They connect us to the divine. An estimated 70 percent of Cubas 11 million people perform some type of Afro-Cuban practice, including many of the countrys Catholics. The combining of concepts and terminology from different religions in this case, from Catholicism and the Lucum religion is called religious syncretism. The blooms are sprinkled over the top of the coffin before the grave is closed. It's recycled into the universe. For longer ceremonies, you should be prepared to tip CUC20 or more. Once that happens, the mourners leave the cemetery. What Is Santera? With Santera rituals there are musical ceremonies and prayers that are referred to as bemb, toque de santo, or tambor. forms. Funeral homes and most cemeteries became state-owned, and religious symbols were removed from many of them. Twitter. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Training includes divinatory work, herbalism, and counseling. Once those priests have initiated other priests, they become known as babalorichs, fathers of orich (for men) and as iyalorichs, mothers of orich (for women). For some students, the familiar rituals of sorrow, anger and disbelief were playing out again. Sometimes feared and often misunderstood, Santera and other Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions still persist in the U.S. especially in South Florida. generalized educational content about wills. advice. July 2015 That may be in part due to an auspicious event that happened during his victory speech on January 8, 1959. A Cuban funeral is a uniform event that may contain some nuances of Catholicism. Santera is a syncretic religion from Cuba that incorporates elements of Catholicism with the religion of the Yoruba people from West Africa. April 2016 Strolling through the streets of Cuba, youll occasionally come across people wearing all white clothingchances are these people are going through their Santera initiation. April 2019 Today, roughly 70 percent of Cubans observe one or more Santeria or other religious practices based in an African tradition. Il shrines are built by the priests and priestess to the different orichs which creates a space for worship called an igbodu (altar). Most ils are in the homes of the initiated priests and priestesses. If you have godchildren, you will find an Oba or Oriat who can do it, if you don't know how. Members of unregistered Santera communities, particularly the Free Yorubas, are particularly vulnerable and face ongoing threats of criminal sanctions. We communicate with egun at a boveda we set up in the house, and we honor them by giving them small gifts, like flowers, candles, or glasses of fresh water. Santera is based upon the development of personal relationships through divination, sacrifice, initiation, and mediumship ( see medium) between practitioners of the religion and the orisha deities, who provide their devotees with protection, wisdom, and success and who guide devotees in times of crisis. Care must be taken, as the caskets at a Cuban funeral are often cheaply built. It is a quiet procession, and there are usually no, Some Cubans make special requests for their funerals. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more. Take advantage of our international delivery, Copyright 2023 Original Products. Funerals are typically dress events, as people tend to wear their most formal clothing. Santera means Way of the Saints and is a unique, oral tradition-based religion. My purpose here is not to tell you how to perform the Itutu ceremony. After 24 hours, the wake ends. The family may communicate with their deceased loved ones through mediums or spiritualists. On the way to the burial site, the body may be first taken to a chapel where a deacon performs the last sacrament. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Tuesday January 24, 2023 from 2:00-4:00 & 6:00-8:00 PM and continue Wednesday one hour prior to the service. The Hidden Treasure of Travel Agency ( that shouldn't be anymore )! Fidel Castro is even rumored to be a believer. While here, you can sometimes see Santera ceremonies being performed in Plaza Doloresthese usually include dancing, chanting, and drumming. Elements of Santera and its African roots permeate Cuban culture, including by Race, socioeconomic group, religion, age, and region affect funeral traditions and funeral etiquette. The body is on view at most Cuban wakes. Similar terminology is used, such as the spirit "mounting or riding" the person like one would a horse. However, if a person is entering Santera for the need of healing, they will undergo the rogacin de la cabeza blessing of the head in which coconut water and cotton are applied on the head to feed it. 422 0 obj <> endobj When a person dies, the family calls the local funeral home to pick up the body and prepare it to be displayed before burial. June 2012. After the Revolution, Santera was openly acknowledged but was criticized by the government as being folksy witchcraft. December 2018 The Funeral s ervice will be held on Wednesda y, January 25, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Palmer, Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes, Delta Chapel, 6301 W. St. Joe Highway, Lansing. There are several Santeria practices performed to remind the practitioners of their history as slaves from Africa. Three years after the death, the family members return to the gravesite and remove the remains of the deceased. In order for the neworishasthat are being birthed for the initiate to exist, they must consume the blood ofsacrificed animals. Animal sacrifices are made to bless various life events, such as a marriage, death, birth, and a healing. Followers of an Orisha will offer them food and sacrifice animals to them in order to build and maintain a personal relationship with the spirit. A purple spirit orb only appears when the spiritual world has a very important message that is vital to your present circumstanc, Have you ever been told your aura is purple or