Английская Википедия:Initiation in Santería
Шаблон:Short description In the Caribbean religion of Santería, individuals are required to go through an initiation process to become a full practitioner, known as a santero (male) or santera (female).
Terminology and costs
Being initiated is known as kariocha,Шаблон:Sfnm "making ocha",Шаблон:Sfnm or "making santo".Шаблон:Sfnm A charge is usually levied for initiation;Шаблон:Sfn this varies depending on the status of the practitioner and the wealth of the clientШаблон:Sfn but is typically seen as expensive.Шаблон:Sfn In Cuba, it is often the equivalent of a year's wage,Шаблон:Sfn or more.Шаблон:Sfn In the 1990s, an initiation in Cuba cost roughly US$500 for Cuban nationals and between US$2,000–3,000 for foreigners.Шаблон:Sfn In the United States, an initiation was reported as costing as much as $10,000 in 1989,Шаблон:Sfn and between $15,000 and $20,000 in 2001, again being close to the average annual wage.Шаблон:Sfn This is in keeping with the broader place of financial exchange within the religion; Hagedorn noted that "everything in Santería costs money".Шаблон:Sfn
Santería initiation ceremonies derive from those in Yoruba traditional religion but is almost always carried out for adults, whereas among the Yoruba, initiation can also involve children.Шаблон:Sfn Each initiation varies in its details,Шаблон:Sfn although practitioners often try to ensure a veil of secrecy around the process, ensuring that the precise details are not discovered by non-initiates.Шаблон:Sfn The initiate is known as an iyabóШаблон:Sfn or iyawó,Шаблон:Sfnm a term meaning both "slave of the orisha" and "bride of the orisha".Шаблон:Sfn As well as the santero or santera overseeing the initiation ceremony, the event may be attended by an oyubona ("one who witnesses"), who acts as a secondary godparent to the new initiate.Шаблон:Sfnm
Stages of initiation
The process of initiation takes place over seven days,Шаблон:Sfnm with an additional two days of preparatory rituals.Шаблон:Sfn Before the main seven-day ceremony, usually two days before, a misa espiritual will often take place to gain the blessings of the ancestral egun. During this ritual, it is common for the egun to be invited to possess the initiate.Шаблон:Sfnm One day before the main events, an ebó de entrada ("opening sacrifice") often takes place, with sacrifices being made to either the oricha or the egun.Шаблон:Sfnm Next comes the ceremonia del río (ceremony of the initiate), which involves the oyubona and the initiate. It entails honey and the ochinchín omelette being offered to the oricha Ochún, with the oyubona then engaging in divination to determine if Ochún has accepted the sacrifice.Шаблон:Sfn In the rompimiento (breaking), the oyubona then takes the initiate to a river. There, the initiate has their clothing ripped off of them before they are washed in the river water, used both as a purification and to gain Ochún's blessing.Шаблон:Sfnm
The rest of the initiation takes place in the igbodu, or inner sanctum of the casa.Шаблон:Sfn The igbodu would have been ritually cleansed for the ceremony, having palm fronds hung from the door frame to deter bad influences and a white sheet stretched across the threshold.Шаблон:Sfn For the rest of the seven days, the initiate is expected to remain here,Шаблон:Sfn sleeping upon a mat on the floor.Шаблон:Sfnm No one who is not directly involved in the initiation ceremonies is permitted entry.Шаблон:Sfn During the prendición (pinning) ritual, a heavy necklace known as the collar de mazo is placed on the initiate.Шаблон:Sfnm Also taking place here is the lavatorio ("washing");Шаблон:Sfn the santero/santera overseeing the procedure washes the initiate in omiero, a type of sacred water that has been infused with various herbs.Шаблон:Sfnm This is done to rid the initiate of malevolent or harmful spirits of the dead which might have attached themselves.Шаблон:Sfn The initiate's head usually receives most attention in this washing;Шаблон:Sfnm often, their hair will be shaved off.Шаблон:Sfnm This cleansing of the head is known as the rogación de cabeza.Шаблон:Sfn
The new initiate is given beaded necklaces, known as elekes,Шаблон:Sfnm ilekes,Шаблон:Sfn or collares.Шаблон:Sfnm Historically, many casas maintained that only women should be involved in making the elekes, although this is not universally observed.Шаблон:Sfn The necklace will be consecrated using a mix of herbal waters and the blood of sacrificed animals and after that it will be placed around the initiate' neck, at which they will again have their head bathed.Шаблон:Sfn Initiates often receive the necklaces of the five most powerful and popular oricha.Шаблон:Sfn Each of these necklaces is given a different color associated with a specific deity;Шаблон:Sfn those associated with Eleguá are for instance often black and red.Шаблон:Sfn As a santero/santera undergoes further initiations within the Santería system, they receive additional collares.Шаблон:Sfn Along with the collares, the religion also features colored bracelets known as idés.Шаблон:Sfnm The wearing of beaded jewellery is seen as keeping the protective power of the oricha close to the practitioner's body.Шаблон:Sfn The elekes serve as the sacred banners for the oricha and act as a sign of their presence and protection; however, it must never be worn during a woman's menstruation period, nor during sex, nor when bathing.Шаблон:Sfn
