118-536: Royal Palm may refer to: Royal palm or Roystonea , a genus of palm trees Royal Palm (train) , a passenger train of the Southern Railway Royal Palm (turkey) , a breed of domestic turkey See also [ edit ] Royal Palm Golf and Country Club , Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan Royal Palms Resort and Spa , Phoenix, Arizona Royal Palm Hotel (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
236-403: A rinconcito ("little corner"), a small area in which they collect together assorted objects, often those typically found in a household, as a material manifestation of the dead. Offerings to the dead may be placed here. Many practitioners will also enshrine their family ancestors under the bathroom sink. This location is chosen so that the ancestors can travel between the realms of the living and
354-407: A santera or santero has, the greater their aché . The "godchildren" are expected to contribute both their labor and finances to events held at the ilé and in return the santero / santera provides assistance for their needs. Within the religion, offending one's godparent is regarded as also offending the oricha that "rules the head". Practitioners express respect both to their godparent and
472-404: A santero or santera who has attracted a following. An apprentice is known as their ahijado (godson) or ahijada (goddaughter). They refer to their santero / santera as padrino (godfather) or madrina (godmother). The relationship between santeros / santeras and their "godchildren" is central to the religion's social organization, and practitioners believe that the more "godchildren"
590-461: A secret society . For ritual purposes, the Lucumí language is often used. Sometimes referred to as la lengua de los orichas ("the language of the oricha "), it is regarded as a divine language through which practitioners can contact the deities. Although some practitioners are uncomfortable using it, most initiates know tens or hundreds of Lucumí words and phrases. Most Cubans do not understand
708-403: A child and who is perceived as the "guardian" of the crossroads. At that point the practitioner may turn to divination to determine the precise meaning of the encounter. The information obtained from these messages may then help practitioners make decisions about their life. Santería teaches that the human head contains a person's essence, their eledá or orí . It maintains that before birth,
826-501: A green leaf sheath [the crownshaft] and pinnate leaves" growing in central Florida. While no type collection is known, there are no other native palms that would fit Bartram's description. In 1946 Francis Harper pointed out that Bartram's name was valid and proposed a new combination, Roystonea elata . Liberty Hyde Bailey 's use of the name in his 1949 revision of the genus, established its usage. Harper's new combination immediately supplanted Cook's R. floridana , but there
944-644: A landscape palm. It appears to naturalise with ease, and extensive naturalised populations are present in Panama , Costa Rica , and Guyana. In the United States it grows mostly in central and southern Florida, Hawaii , Puerto Rico , and in South Texas in the Rio Grande Valley and southern California . The leaves of Roystonea regia are used as roosting sites by Eumops floridanus ,
1062-592: A larval host plant for the butterflies Pyrrhocalles antiqua orientis and Asbolis capucinus in Cuba, and Brassolis astyra and B. sophorae in Brazil. It is susceptible to bud rot caused by the oomycete Phytophthora palmivora and by the fungus Thielaviopsis paradoxa . The species is considered an invasive species in secondary forest in Panama. Roystonea regia has been planted throughout
1180-730: A maximum stem diameter of 61 cm (24 in).) The trunk is stout, very smooth and grey-white in colour with a characteristic bulge below a distinctive green crownshaft. Trees have about 15 leaves which can be up to 4 m (13 ft) long. The flowers are white with pinkish anthers. The fruit are spheroid to ellipsoid in shape, 8.9–15 millimetres (0.35–0.59 in) long and 7–10.9 mm (0.28–0.43 in) wide. They are green when immature, turning red and eventually purplish-black as they mature. Root nodules containing Rhizobium bacteria have been found on R. regia trees in India. The presence of rhizobia -containing root nodules
1298-476: A means of concealing their continued worship of the former from the Spanish authorities, or as a means of facilitating social mobility by assimilating into Roman Catholic social norms. Santería's focus is on cultivating a reciprocal relationship with the oricha , with adherents believing that these deities can intercede in human affairs and help people if they are appeased. Practitioners argue that each person
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#17327808625111416-458: A mix of both. Practitioners also believe that the number and identities of these spirits can be determined through divination. It draws a distinction between evolved spirits, who can help those they are attached to, and unevolved spirits, who lack the wisdom and skill to be useful and instead cause havoc. Santería teaches that through offerings and prayers, individuals can help some of their unevolved spirits to become evolved. Santería also divides
1534-409: A more masculinist orientation, such as Palo, have often denigrated it for being dominated by women and men they consider to be "womanly". Santería is a practice-oriented religion; ritual correctness is considered more important than belief . It has an elaborate system of ritual, with its rites termed ceremonias (ceremonies). Most of its activities revolve around the oricha , focusing on solving
1652-415: A new species, R. floridana , which is now considered a synonym of R. regia . In 1906 Charles Henry Wright described two new species based on collections from Georgetown , British Guiana (now Guyana ) which he placed in the genus Euterpe — E. jenmanii and E. ventricosa . Both species are now considered synonyms of R. regia . The name R. regia var. hondurensis
1770-413: A particular dance style. The dances at the toque de santo are believed to generate aché , strengthening the link between the realms of the oricha and humanity. Dancing either alone or first in front of the drums at the toque de santo is considered a privilege and is usually reserved for the most experienced initiate present. There are specific rules of engagement that are laid out for taking part in
