Date:  11-15-88  07:06
From:  Ammond Shadowcraft
To:    All
Subj:  Santeria, part 2 of 9


EID:71f9 116ab44c

 
     The   Africans  who  were  brought  to  (what  is  now)  the 
Caribbean,  Central  and South America were in a  sense,  lucky. Here  they
found almost an identical weather,  flora and  similar fauna  that  enabled
them to quickly adapt to their own  ways  of 
"thinking" and to some extent, of living. And it is at this point 
that the history of modern day "Cult of the Orichas" (cult of the saints)
begins... 
 
     Customs  and traditions of the white men were forced on  the 
new inhabitants;  particularly, religious ones: Catholicism. They had  no 
choice,  it was submission or to face certain  death...so they
yielded...aparently, for the similarities among the catholic way  of  worship
and their own became  quite  obvious.  When  the catholic priest spoke of
Jesus they saw "Olofin"; when they spoke of God they saw "Olordumare";  when
they spoke of the Holy Spirit they  saw "Baba Nkua" and so it was with the
rest of the Catholic Saints... So it was that under a disguise of conversion
they were able  to sustain and even promote their  ancestral  religion:"The
religion of the Orichas (Saints)". 
 
     Another factor  that  contributed  to  the  proliferation of 
their religious practise was that of "sympathetic" masters. These usually
were slaves masters who owned their health (or the health of any other family
member) to  a  "local"  Santeria priest (they were expert  herbalists).  On 
other  occasions, African sorcerers helped some of  these  owners  get  out
of embarrassing situations with the help  of their "magic" (namely,
manufacturing of potions for poisoning,  for   inducing sleep, as stimulants,
for inducing abortions, etc. etc.).  These  particular  type  of help was
only given when the sorcerer was certain that the master who requested his 
services  (Thru the intervention of a friendly slave who was the link between
 the  sorcerer and the master) could be trusted; sorcerers didn't dare to
take the initiative of using their magic against  any  of  the  white   men, 
for  the  price if known was severely high: Death by torture; sometimes,
"Blanching", that is, taking the skin off the  live  slave  exposing  the
white portion underneath.  In any  case  it  was  complete  annihilation  of
his family, himself and any other slaves suspected of helping him. 
 
     In Cuba and some portions of the Caribbean this religion is 
known as "Santeria" or The religion of the Saints. In Haiti it is known as
"VooDoo", in Brazil is "Macumba" and in some portions of the  lesser antilles
"Candomble".  The differences in naming this religion has its roots in
history itself... 
 
     Spain,  Portugal  and France were the commanding  colonizing 
nations  of  these portions of the  new  world.  Spain  colonized Puerto
Rico, Santo Domingo, Cuba, Mexico and some other countries 

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 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)