As well as the necklaces, the initiate will also receive their own sacred stones.Шаблон:Sfn An additional ritual, known as "receiving the warriors", is a ritual where the initiated receives objects from their padrino that represents the warriors:Шаблон:Sfnm iron tools to represent Ogún; an iron bow and arrow to represent Ochosi; and an iron or silver chalice surmounted by a rooster to represent Osún.Шаблон:Sfn At some point during the week, and usually on the third day, the initiate will undergo the itá, a session with a diviner in which the latter will inform them about their strengths, weaknesses, and taboos that they should observe.Шаблон:Sfnm This is known as the día del itá ("day of history").Шаблон:Sfn At this point, the initiate's Lucumí ritual name will be revealed by the diviner;Шаблон:Sfnm this is a praise name of the oricha which rules their head.Шаблон:Sfn It will often incorporate elements which indicate the initiate's tutelary oricha; devotees of Yemajá for instance usually include omí ("water") in their name, while those of Changó often have obá ("king").Шаблон:Sfn The diviner's predictions are transcribed in a book, la libreta de itá, which the initiate is expected to keep for the rest of their life.Шаблон:Sfn This day also involves the nangareo, an offering of food to Olorun the creator deity.Шаблон:Sfn
This next ritual is known as the asiento (seating),Шаблон:Sfn or the coronación (coronation),Шаблон:Sfnm and it is believed that it marks the point when the aché of the tutelary oricha which "rules their head" is literally placed inside the initiate's cranium.Шаблон:Sfn The otánes of various oricha are placed to the head of the initiate, culminating in those of their own tutelary oricha.Шаблон:Sfnm Sometimes, the initiate then feels that they are being possessed by the latter oricha at this point.Шаблон:Sfnm Some practitioners will make a cruciform incision into the crown of the initiate's head to better facilitate the oricha's penetration;Шаблон:Sfn in some cases, small incisions will also have been made on the initiate's tongue to ensure that the oricha will descend into them with the "gift of speech".Шаблон:Sfn After this point, practitioners believe that the oricha literally lives within the initiate's head,Шаблон:Sfn forming a binding relationship between the two.Шаблон:Sfn
A matanza animal sacrifice usually follows, designed to feed all of the major oricha.Шаблон:Sfn At least five four-legged animals are usually killed at this point, often accompanied by 25 birds.Шаблон:Sfn The initiator may wipe a live chicken over the body of the initiate before killing it. A series of additional birds may then be brought out and killed in the same manner, their carcasses placed next to images of the oricha.Шаблон:Sfnm The initiate then performs the moforiba by lying on the ground as a sign of respect to the oricha that they have received.Шаблон:Sfnm Then they rise and are welcomed by their godparent, reflecting that they are now part of their casa.Шаблон:Sfn At this point, their relationship becomes that of a godfather/mother to a godson/daughter.Шаблон:Sfn
The following day is el Día del Medio ("the middle day") and is one of public celebration at the initiation.Шаблон:Sfnm The initiate is dressed in clothing of the colors associated with their tutelary oricha; this clothing will only ever be worn again when the initiate is buried.Шаблон:Sfn They then sit on a throne adjacent to the tureens containing the otánes of their oricha.Шаблон:Sfn Guests, who may include the initiate's family and friends, visit them to pay homage.Шаблон:Sfnm A drumming ceremony takes place, after which the assembled individuals feast on meat from animals killed the day before;Шаблон:Sfnm it is believed this food is full of aché.Шаблон:Sfn On the seventh day of the initiation, which is usually a market or church day in Cuba, the new initiate leaves the casa, dressed in white and with their head covered. The oyugboda takes them to the marketplace, or (if outside Cuba) sometimes to a store run by a sympathizer. There, the oyugboda makes small offerings of food to Eleguá in the four corners of the market. The new initiate is expected to steal something small, which will also be an offering to Eleguá.Шаблон:Sfnm The duo should then proceed to a Roman Catholic church, where they will light a candle for the new initiate.Шаблон:Sfnm
Post-initiation
The new initiate can finally take their tureen containing their otanes back to their home.Шаблон:Sfnm They may then undergo a year-long period known as the iyaworaje ("journey of the iyawo") during which they are expected to observe various restrictions.Шаблон:Sfnm The nature of these restrictions depends on the initiate's tutelary oricha.Шаблон:Sfn For instance, Hagedorn related that after her initiation into a Cuban casa, her initiator required her to sleep and eat on the floor for three months, abstain from sexual intercourse for 16 days, and both wear only white and not cut her hair for a year.Шаблон:Sfn These actions help to display the initiate's commitment to the religion and demarcate them from non-initiates.Шаблон:Sfn At the end of the year, the initiate conducts a ceremony known as ebó del año.Шаблон:Sfn It is only once this is done that they are allowed to lead many rituals and to be involved in the initiation of new converts.Шаблон:Sfn
The annual celebration of one's initiation into the religion is known as the cumpleaños de santo ("birthday in the saint").Шаблон:Sfnm As an initiate becomes more deeply involved in the religion, they learn about each of the different deities and make offerings to each of them in exchange for spiritual blessings and aché.Шаблон:Sfn They are expected to familiarise themselves with various herbs and their different associations and uses.Шаблон:Sfn Santeros and santeras often emphasise this teaching in a non-verbal manner, encouraging their initiate to learn through taking part in the ritual activities.Шаблон:Sfn As they gain more knowledge, the initiate is referred to as a serio ("serious"), indicating their greater commitment to the religion.Шаблон:Sfn
References
Citations
Sources
- Шаблон:Cite journal
- Шаблон:Cite contribution
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite journal
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite journal
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite journal
- Шаблон:Cite book
.jpg){kind=link}
