What is Santeria?
by Efun Moyiwa

Santería, or La Regla Lucumí, originates in West Africa in what is now
Nigeria and Benin. It is the traditional religion of the Yoruba peoples
there. The slave trade brought many of these people to the shores of Cuba,
Brazil, Haiti, Trinidad and Puerto Rico, among other places. But along with
the bodies being brought over for sale into a life of misery, something else
was being brought along. Their souls. And their religion.
First of all, Santería is not a "primitive" religion. On the contrary, the
Yorubas were and are a very civilized people with a rich culture and deep
sense of ethics. We believe in one god known as Olorun or Olodumare. Olorun
is the source of ashé, the spiritual energy that makes up the universe, all
life and all things material.
Olorun interacts with the world and humankind through emissaries. These
emissaries are called orishas. The orishas rule over every force of nature
and every aspect of human life. They are approachable and can be counted on
to come to the aid of their followers, guiding us to a better life
materially as well as spiritually.
Communication between orishas and humankind is accomplished through ritual,
prayer, divination and ebó or offerings (which includes sacrifice). Song,
rhythms and trance possession are also means with which we interact with the
orishas and with which we are able to affect our day-to-day lives so that we
may lead deeper and fuller lives during our stay in this world.
In the New World, the orishas and much of the religion was hidden behind a
facade of Catholicism, with the orishas themselves represented by various
saints. The slave owners would then say, "Look at how pious this slave is.
She spends all of her time worshipping Saint Barbara." Unbeknownst to them,
she would actually be praying to Shangó, the lord of lightning, fire and the
dance, perhaps even praying for deliverance from that very slave owner. This
is how the religion came to be known as Santería. The memory of this period
of our history is also why many in our religion regard the term Santería as
a derogatory.
The traditions of Santería are fiercely preserved, and full knowledge of the
rites, songs and language is prerequisites to any deep involvement in the
religion. Initiates must follow a strict regimen and are answerable to
Olorun and the orishas for their actions. As a person passes through each
initiation in the tradition, this knowledge deepens and their abilities and
responsibilities grow accordingly. In fact, during the entire first year of
their initiation into the priesthood, the initiate or iyawó or "bride" of
the orisha must dress in white. The iyawo must not look into a mirror, touch
anyone or allow themselves to be touched, and they may not wear makeup or go
out at night for this year.
La Santería is famous for its "magic." This magic is based on a knowledge of
the mysteries or orishas and how to interact with them to better our lives
and the lives of those who come to us for the aid of the orishas. We live
under the premise that this world is a magical one. This knowledge seems
"supernatural" only to those who don't understand it,

but it really is quite natural.
Although the people were yanked away from their homes in Africa and enslaved
in the New World, the orishas, the religion and its power could never be
chained down, and the religion survives now - not as an anachronism, but
ever-growing, even now in such places as France and the Netherlands.
Maferefún gbogbo orisha!


The Morality of Sacrifice
The Orishas


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Draconian

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