[230] Each initiation varies in its details,[231] although practitioners often try to ensure a veil of secrecy around the process, ensuring that the precise details are not discovered by non-initiates. [141], Santería involves the use of the Ifá divination system,[347] which is often understood as the most complex and prestigious form of divination used in the religion. [417] This administration espoused anti-racism while retaining previous governments' focus on cultural integration among Cuba's ethnic groups,[418] regarding any emphasis on a separate Afro-Cuban identity as counter-revolutionary. In Cuba, these religions mixed with the Roman Catholicism introduced by Spanish colonialists. Both in Cuba and abroad it has spread beyond its Afro-Cuban origins and is practiced by individuals of various ethnicities. [240], The rest of the initiation takes place in the igbodu, or inner sanctum of the casa. Santería was brought to Cuba by the people of the Yoruban nations of West Africa, who were [40] Initiates are known as santero if male,[41] and santera if female,[42] although these two terms have sometimes been used for anyone, initiate or not, who participates in the religion. [339] Attending a divination ritual in this way is commonly the first time that an individual encounters Santería so directly. [262] Then they rise and are welcomed by their godparent, reflecting that they are now part of their casa. [104] For instance, a practitioner who meets a child at a traffic intersection may interpret this as a message from Eleguá, who is often depicted as a child and who is perceived as the "guardian" of the crossroads. Similar to ancient Greek gods, the orishas represent various forces of nature along with certain human characteristics—for example, Yemayá is the … The trade nevertheless continued clandestinely, with Cuba continuing to receive new slaves until at least 1860. [252] An additional ritual, known as "receiving the warriors", is a ritual where the initiated receives objects from their padrino that represents the warrior oricha. [106] Several academics have described Santería as having a "here-and-now" ethos distinct from that of Christianity,[137] and the social scientist Mercedes C. Sandoval suggested that many Cubans chose Santería over Roman Catholicism or Spiritism because it emphasizes techniques for dealing with pragmatic problems in life. Rev. [55] The ethnomusicologist Katherine Hagedorn described aché as "the realized and inherent divine potential in all aspects of life, even in apparently inert objects. [439], Ascertaining the number of Santería practitioners is complicated by the fact that many individuals do not take part in its rituals but turn to its practitioners for assistance on matters of health and other practical issues. [252] It will often incorporate elements which indicate the initiate's tutelary oricha; devotees of Yemajá for instance usually include omí ("water") in their name, while those of Changó often have obá ("king"). [358], Santería features the creation of protective charms known as resguardos. Honoring Ancestors in the Traditional Lucumí Way, How to Learn Santería – Studying the Religion. [421] Priests of Santería, Ifá, and Palo Monte all took part in government-sponsored tours for foreigners desiring initiation into such traditions. [257], This next ritual is known as the asiento (seating),[40] or the coronación (coronation),[258] and it is believed that it marks the point when the aché of the tutelary oricha which "rules their head" is literally placed inside the initiate's cranium. [188], Practitioners will collect stones from the landscape and then use divination to determine which ones contain an oricha and, if so, which oricha it is. Despite its many practitioners, Santeria is difficult to see first-hand – Santeria priestesses are often wary of foreigners. Each Orisha had a center of worship around which their religious services would take place and where his or her priesthood would be initiated and trained. [143], The scholar Mary Ann Clark describes Santería as "not so much a religion of belief as one of practice",[144] and it has an elaborate system of ritual.
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