Like in the Yoruba tradition Santeria is based on ashe and ebbo. Ashe means power, amen, energy. It is like a blessing, is like a symbol of divine power with which God Oloddumare created the universe. According to the Santeria religion everything that we have is made of ashe, therefore everything is possible through ashe. Oloddumare is all; he has always existed like God. For this reason he is not considered an orisha. Any problem can be solved o matter how difficult it is. Also problems with love, money, and spells can be solved through ashe which is power and authority.

Hierarchy of beings in early Santeria

Olodumare = God

Olofi = Jesus

Ashe Orisha = the saints

Eguns = dead

Humans

Plants and animals

"Non- living" things

According to the Santeros who are the priest and priests of the religion. " The dead must be honored before the orisha."(Whippler76). Eggun is the dead, which is the spirit of one’s ancestors or santeros of high rank. Ancestors are very important in Santeria for this reason they are kept in a special place in the home of the santero that is called boveda. This consists of a table covered with a white cloth where goblets of water are dedicated to them. In some cases the santero use dolls to represent an African eggun, they are dresses with the name of the eggun, and with the colors of the orisha that the eggun was devoted to. A doll is not a representation of it for this reason it is not worshiped. In Santeria there is not a festival in honor to eggun, but instead of this the santero celebrates November 2 as a special day given to the deads. This is also a common practice in the Catholic Church nowadays.

Ebbo is also very important in the practice of Santeria. An ebbo is a sacrisfice that sometimes are needed in order to receive ashe from the orishas. According to this religion the earth is divided into good and evil forces, for this reason ebbos are needed in different cases. A sacrifice does not always mean blood, because this is considered to be the essence of life. The blood of an animal is just use in cases where the orisha ask for it through the santero. An ebbo can also be the offering of a fruit, flowers, candles of different colors, or their favorite food. An ebbo with blood of an animal is used for the solution of big problems, or when the life of the person is in danger. The orishas are the only ones who desidees what types of ebbo they want. This is done through the seashells readings made by the santero.

Most of the people that go to see a santero have personal problems like bad luck, love problems, illness of all kinds, money problems, haunting, and witchcraft. Clients go for a consultation with the santero to find the solution of their problems. Others go because they say that a spirit is following them because they were sent by a hide enemy that they have. The santero finds these problems and their solutions through the reading of the seashells.

No all santeros conduct a reading with seashells, others prefer to use spansh playing cards, a cigar, or just with a simple glass of water. No matter what method of divination is use the eggun or the orisha is the only one to determines the cure to the problems or illness of a person, and the ebbos needed. When the solutions or instructions are given to the santero they are written in notebook called libreta. Some clients may have to use herbs, candles, and prayer for an specific saint. In other cases there might be the possibility of ritual cleansings with animals to take out the negative vibrations that are perturbing any given person. When an animal is needed the blood is offered to God and the remaining is disposed.

The sacrifice of animal in ebbos has been a controversial issue within the Santeria religion. There are groups that promote the care and treatment of animals, so they are against Santeria sacrifices. They consider that it is fair to kill an animal for an offering, or for a cleaning of a client. The santeros defend themselves by ssaying that this is part of their rituals in Santeria. Santeros response to this is that animals are killed in a humane way. They say that roosters, and chickens are killed like millions of other animals that are slaughtered everyday for eating. They also say that sacrifice with animals was also practice during ancient times. Santeros considered that there is nothing wrong with it because they sacrifice an animal in the name of the orishas. Santeros keep doing their sacrifices when need it because the court and the banning of animal sacrifices" In 1993 the supreme court of the United States ruled that the ban represented an unconstitutional infringement on freedom of religion." (on line encyclopedia 1-2)

Moreover believers in Santeria think that santeros are able to cure any illness or any problem with the help of the orishas. Santeros also share this opinion. One santera said " She was in comma at Washington Hospital Center, and the doctors didn’t give any hope. She didn’t open her eyes. Nothing. I cried and prayed to San Lazaro. Thanks to God, she is alive and with her children."(Moreno 2).