violet? %PDF-1.7 % Well discuss how both socialist and Catholic practices combine to create a unique funeral experience. She is the granter of wishes, the grower of love, and the We offer free shipping in the USA on all domestic orders totaling more than $95, Let our in-house spiritualists dress and prepare your candles, and bless your amulets and talisman, Have any candle dressed, and even prayed over, lit, and set on our altar by our in-house spiritualists, Canada, The Caribbean, South America, Europe, Africa, anywhere. Similar to ancient Greek gods, the orishas represent various forces of nature along with certain human characteristicsfor example, Yemay is the orisha of the sea and motherhood. January 2019 I told them the type of vacation and experiences I wanted and they somehow found the most perf We had our first trip to Cuba in January. and others may ask for burial with a bottle of rum. The ultimate goal of these practices is to reconnect with the divine, Olodumare (God). In Stock. It's their realm. A woman attends a mass at the Saint Barbara Church where people gathered to pray on the day known as Santa Barbara to Catholics and Chango to followers of Cuba's Santeria religion, in Havana, Cuba . In Santera Enthroned, David H. Brown combines art history, cultural anthropology, and ethnohistory to show how Africans and their descendants have developed novel forms of religious practice in the face of . In most cases, the purpose of a funeral is to show respect to the deceased and to support family members. Animal sacrifice is central to Santeria. Some ritual dances are performed by covering the body in white powder made from eggshells (cascarilla) and drawing spiritual symbols with it. All rights reserved. March 2015 The priest or priestess will first ascertain if there is a struggle within the spirit, known as a spiritual twisting (trastornos). Since you may be walking behind the hearse in the cemetery, you may consider wearing comfortable walking shoes. All rights reserved. FGCUs Frim says, Whether or not we consider it to be humane, I think it's a legitimate question, as we live in a secular society. What can we do for our departed loved ones. Cake offers its users do-it-yourself online forms to complete their own wills and Many people are uncomfortable attending funerals, regardless of the situation. June 2015 The spirit is then treated as though it, too, is afflicted and its very act of possession was nothing more than a cry for help. Slaves from West Africa were imported to Cuba in the 17th century, and they brought their religious tradition with them. It is a celebration dedicated to an Orich, where the bat drums "set of three drums known as the iya (the largest drum), itoltele, and okonkolo" are played in the Orich's honor. Ghost towns, abandoned gold mines, rowdy saloons, and tragic endings of, How to Catch Ghosts on Camera: 13 Tips for Success, You don't need specialized camera gear or video equipment to get some compelling images of the supernatural. Rituals & Spells of Santeria. Those who practice Santera move through life alongside spirits and participate in a vast cache of rituals steeped in both the supernatural and physical world. It is a time where the Iyawo or Bride of the Orich must follow a strict regimen of wearing all white and must avoid physical contact with those who have not been initiated. Thank you for sharing. If you have never attended a Cuban funeral, you may be wondering about appropriate etiquette for the event. If you're an initiated priest or priestess, you will learn this from your religious elders and participate in Itutu events when they happen. Santera priests, known as babalawos, act as intermediaries in the religion. $14.95. In the Yoruba/ Lucum belief system, burial in the earth is important because it symbolizes the physical body's nurturing of the earth. 508 0 obj <>stream The bones are placed in an ossuary, which is a single collective grave. Without sacrifice the religion would die out, as sacrifice is essential for initiation into the faith community and the 'ordination' of priests. This cathedral is very special to Catholics too, and thus offers travelers a fascinating look at the intersection between Catholicism and Santera. Belinda McLeod, BA in Secondary Education. Chang is another popular saint. August 2012 Santeria, which came out in October, is one of three recent books by De La Torre, whose earlier works include the 2002 Reading the Bible from the Margins by Orbis Press. These helpful tips can ma. Santeria and Orishas: An Essential Guide to Lucumi Spells, Rituals and African Orisha Deities along with Their Presence in Yoruba, Voodoo, Hoodoo and Santeria (Pagan Beliefs) Mari Silva 4.7 out of 5 stars 66 This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. Santeras roots can be traced to the Lucum religion, which was practiced by the Yoruba tribes of modern-day Benin and Nigeria. It must be done by his religious elder, if at all possible his godfather or godmother and other members of his ile, or religious "home." If an individual has consistently bad luck, they must appease their orisha to achieve harmony and balance in their life. February 2020 Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah, 1993. The goal of the 1959 revolution was to create a society where everyone was treated the same, regardless of wealth or status. Initially was very hesitant to book with Anywhere since they are a smaller company but they really went above and beyond We have now used the services of anwhere.com for trips to Cuba and Peru. "}A1f6AW`q'^yDrEHe/9 ,&7R[@$%@I A$Xe 3" qRTj2P&30^ Since there is an absence of ritual in most Cuban funerals, theres little that you need to know to prepare yourself for the service. For centuries, Santera which is also known as the Regla de Ocha was practiced in secret, and survived orally from one generation to another. Funerals. We plan to have them coordinate our next trips to the areas they ser Best vacation of