History of Santeria and More
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CHANGO SANTERIA GOD - Click here to read a Chango Story and a Magic Spell with this Powerful Oricha...
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SANTERIA VOCABULARIO - Haga click para ver el significado de las Palabras de Santeria y el vocabulario Lucumi...
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THE BEAT OF SANTERIA - A tribute to the dancers, music and composers that enrich the Santeria religion with their talent. Read the story and watch the video!
HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF SANTERIA
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The Yoruba Tribe in Nigeria Africa is the origin of the Lucumi Religion. The Lucumi Religion is based on a Supreme Being known as Oluddumare. He is responsible for creating the Universe and the first Oricha – Obatala. That is why Obatala is known as the Father of the Orichas.
Because of its primitive origins the Lucumi religion associates all of the Orichas with nature and the forces of the universe. Each Oricha reigns over one such natural forces. The slave trade brought the Lucumi Religion to the Western Hemisphere and in some countries it was synchretized with the Catholic Religion and that is the origin of Santeria as it is practiced today.
There are seven major Orichas in Santeria. There are many Patakies or stories surrounding them as each of the Orichas have different paths and forms that represent different stages of their lives.
The principal Orichas are:
Obatala – All wisdom and Father of all Orichas
Yemaya – Goddess of the Sea
Ochun – Goddess of the Rivers and fresh water
Chango – God of thunder
Oya – Goddess of the wind
Eleggua – God of the Roads
Oggun – God of metals
The Lucumi Religion is full of mysteries and though there are many that study it deeply and for many years only some get to master it completely. However, once a person is initiated in Santeria it becomes an essential part of their lives. It is passed down from generation to generation and it has survived through the centuries.
HISTORY OF CHANGO AND SPELL (TRABAJO)
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Click here to Visit Our Chango Botanica at Divinafe.com
His perfect physical beauty represents virility. He was blessed from birth with the intuition required for divination. His name in Yoruba means war. Chango is one of the most popular Orichas. He is the king of fertility, wealthy, fun, wise, loves music but he is also irritable. Chango is the God of thunder and lightning.
In one of the stories that surrounds Chango he went to war disguised as Oya his lover. Oya came out to fight next to him and proclaimed that “Chango and Oya together would always be invincible.” It is believed that is how the syncretism with Saint Barbara was born.
Chango had many lovers and many problems because of their constant fighting and jealousy. Having been crowned King of the Earth by his father Obatala he also had many enemies. One day Chango tired of it all and went to the forest looking for refuge and peace. His lovers and enemies looked for him in vain and believed he had died but Chango in his wisdom proclaimed, “I’m not dead and never will be but now that my wives think I’m dead they have stopped their fighting and jealousy and my enemies have forgotten their rancor. Therefore I will ascend to heaven and from there I will govern. My voice will be the ray of lightning ad I will take care of my own.” And so he did.
Today many of his followers honor him with ceremonies that include dancing and music and Chango in turn takes care of them. His tools are made of wood and his spirit lives in beautiful, ornate wood bateas that are placed in altars. His colors are red and white and are represented in necklaces and macutos that are worn and carried for protection.
Those who love Chango and Saint Barbara honor and invoke their power through many different types of rituals. Below I bring you a Spiritual Bath that is an offering to their presence and a prayer for their blessings:
Bath offered to Chango / Saint Barbara for Weatlh and Abundance
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
- Melt the sugar until it becomes caramelized
- Stick the 4 cinnamon sticks in the apple and pour the caramelized sugar on top
- Sprinkle the apple with the caramelized sugar with gold glitter
- In a bowl mix 4 teaspoons of each of the perfumes mentioned above
- Place the 4 rose’s petals in the perfume mixture
- Light the red candle and place it in the middle of your altar
- On one side of the candle place the apple and on the other side place the perfume mixture with the roses.
- Say the following prayer: Oh powerful Chango, it has never been said that you have turned away anyone that has come to you in faith to ask for your help. Today I come to you powerful Saint Barbara/Chango to empower this bath in your name so that prosperity, love and attraction shine in my life just like your Ray of lightning light up the Sky. I ask you humbly in the name of the powerful creator. Amen
- Bathe - You are now ready to take your bath and do the final rinse with the perfumes. After the candle is finished take the apple and bury it somewhere in your backyard or in a potted plant.
