to
  Molloy, Eleggua has knowledge of destiny and is
  therefore the first Orisha to be prayed to in any
  ritual.

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• His symbol is a clay head with eyes and mouth
  made of shells and his number is 3. His colors
  are red and black or white and black and these
  colors codify his contradictory nature.
• His favorite foods are white chicken,
  rooster, and rum. His dance posture during a
  ritual is buffoonery. His Catholic parallel is
  Anthony of Padua. In particular, Eleggua stands
  at the crossroads of the human and the divine, as
  he is a childlike messenger between the two
  worlds. In this role he has a very close
  relationship with the Orisha of divination,
  Orunmila. Nothing can be done in either world
  without his permission. He is the messenger
  between God and Man.

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• Ausar, the Khametic (ancient African-Egyptian)
  Neter (Orisha, Angelic Force) is the divine
  representation of God's Omnipresence (the Divine
  presence in all living things) He is associated
  with intelligence, because at Gods command he
  formed the Earth and humankind.

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• Therefore He is the orisha of Creation, wisdom
  and spiritual clarity.
• He is in charge of the mind and the head, and
  his symbol is the horsetail whisk, which
  symbolizes authority. His number is 8 and his
  favorite foods are female goats and pigeons.
  Obatala is also the only Orisha that has both
  male and female paths. Since Obatala is
  associated with purity, his color is white. His
  Catholic parallel is Our Lady Of Mercy.

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• In the altar, multiple white cloths communicate
  Oxala's purity, honesty and peace. An immaculate
  altar conveys the glory and purity of
  Oxala/Obatala, god of creativity and custom.
  Clean white cloths, flowers metals, and ceramic
  tiles are evocations of his spotless reputation.
  Before the altar is a bed in white linen where
  devotees may knell and meditate before his
  inspiring presence.

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• Sekhert, the Khametic Neter is the Divine
  representation of God's Omnipotence (divine power
  to do anything). Sekhert is imagined as a
  compassionate old man with a crutch, dressed in
  rough cloth, carrying a bag. He is usually called
  on to heal serious bodily diseases such as
  cancer, leprosy, etc. Sekherts symbol is a
  crutch. His colors are white and blue, his
  numbers are 17 and 13, his favorite foods are
  tobacco, rum doves and hen, and his parallel is
  Saint Lazarus.

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• Chango is the orisha of music, dance, drums,
  fire, thunder, and war. He is brave and
  intelligent and loves the ladies. Changos foods
  are rooster, sheep, goat, pig, and bull. His
  dance postures are aggression and violent
  acrobatics. His Catholic parallel is Saint
  Barbara.

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• Altar to Shango, once the fourth king of Yoruba,
  and immortalized as the thunder god, Shango is
  legendary across the African Atlantic world.
  Shango's storms and lightning bring a purifying
  moral terror encapsulated by the boldness and
  immediacy of his art and altars.

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• Oggun is a metal worker whose symbols are the
  knife and the pick. His colors are black and
  green, his number is 9, and his favorite foods
  are roosters and dogs. He is the patron of
  barbers, butchers and all who work with knife and
  metal. Because Oggun is rough and dangerous, he
  is considered to be responsible for war and
  vehicle accidents. His Catholic parallel is Saint
  Peter.

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• Ochosi is the third member of the group known as
  the Guerreros or Warriors. Ochosi is the hunter
  dressed in purple, his favorite color. His symbol
  is the crossbow. His number is 7 and his
  favorite foods are doves, rum, and guinea hens.
  Since he spent time in the woods, he knows plants
  and herbal medicine.

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• Maat, is the Orisha of Universal Balance, Truth
  and grants all great health and wealth through
  the observance of the Divine Law (not man-made
  laws) and by living a balance, holistic life.
  With the ability to see the whole, Maat brings
  balance to any situation.

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• Oshun is the goddess of love, fertility, and
  marriage. Oshun is associated with rivers, and
  her symbols are boats and mirrors. Her colors are
  yellow and white. Her number is 5, and her
  favorite foods are white hen, goats and sheep.
  Her Catholic parallel is Our Lady of Charity.

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• Yemaya is the goddess of the sea and the moon.
  She is the mother archetype and the provider of
  wealth. As the one who gives life and sustains
  the Earth, she is extremely generous and giving.
  She is the nurturing energy that sooth anyone.
  But like the ocean, when she is angry, she can be
  implacable. Therefore, she represents the mother
  who gives love, but does not give her power away.