1888-418: A place to store ritual paraphernalia, kitchen facilities, and space for visitors to sleep. The ilé refers not only to the building where ceremonies take place, but also the community of practitioners who meet there. In this sense, many ilés trace a lineage back to the 19th century, with some santeros and santeras capable of listing the practitioners who have been initiated into it. In some ceremonies,
2006-404: A potentially useful source for the use in lightweight composite materials. An extract from R. regia fruit known as D-004 reduces benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) in rodents. D-004, is a mixture of fatty acids , is being studied as a potential alternative to finasteride for the treatment of BPH. Roystonea regia plays an important role in popular religion in Cuba. In Santería it
2124-403: A regular basis, and at least once a year. Given to strengthen the supernatural forces, to thank them, or as a supplication, they help form a reciprocal relationship with these entities in the hope of receiving something in return. If this fails to materialise, practitioners may resort to several explanations: that the details of the ritual were incorrect, that the priest or priestess carrying out
2242-567: A roosting site and food source for a variety of animals. Roystonea regia is the national tree of Cuba, and has a religious role both in Santería and Christianity, where it is used in Palm Sunday observances. Roystonea regia is a large palm which reaches a height of 20–30 metres (66–98 ft) tall, (with heights up to 34.5 m (113 ft) reported) and a stem diameter of about 47 centimetres (19 in). (K. F. Connor reports
2360-437: A single species. Widely planted as an ornamental, R. regia is also used for thatch, construction timber, and in some forms of traditional medicine , although there is currently no valid scientific evidence to support the efficacy or use of any palm species for medicinal purposes. The fruit is eaten by birds and bats (which disperse the seeds) and fed to livestock. Its flowers are visited by birds and bats, and it serves as
2478-402: A specific oricha , a group of oricha , or all of the oricha . Those playing the batá are called batáleros , and have their own hierarchy separate from that of the priesthood. Santería drumming is male dominated; women are discouraged or banned from playing the batá during ceremonies, although by the 1990s some women practitioners in the U.S. had taken on the role. Practitioners explain
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#17327808625112596-504: A variety of superficially similar species which were not, in fact, closely related. To address this problem, American botanist Orator F. Cook created the genus Roystonea , which he named in honour of American general Roy Stone , and renamed Kunth's species Roystonea regia . Cook considered Floridian populations to be distinct from both the Cuba R. regia and the Puerto Rican R. borinquena , and he placed them in
2714-519: A wider distribution in the past. Roystonea regia is most abundant in Cuba, where is occurs on hillsides and valleys. In southern Florida, Roystonea regia occurs in strand swamps and hardwood hammocks . Royal Palm State Park in the Everglades was established due to the high concentration of the species. Roystonea is cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates in the United States, Australia , Brazil , and parts of southern Asia as
2832-443: A year-long period, the iyaworaje ("journey of the iyawo "), during which they must observe certain restrictions, the nature of which depends on their tutelary oricha . This may for instance include abstaining from sexual intercourse, wearing only white, or not cutting their hair. The iyaworaje ends with the ebó del año ceremony. Once this is done, they may lead rituals and help initiate others. Thenceforth, they will celebrate
2950-561: Is adjacent ligular —during germination, as the cotyledon expands it only pushes a portion of the embryo out of the seed. As a result, the seedling develops adjacent to the seed. The embryo forms a ligule , and the plumule protrudes from this. Seedlings in cultivation are reported to begin producing a stem two years after germination, at the point where they produce their thirteenth leaf. Growth rates of seedlings averaged 4.2 cm (1.7 in) per year in Florida. Roystonea regia
3068-424: Is el Día del Medio ("the middle day"), when guests—including the initiate's family and friends—pay homage to them. It includes drumming and a feast. On the seventh day of the initiation, the new initiate leaves the ilé and visits the marketplace, where they make offerings to Eleguá and steal something small, also as an offering to Eleguá. The initiate can finally take their otanes home. They may then undergo
3186-478: Is non-dualistic and does not view the universe as being divided between good and evil; rather, all things are perceived as being complementary and relative. Several academics have described Santería as having a "here-and-now" ethos distinct from that of Christianity, and the social scientist Mercedes C. Sandoval suggested that many Cubans chose Santería over Roman Catholicism or Spiritism because it emphasizes techniques for dealing with pragmatic problems in life. In
3304-431: Is "born to" a particular oricha , whether or not they devote themselves to that deity. This is a connection that, adherents believe, has been set before birth. Practitioners refer to this oricha as one that "rules the head" of an individual; it is their "owner of the head". If the oricha is male then it is described as the individual's "father"; if the oricha is female then it is the person's "mother". This oricha
3422-582: Is a major cosmological concept in Yoruba traditional religion and has been transferred to Santería. Aché is regarded as the organizing power of the cosmos; the Hispanic studies scholars Margarite Fernández Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert referred to it as "a spiritual-mystical energy or power found in varying degrees and in many forms throughout the universe". The medical anthropologist Johan Wedel described it as "life force" or "divine force", while
3540-445: Is also associated with specific songs, rhythms, colors, numbers, animals, and foodstuffs. Among the oricha are the four "warrior deities", or guerrors : Eleguá , Ogun , Ochosi , and Osun . Eleguá is viewed as the guardian of the crossroads and thresholds; he is the messenger between humanity and the oricha , and most ceremonies start by requesting his permission to continue. He is depicted as being black on one side and red on
