1. Las Mujeres Cubanas y la Santeria
Women Practicing Santeria in Cuba
Nancy J. Padrón

2. Introduction CUBA The most practiced religion on the
Island is Santeria.
Born among the African Yoruban people who were taken to Cuba as slaves between the 16th and 19th centuries.

3. Definition Santeria: Orisha: Means “veneration of the Saints”
Fuses African myths with Catholic Saints.
Syncretic religion
Orisha:
A divine being, who like Catholic Saints, is petitioned on behalf of humanity and who’s origin stems from the religious worldview of the Yoruba people.

4. Syncretization
Virgen de las Mercedes
Our Lady of Mercy
Obatala

5. Syncretization Ochun Virgen de la Caridad (Patron Saint of Cuba)
Our Lady of Charity

6. Syncretization
Chango
Santa Barbara
St. Barbara

7. Syncretization
Virgen de Regla
Our Lady of Rule
Yemaya

8. Society in Cuba Santeria is understood to permeate
all aspects of Cuban society.
Currently, it is estimated that between 91% and 96% of Cubans practice Santeria.

9. Ferminita Gomez Born in 1860 and Died in 1958 Omo Yemaya
Yemaya Daughter

10. Ferminita Gomez
Was the first Santera to perform an Olokun Ceremony in Cuba – a very detailed and involved ceremony – that no one had been able to perform before her.
The rituals of this ceremony were passed down to her from her great, grandmother to her grandmother to her mother and then to her.
She was a respected Santera who was doted upon by many whites in Matanzas, Cuba.

11. Role of Women Contrary to the status of women in
Cuba, particularly people of color who
had been subjugated for centuries…..
In Santeria, the women were respected
and revered because they played an
integral role in the hierarchy of the
religion.

12. Santeras
The reason for this reverence was because women symbolically gave birth to their Godchildren in a ceremony called an “Asiento” (which is when the “Iyawo” (Initiate) is joined with the Orisha that claims them).
Asientos can not take place if Men are the only ones present. Symbolically, since men can not “give birth”

13. Santeras as Godmothers
Santeras take their role as Godmothers very seriously and from the moment the initate is born – the “baby Iyawo” is their responsibility and the care which includes instruction and training - is a lifetime commitment. Symbolic to Motherhood.

14. Women as Iyawos
The Iyawo after a year learns the teachings of her ancestors - is then ready to practice as a Santera as evaluated by the Godmother and by the learning that has taken place which prepares her to participate rituals and ceremonies.

15. Conclusion Santeria, in spite of being a full
fledged religion in its own right – was never granted the status of other religious institutions in Cuba.
Instead it was looked upon as a
folkloric religion.

16. Conclusion
Paradoxically, today, due to the fact that Catholics and others were persecuted when Fidel Castro took over the country – Santeria has now taken its place within Cuban Society and Society at large.

17. Conclusion
There is a concern among Santeras, the Godchildren of Ferminita Gomez, that Santeria is allowed to be practiced not so much for its religious and spiritual reverence - but for its economic revenues as a main source of touristic attraction.