Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc v. City of Hialeah. Google Scholar. De La Torre, M. Cambridge, UK: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. There are two concepts that are vital to the core beliefs of Santeria. It means very simply life force. Ashe is generative energy that Olodumare has blessed us all with. It is energy; breath, life force and we cannot exist without it. Ashe gives us the power to create and the wisdom to see things through.
Without Ashe there is no life. The second is Iwa Pele , which means good or gentle character. For Santeria followers, initiated as priests or not, It is important to grasp the meaning and entity of Iwa Pele. Living with good grace is what gives us a purpose in life. As spiritual beings we are responsible for living the best life that we have been blessed with. Our life's work should be to evolve and to analyse our faults and improve upon them. It is important to strive to be a better person, a person with good character.
By doing this one can change the energy flow around us. A title such as Babalawo , or Santero , means little, if that individual cannot show that they live and understand the concept of Iwa Pele.
Santeria is not witchcraft Many people are fearful of religions such as Santeria and Vodun since they equate the religion with practices of Witchcraft. Santeria is not Witchcraft. It is not the study of spells or using spells to harm or affect anyone else.
Anyone who thinks that Santeria can be used to keep a girlfriend, harm an enemy or win the lottery has not understood the principals of Santeria and is misguided. Santeria is about living the life that has been assigned to you the best way you possibly can. Followers of Santeria may use various tools to protect themselves such as spiritual baths or the wearing of sacred Necklaces. They may use various herbs to cleanse or protect, or they may make offerings to their ancestors or to Orisha.
That does not equate with Witchcraft. Much has been made about Animal Sacrifice in the Santeria religion. Offerings to an Orisha may include a glass of water, flowers, a candle, fruit or prepared items of food. More often than not a reading will recommend behavior modification or suggestions for improving ones behavior. It is rare that an animal would be marked for Sacrifice.
However it is a part of the practice of Santeria. There is nothing cruel about the sacrifices and more likely than not the animal is eaten and not thrown away.
If an individual has consistently bad luck, they must appease their orisha to achieve harmony and balance in their life.
They interpret the will of the gods using divination, which involves an elaborate ceremony that often includes rum, drums, cigars, and animal sacrifice. The relationship with the Santeros is also beneficial to the orishas —they only continue to exist if humans worship them. The orishas are thus not immortal, but depend on human devotion and sacrifice to survive. The initiations are ritualistic and involve elaborate ceremonies.
Followers are required to stay inside at night for an entire year and only dress in white. No one is allowed to touch the follower aside from family members or lovers. Every follower is assigned to an orisha who will guide him or her throughout life. There are around orishas , but only 20 are regularly worshiped in Cuba. The saint of fire and war, he is often seen carrying a double-headed axe and is associated with red and white. His Catholic avatar is Santa Barbara.
Not surprisingly, she wears blue and white, and is associated with the Virgen de Regla. Santeros often have statues of saints in their home, and may even have an altar where pastries, candles, fruits, and coins are offered to their orisha. There are no official churches or temples in the religion. As such, ceremonies and rituals are usually performed at home or in public. This is why ceremonies and rites are so important. In each of these places, there are opportunities to learn more about the religion.
Santiago has a high concentration of Afro-Cubans, and not surprisingly, a large number of Santeros. There are small side streets in Santiago that are lined with stands selling items used in ceremonies, including feathers, candles, bones, stones, herbs, and live animals. It's difficult to know how many people follow Santeria, as there's no central organisation, and the religion is often practised in private.
Some estimates go as high as a hundred million Santeria believers worldwide. Search term:. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so.
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