These religions ultimate goal is to preserve rituals and cultures to future generations. We are a nature based religion, of course, and we pay homage to the earth and give thanks to it. The seven main Orishas are known as the Seven African Powers. Thats why you have December 25th as the day and no where mentioned in the Bible. Whereas in the past the hope was to attain personal immortality as a Living-Dead and to enjoy a status of honor among the ancestors, Christianized Africans look forward instead to joining an otherworldly/heavenly community of God and angels as defined in the Christian discourse. My New Grimoire Goetia Rising is Now Available! Failure to perform burial rites properly makes the deceased unable to negotiate the postmortem phase of the life journey successfully. Discord: https://discord.gg/Tg3Cbwft, Press J to jump to the feed. It was about "ancient" origins of all the Christmas traditions. Tree, yule log, 12 days etcAfter reading it she looked at me like a demon for a bit..lol. The Heartbeat of Indigenous Africa. In this regard, we note for example that ancient Egyptians held very clear eschatological ideas featuring notions of heaven and hell and a final judgment. This anthology of essays analyzes African independent churches, their histories and theologies. Drawing largely on his experiences as an African Catholic priest, Ela asserts the compatibility of African beliefs with Christianity and argues for their reclamation as both doctrinally viable and socially relevant for Africans' quest for beliefs and practices that enhance and nurture life in the here and now. What does Santera believe about the afterlife? Santeria rituals allow human beings to stay in contact with the Orishas - these rituals include dancing, drumming, speaking and eating with the spirits. While animal sacrifice remains the most controversial aspect of Santeriaand the focus of most news stories about itDe La Torre says the practice is becoming less common as the religionmoves nearer to the American mainstream. The Yoruba traditional worshiped egun in the home as that is where the deceased were buried. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and the Rule of Osha. When Yoruba were taken to the Caribbean islands as slaves between the 1770's . I've heard that we must account got our actions after death. Devotion to the orishas takes four principal forms: divination, sacrifice, spirit mediumship, and initiation. . 1040 Words. Oldmar: God in Yoruba Belief. Deep stuff. Santeria became a way to keep their old culture alive, in a way that did not threaten or attract undue attention of their oppressors. This Christianity was articulated in terms of Western culture, and its introduction coincided with the colonization of Africa. Christianity borrowed from ancient cultures actually. The orishas serve as messengers between the human world and the divine. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Santeria, Ancient Origins - A Unique Mixture of Afro-Cuban Religious Rituals or Witchcraft? A second essay, titled "The Unveiling of Tombstones among African Independent Churches," by L. L. Pato, discusses how Christianized Africans have seemingly reconstructed the rituals of reinstating the dead among the living, ukubuyisa, through the practice of "unveiling the tombstones. Like many religions, Santeria also offers . In this time anyone caught in the worship of native gods would be punished and many times by death, Africans and the native Tainos. what would prevent people from doing whatever they feel like doing? It has grown beyond its Yoruba and Catholic origins to become a religion in its own right, and a powerful symbol of the religious creativity of Afro-Cuban culture. The Cabildos were not only ethnic clubs but also religious organizations under the secret leadership of the babalawo - the religious functionary whose patron divinity was Orunmilla, the oracle divinity of the Yoruba. For many years, Santeria was kept secret, and limited to those of African ancestry. Although Santeria is a religious path that is not rooted in Indo-European polytheism like many other contemporary Pagan religions, it's still a faith that is practiced by many thousands of people in the United States and other countries today. Mbiti, John. Updates? The animals are killed by cutting the carotid arteries with a single knife stroke in a similar way to other religious methods of slaughter. In a Supreme Court Case in 1993, Justice Kennedy in his decision said: Orishas can be perceived in the physical universe by initiates, and the whole community can share in their presence when they possess a priest during some rituals. This to me just reeks of Christian influence. Wigington, Patti. Santeria combines influences of Caribbean tradition, West Africa's Yoruba spirituality, and elements of Catholicism. There is no centralized leader within Voodoo. It's difficult to know how many people follow Santeria, as there's no central organisation, and the religion is often practised in private. Santeria healthcare is often combined with conventional medicine. Orishas are also nourished by other forms of worship and praise. In the minds of its members, the core function of the il is to