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Santeria is a religion which migrated to America from the Caribbean but is actually an offshoot of the Yoruba religion that came to the sugar plantations with the slave trade from Africa. It has now added Catholic and Native American traditions to its rituals which include the blowing of the ceremonial cigar and the sacrifice of animals to the gods.
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At the last census more than 22,000 Americans admitted to being members of Santeria, however, socialologists suggest this number is much greater due to those who hide membership for fear of recrimination from friends and employers. Some years ago the state of Florida, including my home county of Polk, vigorously pursued reports of animal cruelty performed during Santeria ceremonies where large conclaves of Caribbean and Hispanic populations lived. Most animals were chickens and goats but reports of dogs being sacrificed persisted. There were many arrests and several successful prosecutions.
In 1974 the first Santeria church in the U.S. was incorporated in Hialeah, Florida as the Church of the Lukumi Babalu-Aye. Babalu Aye is an important saint or orisha in the Santeria belief. In 1993, church elders were convicted of animal cruelty and appeals took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. That body overruled the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision and declared that animal cruelty laws specifically targeting Yoruba, the mother church of Santeria, were unconstitutional. There have been virtually no law enforcement challenges to Santeria ceremonial animal sacrifice since that ruling.
A note of trivia in closing: in the television series “I Love Lucy,” Cuban-born Desi Arnaz, who played Ricky Ricardo, Lucy’s husband, had a band. It was often heard playing its theme song, “Babalu.” That song is an homage to the orish Babalu-Aye for whom the Florida church is named.
This was news to me Ken. Thanks for posting this very interesting article!!
Very interesting read.
Veryu interesting, I’d like to know more about the topic.
Very informative………..I am a hindu and we have this tradition of sacrificing animals in the name of religion…….I hope it ends. Its terrible.
I had never heard of this. It is terrible in my opinion. Thanks for an informative read.
I hope this will end one day…
Very interesting article.
If I wanted to start a religion that tortured and killed babies (or just decided to follow an older religion that did that) you can bet there would be a law against it.
Personally knowing how valuable food was to people in the past, I doubt the amount of sacrifice that took place was any where near what people think it was.
Very informative article!
I haven’t heard of this religion but I have been put off it by the cruelty they use. A well written piece.
Christine
Very interesting. I have never heard of this before.
Very interesting piece. I have never heard of that but I am happy to have read this
My opinion, it is animal cruelty, only because I’m such an animal lover. Plus to sacrifice in the name of religion?? Puts me off right there. Another fascinating article, Ken. I can’t wait to see what else you have in store for us. And where is that lynching piece, huh? lol.
BTW I first heard of Santeria from the song of the same name by Sublime. The first line he says is “I don’t practice Santeria”.
I always learn something from you. Well done again, my friend.
Excellent journalistic write Ken! I have never heard of them but this sure was interesting.I don’t beleive in animal cruelty in any sense but if you go back to the time of the bible Isreal sacrificed animals to God so I can see how some religions would think this is right in some morbid disgusting kind of way but I think doing this to animals especially in this day of age is completely wrong and they should be charged. Perhaps they should take up another worshipping practice then to kill defenseless animals savagely.
interesting read of your story, i feel sorry for the animals being used in sacrifices which i think is pure evil like the people who do this, i know it all goes on, usually behind he scenes where nobody knows or cares.Thanks for sharing.
very informative and interesting article. I do not believe in sacrificing anything.
Never heard of this type of religion and as always you broaden my mind on many things. I truly enjoy your articles.
I don’t buy all this sacrifice stuff, they will be using virgin maidens next.
Well presented article Ken.
Good piece Ken. I’m torn with this one?Culture versus modern thinking, I can’t decide.
This has a different twist from your previous publications. Well told.
Ken, that was interesting, I loved Ricky’s them song. It’s origin is odd, I wonder if he was into the religion.
I’m totally not familiar with Santeria.
Nice Interesting article,Thanks for sharing
Very nice information…Thanks!