Priesthood and Initiation We call it in Spanish "rendir cuentas," which means "explain yourself, tell me why you lived the way you did." Whereas in indigenous African thought ancestors were moral exemplars, enjoying a status of honor to which the living could aspire, today, ancestors are in Christian discourse depicted as evil forces of the same character with the devil. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Thus, for example, one Gikuyu Christian funeral song bids the deceased farewell and expresses the hope that the person will be met at the gates of heaven by "multitudes of God's angels" (Kikuyu Catholic Hymnal, 1992, hymn 101). 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 True Story Behind Santeria, Academia - Santeria: An Afro-Cuban religion, Santera - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Olokun also presides over meditation, mental health, dreaming, psychic abilities and water-based healing. In Voodoo, the possessed individual is known as. Having measured their moral worth against the feather of Maat (symbolizing truth and justice), he sends them "west," to the "abode of the righteous," or to "hell." These powers are thought to allow them to predict the future. While traditionally one's body was considered integral to one's person and was therefore considered important even after death, today Christian funeral songs depict the body as incidental if not detrimental to one's positive destiny after death. Santeria has a priesthood that includes both men and women. @Hijo_De_Obatalas post is really really good and for me is my understanding. The Luo call such restless, deceased persons jochiende, while the Shona call them mashave. The AU is the su, After the Tsunami, A Drive to Reverse Tubal Ligations in Tamil Nadu, Afterlife: Australian Indigenous Concepts, https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/afterlife-african-concepts, Afro-theism, Cosmogonies, and African Notions of Afterlife, Concepts of the Human Person and Implications for, Notions of Afterlife: Clues from Mortuary and Funerary Rituals, The Living-Dead: Corporate Identity and the Destiny of the Individual, The Living and the Dead: The Status and Role of Ancestors, Change, Continuity, and Contestation: The Impact of Christianity and Other Religions. Belief in Santeria can peacefully coexist with a belief in Christianity, and especially Catholicism. Governed by Mars, fiery and voluntary planet, Aries is in analogy with House I, concerning the Self, the decisions, the behavior. Our bodies return to the earth when we die. 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. Santeria incorporates elements of several faiths and so is what's called a 'syncretic' religion. He corresponds to the Catholic Saint Lazarus. Nairobi, Kenya, 1992. in Cuba the Catholic church was tolerant of ethnic traditions and even allowed various African groups to create their own "clubs," which became known as the Cabildos. 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. Sacrificial animals include chickens (the most common), pigeons, doves, ducks, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, and turtles. Because of the social stigma commonly associated with Santeria by followers of mainstream religions, it is possible that many adherents of Santeria keep their beliefs and practices secret from their neighbors. The Santeria faith teaches that every individual has a destiny from God, a destiny fulfilled with the aid and energy of the orishas. Santeria evolved when African slaves were stolen from their homelands during the Colonial period and forced to work in Caribbean sugar plantations. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. In general, within the African context, such a rigid dualism between body and soul is not found. Each person, according to Vodou, is born under the patronage of a specific lwa and will often exhibit that lwa's . If you are angry, rather than learn to control your anger and address the problem in a different way, you can just go around punching people in the face. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The impact of historical encounters between cultures, and the ensuing dynamism, transformation, and fluidity of ideas will be recognized and factored in this analysis. For many centuries, cards have been and remain one of the most popular methods of fortune-telling. Maryknoll, N.Y., 1997. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The belief system of Santeria is reflected in its history. Santeria relies on the wisdom of orishas. An Orisha is a manifestation of Olodumare (God). She also speaks extensively about the glimpses of the afterlife she saw as a child. We hope she's right. Moreover, in the African view, to be is to participate in an ongoing dance of life propelled by God's creative and sustaining power. 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. Santeria, as explained to me, is supposed to be a nature-based religion. Maryknoll, N.Y., 1990. Oosthuizen, G. C., and Irving Hexham, eds. Mosha, Sambuli. Cynics say that this is because Santeria brings considerable hard currency to the island. It may seem that the Yoruba are patriarchal because men filled the role of a king and there were chiefs; however, the women ran the family and daily life. "Afterlife: African Concepts Like many religions, Santeria also offers . Syncretism is the combining of different, often seemingly . For decades, Santeria has. Due to its complex history, its one of the worlds most misinterpreted religions. During appropriate rituals the Orishas are able to meet believers at these sacred spaces. In a landmark 1993 case, the Church of Lakumi Babalu Aye successfully sued the city of Hialeah, Florida, for the right to practice animal sacrifice within a religious context; the Supreme Court determined that it was a protected activity. Santera is a syncretic religion based significantly in the traditions of the Yoruba and incorporating elements of Catholicism. At drum dances called bembs, initiated devotees, now properly called olorishasthose who have the orishamay lose their ordinary consciousness and manifest that of their orisha patrons. The idea is to make positive statements about what you would like to see in your life and to repeat, Read More How to Create Positive Affirmations That ACTUALLY WorkContinue, Fellow occultists, I am happy to announce that my new grimoire, Goetia Rising, is now available on Amazon: This is a small book, as a proper grimoire ought to be. For one year and one day, they believe the deceased's spirit to . I conduct summoning rituals for clients - https://occultist.net/product/ritual-for-hire/, To learn more about practical magick, get my latest book "The Psy-Mage Compendium" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ouvops, The sign of Aries, the first sign of Fire in the zodiac series, evokes the beginning of spring, the struggle of life and natural forces in action. 