Santeria Religion

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Santeria has traveled across the world and come in contact with new people. As a result of this, it has evolved over time. Santeria was not even created until African slaves of the Yoruba and Lucumi tribes were brough to Cuba by the Spaniards and their religion combined with Catholicism. Though Santeria was created in Cuba, it has traveled all over the Carribean and even to the United States. Santeria is a complex religion in many aspects, from variations of the religion to recognition by the Catholic Church. Santeria is a religion that was forced to adapt throughout history, and for this reason there are many variations. Through extensive research one can find sources claiming all different facts about the religion, some true and some …show more content…
Therefore, he is detached from the everyday affairs of men and women on earth. Because of this, the Yoruba must call upon other spirits for help in their everyday lives. Orishas, or nature spirits, are called upon for help with these matters; they are typically called upon through sacrifices of food and animal blood. Santeria has since evolved in its reputation and is more or less now considered a Cuban religion, though it began in Africa. The Yoruban people were brought to Cuba centuries ago, when the Spanish were settling Cuba. Slave traders captured members of the Yoruba tribe and sold them to the Spaniards as slaves. Catholicism was of high importance to Cuba at this time due to Spanish control. Therefore, the Spaniards had priests baptize these enslaved Africans,and from then on they were forced to practice Catholicism (Ayorinde, 2009). Understandably reluctant to commit to the religion of their captors, the enslaved Yorubans practiced their religion secretly. They hid their religion behind the Catholic symbols and practices they were forced to participate in. They identified their Orishas with various saints, so that their captors would think that they were devoted to saints, while they were secretly worshipping the African …show more content…
According to Amnesty International, between 1959 and 1987 there were 237 death sentences, all but 21 were carried out. Cuban scholars of the time who disagreed with the policies of the new Cuban government were subjected to torture, death, and jail time, as well as trials without due process. At this time other countries began to acknowledge Cuba's "hard labor camps." These were "prisons" that held Cuban scholars, largely unjustly, and subjected them to physical beatings, biological experiments, unsanitary conditions, and violent interrogations. As stated before political freedom and freedom of religion are very close to my heart. My Abuelo and Abuela, respectively translated to grandfather and grandmother, fled Cuba and gained refugee status based largely on these two reasons. Both my Tia (aunt) and my Abuelo (grandfather) protested heavily against Castro during this time and have filled my heart with their terrifying and horribly sad stories.
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