3658-651: Is an Afro-Caribbean religion, and more specifically an Afro-Cuban religion. In Cuba it is sometimes described as "the national religion", although it has also spread abroad. Santería's roots are in the traditional religions brought to Cuba by enslaved West Africans, the majority of them Yoruba, between the 16th and 19th centuries. In Cuba, these religions mixed with the Roman Catholicism introduced by Spanish colonialists . Roman Catholic saints were conflated with West African deities, while enslaved Africans adopted Roman Catholic rituals and sacramentals . In
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3776-609: Is associated primarily with Shango or with his father Aggayú . It also has symbolic importance in the Palo faiths and the Abakuá fraternity. In Roman Catholicism , R. regia plays an important role in Palm Sunday observances. Santer%C3%ADa Santería ( Spanish pronunciation: [santeˈɾi.a] ), also known as Regla de Ocha , Regla Lucumí , or Lucumí , is an Afro-Caribbean religion that developed in Cuba during
3894-478: Is associated with lagoons. Agagyú is the oricha of volcanoes and the wasteland. Some oricha are deemed antagonistic to others; Changó and Ogun are for instance enemies. Although in Santería the term santo is regarded as a synonym of oricha and is not a literal reference to Christian saints, the oricha are often conflated with one or more Roman Catholic saints based on similar attributes. For instance,
4012-439: Is deemed responsible for helping to mould humanity. Babalú Ayé is the oricha associated with disease and its curing, while Osain is linked to herbs and healing. Orula is the oricha of divination, who in Santería's mythology was present at the creation of humanity and thus is aware of everyone's destiny. Ibeyi takes the form of twins who protect children. Olokún is the patron oricha of markets, while his wife Olosá
4130-421: Is deemed to have a personal link to a particular oricha who influences their personality. Olodumare is believed to be the ultimate source of aché , a supernatural force permeating the universe that can be manipulated through ritual actions. Practitioners venerate the oricha at altars, either in the home or in the ilé (house-temple), which is run by a santero (priest) or santera (priestess). Membership of
4248-400: Is deemed to influence the individual's personality, and can be recognised through examining the person's personality traits, or through divination. To gain the protection of a particular oricha , practitioners are encouraged to make offerings to them, sponsor ceremonies in their honor, and live in accordance with their wishes, as determined through divination. Practitioners are concerned at
4366-495: Is deemed to prefer a particular color and number of otanes in sopera devoted to them; Changó has six or ten black stones, Obatala has eight white stones, while Ochún favors five yellow stones. New otanes undergo a bautismo ("baptism") rite, entailing them being washed in osain , a mixture of herbs and water, and then "fed" with animal blood. When an initiate receives their stones, they take an oath to protect them and feed them at least annually. Other material placed inside
4484-584: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Royal palm Oreodoxa regia Kunth Oenocarpus regius (Kunth) Spreng. Palma elata W.Bartram Roystonea floridana O.F.Cook Euterpe jenmanii C.H.Wright Euterpe ventricosa C.H.Wright Roystonea jenmanii (C.H.Wright) Burret Roystonea elata (W.Bartram) F.Harper Roystonea ventricosa (C.H.Wright) L.H.Bailey Roystonea regia var. hondurensis P.H.Allen Roystonea regia , commonly known as
4602-806: Is found in Central America, Cuba, the Cayman Islands , Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti ), the Lesser Antilles , The Bahamas , southern Florida, and Mexico (in Veracruz , Campeche , Quintana Roo , and Yucatán ). William Bartram described the species from Lake Dexter , along the St. Johns River in the area of modern Lake and Volusia Counties in central Florida , an area north of its modern range, suggesting
4720-401: Is known as kariocha , "making ocha ", or "making santo ". A charge is levied for initiation; this varies depending on the client, but is often equivalent to a year's wage. Each initiation varies in its details, which are often concealed from non-initiates. The initiate is known as an iyabó or iyawó , a term meaning both "slave of the oricha " and "bride of the oricha ". As well as
4838-424: Is no strict orthodoxy on this issue and thus interpretations differ. Practitioners often believe that everyone has a specific destiny , their destino (destiny) or camino (road), although their fate is not completely predetermined. Ancestor veneration is important in Santería. The religion entails propitiating the spirits of the dead, known as egun , espíritus , or muertos . Practitioners believe that
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4956-407: Is not a baptised Roman Catholic —and others consider themselves to be Spiritists, Hindus , Vodouists, or Jews . Different vocabulary indicates the level of a practitioner's involvement, with the various terms sometimes reflecting different political and social agendas. Practitioners of both Santería and other Afro-Cuban religions are called creyentes ("believers"). Some people external to
5074-399: Is permitted entry. The initiate is given their own otanes , as well as objects representing the warrior oricha . They are also given beaded necklaces, known as collares or elekes ( ilekes ). Each necklace is a different color associated with a specific deity. During the prendición ("pinning") ritual, a heavy necklace known as the collar de mazo is placed on the initiate. During
5192-440: Is present in both the visible and invisible world. It is nevertheless deemed to sometimes congregate more densely, for instance in the forces of nature, specific locales, and in certain human individuals; initiates are believed to attract more of it than other humans. Santería holds that aché can emanate from the human body via speech, song, dance, and drumming, and can be transmitted through such acts as singing praise songs for
5310-671: Is regarded as the creator of all beings, while Olofi dwells in all creation. In taking a triplicate form, this deity displays similarities with the Christian Trinity . Santeria is polytheistic , revolving around deities called oricha , ocha , or santos ("saints"). The term oricha can be both singular and plural, because Lucumí, the ritual language of Santería, lacks plural markers for nouns. Practitioners believe that some oricha were created before humanity, while others were originally humans who became oricha through some remarkable quality. Some practitioners perceive