5 Pages. Santera is a Spanish word meaning "The Way of the Saints.". Image courtesy of Jacob Tabo/Unsplash. Practitioners believe that this divinity created the universe but takes little interest in human affairs. Born in Cuba, he grew up in a home where both of his parents were santeros, or priests of Santeria. The promise of happiness brought by proximity to God was severed and remains only a vague future possibility. This entry presents a brief, general picture of Africa's traditional religious heritage, focusing on the major beliefs because, Although census data are lacking, it is likely that initiated devotees number in the tens of thousands and that those who consult an orisha at one time or another may be counted in the millions. Thus, it is possible to speak of the Yoruba notions of afterlife and compare these, say, to the Igbo or Zulu concepts, noting distinctions and similarities. Order Santeria: The Beliefs and Rituals of a Growing Religion in America now from Amazon.com. Sometimes my clients are also not comfortable dealing with the spiritual world on their own or lack the necessary items and solitude to even conduct these rituals. Given this worldview, Africans see the hereafter as intimately linked with the here and now. There is always something worth knowing even if you cannot attain its knowledge. Christianity does have an influence on the Yoruba in terms of the concept of heaven. It is likely that Orisha traditions will continue to grow and be recognized as one of the principal African contributions to world culture. Each deity represents an aspect . Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. A central ritual involves practitioners drumming, singing, and dancing to encourage a lwa to possess one of their members. In a landmark 1993 case, the Church of Lakumi Babalu Aye successfully sued the city of Hialeah, Florida. Drawing largely on his experiences as an African Catholic priest, Ela asserts the compatibility of African beliefs with Christianity and argues for their reclamation as both doctrinally viable and socially relevant for Africans' quest for beliefs and practices that enhance and nurture life in the here and now. We don't think people are always going to be naturally good. Christianity borrowed from ancient cultures actually. Sickness was not known, and when people died, Imana brought them back to life after three days. Santera altar in Cuba. Life is an unfolding, a process of "formation and transformation" that starts before birth and does not end at physical death. The Gikuyu call such persons muimwo ni iri (rejected by the people). The religion focuses on building relationships between human beings and powerful, but mortal, spirits, called Orishas. We believe in reincarnation. Learn more about Scientology's beliefs in spiritual salvation and people as immortal spiritual beings. https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/afterlife-african-concepts, "Afterlife: African Concepts Ive been conducting rituals for clients for many years. She is also affiliated with moon magic and witchcraft. Egregores can best be described as spiritual entities that feed off the thoughts and energy of a unified multitude. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ." The "orishas are the representatives of the supreme God, and . The history of religion refers to the written record of human religious feelings, thoughts, and ideas. As early as the first century ce, most of North Africa was part of the Roman Empire and therefore part of Christendom. 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. What most viewers didnt realize, says author Miguel De La Torre, is that the songs title referred to a deity of an Afro-Cuban religion called Santeria. Many people describe death as "a going home" (in Gikuyu, kuinuka ) or simply, a departure (Gikuyu, guthie ). Elements of Santera and its African roots permeate Cuban culture, including by You are reviewing your own life and being honest with yourself about how you lived, what you did right or wrong, and what you learned. 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. Open Document. In order to keep the religion and life, The slaves became "Christianized" at least to the slave owners. New York, 2000. Somehow, this state was interrupted, and death entered the world. . - Wikimedia Commons by Susanne Bollinger / CC-BY-SA-4.. Santera developed in Cuba during the 19 th century and has continued to spread in America, particularly in large cities like Miami, New York, and Los Angeles primarily through Caribbean island immigrants. Priesthood involves training and initiation. Each deity represents an aspect of nature, like thunder, and a human characteristic, like power." 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 slaves took each African god (Orisha) and renamed them after the . 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. Attempts were made to convert the enslaved Africans, but while they accepted much of the missionary teachings, they didn't find that these provided sufficient 'religious fulfilment'. Each deity represents an aspect of nature, like thunder, and a human characteristic, like power. Merced was pleased with the ruling, and said, "Now Santeros can practice their religion at home without being afraid of being fined, arrested or taken to court.". Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said the Euless ordinance "placed a substantial burden on Merced's free exercise of religion without advancing a compelling governmental interest." Santera, (Spanish: The Way of the Saints) also called La Regla de Ocha (Spanish: The Order of the Orishas) or La Religin Lucum (Spanish: The Order of Lucum), the most common name given to a religious tradition of African origin that was developed in Cuba and then spread throughout Latin America and the United States. Voodoo can be traced to the Fon and Ewe in West Africa, currently known as Benin. In Cuba, the practice became known as Santeria, while in Haiti, it started being referred to as Voodoo. Summarizing distinctive markers of this African worldview, Sambuli Mosha isolates four key ideas, namely: (1) the centrality of belief in God, (2) an acknowledgment of the intrinsic unity between individuals and communities, (3) viewing the universe as an interconnected, interdependent whole, (4) embracing life as a process of spiritual formation and transformation (Mosha, 2000). Wigington, Patti. Simultaneously, however, death is not an annihilation of the person. Orishas are also nourished by other forms of worship and praise. Membership is taken seriously, and members are expected to take part in the life of the il. Cubas government considered it ancient sorcery. Many testify that it was their experience of a life-threatening illness which first prompted their devotion to an Orisha. Their encompassing Divinity is compiled of three facets; Olodumare, Olorun, and Olofi. Secretly the practitionres prayed to their ancestors gods as they hid behind Christian saints. 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. Santeria is a fairly complex system, because it blends the Yoruba orishas, or divine beings, with the Catholic saints. I.e. By at least one survey now a decade old, there were about 22,000 register active Santeria practitioners in the United States. A redefinition of the human person also seems to be indicated in the Christian discourse. It's difficult to know how many people follow Santeria, as there's no central organisation, and the religion is often practised in private. 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. 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. This combination now forms the deities of the contemporary Santeria religion. The Yoruba call this inner person ori-inu (Idowu, 1994, p. 170). The masters of Santeria are mostly located in Cuba, although it is now being practiced by individuals of various nationalities. For Ela, such a reclamation is not only doctrinally valid and acceptable but would serve as one possible antidote to "this worldly" problems that thrive on radical individualism (Ela, 1990, pp. To make more trouble? and cause more harm? The members of the il relate to each other in much the same way as members of an extended biological family. Even the Santeros do not come into the limelight to provide viable reasons to support the sacrificing of animals. Santeria. This recommendation finds significant support in the thought of a growing number of African theologians such as Jean Marc Ela, a Cameroonian priest, who find the demotion and demonization of African beliefs problematic. In Voodoo, Iwa is a veneration of deities frequently identified as Yoruba gods and Roman Catholic saints. "Afterlife: African Concepts P'bitek, Okot'. Today, almost 80 percent of the Cuban population practice Santeria, which is sometimes described as the national religion.. In 1993 the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the right of devotees to practice the controversial rite of animal sacrifice in the case Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. Hialeah . Santera was born out of necessity for the people of the Yoruba tradition who were brought to Cuba as slaves starting in the 16th century from present-day Nigeria and Benin. They are shaped and influenced by other belief systems that they encounter in history. There are lawyers and professors, civil servants and musicians whose homes are filled with altars laden with flowers, rum, cake and cigars to keep the gods happy and helpful. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. Nine year-old Ricky Banda is given a cursed Eucharist, and returns home only to be locked in by an evil force, along with his Aunt and Cousin. The word santeria itself means veneration of the saints. People are therefore encouraged to treat the body with suspicion because fleshly desires might derail their souls from the journey to heaven. (February 22, 2023). However, the date of retrieval is often important. Preparations are then made for the grand and irrevocable initiation of the devotee into that orishas mysteries. The denigration of the body implicit in these songs is quite alien to indigenous understandings of the human person and the person's destiny after death. Chapter 10 focuses on Gikuyu religious beliefs and highlights the place of ancestors (ngoma ) in this system. Quite different to the Tutsi myth with its promise of at least a rudimentary eschatological hope, the Nuer myth of paradise lost stipulates that in the beginning all was happiness, since the heavens, God's abode, and earth were linked by a rope, the pathway to access divine favors and bounty. The study was recently published in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. When they die, believers are buried in the earth (never cremated) so that they can provide axe to all living things. 1040 Words. Since the body is integral to the person, a deceased's body is treated with utmost respect. As a result of these ceremonial exchanges, the oracle often determines that one particular orisha has claimed the devotee as its child. Between 1940 and 1960, the immigrants from Cuba spread Santeria in the United States. One can also study comparative religious chronology through a . The world below was the opposite of the world above, since it lacked in beauty and prosperity. Santeria (Way of the Saints) is an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with some Roman Catholic elements added. In chapter 8 he discusses the African notions of personal immortality and the status of the living dead, while in chapter 14 he discusses African ideas of death and the hereafter and offers an exegesis of sample funeral rituals. Sometimes feared and often misunderstood, Santera and other Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions still persist in the U.S. - especially in South Florida. African Synod: Instrumentum Laboris. 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. . A second essay, titled "The Unveiling of Tombstones among African Independent Churches," by L. L. Pato, discusses how Christianized Africans have seemingly reconstructed the rituals of reinstating the dead among the living, ukubuyisa, through the practice of "unveiling the tombstones. Lewiston, N.Y., 1992. Readers will also find plenty of valuable book reviews and courses which may prove to be helpful for obtaining greater knowledge. Historically, Africa is heir to a triple heritage of religion and culture: namely African traditional religions, Islam, and Christianity. 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