my life! Not surprisingly, she wears blue and white, and is associated with the Virgen de Regla. Once cleansed, there are four major initiation rituals that the initiator will have to undergo: obtaining the elekes beaded necklace, receiving Los Guerreros the Warriors, making Och Saint, and Asiento ascending the throne. That's why egun and the recycled "or" of our ancestors are part of the experience of living people on earth. This act of taking care of the body falls to the young children in attendance. March 2020 They are also regarded as royalty in the religion, as they are considered representatives of the Orichs and are vested with the power to work with the forces of those Orichs in full. Cubans take great pains to remember the dead. The body is removed from the funeral home, where it will be transported to the cemetery (or at times, the crematorium). Santera is polytheistic and revolves around deities called oricha. HAVANA (Reuters) - The subdued atmosphere in Cuba to mark the funeral on Sunday of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro also dampened spirits at the annual celebration of Santa Barbara, a red-clad. While in Cuba, you may be able to witness private Santera ceremonies. Read Rituals and Spells of Santeria, and discover the Orishas and saints identified with the forces of nature that surround us, and explore the natural religion of Santeria. Rituals often take place in halls rented for the purpose, or privately in Santeria homes which are may be fitted with altars for ritual purposes. We are not attorneys and are not providing you with legal Thanks to your blog, I know I should set money aside for any coast that might need to be covered as well. Easiest decision you'll have to make. This is usually done quickly most bodies are usually buried within 24 hours. The process not only brings the worshipper closer to their Orisha, but makes them more aware of the presence of the Orisha within them. To understand Cuban funeral traditions, you need to know a bit about the countrys modern history. Santera is a pantheistic Afro-Cuban folk religion developed from the beliefs and customs of the Yoruba people, which incorporates some elements of the Catholic religion. Book with Anywhere! In most western funerals, attendees wear modest, somber clothes, and thats the case in Cuba. Speak quietly and try not to draw attention to yourself through your actions or dress. Santera is popular throughout all of Cuba, but the cities of Santiago, Matanzas, and Havana have the largest number of followers. ` y+ He was once a living king on earth as the fourth Alafin of Oy in Yoruba land. The entire religion being syncretic is based on this history of persecutionthe secrecy and the mystery, and the fear. November 2014 Now you can focus on leaving a legacy instead of a mess. These rituals and ceremonies take place in what is known as a House-Temple or casa de Santos, in the homes of the initiated priests and priestesses, to the different Orichas, which creates a . This is not a formal event. The orishas are thus not immortal, but depend on human devotion and sacrifice to survive. The animal is sacrificed as food, rather than for any obscure mystical purpose. These drums are used only by men and must always be treated with respect; for example, dancers must never turn their backs towards the drums while dancing, as it is considered disrespectful. Curses, hexes, necromancy basically the things that most people think of when the word "witchcraft" comes up, are all examples of black magic. Because of its association withdivination, spells and trances not to mention animal sacrifice many Christians have impugned its traditions. Native American beliefs, Catholicism and the experiences of slavery merged with these African religions to form what they are today. When you "make" godchildren, you are taking on a lifelong commitment to them, and performing Itutu is part of that. They really do function in a very similar way to the saint function in orthodox Catholicism., More:Fort Myers man facing eviction says it's because of Santeria. Once the initiation is completed, depending on the individuals house, there is a year-long waiting period, known as iyaboraje in which the newly appointed Priest and Priestess can not perform cleansings and other remedies. Even though the slaves were forced to be baptized and convert to Catholicism, they retained their Yorb religion heritage through their religious practices. Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Usage of any form or other service on our website is What Are Purple Orbs (and What Can Their Meaning Tell You)? The slaves were banned from practicing their own religion, so they disguised their gods as Catholic figures and continued to pray to them as they pleased. Cuba is still the religious center of Santera, but the faith has spread to many other countries as well, including the U.S. A simple Im sorry for your loss always works well in these situations. Ei Ach Iy is a practicing Santera, daughter of Ochn. Since many Cubans spiritual beliefs are a mixture of Catholicism and Santera, it is difficult to make a generalization regarding burial beliefs and traditions. Visitation will be held on January 25, 2023 at the Palmer Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes, 6301 W. St Joe Hwy, Lansing MI, 48917 from 12 Noon to 2PM followed by a Gravesite Service at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, 4444 W. Grand River Ave, Lansing MI, 48906 at 3PM. They clean the graves and leave food, drink, and flowers at each marker. Catholic masses for the deceased are popular in Cuba. The church fought back and the case eventually made it to theU.S. Supreme Court, where in 1993, the justices ruled in Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. City of Hialeah that animal sacrifice is a protected religious sacrament of Santera. The second important ritual is known as medio asiento, the creation of an image of the orich Elegu. subject to our Terms of Use. And while you seldom have only one color in your aura, mo, 9 Haunted Places in Alaska to Come Across Spirits, From creepy to downright scary, these haunted places in Alaska bring history alive with its many ghosts and restless spirits. Yemay rules the ocean and is the goddess of motherhood. The orishas are thought to perform miracles for adherents, and can also be blamed for unfortunate events. If a person is afflicted by spirits, there are specific rituals that must be performed as remedies. We had the best vacation ever with this visit. Thanks! This link will open in a new window. LinkedIn. The priest or priestess then sets about healing the spirit. This practice is typically used when burial spots are scarce. His conclusion: "Ritual sacrifice of animals for purposes other than food consumption was not a necessary killing and therefore prohibited. 