5428-661: Is understood to "rule over" a particular aspect of the universe, and they have been described as personifications of different facets of the natural world. They live in a realm called orún , which is contrasted with ayé , the realm of humanity. Oricha each have their own caminos ("roads"), or manifestations, a concept akin to the Hindu concept of avatars . The number of caminos an oricha has varies, with some having several hundred. Practitioners believe that oricha can physically inhabit certain objects, among them stones and cowrie shells, which are deemed sacred. Each oricha
5546-528: Is used for removing malevolent influences and in ceremonies for baptising ritual tools. Santería's animal sacrifice has been a cause of concern for many non-practitioners. It has sometimes brought adherents into confrontation with the law, as with the 1993 case of Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah , in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that animal cruelty laws targeted specifically at Santería were unconstitutional. Initiation
5664-431: Is usually associated with nitrogen fixation in legumes ; this was the first record of root nodules in a monocotyledonous tree. Further evidence of nitrogen fixation was provided by the presence of nitrogenase (an enzyme used in nitrogen fixation) and leghaemoglobin , a compound which allows nitrogenase to function by reducing the oxygen concentration in the root nodule. In addition to evidence of nitrogen fixation,
5782-405: Is widely cultivated, it is called vakka . In Cambodia, where it is planted as decorative along avenues and in public parks, it is known as sla barang' ("Western palm"). Roystonea regia produces unisexual flowers that are pollinated by animals. European honey bees and bats are reported pollinators. Seeds are dispersed by birds and bats that feed upon the fruit. Seed germination
5900-642: The Holy Infant of Atocha , a depiction of Christ as a child, is conflated with Eleguá, who is seen as having a childlike nature. Babalú Ayé, who is associated with disease, is often identified with the Catholic Saint Lazarus , who rose from the dead, while Changó is conflated with Santa Barbara because they both wear red. Cuba's patron saint , Our Lady of Charity , is equated with Ochún. It has been argued that Yoruba slaves initially linked their traditional deities with Christian saints as
6018-630: The egun to placate and please them. Especially propitiated are those egun regarded as ancestors; these ancestors can include both hereditary forebears or past members of one's congregation, with practitioners believing that a creyente becomes an ancestor when they die. Adherents believe that everyone has a cuadro espiritual ("spiritual portrait" or "spiritual picture") of egun who protect them. Individuals can have as many as 25 protectores , or protective spirits. The religion maintains that all people have multiple egun accompanying them at all times, and that these can be benevolent, malevolent, or
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#17327808625116136-442: The eledá goes before Olodumare, where it is given its essential character, and forms a link with the oricha who becomes "the owner of the head". The concept of the eledá derives from Yoruba traditional religion, where it is seen as a person's "spiritual double". In Santería, this concept idea has syncretised with Roman Catholic beliefs about guardian angels and Spiritist notions of the protecciones or protector spirits. There
6254-633: The fundamentos are stones termed otanes (sing. otán ), which are regarded as the literal and symbolic representation of the oricha , and thus living entities. They are deemed to be sources of aché , with older otanes having more aché than younger ones. Practitioners will collect stones from the landscape and then use divination to determine which ones contain an oricha and, if so, which oricha it is. Specific otanes sometimes display traits linking them to particular oricha ; for example ocean stones are linked with Yemaya, river pebbles with Ochún, and meteorite fragments with Changó. Each oricha
6372-406: The igbodu ("sacred grove of the festival"), where the most important rituals take place. There will also be an eyá aránla or sala , often a living room, where semi-private rites can be conducted. Another space, the iban balo , or patio , will be used for public occasions, as well as for the cultivation of plants and the housing of animals due to be sacrificed. The ilé will typically include
6490-418: The ilé requires initiation . Offerings to the oricha include fruit, liquor, flowers and sacrificed animals . A central ritual is the toque de santo , in which practitioners drum, sing, and dance to encourage an oricha to possess one of their members and thus communicate with them. Several forms of divination are used, including Ifá , to decipher messages from the oricha . Offerings are also given to
6608-435: The iyá is the largest, the itótele is smaller, and the okónkolo is the smallest. For ceremonial purposes, these drums must be wooden; adding metal elements could offend Changó, who is associated with wooden artefacts, because of their links with his enemy, Ogun. They may however have brass bells associated with Ochún, known as chaworo , affixed to their rim. Each ceremonial drum has to be "born" from an existing example,
6726-472: The lavatorio ("washing"), the initiate's head is bathed in omiero , designed to rid them of any malevolent spirits attached to them. Often, their hair will be shaved off. On the día del itá ("day of history"), usually the third day, the initiate will undergo the itá , a session with a diviner. The diviner will reveal the initiate's Lucumí ritual name, a praise name of the oricha that rules their head. This name often incorporates elements indicating
6844-408: The oricha as facets of Olodumare, and thus think that by venerating them they are ultimately worshipping the creator god. Certain oricha are female, others male. They are not regarded as wholly benevolent, being capable of both harming and helping humans, and displaying a mix of emotions, virtues, and vices. Origin myths and other stories about the oricha are called patakíes . Each oricha
6962-430: The oricha or sacrificing an animal. Among practitioners, aché is sometimes described as conveying notions of luck, health, and prosperity, and has the power to fortify a person's health. Santería has standards for behavior expected of practitioners, encouraging behaviors influenced by the mythological stories about the oricha . The religion presents strict rules regarding how to interact with other people and with
