Santeria: the Religion: Faith, Rites, Magic (Llewellyn's World Religion & Magick) [Paperback]

Migene González-Wippler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2002 | Series: Llewellyn's World Religion & Magick

Brought to Cuba as slaves, the Yoruba people of West Africa preserved their religion's heritage by disguising their gods as Catholic saints and worshipping them in secret. The resulting religion is known as Santeria, a blend of primitive magic and Catholicism now practiced by an estimated five million Americans.

Santeria: The Religion is an informative and insightful examination of an African religion's survival in the New World. No one could write this book better than Migene Gonzalez-Wippler.  Combining her informed study as an anthropologist and personal experience as a Santerian initiate results in a thrilling book that reveals some of Santeria's most spellbinding elements:

·The or’shas: the deities of Santeria. Who they are. What they represent. How they may be contacted.
·The santeros: the priests of Santeria. What they are like. What they do. Initiations into the priesthood.
·The diloggœn: shells used in divination. How they are used. Methods to consult the gods with the shells.
·Ewe: the magic of Santeria. Includes herbal potions prepared as medicinal cures.

Santeria: The Religion covers every aspect of this religion, including its rites and ceremonies. Some of these ceremonies may be considered bizarre or controversial--but, if you want to know the truth, get this book.

Santeria: The Religion contains over 65 remarkable photographs that will take you right into Santeria traditions. Interviews with practitioners reveal aspects of the religion rarely disclosed to non-believers.

The time has come to reveal the growing spiritual practice that continues to gain ground worldwide, and to remove the fear and distrust from people who do not understand. Here is the truth about the religion. Get Santeria: The Religion today.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

An anthropologist and leading authority on Santeria, the syncretism of the Yoruba religion and Catholicism, Gonzalez-Wippler has written numerous books on the subject (e.g., Santeria , African Magic in Latin America , LJ 12/1/73; The Santeria Experience , LJ 2/15/82). Notorious for their secrecy, the Santeros initially misled Gonzalez-Wippler to protect their faith, but in time they recognized her genuine respect for the religion and began relaying accurate information. The book focuses on the Yoruba pantheon of orishas (Goddesses and Gods), the ten or more levels of Santeria hierarchy, the priesthood, the concept of Divine power known as ashe , initiations, Spirit possession, spells and herbs, and the controversial practice of animal sacrifice. A well-researched, fascinating look at a growing, dynamic religion with more than five million practitioners in this country alone.
- Kevin M. Roddy, Oakland P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

There are over 100 million practitioners of Santeria in the United States and Latin America. Despite such wide acceptance and practice, Santeria remains, for the larger, non-Hispanic culture, a mystery shrouded in secrecy.

Secrecy was once vital to the religion's survival. An African religion brought to the Americas by slaves, it was disguised within a facade of Catholicism. Recently, Santeria has experienced a surge in interest among many cultural groups. Now you can discover the inner secrets of this religion in Santeria: The Religion by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler.

In this book, you will find more of the true secrets of Santeria revealed than ever before. You will learn about its fascinating history and its previously clandestine practices and even come to understand some of the most controversial beliefs and practices of this religion.

Through her extensive personal experience (as an initiate into Santeria) and advanced academic study, Gonzalez-Wippler reveals all sides of this mesmerizing faith. She shows how this complete, dynamic spiritual system is as viable as any of the world's major religions.

Santeria may be the best-kept secret of Hispanic culture. If your exposure to this religion has been from seeing voodoo dolls in bad movies, I challenge you to consider an alternative: the truth. No matter your background, if you are ready to discover the secrets of this faith, get Santeria: The Religion.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; 2 edition (September 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567183298
• ISBN-13: 978-1567183290
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,519 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Practices > Tribal & Ethnic
  • #61 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Earth-Based Religions > Paganism
  • #69 in Books > History > Americas > Caribbean & West Indies

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent exposition by a brilliantg author., September 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Santeria: the Religion: Faith, Rites, Magic (Llewellyn's World Religion & Magick) (Paperback)

This is an excellent exposition by a brilliant author of a badly misunderstood religion. Migene Gonzalez-Wippler was the first author to write about Santeria for en English-speaking audience, When she began her research ahe was not an initiate and most of the santeros she interviewed gave her wrong information purposefully. This reflected in her first book on the subject. Since then she has recived several of the initiations of Santeria and her books reflect not only her love but also her great respect for it. She was the first author on the subject to make correlations between the orishas of the Yoruba pantheon and the archetypes of the collective unconscious. This is a major contribution to the study of Santeria. The secrecy which is such an intrinsic part of Santeria was born of the need of the African slaves to hide their practices from their Spanish masters. This secrecy is no longer necessary and does a great disservice to the religion. If is more important to let the world know that Santeria is a valid and powerful religious system and not the shady and suspicious cult that most uninformed people think it is. Gonzalez-Wippler has dispelled much of these false misconceptions. Her books were largely resposible for the favorable decision made by the Supreme Court declaring Santeria a valid religion, protected by the American constiturion.Unfortunately, this religion attracts a great deal of fanatics and people of the lower classes, many of them with an ax to grind. None of their ill-intended comments can change the fact that this is one of the most thorough and brilliant books written on the subject. I strongly recoemmend this book to any INTELLIGENT person who wants to know what Santeria is all about. Also excellent is here book The Santeria Experience. =

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesante pero sin profundidad, December 4, 1999

By 

Ana H. Cardona Garcia "anahilda" (Guaynabo, PR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Santeria: the Religion: Faith, Rites, Magic (Llewellyn's World Religion & Magick) (Paperback)

Un buen libro para comenzar a conocer sobre la santería. Presenta un buen marco de referencia para las personas que tienen curiosidad sobre el tema. La temática es tratada con suficiente respeto y decoro. Su profundidad es limitada. Su lectura es amena y entretenida. No lo recomiendo para personas que ya poseen conocimiento sobre el tema o desean realizar un estudio serio sobre la religion Yoruba según es practicada en el Caribe.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the most fascinating book I have read in a long tim, December 22, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Boston, Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Santeria: the Religion: Faith, Rites, Magic (Llewellyn's World Religion & Magick) (Paperback)

This is the most fascinating book I have read in a long time. I had the pleasure of being present during one of Ms. Gonzalez-Wippler's scholarly lectures on the subject of Santeria while I was a student at Columbia University, and she was both candid and supportive about the work of the santeros. THis book excelled all my expectations. She should be commended for her courage and admirable scholarship in presenting this much-misunderstood religion in a sympathetic and dignified manner. If you really want to know what Santeria is all about, you could not choose a better book. I strongly recommend it.