Lucumi Saints A Reflection of Two Cultures
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Afro-Cuban myths stem from a blending of two cultures, that of the Spanish Catholics, and that of the Yoruba people of Africa. Both societies played and continue to play a large role in what is the history and cultural development of Cuba. These groups, along with bringing their people to a new island, also brought their system of beliefs, which, not surprisingly became merged and yielded an entirely new faith, which is now commonly known as Santeria.
Santeria is based on the practices and beliefs of the Roman Catholics and the Lucumi of the Yoruba people. Many deities are worshipped and revered. Each deity, sometimes referred to as a "saint," has very specific powers and most of them have a pretty detailed background. The biographies of the pantheon are a direct product of the lives and societies of those who believe in them. In both Cuban and Yoruba cultures, it may be proposed that the deities of the Lucumi pantheon are each shaped as a result of daily life practices and also of historical experiences that both societies have encountered.
One of the better-known saints in the practices of the Lucumi goes by the name Chango. For many believers, he is the most powerful orisha, or deity...