7080-409: The oricha or the egun . Next comes the ceremonia del río ("ceremony of the initiate"), in which offerings are given to Ochún, and the rompimiento ("breaking"), in which the oyubona takes the initiate to purify themselves in a river. The rest of the initiation takes place in the igbodu , where the initiate sleeps upon a mat on the floor for the seven days. No one uninvolved in the initiation
7198-520: The oricha via a ritual prostration, the moforibale , in which they bow their head to the floor. The precise form of the moforibale differs depending on whether the individual's personal oricha is male or female. Altars or shrines to the oricha are typically found both within the igbodu and in practitioners' homes. Central to these altars are sacred objects, termed fundamentos ("fundamentals"), which are contained within porcelain vessels, often tureens , called sopera . The most important of
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#17327808625117316-466: The oricha . Once killed, the animals' severed heads may be placed on top of the sopera belonging to the oricha to which the sacrifice has been directed. After the carcass has been butchered, some of the organs—known as acheses —may be cooked and offered to the oricha ; other parts will be eaten by practitioners. Some of the blood may be collected and added to omiero , an infusion of herbs and water. Believed to contain much aché , this liquid
7434-614: The royal palm , Cuban royal palm , or Florida royal palm , is a species of palm native to Mexico , the Caribbean , Florida , and parts of Central America . A large and attractive palm, it has been planted throughout the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental tree. Although it is sometimes called R. elata , the conserved name R. regia is now the correct name for the species. The royal palm reaches heights from 15–24 m (50–80 ft) tall. Populations in Cuba and Florida were long seen as separate species, but are now considered
7552-479: The santero or santera overseeing the initiation ceremony, the event may be attended by an oyubona or oyugbona ("one who witnesses"), who acts as a secondary godparent to the new initiate. The initiation process takes seven days, plus two days of preparatory rituals. During this preparation, a misa espiritual ("spiritual mass") will typically take place to gain the blessings of the ancestral egun , and an ebó de entrada ("opening sacrifice") will be made to
7670-400: The sopera includes cowrie shells; usually 18 are added although the precise number differs depending on which oricha the sopera is devoted to. The sopera will often be covered by a cloth known as a pañuelo that is colored in accordance with the oricha in question. Often laid over the sopera are necklaces known as collares , again representing a particular oricha . On the altar,
7788-431: The sopera will be arranged in a descending hierarchy depending on which oricha each is dedicated to, with that of Obatala at the top. Many altars contain few or no anthropomorphic depictions of the oricha , although will often include objects associated with them; a wooden axe for Changó or a fan for Ochún, for instance. Creating these altars is deemed expensive and time-consuming. Material may be selected based on
7906-454: The toque de santo ; dancing poorly at the ritual is considered an insult to the oricha . Possession is important in Santería, and the purpose of the toque de santo is to call down an oricha to possess one of the participants. The possessed individual is referred to as the "horse", with the oricha having "mounted" them. According to practitioners, becoming possessed by an oricha requires an individual giving up their consciousness to
8024-756: The 1960s, growing emigration following the Cuban Revolution spread Santería abroad. The late 20th century saw growing links between Santería and related traditions in West Africa and the Americas, such as Haitian Vodou and Brazilian Candomblé . Since the late 20th century, some practitioners have emphasized a "Yorubization" process to remove Roman Catholic influences and created forms of Santería closer to traditional Yoruba religion. Practitioners of Santería are primarily found in Cuba's La Habana and Matanzas provinces, although communities exist across
8142-559: The 19th century, elements from Spiritism —a French variant of Spiritualism —were drawn into the mix, with Santería emerging as a distinct religion in western Cuba during the late 19th century. Although Santería is the best known of the Afro-Cuban religions, and the most popular, it is not the only one. Others include Palo , which derives from practices originating in the Congo Basin , and Abakuá , which has its origins among
8260-401: The Americas which collectively form the "Orisha religion", "Orisha Tradition", or "Orisha worship." These include Haitian Vodou and Brazilian Candomblé , sometimes characterized as "sister religions" of Santería due to their shared origins in Yoruba traditional religion. [Santería] in Cuba was not just a continuation of Yoruba religious and cultural practices but something new, born from
8378-415: The Florida bonneted bat, and is used as a retreat for Cuban tree frogs ( Osteopilus septentriolalis ), a non-native species in Florida. In Panama (where R. regia is introduced), its trunks are used as nesting sites by yellow-crowned parrots ( Amazona ochrocephala panamensis ). The flowers of R. regia are visited by pollen -collecting bees and are considered a good source of nectar . Its pollen
8496-464: The Lucumí language, barring a few words that have filtered into Cuban Spanish . Lucumí derives from the Yoruba language, although it has become "increasingly fragmented and unintelligible" since the 19th century. As Yoruba transitioned into Lucumí, the Yoruba pronunciations of many words were forgotten, and in the early 21st century some practitioners have studied the Yoruba language to better understand
8614-533: The U.S., some African American adherents have contrasted what they regard as the African-derived ethos of Santería with the non-African origins of Christianity, thus adopting it as a religion readily combined with black nationalism . The scholar of religion Mary Ann Clark labelled Santería a "female oriented and female normative" religion, arguing that all of its practitioners are expected to take on "female gender roles" during its rituals. Women can hold
8732-441: The annual anniversary of their initiation, their cumpleaños de santo ("birthday in the saint"). Although a largely orally-transmitted tradition, santeros and santeras often emphasise teaching in a non-verbal manner, encouraging their initiates to learn through taking part in the ritual activities. Since at least the 20th century, some initiates have kept libretas , notebooks in which they have written down material relevant to
