Sacrificial Ceremonies of Santería: A Complete Guide to the Rituals and Practices - Paperback

by Ócha'ni Lele (Author)

The first book to explore the history, methods, and thinking behind sacrifice in the growing Santer a faith

- Explains the animal sacrifice ceremony in step-by-step detail

- Shares the ancient African sacred stories that reveal the well-thought-out metaphysics and spirituality behind the practice of animal sacrifice

- Chronicles the legal fight all the way to its 1993 U.S. Supreme Court victory to establish legal protection for the Santer a faith and its practitioners

Tackling the biggest controversy surrounding his faith, Santer a priest cha'ni Lele explains for the first time in print the practice and importance of animal sacrifice as a religious sacrament. Describing the animal sacrifice ceremony in step-by-step detail, including the songs and chants used, he examines the thinking and metaphysics behind the ritual and reveals the deep connections to the odu of the dilogg n--the source of all practices in this Afro-Cuban faith.

Tracing the legal battle spearheaded by Oba Ernesto Pichardo, head of the Church of the Lukumi of Babaluaiye, over the right to practice animal sacrifice as a religious sacrament, Lele chronicles the fight all the way to its 1993 U.S. Supreme Court victory, which established legal protection for the Santer a faith and its practitioners. Weaving together oral fragments stemming from the ancient Yoruba of West Africa, the author reconstructs their sacred stories, or patak s, that demonstrate the well-thought-out metaphysics and spirituality behind the practice of animal sacrifice in the Yoruba and Santer a religion, including explanations about why each animal can be regarded as food for both humans and the orisha as well as how sacrifice is not limited to animals.

Shedding light on the extraordinary global growth of this religion over the past 50 years, Lele's guide to the sacrificial ceremonies of Santer a enables initiates to learn proper ceremony protocol as well as gives outsiders a glimpse into this most secretive world of the santeros.

Back Jacket

SPIRITUALITY / RELIGION ." . . this book is an absolute must-read! You will find here secrets never before revealed to the outside world . . . you simply cannot ignore this book." --Aaron Leitch, author of Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires ." . . very useful to students of religion, history, and folklore, as well as general readers eager to know more about this complex religion. It will be a welcome addition to academic and public libraries." --Cynthia Duncan, Ph.D., professor of Hispanic studies at the University of Washington Tacoma and author of Unraveling the Real: The Fantastic in Spanish American Ficciones Tackling the biggest controversy surrounding his faith, Santeria priest ocha'ni Lele explains for the first time in print the practice and importance of animal sacrifice as a religious sacrament. Describing the animal sacrifice ceremony in step-by-step detail, including the songs and chants used, he examines the thinking and metaphysics behind the ritual and reveals the deep connections to the odu of the diloggun--the source of all practices in this Afro-Cuban faith. Tracing the legal battle spearheaded by Oba Ernesto Pichardo, head of the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, over the right to practice animal sacrifice as a religious sacrament, Lele chronicles the fight all the way to its 1993 U.S. Supreme Court victory, which established legal protection for the Santeria faith and its practitioners. Weaving together oral fragments stemming from the ancient Yoruba of West Africa and from their descendants who were forcibly relocated to Cuba via the slave trade, the author reconstructs the sacred stories, or patakis, that demonstrate the well-thought-out metaphysics and spirituality behind the practice of animal sacrifice in the Santeria religion. The patakis explain why each sacrificial animal can be regarded as food for both humans and the orishas as well as how the theme of sacrifice is central to this Afro-Cuban religion. Shedding light on the extraordinary global growth of this religion over the past 50 years, Lele's guide to the sacrificial ceremonies of Santeria enables initiates to learn proper ceremonial protocol and gives outsiders a glimpse into this most secretive world of the santeros. oCHA'NI LELE has been immersed in the underground culture of orisha worship since 1989. He made Ocha in 2000 and was crowned a priest of Oya. His other books include Diloggun Tales of the Natural World, Teachings of the Santeria Gods, The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination, Obi Oracle of Cuban Santeria, and The Diloggun: The Orishas, Proverbs, Sacrifices, and Prohibitions of Cuban Santeria. He lives in Winter Park, Florida.

Author Biography

Ócha'ni Lele (1966-2019) was immersed in the underground culture of orisha worship in 1989. He made Ocha in 2000 and was crowned a priest of Oya. His other books include Diloggún Tales of the Natural World, Teachings of the Santería Gods, The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination, Obí Oracle of Cuban Santería, and The Diloggún: The Orishas, Proverbs, Sacrifices, and Prohibitions of Cuban Santería.