Santería

Santería
Family	African diaspora / Yoruba-derived
Origin region	Cuba, from Yoruba, Catholic, and Caribbean contexts
Founding period	Developed during the colonial and enslaved African experience in Cuba
Estimated adherents	Practiced in Cuba, the Caribbean, Latin America, the United States, and diaspora communities.

Santería is santería, also known as Regla de Ocha or Lucumí, is an African diaspora religion rooted especially in Yoruba traditions and centered on the orishas, divination, initiation, offerings, music, and ritual community.

Overview

Santería developed in Cuba among enslaved Africans and their descendants, especially those preserving Yoruba religious heritage in dialogue with Catholic and Caribbean contexts. Practitioners honor orishas, maintain ritual lineages, and use divination and initiation to guide religious life.

Key beliefs

• Olodumare as the supreme divine source
• Orishas as divine powers associated with nature, character, ancestors, and destiny
• Ashé as sacred power or life force
• Destiny, divination, sacrifice, and ritual reciprocity
• Lineage, initiation, and godparent relationships

Practices

• Offerings and sacrifice
• Orisha songs, drumming, and dance
• Divination using systems such as diloggun and Ifá in related contexts
• Initiation into priesthood or orisha devotion
• Household altars and ritual feasts

Places of worship

• Ilé or religious house
• Home shrine
• Ritual room or community ceremony space

Sacred texts

• Oral tradition
• Patakí stories of the orishas
• Divination verses and lineage teachings

Holidays and observances

• Feast days associated with orishas
• Initiation anniversaries
• Community ceremonies tied to lineage calendars

Branches and related traditions

• Yoruba religion - West African religious traditions from which many orisha traditions descend.
• African diaspora religions - A broad family including Vodou, Candomblé, Umbanda, and related traditions.
• Vodou - A related but distinct African diaspora religion.

See also

• Religion
• Theology
• Philosophy of religion
• New Religious Movements
• Indigenous and Traditional Religions