8850-465: The dead must be treated with respect, awe, and kindness; they are consulted at all ceremonies. Although the dead are not deemed as powerful as the oricha , they are still thought capable of assisting the living, with whom they can communicate through dreams, intuition, and spirit possession. Santería teaches that a person can learn to both see and communicate with the dead . Practitioners will often provide offerings, typically seven glasses of water, to
8968-422: The dead via the water in the pipes. Offerings are called ebbó (or ebó ), and are given to the oricha , ancestral spirits, to a person's own ori , and sometimes to the earth. These offerings can consist of fruit and other foodstuffs, liquor, flowers, candles, money, or slaughtered animals. Divination is often used to determine the exact nature of the offering; initiates are supposed to provide offerings on
9086-427: The drum. Practitioners believe that the consecrated batá contain a substance called añá , itself an avatar of Ochún, and a manifestation of aché . Many drummers avoid mentioning the añá in public and may not refer to it by name. Drums which have not been baptised are not viewed as containing añá , and are called tambores judìos ("Jewish drums"). Particular rhythms played on the drums may be associated with
9204-520: The encounter of the diverse Yoruba tribes with one another, with non-Yoruba Africans, and with the Europeans in a new environment and a new social order governed by [a] set of institutions different from those of Africa. — Ethnomusicologist María Teresa Vélez Santería is a flexible and eclectic tradition, with considerable variation in how it is practiced. There is no strict orthodoxy, no key sacred text , and no central authority in control of
9322-713: The entire religion. It has absorbed elements from many cultures that it has encountered, such as that of the Chinese migrants who came to Cuba in the 19th century, while in continental North America, Santería has also incorporated influences from Central American and Mexican religions as well as from New Age and modern Pagan practices. As well as it being common for Cubans to idiosyncratically blend ideas from different religions, many of Santería's practitioners claim multiple religious allegiances. Santería's adherents often consider themselves to be Roman Catholics —some priests and priestesses of Santería refuse to initiate anyone who
9440-424: The existence of an overarching divinity, known as Olodumare , Olofi , or Olorun . Practitioners believe that this divinity created the universe but takes little interest in human affairs. As this creator deity is inaccessible to humanity, no major offerings are dedicated to it. The three facets of this divinity are understood slightly differently; Olodumare represents the divine essence of all that exists, Olorun
9558-449: The folklorist Michael Atwood Mason called aché the "ritual generative power". The ethnomusicologist Katherine Hagedorn described aché as "the realized and inherent divine potential in all aspects of life, even in apparently inert objects." She added that " Aché is neither good nor bad; rather, aché is motion". While deeming Olodumare the ultimate embodiment of aché , practitioners believe that aché permeates all life, and
9676-400: The genus Oenocarpus and renamed it O. regius . The genus Oreodoxa was proposed by German botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1807 and applied by him to two species, O. acuminata (now known as Prestoea acuminata ) and O. praemorsa (now Wettinia praemorsa ). Although these species were transferred to other genera, the genus Oreodoxa continued to be applied to
9794-449: The highest leadership positions, although restrictions are placed on them while menstruating. Similar restrictions are also placed on homosexual males, traditionally prohibiting them from taking part in certain forms of divination and ritual drumming. Many gay men are nevertheless santeros , and some santeras are lesbians. A stereotype exists that all male Santería priests are homosexual, and members of other Afro-Cuban traditions with
9912-571: The initiate's tutelary oricha ; devotees of Yemajá for instance usually include omí ("water"), while those of Changó often have obá ("king"). Next comes the asiento ("seating"), or coronación ("coronation"), which marks the point when the aché of the tutelary oricha is believed to literally enter the initiate's cranium. The otanes of several oricha are placed to the initiate's head, culminating in those of their tutelary oricha . An animal sacrifice usually follows, involving at least five four-legged animals and 25 birds. The following day
10030-500: The island and abroad, especially among the Cuban diasporas of Mexico and the United States. The religion remains most common among working-class Afro-Cuban communities although is also practiced by individuals of other class and ethnic backgrounds. The number of initiates is estimated to be in the high hundreds of thousands. These initiates serve as diviners and healers for a much larger range of adherents of varying levels of fidelity, making
10148-460: The killing of animals as an acceptable substitute to human sacrifice , and in Cuba there have been persistent rumours of children being sacrificed in Santería rites. The oricha and egun are believed to "eat" the blood of the victim; the latter's lifeforce is deemed to transfer to the oricha , thus strengthening its aché . An animal that struggles to avoid being killed is sometimes understood as having particular strength which will then pass to
10266-694: The late 19th century. It arose amid a process of syncretism between the traditional Yoruba religion of West Africa, the Roman Catholic form of Christianity , and Spiritism . There is no central authority in control of Santería and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as creyentes ("believers"). Santería teaches the existence of a transcendent creator divinity, Olodumare , under whom are spirits known as oricha . Typically deriving their names and attributes from traditional Yoruba deities, these oricha are equated with Roman Catholic saints and associated with various myths. Each human
10384-405: The latter constituting its "godfather," and in this way they form lineages. Before being used in ceremonies, these drums are baptized, after which they are referred to as a tambor de fundamento . This baptism entails washing the drums in omiero , making sacrifices to Osain, and affixing an afoubo , a small leather bag containing items including a parrot feather and glass beads, to the interior of
