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About Santería

A description of Santería can only be a small extract, as the religion is so comprehensive that it is difficult to get an overview of it and even more difficult to describe it in a few pages or in an exhibition.

Bildet kan inneholde: blå, tekstil, kunst, anlegg, begivenhet.

Variations relating to practice and how the cult is viewed by the devotees are, among other things, due to the tradition of oral transmission and the absence of any written texts. At the same time, the degree of secrecy makes it difficult for an outsider to get full insight into it. What is presented here is therefore one of many possible descriptions of Santería.

  • Words in italic are explained in the Glossary

Santería in brief

Santería is a happy religion with music, dancing, food and drink, and the door is always open

This is how the santera Ana describes Santería. The fact that she is a santera means that she has been initiated into the religion. The santera Teresa attached emphasis to another aspect of this religion: "Santería is a religion which helps you when you need it." Each in their own way, both women drew attention to what are probably the most characteristic aspects of Santería: on one hand, the spirited and life-giving aspects, and on the other, its quality of being present and of help.

Santería can in short be described through its pantheon consisting of approximately 20 santos (deities). Each santo is responsible for an area of nature, and are also associated with certain human qualities. Olofi, who rules the pantheon, is a withdrawn god. It is therefore to the santos the believers direct their prayers and wishes.

When you are initiated into Santería you enter into a relationship with two of the santos, who will function as your divine parents. However, it is not up to you to choose your santos - it is the santos who choose which people they wish to be related to and not vice versa. The relationship between santos and believers is very close and based on reciprocity. The believer makes offerings and respects certain restrictions in return for the santo helping to solve problems the believer is struggling with.

The religion is organised in a hierarchy. The believer's place depends on the rituals he or she has gone through and thus his/her knowledge of the many secrets of the religion. However, there is no central leadership. Santería is organised in a number of small groups or religious houses. Each house is led by a religious expert, either a babalawo (high priest), a santera (a female initiate) or a santero (a male initiate).

Most of the religious activities in Santería take place in people's homes. The believers have representations of their santos in tureens on their own altars, quite often in the middle of the living room. Feasts are celebrated either at the home of the believer of his/her madrina or padrino (the santera/santero who organised the initiation). There are no central temples, as in the Brazilian religion candomblé, which has, incidentally, many features in common with Santería.

Originally Santería was, because of its history and African roots, associated with the part of the population that descended from the slaves. Today, however, there are believers of Santería in all parts of the populations. The religion has become a visible part of the Cuban street scene, particularly in the major cities.

Why are people initiated into this religion?

As in other religions, there is also in Santería an idea that you can improve your possibilities through religion. Generally you could say that what the believer seeks in Santería is to achieve la vida alegre (the good life). A good life can best be achieved with two strong hands and good health, according to the believers. "With good health you can tackle most things", said the santera Maria, while the babalawo Cristobal said: "The santos can give you health, but all the rest you have to see to yourself." The idea of Santería as health-giving is both because the santos can see your predestined fate and therefore also what you have to avoid to improve your situation or postpone the dangers your destiny may hold for you. In addition, the religious experts have a sound knowledge of green medicine.

A babalawo's medicine chest / A dove sacrificed to Elegguá.

To live the good life in Cuba you have to work to reach your aim, as everywhere else in the world. "Nothing but rain falls from heaven", said the santera Teresa, meaning that you cannot sit down and wait for the santos to sort things out. However, she believed that in addition to making an effort yourself, you can get help from the santos as long as you give them something in return: "Ayúdate y Díos te ayudará!" (Help yourself and God will help you!) Her statement coincides with an old saying in Santería: "Life is nothing but the process of giving in order to receive" (Souza 1998). The santos willingly help the believer, but only if the believer also makes an effort to improve his life, for example by observing religious restrictions they receive from their santos during initiation. These restrictions are on the whole individual; they are decided on the basis of each person's destiny and which santo he has been initiated to. They say something about what you can or cannot eat, do or say, and are given to help the believer avoid problems. "The santos do not prohibit anything because they like to, but because they want to help", explained the santera Elisita. One restriction may for example be that a person should not smoke because the santo can see that he or she will die from heart problems. If the ban on smoking is respected, it does not mean that the believer will live forever, only that the heart problem will be postponed.

Bildet kan inneholde: vann, mennesker på stranden, mennesker i naturen, menneskelig, lykkelig.
Three women praying to the santo of the sea, Yemayá.