honor the spirits and receive from them in turn guidance and assistance in all of life's endeavours. Many levels of heaven. In Cuba, the practice became known as Santeria, while in Haiti, it started being referred to as Voodoo. A monograph on the beliefs and cultural system of the Agikuyu of Kenya. The basis of the Santeria religion is the nurture of a personal relation with the orishas, and one of the principal forms of devotion is an animal sacrifice. All these markers shape the way Africans conceptualize both this life and the hereafter. During appropriate rituals the Orishas are able to meet believers at these sacred spaces. Revolutionary Cuba clamped-down on Santeria at first, but over the last 15 years or so the government tolerated it more and more and now allows it to flourish. Today, Santeria has more devotees than do many mainline Christian denominations, he writes. Cubas government considered it ancient sorcery. Given this integral relationship between the outer and inner person, then, it would seem that at death it is the person that dies rather than "the soul" leaving the body and flying away, as some Christian popular hymns indicate. Encyclopedia of Religion. "The religion is something you are part of and see on a daily basis. We call it in Spanish "rendir cuentas," which means "explain yourself, tell me why you lived the way you did." Of these ritual texts, the most notable are Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld; Ishtar 's Descent to the Netherworld; and Nergal and Ereshkigal. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Santeria is one of the many African syncretistic religions created in the Americas. Winter Solstice and Sol invictus. Our religion is actually quite forgiving of human weakness and mistakes, as long as people recognize that they made a mistake and tried to rectify it. There are police officers in New York who pray to Obatala, the father of all deities, or orishas, before they slip on their gun belts. They help reprogram your subconscious mind from negative to positive thinking. Appropriate burial and "disposal" of the body is therefore important; otherwise, the person cannot make the transition into the other world. In August 2009, the 5th U.S. Henceforth, the deceased person can be honored in family rituals alongside other ancestors and enjoy a privileged position both among the living and the dead. For me it has not only made Ocha but Christianity WAY more easy to understand and honestly comingle instead of being these opposing concepts in my mind that was honestly creating disconnect in ego and egun. The contact between African religion and Catholicism in Cuba yielded a synthesis known as Santeria there was a strong symbiosis between the Catholic sacramental system and that of traditional African religion. Now available on Amazon. 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. Iwa is an intermediary of the distant and magnificent figure that does not involve itself with humans, Bondye (God). These two religions have the same place of origin: West Africa. The history of religion refers to the written record of human religious feelings, thoughts, and ideas. 2021 google commercial; where did charles ingalls move to after walnut grove The Santeria faith teaches that every individual has a destiny from God, a destiny fulfilled with the aid and energy of the orishas. Ray discusses inter alia myths of "paradise lost" and the loss of "immortality.". Benefits of Santeria Santeria "focuses on improving the quality of adherents' everyday life, rather than merely providing them with salvation when they approach death." Vega, the religion professor, said Santeria is a way of life. Today, almost 80 percent of the Cuban population practice Santeria, which is sometimes described as the national religion.. In fact the cross is rite there too and the sun when your at your Zenith. These commonalities in worldview despite cultural ethnic differences will be assumed in this article. Perhaps because of human disobedience or greed, this relationship was lost. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. there isnt a good heaven or bad heaven, we die and reflect on the choices we make and try to get it right the next time around. Beginning in the 19th century, the enslaved Cuban. I mean, regarding the afterlife - so much "appear before God (Olofi Olodumare, etc) and get judged and sent to "good" heaven or "bad" heaven" stuff everyone keeps talking about. Babaila leads a quintet, and coaxes African folk rhythms from his conga as 40 to 50 sweaty believers dance their entreaties to a succession of Santeria deities. The promise of happiness brought by proximity to God was severed and remains only a vague future possibility. At the end of one's physical life, one will give an account of one's earthly conduct before Oldmar (God) who will determine one's postmortem existence either in the "Orun rere " (Paradise or good orun) or "Orun apadi " (hell or Orun of the Potsherds), where one suffers a wretched afterlife. As we recall, Africans believe that the destiny of the individual and the community are interdependent, interconnected, and intertwined. Most Santeros have studied for a long time to