Also among the practices of Santeria sahumerios and riegos are also very commonly used to clean the house, and to expel out the evil spirits. Sahumerios are incenses, and riegos are made of plants boiled in water to sprinkled throughout the house. Sometimes this can be done without going to see a santero. Some people are familiar with herbs and their use, so they just buy them and create their own riegos for the house.

Botanicas are also very important within the Santeria religion. These botanicas are stores that provide supply for the clients. In these stores people can find the things they are told to buy by the santero for their cure. When we enter these stores we find a variety of charms for good luck, love, and money. We find herbs for bath, or for the cleansing of the house. They also sell essences, and oils for love, and money. We can also find a great variety of incensesto burn in the house to give fragrance, or to send away the bad spirits. Here we can also find books of prayers for the saints, books on magic. The images of saints are also sold in this place to the public. They have different saints in all the sizes. Magi soaps, and bottled despojos that are also bath for different needs. They are access to the public in the botanicas. There are also different kinds of candles in their color, shape, and size. They are use according to the santero suggestions.

Very often the owners of the botanicas are santeros that consult their clients, and provides them with the material needed for their necessities. If the owner of a botanica is not a santero. The owner or the staff working there will have knowledge in how to use the products that they sell to the public.

In addition to this most of the Puerto Rican people that believe and practice the Santeria religion are Catholics. But the Catholic Church is against any kind of divination. For this reason santeros are not seen very well through the church eyes. Santeros pray t and worship the catholic saints venerating the Yoruba deities of Africa at the same time. One santero said, " What we do is use songs, sacrifices, and special herbs to remove a persons bad luck" said Monier, who attends a Catholic mass every Sunday. " But we still believe in God Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, just like the Catholics do." (Emling 3).

Even though that the church is not in favor of Santeria most of their followers practice the Catholic religion as well as Santeria. There is strong relationship between the Catholic Church and Santeria. An example of this is " the obvious syncretism between chango and saint Barbara, the santero worships them separately, but in the same way." (Whippler 268).

Also another similarity between Santeria and the Catholic Church is use of prayers to worship the Yoruba orishas. Another catholic element that is very commonly used in the Santeria religion is the use of the Holy Water. In Santeria this water is use in all the cleaning baths as a purification substance. This could be also use to clean the aura that is the center of energy that we all have. This water can also be use for the cleaning of the house, or it can be mix with other substances for the riegos of the house.

Most of the followers who want to become santero have to receive the Baptist sacrament before getting initiated in to the Santeria religion. Santeros also recommend their clients and followers to go to mass services. In some Catholic Churches Saint Barbara is one of the most popular saints that are worshiped. She is knowledge to be the patron of soldiers and miners. There are basilicas all over the world devote to her. In Santeria she is associate with Shango, and is also very popular among the Santeria religion. Shango and saint Barbara symbolized two deities in one. They are both attributed the same powers. For most followers of Santeria see their religion as an extension of the Catholic Church infuse with new rich power and with new beliefs.

Santeria is a religion that is gaining more followers everyday. The reason that can explain why Catholic Puerto Ricans also practice the Santeria religion can be that they had a lot of influence from Africans who stayed in the island as slaves. Puerto Ricans were left with some of the influence of their traditions, culture, and food. Africans contribute a lot to their culture. Puerto Ricans are proud of their African ancestry that has been incorporated in the Santeria religion.

Works cited

Brandom, George. Santeria from Africa to the New World: the dead sell memories. Indianapolis: Indiana UP, 1993.

Embling, Shelley. " Santeria: Flourish of animism just beneath the Catholic veil." Atlanta Journal – Constitution (1998): 1-3.

Gonzalez-Whippler, Migene. Santeria: The Religion. New York: Llewellyn, 1998.

Moreno, Sylvia. "The Spirit of Santeria; Once Largely Unknown in Area, Afro-Cuban faith Attracts a following" Washington post. 4 January 2000: B01