Santeria – Cuba’s Little Known Religious Tradition

Thriving in Cuba, is a system of beliefs centered on aspects of Yoruba mythology brought to the so-called new world by Africans who upon arriving, were forcibly immersed in Christianity. A sacred union, beginning in the late 1700’s, would follow and, resulted in a new religious expression called among other names, Santeria.

Cuba’s enslaved Africans brought with them various religious customs, including trance-centered spiritual expressions including di-vi-nation – a spiritual process allowing practitioners to communicate with their ancestors, and African centered deities. The tradition also includes animal sacrifice, sacred drumming and dance.