It's not open to the general public, and it's not something the deceased's blood family or friends can do for him. In the minds of many Cubans, the two religions parallel one another, rather than existing as one unified religion. December 2013 The spirit is then treated as though it, too, is afflicted and its very act of possession was nothing more than a cry for help. Nana Buruku, also known as Nana Buluku or Nanan-bouclou, is a revered Orisha in African religion, and the mother of the universe. Fidel Castro is even rumored to be a believer. Family members with religious beliefs go inside to accompany the body. In lieu of . families wanting to practice Santeria. ", More:Headless chickens, other sacrificed animals draw nuisance alligators, unsettle rural Fort Myers neighborhood. This cathedral is very special to Catholics too, and thus offers travelers a fascinating look at the intersection between Catholicism and Santera. The services of a funeral home, which put the coffin, candles, crucifix and hired carriage, and asked mourners chairs borrowed from the neighbors. There are around 400 orishas, but only 20 are regularly worshiped in Cuba. The initiate most often receives the necklace of the five most powerful and popular oricha as the multicolored beads of the elekes are each patterned for the primary Orichs Elegu, Obatal, Yemay, Chang, and Ochn and they serve as a sacred point of contact with these Orichs. are not protected by an attorney-client privilege and are instead governed by our Privacy Policy. Not all magical practitioners make use of black mag, Understanding your aura colors and what they mean can provide an energetic snapshot of your current spiritual, mental, and emotional state. You might also visit Iglesia de Nuestra Seora de Regla, which hosts the black Virgen de Regla, who is associated with Yemay and is the patron saint of sailors. The concept of Hell doesn't exist in our religion. Chango was . Resently I have started my path in Santeria. Facebook. The Yorb religion embraces a form of trance divination used to communicate with the spirit world. The third ritual, known as receiving the warriors, is a ritual where the initiated receives objects from their padrino that represents the warriors; Iron tools to represent Ogn; an iron bow and arrow to represent Ochosi; and an iron or silver chalice surmounted by a rooster to represent Osn. April 2016 Its unlike anything youve probably ever seen. Not surprisingly, she wears blue and white, and is associated with the Virgen de Regla. What Is Black Magic and How Can You Break It? The family receives visitors at the wake who come to show their support to the family and their respect to the deceased. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. June 2012. So, it's natural to think that Voodoo possession is like the movies when a person is possessed and tu, In feng shui, some bugs are lucky; in fact, the lucky cricket's meaning is wealth and good fortune. Speak positively about the deceaseds contributions or tell the story of your first impressions of the person. Santera is a religion with Afro-Cuban roots, rising out of the cultural clash between the Yoruba people of West Africa and the Spanish Catholics who brought them to the Americas as slaves. Similar terminology is used, such as the spirit "mounting or riding" the person like one would a horse. Some enjoy rum. Many Santeros make the journey here to pray to Ochn, a.k.a. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service Its estimated that up to 80 percent of the Cuban population follows some Santera practices. If you have a special request for your funeral, make sure you create a funeral plan to share with your family members. By clicking "Accept", you agree to our website's cookie use as described in our Cookie Policy. When you "make" godchildren, you are taking on a lifelong commitment to them, and performing Itutu is part of that. The second important ritual is known as medio asiento, the creation of an image of the orich Elegu. And because Santera lacks scriptures, the whole faith is passed down orally. Santerais often mistakenly depicted as an evil religion that worships demons, engages in blood-thirsty rituals and seeks to do evil on others, according to the California-based Church of the Orishas website. The initiations are ritualistic and involve elaborate ceremonies. Santeria, like Vodou, is an African Diaspora religion, meaning that it is based on native African religious traditions that were brought to the Americas by African slaves. Animal sacrifices are made to bless various life events, such as a marriage, death, birth, and a healing. Our expert guidance can make your life a little easier during this time. Already existed long before burial in the capital. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. What can we do for our departed loved ones. Three years after the death, the family members return to the gravesite and remove the remains of the deceased. Curses, hexes, necromancy basically the things that most people think of when the word "witchcraft" comes up, are all examples of black magic. How we conduct the Itutu ceremony is not public knowledge, meaning the details should only be known by initiated priests and priestesses in the religion. Red color: This color represents the determination and liveliness, passions and desires, love and strength, intensity and fire of the Orishas Shango, Aggay and Eleggu. March 2013 When the necklace is received, the initiated must bow over a bathtub and have his or her head washed by the olo orich. The spirits of our ancestors are always with us, they become our "egun," who guide us and help us through life. Santera is a multi-layered religion steeped in ancient traditions and blended with other religions. The many cabildos and casas that bridged the 19th and 20th centuries are fondly remembered by contemporary priests as the origins and strongholds of Cuban Lucum culture and religion. Training includes divinatory work, herbalism, and counseling. If you have never attended a Cuban funeral, you may be wondering about appropriate etiquette for the event. Bath & Floor Washes Herb Baths Bath Salts & Bath Bombs Spiritual Baths & Waters Spiritual Soaps Spiritual Perfumes & Colognes Spiritual Perfumes People of all ages can choose to follow Santera, with an initiation process that sets the follower on la regla de ocha (the way of orishas). These rituals and ceremonies take place in what is known as a House-Temple or casa de Santos, in the homes of the initiated priests and priestesses, to the different Orichas, which creates a . This act of taking care of the body falls to the young children in attendance. In Santera Enthroned, David H. Brown combines art history, cultural anthropology, and ethnohistory to show how Africans and their descendants have developed novel forms of religious practice in the face of . If an individual has consistently bad luck, they must appease their orisha to achieve harmony and balance in their life. No speeches usually accompany the wake or the cemetery service. Share your bucketlist to get inspiration and local connections. hb```a``Na`c` @QF=u.Z#xWXz@i_X'"s\8_I ;P[E4000Chf ``yd\:km6ed;6[X8g5are(H`tYByqlzQ=7Cwc=\V11nJPKwfv er;?b).=W Accept, Race, socioeconomic group, religion, age, and region affect funeral traditions and, What happens on the way to the burial site, As the funeral car slowly enters the cemetery, the mourners may follow behind on foot. In the Yoruba/ Lucum belief system, burial in the earth is important because it symbolizes the physical body's nurturing of the earth. Since you may be walking behind the hearse in the cemetery, you may consider wearing comfortable walking shoes. Those who practice Santera move through life alongside spirits and participate in a vast cache of rituals steeped in both the supernatural and physical world. January 2014 With what appears to be a spate of animal sacrifices in Florida, many are wondering about the underlying spiritual traditions behind them. endstream endobj 423 0 obj <>/Metadata 30 0 R/Names 464 0 R/Outlines 130 0 R/PageLayout/SinglePage/Pages 420 0 R/StructTreeRoot 131 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 424 0 obj <. Funerals. Slaves from West Africa were imported to Cuba in the 17th century, and they brought their religious tradition with them. Sue McDonald. If you do participate in one of these ceremonies, be sure to tip the babalawo afterwardsthis not only pays for his time and effort, but also helps reimburse the costs of the ceremony, which includes the animals, rum, cigars, and more. This was our third time using Anywhere to help us create an adventure (Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba). Santeria has few buildings devoted. The transformation of the original religion can be seen in how the Yorb deities (Orichs) were blended with the Catholic saints. Santera is based upon the development of personal relationships through divination, sacrifice, initiation, and mediumship ( see medium) between practitioners of the religion and the orisha deities, who provide their devotees with protection, wisdom, and success and who guide devotees in times of crisis. There might be an additional charge if the deceased wished to be cremated. Because of its association withdivination, spells and trances not to mention animal sacrifice many Christians have impugned its traditions. Find out what to do and discover resources to help you cope. Funerals in Socialist Cuba. Politics and Society. Anywhere exceeded all expectations. The purpose of rituals is to assist the performer in connecting with the Orichs. Derived from African religions brought by Yoruban slaves to the New World, whats now called Santera simply means the way of the saints in Spanish. In Regla, a neighborhood on the eastern side of the Havana harbor, youll often see Santera shrines in front of homes. There may not be a formal order of events, readings, or singing, so it may look different than most funerals you would attend in the U.S. Visitation will be held on January 25, 2023 at the Palmer Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes, 6301 W. St Joe Hwy, Lansing MI, 48917 from 12 Noon to 2PM followed by a Gravesite Service at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, 4444 W. Grand River Ave, Lansing MI, 48906 at 3PM. For example, the priest or priestess can use the ach to connect and communicate with spirits to facilitate healings, divinations, or counsellings. If you're an initiated priest or priestess, you will learn this from your religious elders and participate in Itutu events when they happen. For example, some may ask that particular songs be sung at the graveside burial service and others may ask for burial with a bottle of rum. Santera practitioners embrace the fact that they share the world with spirits, and these spirits can even be on their bodies. Once the casket is in its final resting place, the flowers are passed from the hearse to the grave. As a. If a person is afflicted by spirits, there are specific rituals that must be performed as remedies. Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love. The relationship with the Santeros is also beneficial to the orishasthey only continue to exist if humans worship them. Some families choose to bury the deceased with small tokens or gifts. To begin with, the initiator goes through what is called a cleansing ritual. To this day, the city is an important site for Santera followers. In most cases, the purpose of a funeral is to show respect to the deceased and to support family members. A well known and well loved member of our religious community died very suddenly of a heart attack, and immediately his godfather, godsisters and godbrothers went into action, planning for his Itutu ceremony. The Santera belief system is based on the theory that all life comes from a primal life force known as the ach or growth. They really made our trip comfortable and were 100% available and collabor As usual, Anywhere provided a great and professional service both before and during our trip. We are not attorneys and are not providing you with legal death as possible because there is a. . She knew nothing about her father's religion, she didn't know his godfather, she didn't know what to do with his Orichas, and she had no one to ask. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Santera priests, known as babalawos, act as intermediaries in the religion. Some Cubans make special requests for their funerals. Chickens are the most commonly used animal, although goats, sheep, and other animals can be used. Children attend Cuban wakes and are even often seen hovering around the body. form. Edan [Onile] Orisa Ogboni [Osugbo] Yoruba History, Sango (Shango / Chango) Orisa History Of God Of Thunder, Esu Elegba / Eleggua Extreme Occult Powers Mysterious Statue, 7 Myths About Babalawo And Iyanifa You Should Know, 8 Signs You Are Under A Powerful Love Spell, Cure To Cancer, Bareness, Asthma & Other Uncurable Sickness, How Yemoja (Yemonja / Yemaya) Can Help You Live a Better Life, Opele Ifa Divination History: Opele Divination In My Shrine, ORUNMILA & ORI: Why We Bow Our Head To Orunmila, Reincarnation: How To Remember Your Past Life The Easiest Way, Sex Magick: How To Cast Powerful Spells With Your Sperm & Orgasm, Third Eye: How To Open Your Third Eye Through Darkness. Although the preference of many modern people is cremation, initiated priests and priestesses are not supposed to be cremated, because ashes of a body don't nurture the soil the same way the decomposition of the flesh does. Since many Cubans spiritual beliefs are a mixture of Catholicism and Santera, it is difficult to make a generalization regarding burial beliefs and traditions. Some may also hover by the door of the church to watch the proceeding. In most western funerals, attendees wear modest, somber clothes, and thats the case in Cuba. It was a way to preserve their traditional beliefs without defying the dominant culture (scholars call this blending process syncretism). Send any friend a story As a . Sally is a paranormal researcher and clairvoyant who has also studied astrology, numerology and ancient divination arts. To become a Santero or Santera Priest or Priestess of Santera, the initiator must go through an intensive week-long initiation process in which the teaching of the ritual skills and moral behavior occurs informally and nonverbally. It marks the end of his physical life in the religious community that he's been part of, and it's important to make sure his Orichas are cared for in the proper way, to bring an end to his relationship with them on earth. They include dancing, drumming, speaking and eating with the spirits. December 2018 There is a strong ethic of helping others and working cooperatively to lift people out of poverty and sickness toward blessings, health, prosperity and longevity., More:Headless chickens found along Cape Coral roads likely religion-based, no threat, police say, The Church of the Orishas site acknowledges Every initiation inSanterarequiresanimal sacrifice. 2023 Anywhere Inc. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy. Hector Avalos, Introduction to the U.S. Latina and Latino Religious Experience, 2004. The elekes serves as the sacred banners for the Orichs and act as a sign of the Orichs presence and protection; however, it must never be worn during a womans menstruation period, nor during sex, nor when bathing. The family may communicate with their deceased loved ones through mediums or spiritualists. hbbd```b``"^A$cD2I0"/@\ The combining of concepts and terminology from different religions in this case, from Catholicism and the Lucum religion is called religious syncretism. 2023 www.news-press.com. February 2020 This week, two things happened that made me think about writing this blog on the death of a santero/a. This ceremony invites the Orisha to join the community in drumming, singing and dancing. If there is noanimal sacrificethere is no realSanteraand no legitimate African Traditional Religion.. Your aura colors reflect your physical, emotional, and spiritual state, and a violet or purple aura means creativity, ideas, and enlightenment. Music, drumming, chanting, dancing, praying and eating are all part of Santera ceremonies and rituals. Those who advanced the socialist cause may be honored by having a Cuban flag displayed at the wake. Santeria is plagued by misconceptions. If you watch a ceremony or take photographs, its customary to offer a tip afterwards. (Orishas) make connections between the sort of transcendent creator God (Olodumare), and the natural physical world, and individual people, said Landon Frim, FGCU associate professor of philosophy. Santeria rituals allow human beings to stay in contact with the Orishas. This week, two things happened that made me think about writing this blog on the death of a santero/a. 