| Cuba is a very unique country. Its culture has been | | | | in the Catholic Church. In Cuba, by the middle of the |
| enriched by all the peoples that arrived during the | | | | 19th century, a reorganization of the Santeria for the |
| colonization years: the Chinese, the Spanish, and the | | | | first time is known, with the reunification of the cults |
| Africans. Here, the Yoruba religions are wide practiced | | | | to specific orishas brought to this earth by the black |
| and the study of the syncretism and its development | | | | enslaved Africans, originating of regions where |
| through the centuries takes place at every hour. You | | | | different orishas prevailed. |
| have to take this into account if you plan to come to | | | | December 4th is in Cuba the Santa Barbara’s |
| Cuba to spend your vacation time and knowing this, | | | | day (Saint Barbra) and it is a great party for all the |
| you will easily notice all the syncretic aspects that | | | | people that believe in her. Santa Barbara is the |
| underlie in the Cubans´ daily life. | | | | Catholic saint, but also the devotes to Changó, the |
| In the western coast of Africa, in the territories of | | | | orisha deity that the slaves adored and that she had |
| Nigeria, is the Sacred City of Ifé, the cradle of the | | | | much similar to Santa Barbara celebrate this day |
| world for the Africans, where the religion is born; | | | | enthusiastically. |
| their cults, due to the infamous trade of slaves | | | | In the town Guines, very near Havana, her church |
| moved to the New World and they settled down | | | | was set, when a Spanish Priest brought the same |
| here; so the slaves settled down with an own | | | | image that still stands out there. On December 4th |
| liturgical body, without depending on anything or | | | | the town is full with people that are devotes. It is a |
| keeping some subordinated relationship with that | | | | great party of the town and from the previous day |
| origin place, that is to say, the Sacred City of Ifé. | | | | people go arriving to pray or to pay promises. Many |
| The Rule of Ocha in Cuba is not subject to the guide | | | | personalities of the Cuban culture participate, including |
| or spiritual government of the Obbas of the African | | | | the Minister OF Culture Abel Prieto. |
| Continent, because it is highly a Creole product; | | | | This is a party that if you attend you will never |
| seated in the beliefs originating of the Continental | | | | forget. If you happen to be in Cuba in December, try |
| Africa. It does not depend on the high religious | | | | to go to Guines, if you are really far and cannot get |
| bosses or Obbas of Nigeria and Dahomey. In the Rule | | | | there on time, just ask and probably you are going |
| of Ocha, each house-temple establishes its bases of | | | | to be invited to experience all the rites that take |
| agreement individually with the teachings of its | | | | place in a house where this saint is highly praised. This |
| ancestors. The bases of the Santeria neither originate | | | | is a new experience for sure! |