Santeria - Cuba

Nov 2003
More and more Cubans are turning to the popular religion of Santeria for spiritual guidance.

In the tiny Cuban town of Regla, a woman is throwing a party for her saint. She watches in delight as her 'saint' writhes to the drums, spitting rum at the guests to cleanse their souls. Santeria was bought to Cuba by African slaves and quickly developed into a home-grown religion. Now 80% of the population are thought to believe in it.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• santeria
• cuba
• religion
• saint
• slave
• african
• spiritual
• guidance
• journeyman
• pictures
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman pictures

[TheEdko1234]

one thing I do seem to be noticing, the afro disporic countries of latino america eg. cuba ,brazil, domincan republic ect. although maybe racially less black than the some anglo contries/cultures, jamica, barbados afro-americans. They are deffienlty more culturally african than their black 'anglo' counterparts! just an intresting observation

[adelgado75]

Why does the United States maintain an embargo against Cuba but trades with China, a communist country?

Do Santeros face problems in Cuba?

[CrowdPleeza]

@adelgado75

Because China is a market economy Cuba is not. Trading with Cuba mainly benefits the Castro gov't.

[CrowdPleeza]

@TheEdko1234

Also just to add. Having a French and catholic history could explain why Voodoo has been popular in New Orleans.

[CrowdPleeza]

@TheEdko1234

I think that comes down to who their slave masters were. The English and protestant slave masters of the U.S and english speaking caribbean were more anti-African culture compared to the Catholic French,Spanish and Portuguese slave masters. Also by them being catholic in Latin America it was easier to disguise the African spirits behind the catholic saints. You don't have these saints with protestantism. So catholicism was useful for preserving African religion.

[CyborgNinja7]

Nothing like living in Miami next to a bunch of Santeria nutcases. Every night they would have a weird ritual. One day I climbed a fence and looked on top of the shack in my neighbor's backyard... a detached goat head staring right back at me. A little jarring to say the least.

[CyborgNinja7]

@adelgado75 The US has a small, but very loud, population of Cuban exiles who wish to see the embargo continued. They believe it will damage Castro and his brother Raul somehow and end their tyranny.

[MnRProdMariolaur]

Another lost religion.....

[bananaremo]

Como se llama la experta de santeria?

[nptsoccagirl16]

I thought this was a song V___V