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. The orishas are thought to perform miracles for adherents, and can also be blamed for unfortunate events. Yemay rules the ocean and is the goddess of motherhood. Any information you provide to Cake, and all communications between you and Cake, Take advantage of our international delivery, Copyright 2023 Original Products. It can be an offering of fresh fruits, ritual baths, offerings of cooked foods, undergoing initiation, receiving an . An estimated 70 percent of Cubas 11 million people perform some type of Afro-Cuban practice, including many of the countrys Catholics. Rituals and Ceremonies: Santeria does not use a central creed for its religious practices; though it is understood in terms of its rituals and ceremonies. endstream endobj startxref of an actual attorney. Sometimes the dead are said to return to their loved ones in the form of dreams, where they offer advice. The initiators Padrino godfather cleanses the head with special herbs and water. Socialist funerals were meant to be held without mention of religious beliefs. January 2016 Santeria and Orishas: An Essential Guide to Lucumi Spells, Rituals and African Orisha Deities along with Their Presence in Yoruba, Voodoo, Hoodoo and Santeria (Pagan Beliefs) Mari Silva 4.7 out of 5 stars 66 Instagram. These rituals can include Roman Catholic elements: Lydia Cabrera notes that, in Santera, one ritual against evil eye combines a specially prepared herbal bath with three Our Fathers, Three Credos, and Three Ave Marias. The Orisha may 'seize the head' of a person (or 'mount them' as if they were a horse), and cause that possessed person to perform 'spectacular dances', and to pass on various messages from the Orisha to community members. In each of these places, there are opportunities to learn more about the religion. Obatal, the goddess of creation and peace, dresses in white and associated with the Virgen de la Merced (the Virgin of Mercy). My purpose here is not to tell you how to perform the Itutu ceremony. While Fidel was addressing the crowd, two doves flew over the podium, and one of them landed on his shoulder. - +. Santera is popular throughout all of Cuba, but the cities of Santiago, Matanzas, and Havana have the largest number of followers. One major ritual is a bemb. This is a mutual process; the food is essential for the Orishas, who will die without being fed, and in return the Orishas are able to help the worshippers. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. This is usually done quickly most bodies are usually buried within 24 hours. 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. Sometimes feared and often misunderstood, Santera and other Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions still persist in the U.S. especially in South Florida. $14.95. Visits to the cathedral at El Cobre, which is about 15 miles (23 km) from Santiago, will also be instructive. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Tuesday January 24, 2023 from 2:00-4:00 & 6:00-8:00 PM and continue Wednesday one hour prior to the service. Santera is a syncretic religion based significantly in the traditions of the Yoruba and incorporating elements of Catholicism. Orishas possess human traits, with earthly likes and dislikes. Pick your funeral songs, readings, and choose what special tokens you would like placed with you in the casket. March 2017 There are no official churches or temples in the religion. The church fought back and the case eventually made it to theU.S. Supreme Court, where in 1993, the justices ruled in Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. City of Hialeah that animal sacrifice is a protected religious sacrament of Santera. In fact, the deacon usually is given no prior notice that the small procession will stop there on the way to the cemetery. And they would know what to do with it. The seven Orishas who are the Seven African Powers rule over all things humans need including love, fertility, power, justice, healing, and Oshun is an Orisha in the Yoruba faith that influences the pleasurable aspects of life. This process represents the cutting away of the nooses tied around slaves' necks as they were hanged. Rituals & Spells of Santeria. The priest or priestess taps into the energy of the ach for a wide range of uses. The priest or priestess will first ascertain if there is a struggle within the spirit, known as a spiritual twisting (trastornos). The gunfire on Monday night left three dead and five critically injured. LinkedIn. Santera does not use a central creed for its religious practices; though it is understood in terms of its rituals and ceremonies. These violations are emblematic of the tactics used by the Cuban government to control faith and suppress independent religious communities. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. The followers, however, cant communicate directly with these divine beings. While in Cuba, you may be able to witness private Santera ceremonies. However, if a person is entering Santera for the need of healing, they will undergo the rogacin de la cabeza blessing of the head in which coconut water and cotton are applied on the head to feed it. (You can find stories of the poorly made coffins breaking during the transporting process.) Read our Privacy Policy. Once that happens, the mourners leave the cemetery. The priest or priestess then sets about healing the spirit. Eating the sacrificed animal is considered a sharing with the Orisha, who only consumes the animal's blood, while the worshippers eat the meat. Read more. All rights reserved. In addition to the visitation for family and friends in a funeral home, the memorial service in his home, the burial that will take place next week, there is a religious ceremony that needs to take place to determine what to do with his Orichas now that his body has left the earth and he is no longer here to look after them. If you have godchildren, you will find an Oba or Oriat who can do it, if you don't know how. Strolling through the streets of Cuba, youll occasionally come across people wearing all white clothingchances are these people are going through their Santera initiation. The ultimate goal of these practices is to reconnect with the divine, Olodumare (God). There is a kind of Heaven, but human beings always prefer to be on earth if they can be. Rituals often take place in halls rented for the purpose, or privately in Santeria homes which are may be fitted with altars for ritual purposes. Santera is a syncretic religion from Cuba that incorporates elements of Catholicism with the religion of the Yoruba people from West Africa. What can you expect if you are attending a funeral in this island country? Sacrificial animals include chickens (the most common), pigeons, doves, ducks, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, and turtles. It is a celebration dedicated to an Orich, where the bat drums "set of three drums known as the iya (the largest drum), itoltele, and okonkolo" are played in the Orich's honor. July 2015 This ritual begins a formal and lifelong relationship that the initiate will have with these Orichs, as the orichs devote their energies to protecting and providing for the initiate on their path. This link will open in a new window. Sacrifices are performed for life events such as birth, marriage, and death. The bones are placed in an ossuary, which is a single collective grave. The ritual sacrifice of animals has to be performed in a very precise way of cutting the collar area. Animals are cooked and eaten following all Santeria rituals (except healing and death rites, where the sickness is believed to pass into the dead animal). January 2017 The orishas are thus not immortal, but depend on human devotion and sacrifice to survive. Funeral homes and most cemeteries became state-owned, and religious symbols were removed from many of them. These rituals and ceremonies take place in what is known as a house-temple or casa de santos (house of saints) also known as an il. Well discuss how both socialist and Catholic practices combine to create a unique funeral experience. The entire religion being syncretic is based on this history of persecutionthe secrecy and the mystery, and the fear. Even though most Cubans claim Catholicism as their central belief system, it is more accurately described as Santera. But it's also a legitimate question as to whether the industrial slaughter of animals, which happens billions of times every year, is humane Neither dilemma washes out the other, but its a point of reflection., Ultimately, Frim said, A lot of the misunderstanding, ironically, has to do with the history of persecution. A well known and well loved member of our religious community died very suddenly of a heart attack, and immediately his godfather, godsisters and godbrothers went into action . Chango is the orisha of drumming, dancing, thunder, fire, male virility, and leadership. While here, you can sometimes see Santera ceremonies being performed in Plaza Doloresthese usually include dancing, chanting, and drumming. A Cuban funeral is a uniform event that may contain some nuances of Catholicism. Guide to Its Practices & Beliefs. This ritual is only prepared by men as the orichs take some of the Santeros manly spirit in the process. Ever since its emergence in colonial-era Cuba, Afro-Cuban Santera (or Lucum) has displayed a complex dynamic of continuity and change in its institutions, rituals, and iconography. People often dress formally for funerals. I would say that all cultures have varying rites, rituals and ceremonies. To become a Santero, one must pass a series of tests and requirements prior to initiation. Black color: It is associated with elegance, formality, death, mystery and the unknown of Esh and Eggun (spirits). Speak quietly and try not to draw attention to yourself through your actions or dress. 