Understanding the Lucumi Religion

Lucumi practitioner (Source: Ancient Origins)

During the slave trade Cuba became home to the most diverse populations of enslaved Africans.  They came from coastal and inland regions of the continent, and they brought with them an assorted mix of cultural customs, including ideological/religious beliefs.  Born from this forced migration came a new faith known respectfully as either Lucumi or Ocha, although the popular and disrespectful name is Santeria (used here only for recognition purposes).  This blog post will discuss what is publicly available about the faith.  It is important to note that much is not known for several reasons, which will be disclosed further below, and any inaccuracies provided herein are the fault of the author.

Lucumi is a religion that combines the various African faiths of enslaved Africans brought to Cuba into one.  Some scholars note that there are elements of Catholicism present in Lucumi practices, but devotees vehemently argue against this.  This is but one of many ways that Lucumi is different from the adjacent Vodou faith practiced among Haitians.  It is believed that part of the reason why Catholicism is mixed in with Lucumi is the history of slave owners strictly prohibiting the practice of native African religions, which then had to be practiced under the guise of Catholic practices.  Plus, there are several aspects of Lucumi practice that are attributed to Catholicism, which is not the case.  These principally concern the use of idols representing the primary god and spirits (orisha) worshiped within the faith.  These idols are typically placed on an altar in the home, and homage and tribute are paid to them daily.  Also, the fact that Lucumi is identified as a monotheistic (one primary god) religion but also has lesser deities or ancestral spirits is often associated with Catholicism’s use of Saints.  In fact, some claim that the lesser Lucumi deities or ancestral spirits are referred to as Saints, which further adds to the confusion.

The Lucumi faith is distinctly different from Catholicism, though, in various ways.  First, there is a formalized rites of passage process that all devotees must go through.  Over a year period practitioners will wear white and appropriately colored bracelets representing their orisha(s).  They will abstain from drinking alcohol or using drugs, sleep in the community house, and follow very strict dietary and behavior restrictions.  All of this is meant to represent the cleansing required to become a member of the faith.  Some reports claim that there is also a ritual conducted at the beginning of the process where inductees’ heads are shaved and the body cut slightly to allow for sacred substances to be added to the body to create a permanent link between the individual and the god.  At the end of the year period an animal, typically one associated with the region and the god’s preference, is sacrificed and eaten in celebration, and in subsequent years on the anniversary the same animal is sacrificed and eaten in remembrance.  This is the only report of animal sacrifice in the faith (based on the information available).

Unfortunately, there remains many secrets about the Lucumi faith, but this is largely due to negative stereotypes and misinformation campaigns against Lucumi followers.  Lucumi practitioners are hesitant to share their religious identities for fear of persecution.  Additionally, there is information about Lucumi that is only meant for the faithful, and therefore it cannot be shared.  What is known is due to the large number of Cuban immigrants across the globe there are many Lucumi followers throughout the world, and the faith continues strong despite historical and modern attempts to snuff it out.  It remains an important aspects of Cuban and, in many ways, African identity.

Bibliography

Davis, C. (2018, April 16). Santeria, Culture, and Syncretism in Cuba. Retrieved December 10, 2019, from The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs: https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/santeria-culture-and-syncretism-in-cuba

Dorsey, D. (2017, March 30). BUSTING THE MYTHS OF SANTERIA — AND THEIR ANTI-BLACK ORIGINS. Retrieved December 10, 2019, from Wear Your Voice Magazine: https://wearyourvoicemag.com/identities/anti-black-myths-santeria

Merten, P. (2018, July 31). In Cuba, Santería flourishes two decades after ban was lifted. Retrieved December 10, 2019, from The Ground Truth Project: https://thegroundtruthproject.org/cuba-santeria-catholicism-religion-flourish-two-decades-freedom-granted/

The Pluralism Project. (n.d.). “Santería,” The Lucumi Way. Retrieved December 10, 2019, from The Pluralism Project, Harvard University: http://pluralism.org/religions/afro-caribbean/afro-caribbean-traditions/santeria-the-lucumi-way/