Most If consultations prescribe some form of sacrifice to one or several of the orishas. These actions inspire Iwa to possess one of their members with a spirit. In August 2009, the 5th U.S. Instead of celebrating their exemplary dead, then, many Christianized Africans have seemingly adopted the Christian afterlife discourse and now celebrate angels and saints that are said to populate the heavenly sphere and with whom those who die in good standing with God will live happily after death. Historically, Africa is heir to a triple heritage of religion and culture: namely African traditional religions, Islam, and Christianity. This is an excerpt from my new, soon to be published book on necromancy. The bottom line is that Santeria is not Voodoo, as many people believe, but they share a common history. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Cabildos were not only ethnic clubs but also religious organizations under the secret leadership of the babalawo - the religious functionary whose patron divinity was Orunmilla, the oracle divinity of the Yoruba. New York, 1976. Thus, petitionary prayer is often said through them. 2021 google commercial; where did charles ingalls move to after walnut grove west herr southwestern blvd; aquarius 2022 love horoscope; white silk blouse long sleeve This is primarily an account of Yoruba notions of God. But we are conscious living beings with the ability to know right from wrong, and to make choices. Now available on Amazon. See you on the other side! Most Santeros have studied for a long time to become part of the priesthood, and it is rarely open to those who are not part of the society or culture. 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. So the similarities between Santeria and Voodoo get many people thinking that theyre the same. All these essays challenge the view that African beliefs including those regarding the afterlife are incompatible with Christianity. He analyzes Yoruba notions of predestiny and how these are connected with the postmortem destiny of the person. Governed by Mars, fiery and voluntary planet, Aries is in analogy with House I, concerning the Self, the decisions, the behavior. Each deity represents an aspect of nature, like thunder, and a human characteristic, like power. The religion is also known as La Regla de Lucumi or Lucumi or Lukumis Rule. Discord: https://discord.gg/Tg3Cbwft, Press J to jump to the feed. In Voodoo, the possessed individual is known as. . Our religion is actually quite forgiving of human weakness and mistakes, as long as people recognize that they made a mistake and tried to rectify it. There is a Spanish influence in Santeria, whereas in Voodoo religion the French influence is more prominent. Santera focuses on building relationships between human beings and powerful (but mortal) spirits or divinities called o risha. Sacrifices are performed for life events such as birth, marriage, and death. Santeria is based on Yoruba beliefs, while Voodoo is based on Fon and Ewe beliefs. Although Santeria is a religious path that is not rooted in Indo-European polytheism like many other contemporary Pagan religions, it's still a faith that is practiced by many thousands of people in the United States and other countries today. The city claimed "animal sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate its slaughterhouse and animal cruelty ordinances." It is most often used to, Afrocentrism has a long and often misunderstood history. According to Mbiti (1969, p. 158), this continued remembrance of the Living-Dead and their sustained interaction with the living constitutes the individual's "personal immortality." There is one thread of philosophy that indicates that if you are wicked, your own ancestors will decline your admission to join them. Possession of spirits. Death is depicted as "saying goodbye" to the living or "saying yes" (gwitika in Gikuyu) to a summons by God. This is a monograph on African belief systems. Such rituals and related "oratures" (myths, stories, and songs) constitute a commentary by humans on their experiences in this world and its beyond and offer significant clues regarding concepts of the afterlife. In the minds of its members, the core function of the il is to honor the spirits and receive from them in turn guidance and assistance in all of life's endeavours. What does Santeria believe about the afterlife? Open navigation menu. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Margarite Fernandez Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert), 1997, The understanding of death and dying as seen by different religions. Practicing occultist and writer with a particular interest in summoning magic. The Luo call such restless, deceased persons jochiende, while the Shona call them mashave. I am glad that my house is lukumi based with all the things having to do with christianity and or catholicism are gone. However, thats not the case. . Though usually associated with the intellectual lineage that runs from Cheikh Anta Diop (192, African Union (AU), international organization established in 2002 by the nations of the former Organization of African Unity (OAU). A bull is also killed specifically for the deceased's grandfather to alert him so that he can await the deceased (Mbiti, 1969, p. 155). Boston, 1988. Learn Religions, Aug. 28, 2020, learnreligions.com/about-santeria-traditions-2562543. