Santeria: Origins, Beliefs, and Comparison to Christianity

Introduction to Santeria and Its Origins

Santeria is one of the oldest and richest religious traditions born in the New World. A fusion of Catholicism and the indigenous African religion Iba, Santeria literally means "the way of saints." According to Robinson (2009), Santeria traces its roots to the early 16th century, during the peak of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Yoruba and Bantu slaves from West Africa blended their rituals and beliefs with Catholicism, giving birth to Santeria. Yoruba culture was mainly concentrated in the areas of what is now Benin, southwestern Nigeria, and Togo (Robinson 2009).

Santeria matured into a cohesive faith within several centuries after the forced migration of Yoruba Africans to the New World. As with Voudou in Haiti, Santeria was the conscious attempt to retain African religious traditions under the oppressive conditions of slavery. Similar syncretic religions such as Umbanda, Candomblé, and Palo Mayombe evolved throughout the Caribbean. Many Afro-Caribbean religions fall under the rubric of Santeria.

The Yoruba slaves throughout the Caribbean and South America were forced to convert to Catholicism openly, but secretly "developed a novel way of keeping their old beliefs alive by equating each Orisha of their traditional religions with a corresponding Christian Saint" (Robinson 2009). Santeria may have originally been a derogatory term coined by Catholic priests, but it is now the most widely accepted term for the faith (De La Torre 2004). Sometimes referred to as La Regla de Ocha, Ayoba, and Lucunmi, Santeria is "probably the most practiced religion in Cuba" (De La Torre 2004). Although the root Iba religion is dying out in Africa, Santeria remains a rapidly growing faith in the New World (Robinson 2009). "Once dismissed as a ghetto religion practiced only by the Caribbean poor and uneducated, Santeria has a growing following among middle-class professionals, including white, black, and Asian-Americans" (Alvarez, cited in the BBC's "Santeria").

Santeria is practiced mainly in Cuba and in the United States by Cuban-Americans. However, Santeria or a Santeria-like faith is also practiced in communities in Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela (Leonidas nd; Robinson 2009). The Santeria religion came to the United States by way of Cubans fleeing the Castro regime after the revolution in 1959. Cuban communities throughout the United States — such as those in New York, Los Angeles, and South Florida — are experiencing a revival of interest in Santeria.

Geographic Spread and Social Context

Estimated numbers of Santeria practitioners vary because the religion does not maintain a formal census. Moreover, stigma against the faith likely affects self-reporting. Estimates range from 35,000 to half a million practitioners in North America, to five million to as many as a hundred million worldwide (Robinson 2009; "Santeria" nd).

Although Santeria has been stigmatized by negative press — in part because animal sacrifice is recognized as an important aspect of religious practice — it is recognized as a religion in the United States and is protected under the American Constitution. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Santeria worshippers have the right to kill animals as an integral component of the faith. Racism and prejudice may also play a part in why Santeria has been disparaged in the American media: "Santeria practitioners encounter prejudice because of the African origins of the faith" (Leonidas nd).

Interviews with Practitioners

Interviewing Santeria practitioners in a place of worship can be difficult because there are no churches or central places of worship. Practitioners work in private or gather at the homes of priests and priestesses (santeros and santeras). I did manage to interview a practitioner and was invited to attend a place of worship — a private home whose location I cannot divulge. I also interviewed a work colleague from a Yoruba (Nigerian) background. Although he does not practice Santeria, he is knowledgeable about the faith and provided valuable insight.

My Yoruba colleague explained that his parents taught him to respect the Yoruba religion without formally instructing him in it. When asked what the Yoruba religion was based on, he said that adherents believe in one supreme God called Olodumare. Olodumare also has emissaries called Orishas, each possessing unique qualities and special powers. The faithful pray directly to the Orishas and offer sacrifices such as food. The Yoruba Orishas include Chango, Babalu, Obatala, Ogun, Oya, Yemaya, and Osain. They are not mistaken for God; they serve as representatives of God (Olodumare).

Each Orisha holds a unique power that people call upon in times of need. For example, Ogun is the god of iron and is primarily invoked in times of war — a Santeria soldier would pray to Ogun to bless their weapons and assure victory in battle. Because of his association with iron, Ogun is also believed to be present in farming tools, mechanical tools, computers, and anything made of metal. Yemaya is one of the most important Orishas. Associated with water, she oversees all matters relating to motherhood, fertility, and childbirth. A pregnant woman would pray to Yemaya for a safe delivery; a woman who cannot conceive would likewise pray to her.

My Yoruba colleague noted that, like most world religions, Santeria professes a supreme being and powerful messengers or prophets. There is some belief in the afterlife, though he was uncertain of the precise details of Yoruba afterlife doctrine. One tradition he was aware of involves naming newborns after a recently deceased family member, reflecting the belief that after death a family member may reincarnate as a new member of that same family.

The interview with the Santeria priest began when I inquired at a local Botanica — a store that sells goods and paraphernalia related to Santeria, including candles, herbs, effigies, and scented oils. When I expressed my interest in learning about the faith, the woman behind the counter helped me arrange a meeting with a practitioner. To protect his anonymity, I will call him Alex. He was very friendly and invited me to attend two ceremonies. The first was a spiritual reading during which a priestess told his future; the second was a ritual at the home of a high priest.

Both the priestess's and the priest's houses appeared like any other home, except that each had devoted specific areas to Santeria worship. The priestess had turned part of her living room into an altar, and she used her patio for readings. We sat at a table, and she asked for payment. Alex later explained that money is highly symbolic in Santeria — it is a means of exchanging energy. Practitioners of modest means can receive readings by donating smaller amounts; the important principle is the energy exchange itself.

The priestess closed her eyes and meditated, then asked Alex to hold out his hand and placed some stones into it. He was to close his hand over one stone and hand it back to her. She noted which stone he chose and used this information to give Alex advice. After the reading, Alex and the priestess went to the living room altar to make an offering to the appropriate Orisha. At the altar stood a coconut decorated to resemble a human head. The priestess handed Alex some fruit and asked me as well to place fruit at the altar.

After leaving the priestess's home, we drove to the priest's house, which was larger and filled with many people. One of their friends had just been initiated into Santeria as a high priest. The newly initiated santero sat in a room flanked by three friends, all Santeria practitioners, all in their mid-twenties. Alex told me that the new santero was not permitted to move for approximately 24 hours — except to use the bathroom — and that others brought him food and treated him like a king. He certainly looked the part, wearing a headdress and seated on a cushioned pad.