However, it is not enough to observe the bans. The santos also want sacrifices and feasts, they hunger for both food and drink, as well as parties and fun. These sacrifices and parties can represent great economic expenses to a believer, something which often causes problems as money is in short supply in Cuba. The babalawo Carlo therefore said: "Without money it is not easy to do anything in Santería." To obtain money and be able to perform the rituals necessary to attain the good life, the believer is dependent on his contacts. The santera Teresa illustrated this by saying that "everyone knows everyone in Santería". Through their network, believers may obtain money and material for the sacrifices and feasts which the santos want. At the same time, the social aspect of Santería is important in itself, precisely to attain the good life they seek through religion.

The interesting thing is that people only talk of having a good time in this life. The idea of a life after death is rarely mentioned. "It is now that I know I am alive. What happens afterwards is of course a little more uncertain. I am therefore praying for this life", answered the santera Lillian when asked how she looked upon death. It is not an aim in itself to perform good deeds in this life so as to be rewarded in the next, as in many other religions. Santería can therefore be said to be a religion for solving or preferably avoiding the small and big problems of everyday life, such as problems relating to poor health, love, an empty wallet or a difficult assignment.

The pantheon

According to Santería cosmology, the world is ruled by Olofi, the Almighty God who is often compared to the Catholic God. However, Olofi is a relatively withdrawn and abstract God and his contacts with human beings are made through a number of santos (divinities). Thus, these santos function as intermediary or contact persons between Olofi and Man.

It is therefore to the santos believers turn in their prayers for better health, during initiation, in connection with sacrifices and when feasts are arranged. Olofi, for his part, does not receive material sacrifices from believers.

When the slaves left Africa, the Yoruba pantheon consisted of 401 orichas (divinities), but in Cuba today there are only some 20 left. In Cuba the Santería divinities are called santo or oricha. The term oricha derives from Nigeria, where the divinities in the Yoruba religion are called orisha or orisa. The use of the Spanish word santo, meaning saint, is due to the influence of the Catholic church. In the same way as Olofi is compared to the Catholic God, the santos are compared to the Catholic saints.

Each of the santos control different parts of nature, such as thunder, storms, the sea, the woods and the rivers. At the same time they also control human qualities, such as love, intelligence and drunkenness. In this way, the santos represent both nature and Man. The santo Changó controls both thunder and lightning, dancing and sexuality. Yemayá controls the sea, motherly love and stubbornness, while Ochún rules over the rivers, as well as love, fertility and beauty. "There is a santo for every situation, for everything you seek and fear!" explained the santera Ana. The santos' relationship with nature is explained in the old myths. The myths tell us among other things that the santos helped Olofi create the world and that he then turned them into the natural element they had helped create. Their association with human attributes are also explained in the myths. Long ago the santos were men and women and have therefore retained their human character and temperament. "They are just like us, they party, quarrel, drink and make love. And they often make mistakes they shouldn't have made, and who hasn't?" With these words, which show that the santo has qualities and desires the believer can associate with, the santera Ana explained the relaxed and friendly relationship between the believers and the santos. Some believers recognise Changó's desire for women, others Ochún's vanity and others again Elleguá's pranks or Obbatalá's inclination for another drink.

Sacrifice to the santos

Both the names of the santos and their qualities can be traced back to Nigeria, at the same time as they can also be found in Brazil and the Caribbean. In Nigeria the santo of the sea is called Yemoja, while also called Yemayá in Cuba, Iemanjá in Brazil and Emanjah in Trinidad. In Yemayá's case, her name only has small variations, but her association with the sea is the same in all these countries.

The altar

Santería is often described as an animistic religion. The santo Yemayá does not only represent the sea, but is the sea. The santos communicate through natural objects such as sea shells, coconuts, nuts and dust.

Each santo is represented by a small stone which receives a little of the power (aché) of the santo in question during a special ritual. You could say that the immaterial power of the santo is transferred to something material and thereby becomes a little more tangible to the believer. After this the stone is placed in a receptacle, which could be a ceramic bowl, an iron cauldron or a tureen. Both the form and the colour of the container depend on the santo. Yemayá's tureen is as blue as the sea, while Obbatalá's is as white as the peace he represents. These vessels are then placed on the altar in the believer's home. The altar is composed of a shelf or china cabinet where each santo has his/her little section. Decorations are placed around the tureen with any necessary object, such as bells or percussion instruments to attract the santo's attention, different tools and knick-knacks. What surrounds the tureen depends on the santo and what the believer considers pretty and wants to present to the santo.

Bildet kan inneholde: anlegg, statue, skulptur, kreativ kunst, kunst.
Obbatalá's tureen.

