santeria

Santeria, better known as La Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lukumi, or simply "La Relgion" is an Afro-Cuban religion with roots from the Yoruba people of West Africa, Nigeria. It is the worship of the Orishas which are the primordial energies of creation and the movement that guides human conciousness. Contrary to popular belief, there is no mixture between Catholocism and Santeria. The saints were merely used as a mask to hide the worship of the Orishas when the religion was forbidden and forced to go underground in Cuba. Building Character, ceremony, initiation, divination and animal offering are essential elements of this religion.