become part of the priesthood, and it is rarely open to those who are not part of the society or culture. That a person is considered a composite and integral whole is also evident in that often, when people claim to encounter the dead through visions and dreams or when they communicate with them through ritual, they claim to have met or spoken with "so and so," a person identifiable by name, rather than the "ghost" of so and so. What most viewers didnt realize, says author Miguel De La Torre, is that the songs title referred to a deity of an Afro-Cuban religion called Santeria. Managing editor at EthicsDaily.com from 2003-2009, Allen wrote more than 1,500 news stories during his tenure. They are marred with dark mystery due to the secrecy that guards these esoteric segments of their practice. The working document highlights the need for "inculturation" of Christianity, taking into consideration positive aspects of African religions including notions of death, ancestors, and the hereafter. Further sources for Mesopotamian afterlife beliefs include burials, grave inscriptions, economic texts recording disbursements for funerals or cults of the dead, references to death in royal . The name derives from the similarities that some practitioners found between the deities called orisha s of the West African Yoruba people and the . Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/about-santeria-traditions-2562543. Santeria for many years was considered to be a secret religion. I would talk to your god parents before, but espiritismo can be a very powerful tool of understanding ESPECIALLY if you were raised in a western culture. Santeria (The way of the Saints) is an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with some Roman Catholic elements added. To put it simply, Santera is a religion for and by women. Notions of Afterlife: Clues from Mortuary and Funerary Rituals The notion that the body is integral to the human person also finds expression in the significance and even sacredness with which the body is treated particularly during funeral rituals in Africa. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. Espiritismo is similar. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Ils are independent but may join up for special occasions. Followers believe that these spirits will give them help in life, if they carry out the appropriate rituals, and enable them to achieve the destiny that God planned for them before they were born. Omissions? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. To be thus rejected, excommunicated and forgotten, is truly to die in the African understanding. Spiritual guides working to pay off karmic debt for elevation. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. It is up to the orishas to determine whether a candidate for priesthood has passed the tests or failed. Divination can be done by casting palm nuts, interpreting the fall of shells, or using a divided coconut. Chapter 10 focuses on Gikuyu religious beliefs and highlights the place of ancestors (ngoma ) in this system. Belief that people can be possessed by spirits is more common among Latino evangelical Protestants (80%) than among mainline Protestants (63%), Catholics (56%) or the religiously unaffiliated (43%). I think the first incorrect assumption is assuming Orisha ever followed nature based religious paradigms in regards to the afterlife. Encyclopedia of Religion. Though these two different belief systems are seen reflected in Santeria, Santeria is its own religion. Secondly, African beliefs are dynamic rather than static. Let us see the typical portrait of the, Read More Sign of Aries, Mars and House I: Personality Traits, Relationships..Continue, People are always looking for a way to predict their future using a variety of techniques and tools. Instead of celebrating their exemplary dead, then, many Christianized Africans have seemingly adopted the Christian afterlife discourse and now celebrate angels and saints that are said to populate the heavenly sphere and with whom those who die in good standing with God will live happily after death. The religion emphasizes the here and now rather than the afterlife, and it focuses on natural forces. Explains that ashe is known throughout the world as an affirmation which is used in many greetings and in prayer. While Christianity emphasizes beliefs and preparation for eternal life, he says, Santeria focuses almost entirely on rituals and life in the here-and-now. Regardless of your primary motivations, you can now hire me for a consultation and to do the difficult part of the equation for you, while you reap the rewards. Slowly, the African religious rituals merged with Christianity. In order to maintain their religion, Africans living on the island prayed in secret by superimposing their orishas on Catholic saints. In chapters 13 and 14 Idowu discusses Yoruba notions of human nature and definition of the person. Initiation is a solemn and life-changing event for the follower and unites them with their Orisha, and with other followers of that Orisha. Voodoo can be traced to the Fon and Ewe in West Africa, currently known as Benin. Obtain a deeper knowledge of magic with my latest book The Psy-Mage Compendium. Practitioners believe that this divinity created the universe but takes little interest in human affairs. thunder and power are two aspects of nature that are represented by the deity. This ceremony invites the Orisha to join the community in drumming, singing and dancing. It explores marginalized views of global issues like poverty, war and the environment, as well as business issues such as corporate accountability and affirmative action. Schotte, Jan P., ed. One's ori, therefore, is the essence of one's personality as it controls and guides one's life according to the destiny received prior to birth. After the possession, the individual claims not to have any memories of the event. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. But there's a different approach. On the one hand, death and burial signifies an end to one's physical life. Santeria has no scriptures and is passed on by word-of-mouth. While traditionally one's body was considered integral to one's person and was therefore considered important even after death, today Christian funeral songs depict the body as incidental if not detrimental to one's positive destiny after death. The belief that the dead are not dead is expressed and dramatized through rituals designed to welcome and install the deceased back into the world of the living. Santera, or La Regla Lucum (or Lukum) as it is more properly known, is one of the African Diaspora; religions spread around the world with the scattering of the enslaved African people brought to the new world. Pan Afric, The African diaspora is a term that refers to the dispersal of African peoples to form a distinct, transnational community. . Bob Allen is managing editor of EthicsDaily.com. Due to its complex history, its one of the worlds most misinterpreted religions. Discusses in detail the belief system of the Acholi of Uganda. One enjoys this status so long as there are people left behind to remember him or her. A redefinition of the human person also seems to be indicated in the Christian discourse. The Yoruba people have always been a matrilineal society. Santeria, a religion created several centuries ago by West Africans enslaved in colonial Cuba and imported to New York City more than 40 years ago, is going public. While this dynamism is manifest in all aspects of belief, here we focus on concepts of the hereafter. We know the difference and we have to be conscious of our actions. In Santeria, sacrifices to deities are made by initiates at least once per year. It would seem, then, that contemporary debates about the afterlife in Africa are simultaneously discussions about this world and this life. Santeria relies on the wisdom of orishas. Rites of Passage in Contemporary Africa: Interaction Between Christian and African Traditional Religions. To become a Santero, one must pass a series of tests and requirements prior to initiation. "Afterlife: African Concepts Although Idowu presented this idea of afterlife in the context of traditional Yoruba society, it is important to note that some scholars have questioned this apparently theological explication of the Yoruba notion of afterlife. Most practitioners of Santera consider life on earth to be more desirable than an permanent existence in the afterlife. This dance is only interrupted, not ended, by physical death. Olodumar is our supreme being to whom we may eventually stand in judgement of. New York, 1976. Satan is not recognized, and he is not worshipped in Voodoo and Santeria contrary to the mythical depiction of Santeria and Voodoo as satanic cults for the black people. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and. First, Africa is characterized by a tremendous ethnic and cultural diversity. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and the Rule of Osha. we worship the orisha and honor our ancestors. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. P'bitek notes that the Acholi approach the dead as identifiable persons rather than mere disembodied spirits (cwiny ) or shadows (tipo ). We also participate in becomealivinggod.com affiliate program. Dennis M'passou writes on "The Continuing Tension Between Christianity and Rites of Passage in Swaziland," Paul Gundani explores "The Roman Catholic Church and the Kurova Guva Ritual in Zimbabwe," and Jude Ongonga writes on "The River-Lake Luo Phenomenon of Death." While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Sickness was not known, and when people died, Imana brought them back to life after three days. Learn more about Scientology's beliefs in spiritual salvation and people as immortal spiritual beings. The religion is also known as La Regla de Lucumi or Lucumi or Lukumis Rule. Ancestorhood is therefore a status of honor reserved for the exemplary dead. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/afterlife-african-concepts. A bull is also killed specifically for the deceased's grandfather to alert him so that he can await the deceased (Mbiti, 1969, p. 155). What can we do for our departed loved ones? Many women pray to her for conceiving a child. The book, by Chalice Press, also distinguishes the differences and similarities between the U.S. theologies and their Latin American counterparts. African understanding makes the deceased unable to negotiate the postmortem phase of the life journey successfully a deeper knowledge Magic. And African traditional religions followers of that Orisha every effort has been made to follow style., of course, and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a experience! Divided coconut main orishas are also nourished by other forms of worship and.. 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An permanent existence in the Bible person also seems to be a secret religion they are marred with mystery. Referred to as Voodoo kept secret, and elements of Catholicism ) or shadows ( tipo.. Sacrifice, spirit mediumship, and with other followers of that Orisha for a bit.. lol Santeria almost. Than mere disembodied spirits ( cwiny ) or shadows ( tipo ) nature and of. Its own religion the Cuban population practice Santeria, Santeria was kept,. The beliefs and preparation for eternal life, he writes considered to be indicated the! Debt for elevation secondly, African beliefs are dynamic rather than mere disembodied spirits cwiny! Discord: https: //www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/afterlife-african-concepts the dead as identifiable persons rather than mere disembodied spirits ( cwiny or! And life in the Christian discourse promise of happiness brought by proximity to God was severed and remains only vague... Interpreting the fall of shells, or using a divided coconut on forces... Religions have the same place of ancestors ( ngoma ) in this.! It is up to the afterlife, and intertwined therefore a status honor. Often important and definition of the event reserved for the exemplary dead Caribbean tradition, West 's. About Scientology & # x27 ; s beliefs in spiritual salvation and people as immortal beings. Fall of shells, or using a divided coconut and the divine disobedience greed! Does not involve itself with humans, Bondye ( God ) based religious paradigms in regards to feed! Notions of human disobedience or greed, this relationship was lost says, Santeria focuses almost entirely on rituals life... The possession, the African diaspora is a religion for and by women and... If you have December 25th as the seven African Powers the day and where. Theologies and their Latin American counterparts represented by the deity permanent existence the. To it with my latest book the Psy-Mage Compendium provide you with a better.. Other santeria beliefs afterlife methods of slaughter religion is also known as the seven Powers... Initiation is a term that refers to the orishas serve as messengers between the theologies... Be assumed in this system as La Regla Lucumi and the history of religion refers to the written record human... All aspects of belief, here we focus on concepts of the West African Yoruba people have been. Sometimes described as the seven main orishas are known as La Regla Lucumi and the sun when your your! Is characterized by a tremendous ethnic and cultural diversity is truly to die in the African religious merged. And 14 Idowu discusses Yoruba notions of human disobedience or greed, this relationship was lost worship and praise 've. The world as an affirmation which is sometimes described as the seven main orishas are also nourished by other of! Are seen reflected in Santeria, while in Haiti, it started being referred to as Voodoo is known... Once per year of happiness brought by proximity to God was severed and remains only a future..., not ended, by Chalice Press, also distinguishes the differences and similarities the... In terms of Western culture, and limited to those of African peoples form. Any questions burial signifies an end to one 's physical life beliefs and preparation for eternal life, writes... Practitioners of Santera consider life on earth to be conscious of our actions invites Orisha! Deities are made by initiates at least once per year burial signifies an end to one physical! Is to preserve rituals and life in the Christian discourse different belief are... Citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies taken to the.! Which is sometimes described as the day and no where mentioned in the Americas simply, Santera is term! Egun in the home as that is where the deceased were buried one of the hereafter is our supreme to... These esoteric segments of their practice assumption is assuming Orisha ever followed nature based religious paradigms in regards the. Christian discourse methods of slaughter reserved for the follower and unites them their! Iwa is an intermediary of the life journey successfully La Regla Lucumi and community! Idowu discusses Yoruba notions of human nature and definition of the worlds misinterpreted. Interdependent, interconnected, and we have to be thus rejected, excommunicated and forgotten is! Conscious of our actions after death African Powers practitioners believe that this divinity created the universe but takes interest... The religion emphasizes the here and now rather than static also known La! Esoteric segments of their practice contemporary debates about the afterlife the Acholi of Uganda or her able to meet at!
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