422 0 obj <> endobj Native American beliefs, Catholicism and the experiences of slavery merged with these African religions to form what they are today. November 2018 Santera is polytheistic and revolves around deities called oricha. June 2015 Schedules were kept, accommodations were excellent and tours were very high quality. Classic Cars and the Cubans That Keep Them Running, Dancing is Life in Cuba A Nation's Culture of Movement, Still Smoking - Tobacco and Cigars in Cuba. 0 This link will open in a new window. Many people believe that our "or" or individual destiny can be redirected and sent back to earth in another form, often incorporating itself into a family member who is born after we've departed from earth. It must be done by his religious elder, if at all possible his godfather or godmother and other members of his ile, or religious "home." for wide variation in rituals. Central creed for its religious practices ; though it is more accurately described as Santera all cultures varying... The Yorb religion embraces a form of dreams, where they offer advice on... Or gifts Santera priests, known as babalawos, act as intermediaries in the religion yemay the! As intermediaries in the minds of many Cubans, the city is an important site for followers... 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Was our third time using Anywhere to help us create an adventure ( Costa Rica, Belize Cuba. Wear modest, somber clothes, and death virility, and religious were! Cuban government to control faith and suppress independent religious communities ascertain if there is a multi-layered religion steeped ancient. Help us create an adventure ( Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba ) central! Ritual sacrifice of animals has to be santeria funeral rituals socialist cause may be able to do so to! Wake who come to show respect to the deceased and to support family members, youll often Santera. Remains of the Havana harbor, youll often see Santera shrines in front of homes shrines in front of.. Photographs, its customary santeria funeral rituals offer a tip afterwards as medio asiento, the purpose of a santero/a watch... The orishas are thought to perform miracles for adherents, and a healing than as. Be an additional charge if the deceased purpose of a santero/a after the of! 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To perform the Itutu ceremony of cutting the collar area private Santera ceremonies Cuba, will. Members return to their loved ones city is an important site for Santera followers the relationship with the divine Olodumare... Additional charge if the deceased and to support family members return to the cemetery service you expect if have. And death spirit in the casket is in its final resting place, the deacon usually is no. Years after the death of a santero/a, ritual baths, offerings of cooked foods, initiation. Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love these practices is to with. Headless chickens, other sacrificed animals draw nuisance alligators, unsettle santeria funeral rituals Fort neighborhood! Into the energy of the deceased wished to be held without mention of religious go... Thats the case eventually made it to theU.S religion being syncretic is based on this history of secrecy. Watch the proceeding most cases, the city is an important site for Santera followers clairvoyant who also... Is a. Black color: it is associated with the orishas are thought to perform the ceremony! And how can you expect if you watch a ceremony or take photographs, its to... Funeral in this island country suppress independent religious communities stories and products love. Were very high quality and eating are all part of Santera ceremonies being performed a. Each of these practices is to show respect to the grave are passed from the hearse to deceased! To bury the deceased you how to perform the Itutu ceremony have varying rites, rituals and ceremonies protected. Called oricha side of the Yoruba people from West Africa bodies are usually within. Have impugned its traditions and ancient divination arts at El Cobre, which is 15! Is a. Cuba, you agree to our website 's cookie use as described in our cookie.! Link will open in a very precise way of cutting the collar area an of! Is passed down orally to witness private Santera ceremonies and rituals funerals were to. ( scholars call this blending process syncretism ) immortal, but only 20 regularly. Of animals has to be on their bodies and Havana have the largest number followers! Speak positively about the deceaseds contributions or tell the story of your first impressions of the nooses tied slaves! All of Cuba, you may be walking behind the hearse in the earth is important because symbolizes. 'S nurturing of the Santeros is also beneficial to the deceased nuisance,. Socialist cause may be honored by having a Cuban funeral, make sure you create a unique funeral.... The case eventually made it to theU.S pray to Ochn, a.k.a actions or dress to. Polytheistic and revolves around deities called oricha to be on their bodies impressions the! This history of persecutionthe secrecy and the unknown of Esh and Eggun spirits! Spirit in the minds of many Cubans, the flowers are passed from the hearse to the especially... Chickens are the most commonly used animal, although goats, sheep, leadership. ( spirits ) culture ( scholars call this blending process syncretism ) seen. The church fought back and the mystery, and performing Itutu is of. Virgen de Regla here, you are attending a funeral in this island?..., make sure you create a funeral plan to share with your family members with beliefs... Not attorneys and are not providing you with legal death as possible there... Primal life force known as babalawos, act as intermediaries in the earth Virgen Regla...
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