Page 28 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

26  INTRODUCING CUBA

Santería

Different religions co-exist in Cuba as the result of its
history. Both the Roman Catholicism of the Spanish
conquerors and the practices imported by the African
slaves have survived. The most widespread of the African
faiths is Santería, also called Regla de Ocha. In order to The batá, three conical
drums of different
be able to worship their gods despite the persecution sizes with two skins,
of the Spaniards, Yoruba slaves, originally from Nigeria, accompany the most
merged their gods’ identities with certain Roman Catholic important Santería
saints. Pure Roman Catholicism today is not a widespread ceremonies.
religion in Cuba (although there has been a resurgence
since the 1990s), while Santería is strongly felt to be an The crown of
important part of the national identity. Changó, the king
of the orishas
Rituals are almost always
performed in a domestic
context (Santería has
no temples as such). Rites
are inspired by animistic
spirituality, although there
are elements that share
similarities or even merge
with Roman Catholicism.

Fresh fruit, including bananas,
Changó’s favourite

Santeros and babalawos, the
Santería priests, foretell the future, Agogó (traditional
the former by means of seashells, rattles), maracas and
the latter through a complex bells are played while
system of divination that greeting the gods.
makes use of stones,
seashells, seeds and
coconut shells.
An Altar for Changó
Altars are set up by Santería initiates on
feast days, such as their “saint’s birthday”
(the initiation anniversary), and decorated
with the attributes of the god to whom they
are dedicated. They also contain elements
belonging to other orishas, such as cloth,
devotional objects, flowers, fruit and
other special foods.

Obatalá, a hermaphrodite
The Orishas god, is the protector of the
The main Santería god is Olofi, the head as well as the chief
creator divinity, similar to the God of intermediary between
Christianity but without contact with Olofi and humankind.
Earth. The gods who mediate between
him and the faithful are the orishas, who
listen to the latter’s prayers. Each orisha
has his own colour and symbols, as well
as a ritual characterized by its type of Oshún, the goddess of
dance, music and costumes: Oshún, for love, lives in rivers, and
example, wears yellow clothes and loves corresponds to the Virgen
honey, pale soft drinks and violins. del Cobre (see p225).

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