Obbatalá is always on top of the altar to show that he is the santo who is closest to OlofiOrula, who also has a high position in the hierarchy of the Santería pantheon, is always alone and only in a house where there is a babalawo. We can also find out how this pantheon is organised and how the santos are related to each other from the myths. The rich mythology tells us about love affairs, family relationships, friendship and feuds between the various santos. When Oggún wanted to kill Changó to take over his throne, Changó managed to escape by dressing up as a woman.

Initiation into the religion

Not only the santos are organised in a certain hierarchy according to their power and qualities. This also applies to the believers, as experience, knowledge of secrets, gender and the number of rituals performed determine their place in the hierarchy. Gender determines how far up in the religious community you can reach, as the two top categories are reserved for men. Age is of little importance; many are initiated already as children and may therefore have long experience in spite of their young age.

One is not automatically born into Santería. It is you or your parents, depending on how old you are, who must make an active choice on initiation. Moreover, many are never initiated, but still consider themselves to be devotees. Santería is organisationally a hierarchic system with the babalawos on top. Nevertheless the structure can be called flat as it has no central leadership, only many leaders, each leading a small group. There are no central temples in Santería. The believers use their own private altar or the altar and house of their madrina (godmother) or padrino (godfather). Believers are organised in a hierarchy generally based on advancement through different rituals.

Consultation with a babalawo.

Before initiation

Many Cubans are never initiated, but remain on the outside, using whatever parts of the religion they consider useful. They consult santeros/santeras or babalawos, receive advice and prophecies, make offerings, use protective necklaces and take part in feasts.

"In a thunderstorm people call for Changó [santo of thunder]", was the explanation of the babalawo Cristobal as to why people only use the cult when they need it and not otherwise. He thought it was wrong to call the santos when you are afraid or in great difficulties, if you never give them a thought on other occasions. According to Cristobal, this one-way communication breaks completely with the fundamental idea of Santería, which is that you must give something to get something back.

Both the initiated and the uninitiated often wear bead necklaces of different colours. The uninitiated use them for protection, and they wear the necklace of the santo that may help them with a problem they have. The initiated use the necklace both as a gesture to the santo he/she has been initiated to, and as protection. In the same way as each santo has tureens or receptacles in colours adapted to their personality and power, the necklaces may also be identified through their colour combinations. The necklace of Yemayá, santo of the sea, has blue and crystal beads, while the necklace of Ochún, santo of love, has beads of different nuances of yellow.

Bildet kan inneholde: kroppssmykker, nakke, kreativ kunst, naturlig materiale, kunst.
Santería necklaces

For such a necklace to have the power of the santo, it must be fed blood through a sacrifice. A string of beads that has received blood and thereby represents the santo should be handled as if it were the santo itself, whether you wear it round your neck or hang it above the tureen on the altar.

El plante - the first initiation

The first initiation ritual for those who wish to be initiated into Santería, is called el plante. It is a three-day ritual in which you receive the first four santos, called the warriors, EleggúaOggúnOchosi and Osun. You are told which santo is your protector and receive a blessing from the santo of divinations, Orula. All people have two santos to protect them, whether they are devotees or not, and regardless of where they live in the world. But you are only informed of the santos' identity through the two initiations, el plante and el hacerse santo.

Bildet kan inneholde: begivenhet, metall, tre, kunst.
"Warriors", the santos Elegguá, Oggún, Ochosi and Osun.

Not all people continue to the main initiation after having performed the first ritual. They remain on what we might call the lowest step on the religious ladder. The reason may be that they do not need to go any further, cannot afford it or do not wish to get too involved. An initiation into Santería will in part greatly affect how you are to lead your life.

Hacerse santo - initiation

Those who choose to take a further step into the cult are initiated. This means a total involvement in the religion, which entails letting your everyday life be marked by this choice. The initiation itself is called hacerse santo, which means "making oneself santo". Through a week-long ritual you receive the power of the santos that guide your life. In addition, you receive the representations of all the various santos you are to place in tureens in your personal home altar.

The actual ritual lasts for seven days, but the preparations may go on for months, even years. What takes most time is raising enough money for the initiation and all the sacrifices, the special clothes, assistance, sacrificial animals and food required. Then you must find a godfather or godmother and make all the purchases, before you step into the small room which only the initiated may enter. Initiation itself symbolises a rebirth, in which you are stripped of your old self and start upon a period as novice. After that you are considered as fully initiated into Santería, as santero or santera. "Initiation is like being reborn", said the santera Teresa when explaining why initiation into Santería may help you solve your problems. First, you acquire a new social position and a new network through your new ritual family, and thus also get in some ways a new start in life. Secondly, as newly initiated you get access to the powers which the santos possess and the help they may give. The period after initiation is, for example, marked by a number of restrictions which reflect the vulnerability of the novice as newborn. They must, for example, only wear white, not stay out after six in the afternoon, not go outside in the rain or strong sun and never touch alcohol. The novice must be protected and trained by his/her madrina/padrino, and only after one year will the novice be fully trained and allowed to use the title santera or santero.