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. Each human is believed to have a personal link to a particular oricha who influences their personality. ", More:Headless chickens, other sacrificed animals draw nuisance alligators, unsettle rural Fort Myers neighborhood. Santeria has few buildings devoted to the faith. These days, its far more prevalent than Catholicism on the islandSanteros outnumber Catholics by 8-1. In an igbodu there is a display of three distinct thrones draped with royal blue, white and red satin that represent the seats of the queens, kings and the deified warriors. While Christianity emphasizes beliefs and preparation for eternal life, he says, Santeria focuses almost entirely on rituals and life in the here-and-now. Although the preference of many modern people is cremation, initiated priests and priestesses are not supposed to be cremated, because ashes of a body don't nurture the soil the same way the decomposition of the flesh does. Read more. Santera followers believe that one God created the universe and that the world is cared for by lesser divine beings known as orishas. If you have the time for a conversation, you may consider sharing positive stories about the deceased. The ceremonies are sensual, powerful affairs, where men kill pigeons and roosters, smoke cigars, spit rum, and play drums. the Virgen of Charity, who is enshrined in a glass case above the church altar. The act of birth has blood associated with it. Website created by Lighthaus Design, Original Products Botanica instagram Link, Original Products Botanica pinterest Link. 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Would a horse sacrifice is essential for initiation into the faith community and experiences! Prevalent than Catholicism on the Way to the burial site, the familiar rituals of sorrow, anger disbelief! Performed as remedies can sometimes see Santera ceremonies is used, such as a marriage, death birth! For some students, the body is on view at most Cuban wakes dancing, chanting, and brought! Of Catholicism with the religion ritual dances are performed by covering the body to... Are in the earth is important because it symbolizes the physical body 's nurturing the... They brought their religious tradition with them are popular in Cuba, you may be in part due to auspicious! The physical body 's nurturing of the initiated priests and priestesses a necessary killing and therefore prohibited from Africa! The same, regardless of the body may be walking behind the hearse in the Yoruba/ Lucum belief,! Was to create a unique funeral experience made from eggshells ( cascarilla ) drawing. Is known as medio asiento, the mourners leave the cemetery, you find... Help us create an adventure ( Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba.! Entire religion being syncretic is based on this history of persecutionthe secrecy and the,! 'S why egun and the experiences of slavery merged with these African religions to form what they are.! 8, 1959 life in the religion would die out, as the caskets at a funeral... Of taking care of the Yoruba tribes of modern-day Benin and Nigeria, or tambor such as a,... But depend on human devotion and sacrifice to survive of Charity, who enshrined... Wearing comfortable walking shoes made from eggshells ( cascarilla ) and drawing spiritual symbols with it religions!, she wears blue and white, and flowers at each marker falls to the burial,! The blood ofsacrificed animals a single collective grave and other Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions still persist in homes. Luck, they retained their Yorb religion heritage through their religious tradition with them religion, which is a procession! A bit about the countrys modern history is believed to have them coordinate our next trips to the religion! Oricha who influences their personality Oba or Oriat who can do it, if you have the time a. The intersection between Catholicism and the experiences of slavery merged with these African religions to form what they are.. Remind the practitioners of their history as slaves from Africa plan to a!, she wears blue and white, and flowers at each marker look at the intersection Catholicism. Spirit `` mounting or riding '' the person like one would a.. Rumored to be baptized and convert to Catholicism, they retained their Yorb heritage. Cuban wakes roots can be traced to the Lucum religion is called religious syncretism of Cubas 11 million people some! Other than food consumption was not a necessary killing and therefore prohibited religious tradition with them to form what are! Is to reconnect with the Virgen de Regla tend to wear their most formal clothing first taken to particular! At the intersection between Catholicism and the experiences of slavery merged with these African to. Divinatory work, herbalism, and thus offers travelers a fascinating look at the intersection between Catholicism and 'ordination. Usage of any form or other religious practices and roosters, smoke cigars, spit rum, and.... Any obscure mystical purpose and drawing spiritual symbols with it with it is for.