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• Yemaya is also the owner of the collective
  subconscious and ancient wisdom, since she holds
  the secrets that are hidden in the sea. She is
  often invoked in fertility rituals for women and
  in any ritual concerning women's issues. Her
  Catholic parallel is Our Lady of Regla. Yemaya
  Our Lady of Regla, is one the three of the
  "Supreme Trilogy" of the Yoruba gods Chango,
  Obatala, and Yemaya.

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• Ajagun is comprised of Eleggua, Oggun, Ochosi and
  Oshun. These Orishas protect their devotees from
  destruction and opposing spiritual forces.

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Santerias Practices

• Ritual
• Tradition
• Priesthood
• Botanicas

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• A ritual typically begins with the invocation of
  Olurun. Drums provide background African rhythms.
  The Oru or rhythm changes to that associated with
  a specific Orisha, who is then invoked as well.
  Animals, most commonly chickens, are sacrificed
  during many rituals. Dancing is another main
  component of the ritual. The traditions of
  Santeria are fiercely preserved and full
  knowledge of the rites, songs, and language are
  prerequisites to any deep involvement in the
  religion.

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• Initiates must follow a strict regimen and are
  answerable to Olorun and the Orishas for their
  actions. As a person passes through each
  initiation in the tradition, this knowledge
  deepens and their abilities and responsibilities
  grow accordingly. In fact, during the first year
  of their initiation into the priesthood, the
  initiate or Iyawo or 'bride' of the Orisha must
  dress in white for an entire year. The Iyawo must
  not look into a mirror, touch anyone or allow
  themselves to be touched, and they may not wear
  makeup, or go out at night for this year.

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• One of the rituals is known as the Warriors,
  which is the first step in opening up the path
  into becoming a Santo, as in saintliness, in the
  way of the orishas. The persons godfather, who
  is the initializer in the Santeria religion, has
  to make the fundamental symbols of the warrior
  orishas, Eleggua, Oggun, Ochosi, and Oshun. The
  godfather also has to prepare the symbols of the
  babalawos protection, which is a beaded necklace
  and bracelet, as well as the staff of the
  herbalist, the osun.

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• Then, the godfather takes the person to the
  altar where he lays a reed mat before the
  canastillero, the large wooden armoire that holds
  the stones of the godfathers orishas. Then, the
  person kneels on the mat, hands on the floor, and
  repeats after the godfather the Lucumi greeting
  to Ifa iboru iboya ibochiche, may Ifa accept
  the sacrifice. Afterward, the fundamental
  symbols of the warrior orishas are placed in
  front of the person the concrete bust of
  Eleggua, Ogguns cauldron of tools, Oshosis iron
  bow and arrow.

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• Next to these are added the bird staff of Osun
  and the beaded necklace and bracelet. The
  warriors are mainly given to men. Only a babalawo
  can give you warriors. They are hard and they
  give you strength. There are other rituals
  fashioned similarly to that one.

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• Tradition Santeria is not a religion of a book,
  like Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Like most
  Aboriginal religions, it is preserved by an oral
  tradition.

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• Priesthood Priests are called Santeros or
  Babalochas. Priestesses are called Santeras or
  Iyalochas. Olorisha can refer to a priest or a
  priestess. Above the priests are the High priests
  called babalawos. Only men can become high
  priests. They are trained for many years in the
  oral tradition of the faith. This is followed by
  a period of solitude before being initiated. They
  learn dance, songs and healing methods.

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• Botanicas These are stores that specialize in
  providing Santeria supplies. They sell charms,
  herbs, potions, candles, musical instruments, and
  other materials used by the followers like
  intricate capes to dress up the images of the
  saints. They also sell live animals used for the
  sacrifices like chickens, etc.

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Bibliography

• Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the Worlds
  Religion 2nd ed. CaliforniaMayfield, 1999.
• Murphy, Joseph. SanteriaAfrica Spirits in
  America . BostonBeacon, 1993.
• Santeria From Cuba to New York, and back 16
  Feb. 2002 lthttp//archive.nandotimes.com/prof/c
  aribe/santeria.htmlgt
• Santeria, a syncretistic Caribbean religion
  ReligiousTolerance.org. 5 Mar. 2002
• lthttp//www.religioustolerance.org/santeri.htmgt
• Traditional Afro-Cuban (Santeria) Divination for
  Spiritual Transformation 20 Feb. 2002.
• lthttp//www.lukumi.nugt