Don’t forget to do it with Divina Fe (Divine Faith).
YEMAYA – HER MYSTERIES AND ATTRIBUTES
Anyone that has ever contemplated the ocean has at some point been owed by its beauty and power. The ocean, giver of life and fountain of nourishment, can also be extremely frightening and dangerous. It is the same with Yemaya, Goddess of the sea and Mother of all the Orichas. Like all Mothers she is loving and protector of her children but she can also be sever and frightful.
There are many stories or Patakis about Yemaya and just as many paths. One thing that most of the stories agree with is that Yemaya is the Mother of the Orichas and the giver of life. In some of the stories she was married to Obatala while in others she was the wife of Babalu Aye. She lives in the bottom of the Sea and is considered one of the most powerful goddesses in the Yoruba religion.
The ATTRIBUTES of Yemaya go with the characteristics of the Goddess. Each of her tools has a special symbolism:
The Anchor and Life Saver - The Children of Yemaya enjoy the protection of their mother throughout their lives. These attributes represent the security and support that she offers them in their life path.
The Key – This attribute reminds her followers that Yemaya possesses the Key to the Secrets of the Oceans. She holds the key to the Origin of life. She is willing to share her knowledge and wisdom with her children as they earn it. But she can also take it away.
The Oars and Wheel – A symbol of the control that Yemaya offers her children to overcome life circumstances. Also, a reminder that with her help, her children will be capable of steering their way through life.
The Bangles – Represent the Riches of the Ocean that Yemaya is capable of sharing with her Children and followers.
The Mermaid – Symbolizes the feminine power of the Ocean to give life and guard the secret of its origins. Most Yoruba traditions symbolize Yemaya as a beautiful and enchanting Mermaid.
This attributes are kept in the Sopera that can be any shade of blue and white and can be adorned with silver or gold. Her necklace is made up of clear and blue beads and the image of Yemaya is represented by a mermaid.
A fierce protector of her children she is a powerful witch. Yemaya can be generous and noble but her children take great care not to offend her because, like the ocean she represents, her strong temperament knows no boundaries.
VISIT OUR YEMAYA BOTANICA AT DIVINAFE.COM
Our Lady Of Charity – Lovingly known as Cachita to the people of Cuba has a simple and beautiful story. In and around the year 1600 three local boys from Santiago Del Prado, which is presently known as El Cobre, were sent to sea to gather salt used to preserve the meat in the town’s slaughterhouse. The boys were brothers Rodrigo and Juan de Hoyos native Indians and Juan Moreno a young black slave about 10 years old.
Halfway across the Bay of Nipe, a fierce storm threatened to sink their small boat and they prayed for divine help. The seas calmed down suddenly and the boys saw a white bundle floating in the distance atop a piece of wood. At first the boys confused it for a bird but as they got closer they saw that it was a small statue of the Virgin Mary. She was holding Baby Jesus in her left arm and carried a gold cross in her right hand. In the wood the words, Yo soy la Virgen de la Caridad (I am the Virgin of Charity) were inscribed.
The boys gathered the statue noticing that despite the strong storm that had just passed and the high waves of the ocean it was not wet. The young men brought the statue back to their village and a chapel was built. Soon the chapel became a pilgrimage site and the town where her sanctuary was built was named “El Cobre”. In 1916 Pope Benedict XV declared Our Lady of Charity patroness of Cuba.
Her feast day is celebrated September 8th the same day that the Afrocuban religion of Santeria celebrates the feast day of the Oricha Ochun. African slaves identified Cachita with Ochun the Oricha or Goddess of love, femininity and sensuality. To this day practitioners of the Yoruba Religion synchretize Ochun with the beloved Catholic image of Our Lady of Charity.
Regardless of whether you pray to Cachita or Ochun don’t forget to light a yellow candle this September 8th. Ask them to look upon us mortals with eyes of charity and invite them to spread their love and kindness into our hearts. Nothing you request is too small or too big for them. |