A Santería novice must only wear white.

In the course of the initiation ritual, in addition to confirmation of the relationship with your ritual parents, you are informed of the identity of your other santoral parent. There are always a male and a female santo, in the same way as your biological parents.

"When my padrino said that Obbatalá was my father, I was not surprised. That fitted well with my intelligent and calm nature. The only thing I wondered about was that I can at times be rather stubborn, something Obbatalá's children are not known to be. However, this stubbornness was explained during initiation, as it turned out that Yemayá was my mother." (The santera Ana.)

In the same way as you resemble your biological parents, you resemble your santoral parents. And just as you cannot chose your biological parents, you cannot choose the santos that are your divine parents. It is the santos that choose people and not vice versa.

Santera og santero - the priesthood

After initiation and the ensuing period as novice, you can call yourself a type of religious expert at a lower level. You now possess knowledge and a number of secrets, among other things how to perform rituals, and you can now start working in the religion. The santero/santera can attend initiations, give consultations with divinations and assume responsibility for initiating new people by being their madrina/padrino. Some devotees choose to spend all their time working in Santería, others do it in the evenings after work, while others again only use this knowledge for their own benefit.

As Santería includes a large amount of knowledge about divinations, cures, disease prevention and purgings, you will never finish acquiring knowledge. Knowledge is transmitted orally from the madrina/padrino and by observation through participation in rituals, sacrifices and purgings.

Bildet kan inneholde: bilderamme, mat, husplante, matlaging, kunst.
A santero in front of his altar /a santera preparing a feast.

The santeros and santeras are said to have equal states because they have access to the same secrets and can perform the same rituals and divinations, but not all female devotees agree. "Santería is a macho religion", said the santeras Ana and Lillian when asked about what aspects of the religion they would like to change. The reason could among other things lie in the men's use of menstruation as an excuse for not permitting women to participate to the same extent as men. When considering the question of equal rights in Santería, we must also take into account that santera is the highest level a woman may reach in the hierarchy, while men can become both obbá and babalawo.

Obbá - sacrificial priest

Before a man can go through the ceremonies for becoming an obbá, he must be given a special sacrificial knife which will enable him to sacrifice living animals. Obbá is a sort of sacrificial priest and a central player in the initiations, as he is hired in to perform the necessary animal sacrifices.

An animal sacrifice to the santos.

Babalawo - high priest

Babalawo means the father of secrets. A babalawo also has the right to sacrifice animals, and in addition he can foresee the future through his contacts with Orula, santo of divinations.

"Note that only men can become babalawos. And by that I mean real men. Babalawo means the father of secrets, and neither women nor poofs can keep secrets….", explained a babalawo to Bye and Hoel (1996).

A babalawo in front of his altar to Orula.

The babalawos have the highest rank in the Santería hierarchy as they have undergone the most initiations, know the most secrets and can therefore perform a number of rituals that others cannot. Their initiation also costs more than an initiation into Santería, and is also more time-consuming. However, many of the babalawos underline that they belong to a separate philosophical system, Ifá. Even if they consider themselves a little outside or above Santería, they are still devotees of the same santos. Most of them have, moreover, gone through the initiation ritual for becoming a santero. The babalawos are responsible for the first initiation ritual, which is the first step into Santería, while it is the santeros/as and obbas who are responsible for the main initiation. This shows that persons with different roles in the hierarchy depend on one another for help and assistance.

Ritual practice

The cornerstone of Santería and the reason why people become members of the religion is the belief that the santos will help you as long as they get something in return. The believer can uphold his part of the relationship with the santos by respecting the prohibitions given during initiation, hold feasts in honour of the santos and by making offerings.

Feast altar for the diviners santo Orula.

Sacrifices

It is usual for the believer to greet the santos in the morning by attracting their attention with the use of a bell or a rattle, and then to pray for the day to be good. This is done before the home altar. Apart from this morning prayer, believers turn to their santos if they have any special wishes or problems. Such a wish is often followed by an offering. What is sacrificed and how important it is, depends both on which santo is involved and how big the problem is.

Bildet kan inneholde: anlegg, mat, bord, blomsterpotte, blomst.
Altar for the santo of love, Ochún.