10502-621: The majority of them Yoruba , and Roman Catholicism, the only religion legally permitted on the island by the Spanish colonial government. In urban areas of West Cuba, these traditions merged with Spiritist ideas to form the earliest ilés during the late 19th century. After the Cuban War of Independence resulted in an independent republic in 1898, its new constitution enshrined freedom of religion . Santería nevertheless remained marginalized by Cuba's Roman Catholic, Euro-Cuban establishment, which typically viewed it as brujería (witchcraft). In
10620-413: The most popular oricha , Changó or Shango is associated with lightning and fire. Another prominent oricha is Yemaja , the deity associated with maternity, fertility, and the sea. Ochún is the oricha of rivers and of romantic love, while Oyá is a warrior associated with wind, lightning, and death, and is viewed as the guardian of the cemetery. Obatalá is the oricha of truth and justice and
10738-654: The names of these individuals, who are regarded as the ancestors of the house, are recited in chronological order. Although members of different houses often interact, each ilé is largely autonomous, allowing for variation in their practices. In Cuba, it is common for Santería practitioners to meet with each other regularly, and to regard each other as being akin to a family: the familia de santo . Conversely, in an area like Veracruz in Mexico, many practitioners attend group rituals and then leave, sometimes never seeing their co-practitioners again. Most ilés are established by
10856-493: The nodules were also found to be producing indole acetic acid , an important plant hormone . Roystonea is placed in the subfamily Arecoideae and the tribe Roystoneae. The placement Roystonea within the Arecoideae is uncertain; a phylogeny based on plastid DNA failed to resolve the position of the genus within the Arecoideae. As of 2008, there appear to be no molecular phylogenetic studies of Roystonea and
10974-406: The opening verse of the song, the akpwón may break into a personal prayer. The akpwón can switch from song to song quickly, with the drummers having to adapt their rhythm accordingly. A chorus of singers will respond to the akpwón , often while swaying back and forth. These choral responses may split into a two or three-part harmony. Dancing also takes place, with each oricha associated with
11092-462: The original meaning of Lucumí words. Rituals take place in the ilé ("house"), sometimes called the ilé-oricha ("house of the oricha "), casa templo ("house of worship"), casa de santos ("house of saints"), or casa de religión ("house of religion"). The ethnomusicologist María Teresa Vélez called this the "house-temple", with the ilé usually being the personal home of a santero or santera . It will typically have an inner room,
11210-446: The other, and practitioners will frequently place a cement head decorated with cowrie shells that represents Eleguá behind their front door, guarding the threshold to the street. The second guerro is Ogun, viewed as the oricha of weapons and war, and also of iron and blacksmiths. The third, Ochosi, is associated with woods and hunting, while the fourth, Osun, is a protector who warns practitioners when they are in danger. Perhaps
11328-459: The participants. It is believed that the collective energy built up by the group is necessary in achieving this. In turn, the oricha are believed capable of soothing the grieving, healing the sick, blessing the deserving, and rebuking those who have behaved badly. The toque de santo uses double-headed drums called batá ; these are deemed sacred, and are sometimes regarded as the central symbol of Santería. There are multiple types of batá:
11446-417: The practice of Santería. These may be shared with their own initiates or kept private. Santería's main public ritual is a drumming ceremony called the toque de santo , or tambor . Lasting for up to several hours, this is usually seen as an offering to the oricha , performed to gain their favor. The goal of the rhythms and songs is to summon the oricha to earth, at which point they can possess one of
11564-421: The precise numbers of those involved in Santería difficult to determine. Many of those involved also identify as practitioners of another religion, typically Roman Catholicism. The term Santería translates into English as the "way of the saints". This term was first used by scholarly commentators in the 1930s and later spread among the religion's practitioners themselves. It has become the most popular name for
11682-420: The problems of everyday life. Practitioners usually use the term "work" in reference to ritual activity; thus "working ocha " describes its rites. Santería is an initiatory religion, one which is organized around a structured hierarchy. An ethos of secrecy pervades many of its practices, with initiates often refusing to discuss certain topics with non-initiates. For this reason, Mason described Santería as
11800-419: The prospect of offending the oricha . Creyentes believe that the oricha can communicate with humans through divination, prayers, dreams, music, and dance. Many practitioners also describe how they "read" messages from the oricha in everyday interactions and events. For instance, a practitioner who meets a child at a traffic intersection may interpret this as a message from Eleguá, who is often depicted as
11918-465: The relationship between R. regia and the rest of the genus is uncertain. The species was first described by American naturalist William Bartram in 1791 as Palma elata based on trees growing in central Florida . In 1816 German botanist Carl Sigismund Kunth described the species Oreodoxa regia based on collections made by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland in Cuba. In 1825 German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel moved it to
12036-465: The religion have referred to its practitioners as "santerians" although this is not used by adherents themselves. A non-initiate, including those who may attend public Santería ceremonies, is an aleyo ("stranger"); these non-initiates make up the majority of people involved in the religion. Initiates are known as santero if male, and santera if female, although these two terms have sometimes been used for anyone, initiate or not, who participates in
12154-525: The religion, although some practitioners find it offensive. A common alternative is Regla de Ocha , meaning "the rule of ocha", ocha being a term for the religion's deities. Some adherents regard this as the religion's "official" name. The tradition has also been called Lucumí , in reference to the colonial Spanish term for the Yoruba people , or alternatively La Religión Lucumí ("the Lucumí religion") or Regla Lucumí ("the rule of Lucumí"). Santería
