Santeria A Religion of African Origins Presented by

Santeria A Religion of African Origins.

Presented by: Lester A. Bolanos

Introduction and Origins of 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.

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.

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.

Santeria’s Beliefs v 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.

v 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.

Major Orishas of Santeria v v v v v Eleggua ( Elegbara, Elegba Eshu) Ausar (Osiris, Obatala, Oxala) Sekhert (Babaluaiye, Omulu) Chango Oggun Ochosi Maat Oshun Yemaya Ajagun (The Warriors)

v 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.

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.

v 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 God’s command he formed the Earth and humankind.

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.

v 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.

v 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. Sekhert’s 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.

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

v 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.

v 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.

v 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.

v 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.

v 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.

v 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.

v 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 three of the "Supreme Trilogy" of the Yoruba gods: Chango, Obatala, and Yemaya.

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

Santeria’s Practices Ritual v Tradition v Priesthood v Botanicas v

v 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.

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.

v 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 person’s 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 babalawo’s protection, which is a beaded necklace and bracelet, as well as the staff of the herbalist, the osun.

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 godfather’s 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, Oggun’s cauldron of tools, Oshosi’s iron bow and arrow.

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.

v 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.

v 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.

v 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.

Bibliography v v v Molloy, Michael. “Experiencing the World’s Religion” 2 nd ed. California: Mayfield, 1999. Murphy, Joseph. “Santeria: Africa Spirits in America”. Boston: Beacon, 1993. “Santeria: From Cuba to New York, and back…” 16 Feb. 2002 <http: //archive. nandotimes. com/prof/caribe/santeria. html> “Santeria, a syncretistic Caribbean religion” Religious. Tolerance. org. 5 Mar. 2002 <http: //www. religioustolerance. org/santeri. htm> “Traditional Afro-Cuban (Santeria) Divination for Spiritual Transformation” 20 Feb. 2002. <http: //www. lukumi. nu>