Santeria: the Religion: Faith, Rites, Magic (World Religion and Magic) - Softcover

González-Wippler, Migene

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1567183298 ISBN 13: 9781567183290

Publisher: Llewellyn Publications, 2002

Synopsis

Brought to Cuba as slaves, the Yoruba people of West Africa preserved their religion's heritage by disguising their gods as Catholic saints and worshipping them in secret. The resulting religion is known as Santeria, a blend of primitive magic and Catholicism now practiced by an estimated five million Americans.

Santeria: The Religion is an informative and insightful examination of an African religion's survival in the New World. No one could write this book better than Migene Gonzalez-Wippler. Combining her informed study as an anthropologist and personal experience as a Santerian initiate results in a thrilling book that reveals some of Santeria's most spellbinding elements:

• The or'shas: the deities of Santeria. Who they are. What they represent. How they may be contacted.
• The santeros: the priests of Santeria. What they are like. What they do. Initiations into the priesthood.
• The diloggœn: shells used in divination. How they are used. Methods to consult the gods with the shells.
• Ewe: the magic of Santeria. Includes herbal potions prepared as medicinal cures.

Santeria: The Religion covers every aspect of this religion, including its rites and ceremonies. Some of these ceremonies may be considered bizarre or controversial―but, if you want to know the truth, get this book.

Santeria: The Religion contains over 65 remarkable photographs that will take you right into Santeria traditions. Interviews with practitioners reveal aspects of the religion rarely disclosed to non-believers.

The time has come to reveal the growing spiritual practice that continues to gain ground worldwide, and to remove the fear and distrust from people who do not understand. Here is the truth about the religion.

About this title

From the Publisher:

There are over 100 million practitioners of Santeria in the United States and Latin America. Despite such wide acceptance and practice, Santeria remains, for the larger, non-Hispanic culture, a mystery shrouded in secrecy.

Secrecy was once vital to the religion's survival. An African religion brought to the Americas by slaves, it was disguised within a facade of Catholicism. Recently, Santeria has experienced a surge in interest among many cultural groups. Now you can discover the inner secrets of this religion in Santeria: The Religion by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler.

In this book, you will find more of the true secrets of Santeria revealed than ever before. You will learn about its fascinating history and its previously clandestine practices and even come to understand some of the most controversial beliefs and practices of this religion.

Through her extensive personal experience (as an initiate into Santeria) and advanced academic study, Gonzalez-Wippler reveals all sides of this mesmerizing faith. She shows how this complete, dynamic spiritual system is as viable as any of the world's major religions.

Santeria may be the best-kept secret of Hispanic culture. If your exposure to this religion has been from seeing voodoo dolls in bad movies, I challenge you to consider an alternative: the truth. No matter your background, if you are ready to discover the secrets of this faith, get Santeria: The Religion.

About the Author:

Migene Gonzalez-Wippler was born in Puerto Rico and has degrees in psychology and anthropology from the University of Puerto Rico and from Colombia University.  She has worked as a science editor for the  Interscience Division of John Wiley, the American Institute of Physics, and the American Museum of Natural History, and as an English editor for the United Nations in Vienna, where she lived for many years.  She is a cultural anthropologist and lectures frequently at universities and other educational institutions.

About this edition

• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1567183298
• ISBN 13: 9781567183290
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 384