"As Ochún is so fond of sunflowers and sweet cakes, you can offer her this by placing it on the altar if your sweetheart is being difficult or you want a new one. If you are in poor health, you must make a sacrifice to Babalú Ayé, and he is most fond of herbs, dry bread and rum. If you really have a big problem, the santos want a big sacrifice, and you must therefore contact a babalawo and get his help to sacrifice a whole hen or a pigeon, for blood is every santo's favourite!"

Bildet kan inneholde: leketøy.
Blood sacrifice to Elegguá.

This is how the santero Raul explained what a sacrifice could be. In addition we were told that Changó, santo of thunder, likes bananas; Yemayá, santo of the sea, likes pork crackling; and Elegguá likes sweets and rum. Offerings can therefore consist of food, flowers, candles, objects or blood. Blood sacrifices entail slaughtering one or more animals, and normally the believers and the santos share the sacrificed animal. The santos get the blood and the parts of the animal called aché (the power), which is often the beak, the entrails and the cock's claws. The others get the meat, which is usually eaten in connection with the conclusion of the ritual.

Feasts

In addition to sacrifices, devotees may show their veneration by arranging feasts for the santo. It is expected that a feast is held twice a year; on the day of the santo's birthday and on the day he/she was initiated into the religion. Because of the relatively large expenses such a party entails, not all people can afford to celebrate both days. Furthermore, in one family several people may be initiated and there will therefore be many days to celebrate during one year.

Food is bought in for the feasts and the altar is decorated and turned into a festive throne by covering all the tureens in scarves in the proper colours. Everyone is invited to the party: neighbours, friends, family and naturally the ritual family. Santos may also attend the feasts by possessing one of the guests. Possession only occurs if a feast with drumming is arranged and there is someone present who has the ability to be possessed.

Bildet kan inneholde: mat, bord, anlegg, servise, blomst.
Santería feast.

Divinations

The most common form of communication with the santos is divination. There are many different types of divinations, depending on what you want and who performs it. Divination is an important element in the religion, both because the santos can see what the problem is now and what can become problematic in the future.

The simplest form of divination, where four pieces of coconut or 16 shells are dropped to the ground, is performed by the santeras/santeros. The answer to the question, either confirmative or negative, is read from the way the pieces or the shells fall.

Bildet kan inneholde: menneskelig, pattedyr, hodeplagg, hjelm, lokk.
A babalawo practicing divination / a santero preparing pieces of coconut.

The more complicated and more exact forms of divinations, belonging to the system of divinations called Ifá, can only be performed by babalawos. The answers are also here interpreted according to how different objects fall, and are associated with 256 signs which can give the person an answer to his question.

Common to these divination variants is that you do not hear the santo's voice directly. The santo speaks through two intermediaries, first the divination tool and then the person interpreting the signs.

Possession

Through possession of the human body, the santo may talk directly to the devoted by lending the voice and body of the possessed. Possession itself normally occurs at feast where drums are played in a toque del santo (playing for the santo). People often expect a certain person to be possessed. At times a person known to be easily possessed by the santo you wish to honour is hired in.

During possession it seems as if the drums make the santo appear. As soon as signs of possession are detected, such as a fixed stare and uncontrolled movements, the person to be possessed is prepared. His/her clothes are loosened and both headwear and footwear are removed. This is so as to allow the possessed to get closer to both heaven and earth and thereby become more receptive for the santo.

Bildet kan inneholde: ansiktsuttrykk, smil, menneskelig, hodeplagg, tilpasning.
Santo of the sea, Yemayá / Santo of love, Ochún.

When the santo does take possession, you can see this by the change of personality occurring in the possessed. The possessed both talks and moves differently, and it is normally possible to see which of the santos have paid a visit through his/her dancing movements. Changó dances wildly and in a warlike manner, Yemayá rolls like the waves and Elegguá plays with everyone at the party by stealing everything from glasses to bags. The possessed is often taken into a room where he/she is dressed up in clothes appropriate to the santo. A person with an ability for being possessed is always possessed by the same santo. The santero Raul describes his own experience of possession by his santoral father, Elegguá:

"It is as if I become tiny, and all other sounds than the drumming become remote. Everything around me disappears little by little, and the only thing I am aware of is the urgent call of the drums. The beats come closer and closer and in the end they are one with my body and I no longer know where I end and they begin. Then Elegguá comes and after that I remember nothing."

The devotees place a great deal of trust in this type of activity and communication with the santos, as it is more direct than divinations. "Just think that Changó found me, where I was sitting in the innermost room, without anything suggesting that I was his son. I was never in doubt, it was Changó in person who visited me", said the babalawo Carlo very excitedly after a feast. He also described how Changó had told him a number of things that nobody but he himself could have known of.

Published Feb. 2, 2021 10:37 AM - Last modified Apr. 26, 2022 4:02 PM

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