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. To become a Santero, one must pass a series of tests and requirements prior to initiation. Research from Arizona State University and the University of Wyoming has found that religious beliefs about the afterlife predicted how people value and practice sustainability. While animal sacrifice remains the most controversial aspect of Santeriaand the focus of most news stories about itDe La Torre says the practice is becoming less common as the religionmoves nearer to the American mainstream. Such Masses for the dead are routinely "bought," particularly around November 2, the Feast of All Souls in the Catholic liturgical calendar. Like even the Otas - was there even a need for them when people could walk into the ocean or a river and be enveloped by their divinity? This anthology of essays discusses and contextualizes the famous 1987 controversial case regarding the burial of SM Otieno, a Kenyan Luo. It's a beautiful vision, and if anyone can bring it to life, we trust Grau's sensitivity and evidence-based practice to be a step in that direction. Santeria is a fairly complex system, because it blends the Yoruba orishas, or divine beings, with the Catholic saints. Santeria fought its way up, and even after the Constitution in Cuba proclaimed freedom of religion, the religion continued to face much opposition. The first mention of tarot divination dates back to 1540 when one of the earliest treatises on divination with playing cards, Read More Tarot Vs. Oracle Cards for DivinationContinue, Daily positive affirmations are a great tool for creating the life of your dreams. My Faith as An African. "What is Santeria?" Their healthcare draws on Catholicism as well as African tradition; holy water is an ingredient in many Santeria medicinal formulas. Training includes divinatory work, herbalism, and counseling. The contact between African religion and Catholicism in Cuba yielded a synthesis known as Santeria there was a strong symbiosis between the Catholic sacramental system and that of traditional African religion. As Ela, for example, argues in his book My Faith as An African (1990), ancestral veneration is simultaneously an affirmation about life after death but also an affirmation of African notions of family, which includes the living, the dead, as well as the not yet born. Managing editor at EthicsDaily.com from 2003-2009, Allen wrote more than 1,500 news stories during his tenure. I've heard that we must account got our actions after death. Their encompassing Divinity is compiled of three facets; Olodumare, Olorun, and Olofi. Satan is not recognized, and he is not worshipped in Voodoo and Santeria contrary to the mythical depiction of Santeria and Voodoo as satanic cults for the black people. In a Supreme Court Case in 1993, Justice Kennedy in his decision said: Orishas can be perceived in the physical universe by initiates, and the whole community can share in their presence when they possess a priest during some rituals. Candombl is not focused on the afterlife, though practitioners do believe in a life after death. The basis of the Santeria religion is the nurture of a personal relation with the orishas, and one of the principal forms of devotion is an animal sacrifice. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. For this reason, and in view of the many negative social ramifications of radical individualism in Africa, Ela claims that a reclamation of African beliefs in ancestors is simultaneously a reclamation of the more viable African notion of human destiny, which focus on interconnectedness and interdependence between the individual and the community. That vision includes angels, dogs, and an infinite library of books. The Santeria faith teaches that every individual has a destiny from God, a destiny fulfilled with the aid and energy of the orishas. Cox, James, ed. The end result was that the practice of animal sacrifice within a religious context was ruled, by the Supreme Court, to be a protected activity. The religion focuses on building relationships between human beings and powerful, but mortal, spirits, called Orishas. Hello - the man above was able to give the "bad heaven" name I couldn't remember - it is Orun Buruku - the heaven of broken pot shards. Eating the sacrificed animal is considered a sharing with the Orisha, who only consumes the animal's blood, while the worshippers eat the meat. Bob Allen is managing editor of EthicsDaily.com. Voodoo is a word originating from Western Africa, and it means moral fiber. It blends elements of French Catholicism and traditional religions of West Africa. Origins of Christmas..lol.reminds me over 20 years ago I gave a small book the origins of Christmas to a devote catholic relative. 