Santeria or Brujeria?

Many people in Miami have misconceptions wether Santeria and Brujeria are the same religion,and if both are ment to harm others. It all started in West Africa with the Yoruba tribe. When the spaniards went to Africa they took the whole tribe to different  American countries such as Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Haiti , etc. They were called Lukumi because of the way they greeted each other as oloku- mi (my friend). Also Lukumi is what their languange is called. The Catholic church tried to imposed their religion to them. Since they wanted to keep their beliefs, they decided to take the most popular saints from the catholic religion and identify them as their gods (Orishas).

       When the trumph of the Cuban comunist revolution in 1959 more than a million of cubans migrated to the U.S, specially to Miami. Among those inmigrants there were lots of Santeros, Babalawos and Paleros/Brujeros. Here is when people began to have misconceptions about the Yoruba religion(Santeria). Santeria is just like other religions mainly believes in God, which they called Olofi. They also have 16 amedments or Leyes de Ifa: (1)Don’t say what you don’t know.(2)Don’t do rituals you don’t know.(3)Don’t take people through the wrong paths.(4)Don’t lie to others.(5)Don’t pretend to be a genious when your not.(6)Be charitable.(7)Don’t be fake.(8)Don’t brake the Tabu(sacred promises).(9)Maintain the sacred instruments clean.(10)Maintain temple clean.(11) Respect the weakest.(12)Respect moral laws.(13)Don’t betrayed a friend.(14)Respect the elders.(15)Respect jerarkies.(16)Don’t reveal secrets.The communication between the Orishas and the humans consists of ritulas, preyers, and offers which are the sacrifices of animals. Most of the sacrifices include chickens and pigeons which are use to cure illnesses, and to solve serious problem.  To get to be a santero or a babalawo(priest) you need to have a ceremony in which a person takes  a representation of a saint by going through different kinds of rituals. You can recognize a babalawo or a santero because of the way they dress which is usually all white or when they have lots of different necklecess of different colors; thet representeach of the Orichas.

        The Palo Mayombe religion is different from Santeria. It comes from El Congo a place in Africa. Paleros or brujeros as their called, are the ones can do harm to people by sending bad spirtis that can even lead you to death or save you from it. These spirits come from Prendas, which are consecrated pots that contain sticks, bones, dirts and herbs that are sacred to certain Gods and Goddesses of Palo. Only an experienced Palero can properly construct a Prenda. Prendas are very powerful in the hands of a trained Palero, and can be utilized to perform nearly any function. If an unexperience Palero tries to work with the Prenda they can loose control and it can have them go crazy.

People get confuse between both religions because they have the same celebration ceremonies to honor an specific Oricha. For this ceremony you need build a temple with the colors of the Oricha. You use fabrics, necklaces, flowers, fruits and the instruments to thank the Oricha, to decorate the temple. Also, you invite family members and friends , that not necessarily need to be involved in the religion to celebrate with them and honor the god. The person that is giving the party makes different kinds of desserts that are offered to the god, then the people enjoy it after the ceremony is done. In these ceremonies people sing and dance for the Orichas and this opens the doors for the spirits to come in and express themselves through living humans. If you are not a santero is really hard for the spirit talk through you. When the spirit talks it can say the future, present or past of any person in ceremony. None of these religions are necessesarily bad, they both are used to cure and to solve people’s necesities. It’s been proven!

   –http://www.angelfire.com/stars3/sieterayos/whatispalo.html

   – http://www.orishasthebest.com/

   –http://www.orichas.com/espanha/default.asp#    

    – http://www.mayacreations.com/images/7africanpowers.jpg