12272-407: The religion. Alternative terms for an initiate are babalocha or babaloricha ("father-deity") if male and an iyalocha or iyaloricha ("mother-deity") if female. Those who have a sustained engagement with the religion are also referred to as omoricha ("children of the oricha"), aboricha ("one who worships the oricha"), and an oloricha ("one who belongs to the oricha"). Santería teaches
12390-529: The rite lacked sufficient aché , or that the wrong ebbó was provided for the situation. Animal sacrifice is called matanza , with the person carrying it out termed the matador . This is usually a man, with menstruating women prohibited from involvement. Birds—including guinea fowl , chickens, and doves—are commonly sacrificed, usually by having their throats slit or their heads twisted and ripped off. For rituals of greater importance, sacrifices are often of four-legged animals. Some practitioners describe
12508-416: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Royal Palm . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Palm&oldid=950000124 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
12626-538: The secret male societies practiced among the Efik-Ibibio . Many practitioners of Palo and Abakuá also follow Santería. Another Afro-Cuban religion is Arará , which derives from practices among the Ewe and Fon ; although its origins are not Yoruba, it is sometimes considered a branch of Santería rather than a separate system. Santería also has commonalities with other West African and West African-derived traditions in
12744-431: The species had been propagated around the world under that name. Roystonea elata , on the other hand, had only been used since 1949, and was used much less widely. On that basis, Zona proposed that the name Roystonea regia should be conserved. In cultivation, Roystonea regia is called the Cuban royal palm or simply the royal palm. In Cuba, the tree is called the palma real or palma criolla . In India, where it
12862-475: The spirits into categories that each exhibit different traits, reflecting stereotypes about different social groups, with such spirits often portrayed as African, Haitian, Gypsy, Arab, or Plains Indian . The gitano (gypsy) spirits for instance are believed capable of foreseeing impending troubles and diagnosing illnesses while the congo spirits of Africa are perceived as strong-willed, powerful, and adept at guiding people through hostile circumstances. Aché
12980-456: The spirits of the dead, with some practitioners identifying as spirit mediums . Healing rituals and the preparation of herbal remedies and talismans also play a prominent role. Santería developed among Afro-Cuban communities following the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 19th centuries. It formed through the blending of the traditional religions brought to Cuba by enslaved West Africans,
13098-517: The spirits of the dead. These typically consist of a white-covered table known as a bóveda , something derived from the White Table of Spiritism. Bóveda often feature photographs of deceased relatives, to whom offerings are given; popular offerings for the spirits of the dead include seven glasses of water, a cafecito coffee, and the aguardiente liquor. Alternatively, many practitioners of Santería—like those who follow Palo—will have
13216-513: The supernatural, for instance placing emphasis on respect for elders and superiors. A general attitude in Santería is that if an individual maintains good character, the oricha will aid them. Practitioners generally take socially conservative stances, having high regard for traditional family structures, marriage, fidelity, and child-rearing; adherents in the United States often adopt more progressive stances on issues surrounding gender and sexuality than their counterparts in Cuba. The religion
13334-419: The taboo with the view that menstrual blood can weaken the drum's añá , or that the drum's desire for blood would drain the woman, causing her harm, or in some cases infertility. Praise songs are sung for the oricha , with specific songs associated with particular deities. These may be sung a cappella or with instrumental accompaniment. The lead singer at such ceremonies is known as an akpwón . During
13452-437: The tastes of the adherent; anthropologists have observed practitioners who have included Taoist figurines or statues of wizards , on their altars. Food and flowers are often placed on the altar as offerings. Although rarely included on their altars, practitioners will often have statues of Roman Catholic saints elsewhere in their homes. In addition to their altar to the oricha , many practitioners have altars set aside for
13570-513: The tropics and subtropics as an ornamental. The seed is used as a source of oil and for livestock feed. Leaves are used for thatching and the wood for construction. The roots are used as a diuretic , and for that reason they are added to tifey , a Haitian drink, by Cubans of Haitian origin. They are also used as a treatment for diabetes . Fibres extracted from the leaf sheath of R. regia have been found to be comparable with sisal and banana fibres, but lower in density, making it
13688-468: Was also found in the stomachs of Phyllonycteris poeyi , the Cuban flower bat (a pollen-feeder) and Monophyllus redmani , Leach's single leaf bat (a nectar-feeder). Artibeus jamaicensis , the Jamaican fruit bat , and Myiozetetes similis , the social flycatcher , feed on the fruit. Roystonea regia is the host plant for the royal palm bug, Xylastodoris luteolus , in Florida. It also serves as
13806-510: Was applied by Paul H. Allen to Central American populations of the species. However, Scott Zona determined that they did not differ enough from Cuban populations to be considered a separate variety . Based on the rules of botanical nomenclature , the oldest properly published name for a species has priority over newer names. Bartram applied the Linnaean binomial Palma elata to a "large, solitary palm with an ashen white trunk topped by
13924-468: Was disagreement as to whether Cuban and Floridian populations represented a single species or two species. Zona's revision of the genus concluded that they both belonged to the same species. According to the rules of botanical nomenclature, the correct name of the species should have been Roystonea elata . Zona pointed out, however, that the name R. regia (or Oreodoxa regia ) has a history of use in horticulture that dated from at least 1838, and that
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