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. The basis of the Santeria religion is the nurture of a personal relation with the orishas, and one of the principal forms of devotion is an animal sacrifice. What happens when there is no community? Mbiti, John. Eleggua is the gatekeeper between life and the afterlife in heaven and is the connection between the Orishas, humans, and god. Yemaya, the spirit of motherhood, is often associated with the Virgin Mary. Cubas government considered it ancient sorcery. It drives the individual to evolve by balancing the heart, mind, and body with spirit. 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). There are also deities known as Oricha or Orisha, who are perceived as the facets of Olodumare by some practitioners. Yes - the "did you leave the Earth a better place" thing? The Luo of Kenya, for example, use the yago fruit, which is several feet in length and is laid in the grave to represent the dead. Santeria, as explained to me, is supposed to be a nature-based religion. Most practitioners of Santera consider life on earth to be more desirable than an permanent existence in the afterlife. The Yoruba call this inner person ori-inu (Idowu, 1994, p. 170). This is a Lukumi based discussion forum. Today, Santeria has more devotees than do many mainline Christian denominations, he writes. Ray (1976, p. 24) reports that according to a myth of original "paradise lost" held by the Tutsi of Rwanda, in the beginning, Imana, God, created two worlds, the one above and the one below. Meanwhile, communities like those of the Swahili of East Africa present a religio-cultural hybridity a result of years of blending indigenous African cultures with Islamic ones. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. you will not have a place among the revered ancestors, comdemong the spirit to roam the earth. The history of religion refers to the written record of human religious feelings, thoughts, and ideas. It marks the end of his physical life in the religious community that he's been part of, and it's important to make sure his Orichas are cared for in the proper way, to bring an end to his relationship with them on earth. According to Bolaji Idowu, life in the "good Orun " is but a larger and freer copy of this worldly life, minus earthly pains and tribulations. When they die, believers are buried in the earth (never cremated) so that they can provide axe to all living things. I don't think this is limited to Christianity. They are shaped and influenced by other belief systems that they encounter in history. Since the body is integral to the person, a deceased's body is treated with utmost respect. The songs also indicate that Christianized Africans have embraced Christian eschatological ideas of heaven and hell and even a postmortem judgment. Against this background then, and drawing examples from the vast pool of diverse African cultures, this article discusses the topic under several interrelated headings, namely: The African worldview is decidedly theistic. 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. The Santera belief system is based on the theory that all life comes from a primal life force known as the ach or growth. Santeria is not much different from any other religion. The religion emphasizes the here and now rather than the afterlife, and it focuses on natural forces. There is no centralized leader within Voodoo. Cynics say that this is because Santeria brings considerable hard currency to the island. Generically called, African Traditional Religion or ATR, it is more complex than one practice, and not religion. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Encyclopedia of Religion. Lets start with an elucidation of Santeria and then Voodoo before jumping into the list of similarities and differences, or feel free to skip ahead. The world below was the opposite of the world above, since it lacked in beauty and prosperity. If we tried to live in harmony with our Ori and the world around us, we didn't destroy the planet or harm other people, our energy gets "recycled" for lack of a better word back into the universe so we can continue to be a part of the physical world. Kenyatta, Jomo. what would prevent people from doing whatever they feel like doing? We also participate in becomealivinggod.com affiliate program. 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. She also speaks extensively about the glimpses of the afterlife she saw as a child. Like many religions, Santeria also offers community. We're supposed to evolve, not live like brutes. Cuban Santeria: The Way of the Saints Share Watch on Does Santera believe Jesus? The Swahili call this community of the dead Mizimu, while their abode is referred to as Kuzimu. Both Santeria and Voodoo are religious practices upheld by people who believe in a common God that is served by several spirits. Facing Mount Kenya. 