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Santeria

Introduction

Santeria (the Way of the Saints) is a syncretistic religion of Caribbean origin which combines the Gods, Goddesses and beliefs of the Yoruba and Bantu people in Southern Nigeria, Senegal and Guinea Coast with the God, Saints and beliefs of Roman Catholicism. Many of its followers are uncomfortable with the name "Santeria" and prefer to call it "La Regia Lucumi". 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 the Gods and Goddesses of their traditional religions with the Christian Saints. For example:

     - Babalz Ayi became St. Lazarus (patron of the sick)
     - Shangs became St. Barbara (controls thunder, lightning, fire...)
     - Eleggua or Elegba became St. Anthony ( controls roads, gates etc )
     - Obatala became Our Lady of Las Mercedes, and the Resurrected Christ (father of creation; source of spirituality)
     - Oggzn became St. Peter (patron of war)
     - Oshzn became Our Lady of Charity (controls money, sensuality...)

The religion is currently concentrated in Cuba and other Caribbean islands, and among Hispanics in Florida and New York City. It has been actively suppressed in Cuba since the communist revolution. However, it is rapidly growing elsewhere. There are believed to be 300 thousand practitioners of Santeria in New York alone.

Santerian Beliefs

Many Santerian beliefs are not known outside of the faith. The following is a general outline of what is known:
- Deities: God is referred to as Olorun, the "owner of heaven". He is the supreme deity, the creator of the universe, and of the lesser Gods, called Orisha. Each of the latter has an associated Christian Saint, a principle, important number, colour, food, dance posture and emblem. The Orishas need food in the form of animal sacrifice, and prepared dishes, as well as human praise in order to remain effective.

     - Ritual Sacrifices: These form an integral part of many Santerian religious rituals. The animal's blood is collected and offered          to the Orisha. Chickens are the most common animal used. Their sacrifice is believed to please the Gods, and to bring good          luck, purification and forgiveness of sins.
     - Posession: Rhythmic sounds and feverish dancing during Santerian rituals are believed to lead to possession of the                      individual by the particular Orisha being invoked. The individual then speaks and acts as the Orisha.
     - Veneration of Ancestors: Ones ancestors, called Ara Orun (People of Heaven) are referred to for moral guidance and                    example. Their names are recited at family ceremonies.

Santerian Practices

The following Santerian practices are known:
     - Ritual: 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.
     - Priesthood: Priests and priestesses are called Babalawo (Father of the Mystery) or Santeros. 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.
     - Supply Stores: Botanicas are stores that specialize in providing Santerian supplies. They sell charms, herbs, potions, musical        instruments, and other materials used by the followers.

Conflicts over Santeria

     - Animal Sacrifices: There has been considerable friction between Santerians and groups promoting the care and
        treatment of animals. The source of the conflict is the animal sacrifices which form an integral part of some of their rituals.              Chickens and other small animals are ritually sacrificed at times of serious sickness or misfortune, and at times of initiation.            Santerians defend their practices by pointing out:
               - the animals are killed in a humane manner and later eaten, just as the tens of millions of animals slaughtered in                              commercial establishments.
               - ritual sacrifice of animals was a extensively practiced in Israel and was only discontinued after the destruction of the                        temple in Jerusalem in the eighth decade CE.
               - they feel that the sacrifices must continue because their Gods require the food.
               - animal sacrifices have formed a part of their religion for over one millennium.
               - the constitutions of the United States and Canada guarantee freedom of religious expression. They have won a                              number of court cases; one went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Sufficient precedence has now been                                    established; there should not be any new legal problems in this area.
               - The Matamoros Incident: In early 1989, the bodies of over a dozen murdered men were found in Matamoros, Mexico,                     close to the Texas border. A media frenzy resulted in which the killings were blamed on Satanists, Witches, Voodoo                        priests, or Santerians. Everybody seemed to have a different theory. After the lurid headlines died down and the police                  investigation concluded, the murderers were found to be a criminal gang of drug runners for whom homicide was a way                 of life. The gang members happened to be followers of a variety of benign religious groups including Christianity, Palo                    Mayombe and Santeria, but no link was ever found between their faith and their drug running or murderous practices.                    The immediate cause was that the leader of the gang required the members to watch a Hollywood movie called The                        Believers a total of 14 times. That movie took elements of the Santerian faith, and added concepts foreign to the                            religion, including human sacrifice. If a single influencing cause needs to be assigned to the murder, it should be that                     movie.

Many promoters of Ritual Abus~ or of Satanic Ritual Abus~ often mistakenly use these drug gang killings as evidence of human sacrifice by Satanists.

Internet WWW home pages dealing with Santeria
Most of the sites which mention the religion of Santeria are written by Aleyo ( outsiders) and are filled with hatred and misinformation. Two reliable sources are:
     - htt :llwww.nando.netl roflcal.ibelcaribbeal1.reli ions.hunl
     - http :1 Iwww. seanet. com/U sersl efulll11oyi wa/welcome.html

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