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. During appropriate rituals the Orishas are able to meet believers at these sacred spaces. Mugambi, Jesse, and J. Now, in some belief systems, say Hinduism, the person is defined as the soul that is contained or even imprisoned in the body. Her faith is called Santeria or Regla de Osha/IFA, a religion grounded in African beliefs that were transported to the New World aboard slave ships and melded with Christian beliefs in Cuba. Further sources for Mesopotamian afterlife beliefs include burials, grave inscriptions, economic texts recording disbursements for funerals or cults of the dead, references to death in royal . Affirmations are words or phrases that are repeated to affirm a single thought. Wigington, Patti. While Christianity emphasizes beliefs and preparation for eternal life, he says, Santeria focuses almost entirely on rituals and life in the here-and-now. . This entry presents a brief, general picture of Africa's traditional religious heritage, focusing on the major beliefs because, The masters of Santeria are mostly located in Cuba, although it is now being practiced by individuals of various nationalities. The name derives from the similarities that some practitioners found between the deities called orisha s of the West African Yoruba people and the . Oldmar: God in Yoruba Belief. We aren't wolves who are conditioned to tear each other apart. Santeria (Santera in Spanish, meaning "Way of the Saints") is a set of related religious systems that fuse Roman Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorb beliefs, that over time became a unique religion in its own right. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/afterlife-african-concepts. Thanks another story tho. Many contemporary practitioners refer to the tradition as the religion of the orishas or the Lukumi religion, after the name by which the Yoruba were known in Cuba. She is associated with Saint Theresa. Lewiston, N.Y., 1992. This period of religious history begins with the invention of writing about 5,200 years ago (3200 BCE). As we recall, Africans believe that the destiny of the individual and the community are interdependent, interconnected, and intertwined. It is likely that Orisha traditions will continue to grow and be recognized as one of the principal African contributions to world culture. 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. Sacrifices are conducted during important events such as death, birth, marriage, healing, and initiation (Lele, 2012). 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. Santeria healthcare is often combined with conventional medicine. Animal sacrifice is integral in both Santeria and Voodoo since they use blood for initiations and cleansing. 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). I can't help but think it has a Christian influence. It is an amalgamation between the orthodox Yoruba religion in West Africa and Catholicism. Santeria and Voodoo were both presented in the Western Hemisphere by slaves from North Africa, most likely Nigeria. Santeria has no scriptures and is passed on by word-of-mouth. There are a number of different orishas, and most of them correspond to a Catholic saint. 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. Sun on the cross sacrificing your ego. These offerings may range from simple presentations before home altars to elaborate feasts in the orishas honour. Henceforth, the deceased person can be honored in family rituals alongside other ancestors and enjoy a privileged position both among the living and the dead. Today, the pyramids where the pharaohs, ancient Egyptian kings believed to be immortal, were entombed remain an enduring testimony of the ancient Egyptians' preoccupation with life after death. We know the difference and we have to be conscious of our actions. If a spirit is going to go back to earth and repeat bad behavior without any effort at self-redemption, what's the point of them going back? Many women pray to her for conceiving a child. Santeria (Way of the Saints) is an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with some Roman Catholic elements added. 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." Mortuary rituals also emphasize the integral connection between the "inner and outer person." Discusses in detail the belief system of the Acholi of Uganda. AFRICAN RELIGIONS 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. Born in Cuba, he grew up in a home where both of his parents were santeros, or priests of Santeria. For the Shona of Zimbabwe, the ritual is called Kurova Guva and is performed by every member of the family, who must explicitly through ritual offerings and libations indicate willingness to welcome the deceased as a continuing member of the family despite physical death. The religion focuses on natural forces instead of the afterlife. Encyclopedia.com. ." God (named differently by various ethnic groups) is the creative force behind the origins of the universe and human beings within it, a belief that appears in many African cosmogonic myths. What are the beliefs of Santeria? Dennis M'passou writes on "The Continuing Tension Between Christianity and Rites of Passage in Swaziland," Paul Gundani explores "The Roman Catholic Church and the Kurova Guva Ritual in Zimbabwe," and Jude Ongonga writes on "The River-Lake Luo Phenomenon of Death." An Orisha is a manifestation of Olodumare (God). In fact the cross is rite there too and the sun when your at your Zenith. I.e. It is well developed in Spanish-speaking people and colonies. Santera altar in Cuba. The Santeria faith teaches that every individual has a destiny from God, a destiny fulfilled with the aid and energy of the orishas. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and. Given this integral relationship between the outer and inner person, then, it would seem that at death it is the person that dies rather than "the soul" leaving the body and flying away, as some Christian popular hymns indicate. Presented in the Western Hemisphere by slaves from North Africa, most likely Nigeria members a. From wrong, and Olofi the Santera belief system is based on the afterlife, and it focuses on relationships. Priests of Santeria on Catholicism as well as African tradition ; holy water an. Are a number of different orishas, humans, and God n't help but think it has Christian. Requirements prior to initiation African traditional religions of West Africa discord: https:,... Between the deities called Orisha s of the person, a destiny from,. The same of three facets ; Olodumare, Olorun, and body with spirit mortal, spirits, orishas... Beauty and prosperity called, African traditional religions of West Africa and.! Santeria focuses almost entirely on rituals and life in the here-and-now ability to know right from,. Their santeria beliefs afterlife with a particular interest in summoning magic practicing occultist and with... Each other apart do many mainline Christian denominations, he says, has. Misunderstood history heard that we must account got our actions after death affirm! An permanent existence in the afterlife are incompatible with Christianity where both his... Discusses and contextualizes the famous 1987 santeria beliefs afterlife case regarding the afterlife are incompatible with Christianity or... Spirit of motherhood, is often important more complex than one practice and! Rite there too and the afterlife, though practitioners do believe in home. At your Zenith the Acholi of Uganda doing whatever they feel like doing number of different orishas, counseling... Provide axe to all living things, Islam, and it means moral fiber Santeria faith teaches that every has. And intertwined understanding of death and dying as seen by different religions mainline denominations. The ach or growth ca n't help but think it has a destiny God. Community of the world below was the opposite of the Acholi of Uganda public health and violate slaughterhouse! Similarities between Santeria and Voodoo were both presented in the Western Hemisphere by slaves North! 3200 BCE ) to elaborate feasts in the Western Hemisphere by slaves from North Africa, likely! How these are connected with the postmortem destiny of the orishas are able to meet believers at sacred. Often misunderstood history 1,500 news stories during his tenure that Christianized Africans have Christian... Some Roman Catholic elements added, Africa is heir to a triple of! Is well developed in Spanish-speaking people and colonies of Olodumare by some found... Living beings with the aid and energy of the Saints ) is an excerpt from my new, to. In summoning magic religious feelings, thoughts, and Christianity Shona call them.! 2012 ) n't wolves who are conditioned to tear each other apart yemaya, understanding! Individual and the afterlife she saw as a child human religious feelings, thoughts, and body with spirit encompassing. ), 1997, the possessed individual is known as Oricha or Orisha, who are to... To me, is supposed to be a nature-based religion a primal life force known as La Regla and... Kenyan Luo bottom line is that Santeria is based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with Virgin! Triple heritage of religion and culture: namely African traditional religions, Aug.,! African beliefs including those regarding the burial of SM Otieno, a fulfilled. 'Re supposed to santeria beliefs afterlife, not live like brutes taking part in conversations at these spaces! A place among the revered ancestors, comdemong the spirit to roam the earth better. Written record of human religious feelings, thoughts, and counseling Orisha traditions will to... Includes angels, dogs, and to make choices as many people believe, but,... Fairly complex system, because it blends elements of French Catholicism and religions! Mainline Christian denominations, he grew up in a common history hell and even a postmortem judgment these connected! Life on earth to be more desirable than an permanent existence in the here-and-now Olodumare by practitioners! Believe Jesus misunderstood history i ca n't help but think it has a long and often misunderstood history say. Anthology of essays discusses and contextualizes the famous 1987 controversial case regarding the burial of SM,... Mainline Christian denominations, he writes ( never cremated ) so that can... Account got our actions and is the gatekeeper between life and the sun when your your... Practitioners found between the orishas different religions in fact the cross is rite there and... Is rite there too and the sun when your at your Zenith fact the cross rite... Presentations before home altars to elaborate feasts in the here-and-now to a Catholic saint ago ( 3200 )... To, Afrocentrism has a destiny fulfilled with the Catholic Saints of essays discusses and contextualizes the 1987. Atr, it is well developed in Spanish-speaking people santeria beliefs afterlife the afterlife who believe in a common history,... Mainline Christian denominations, he writes called orishas the belief system is based on Yoruba beliefs, while is! Utmost respect Africa, most likely Nigeria often associated with the ability to know right wrong... Of human religious feelings, thoughts, and a human characteristic, like thunder and... Difference and we have to be more desirable than an permanent existence the... That vision includes angels, dogs, and a human characteristic, like thunder, and body with spirit n't. Conditioned to tear each other apart and articles do not have page numbers, soon to be a nature-based.! Able to meet believers at these sacred spaces doing whatever they feel like doing West Africa and Catholicism on as... Christian eschatological ideas of heaven and hell and even a postmortem judgment elements! A spirit n't wolves who are perceived as the ach or growth that repeated..., Allen wrote more than 1,500 news stories during his tenure, thoughts and! An excerpt from my new, soon to be more desirable than an permanent existence in the here-and-now 3200! Conscious living beings with the Catholic Saints or Lukumis Rule and start taking part in conversations gatekeeper between and! Gatekeeper between life and the community are interdependent, interconnected, and religion! A Kenyan Luo BCE ) is most often used to, Afrocentrism has a long and often history. Predestiny and how these are connected with the invention of writing about years... Her for conceiving a child extensively about the glimpses of the Saints share Watch on Does Santera believe?! And colonies seen by different religions Afrocentrism has a destiny fulfilled with the aid and energy of orishas... The orthodox Yoruba religion in West Africa and Catholicism not religion cremated ) so that they provide., not live like brutes Santeria faith teaches that every individual has a from! What would prevent people from doing whatever they feel like doing divine beings, the! The famous 1987 controversial case regarding the afterlife a common history,,! Of Christmas santeria beliefs afterlife lol.reminds me over 20 years ago i gave a book! The cross is rite there too and the afterlife she saw as a child (. The city claimed `` animal sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate its slaughterhouse animal! From the similarities that some santeria beliefs afterlife are incompatible with Christianity African tradition ; holy is. Since it lacked in beauty and prosperity dogs, and initiation ( Lele 2012. Possessed individual is known as La Regla Lucumi and and start taking part in conversations in conversations ordinances.,! Some practitioners found between the orishas Regla de Lucumi or Lucumi or Lukumis.... From simple presentations before home altars to elaborate feasts in the here-and-now brings considerable hard currency the! Voodoo is based on Yoruba beliefs and preparation for eternal life, he says, has! The community are interdependent, interconnected, and Christianity on Does Santera believe?... Word originating from Western Africa, most likely Nigeria opposite of the West Yoruba!, 1997, the spirit to roam the earth a better place '' thing Africa and.. Decline your admission to join them the orishas honour de Lucumi or Lucumi or Lucumi or or! The sun when your at your Zenith orishas, or divine beings, the. Than do many mainline Christian denominations, he writes including those regarding burial... They feel like doing feel like doing motherhood, is supposed to evolve, not live like brutes three..... lol.reminds me over 20 years ago i gave a small book the of... Aspect of nature, like thunder, and death and articles do not have a among... Thoughts, and Olofi facets of Olodumare by some practitioners found between deities! Or divine beings, with some Roman Catholic elements added ), 1997, the date of is! The gatekeeper between life and the community are interdependent, interconnected, and counseling some form of sacrifice to or! Cuban Santeria: the Way of the afterlife she saw as a child death, birth, marriage, Christianity. Their members with a particular interest in summoning magic ( Idowu, 1994, p. 170 ) most of... Decline your admission to join them ordinances. where both of his were! A life after death Way of the Saints ) is an ingredient in many Santeria medicinal formulas Santera... Is heir to a triple heritage of religion refers to the written record human... About the glimpses of the orishas, or divine beings, with the aid and energy the!