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St. Thomas Law Review

First Page

710

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Animal sacrifices are at the core of many religious rituals within the context of Afro-Caribbean Belief Systems. These religions, also known as New World religions, are a mixture of Catholic and pre-Christian African beliefs, among them Cuban Santeria, Palo, and Haitian Voodoo. Cuban Santeria is also known as Yoruba, Lukumi, and Regla de Osha' The ritual animal sacrifices found within the context of these religions follow guidelines similar to those of Muslim and Kosher Jewish practices. Only the healthiest animals are chosen as offerings to the gods or orishas. The ritual sacrifice happens in a swift manner to allow for the quick draining of the animal's blood since the blood is the main part of the offering. Ritual animal sacrifices in Afro-Caribbean religions must be conducted by an ordained priest or priestess trained in the practice of animal sacrifice. In Cuban Santeria, this training culminates in a ceremony known as pinaldo. Pinaldo is also the name given to the sacrificial knives. Moreover, the sacrificial animals are obtained from two different venues. The larger animals are purchased from farm wholesalers." The smaller ones, usually doves, are obtained from botanicas, which are religious goods stores for New World religions. Botanicas can be found in any U.S. city with a significant Afro-Caribbean religious congregation. The meat of the sacrificed animals must be cooked according to strict religious rules such as the cooking utensils used to stir the meat of one sacrificed animal cannot be dipped into a pot containing the meat of a different animal. These rules obey a religious taboo that ordains that those initiated under the protection of a particular orisha, which is the general name for the Afro-Caribbean deities, cannot consume the meat of an animal identified with that deity; transgressions bring negative repercussions to the offender. Padrino and madrina de santo, which translates from Spanish to Godfather and Godmother, teach their new ahijados and ahijados, which translates from Spanish to godchildren, the ways of the orishas via an oro-kinetic language. Not all followers of New World religions are initiated into the priesthood, and only those who have undergone initiation can attend and partake in ritual animal sacrifices. However, all others who share these belief systems can share in the consumption of meat from sacrificed animals. These meats contain the blessings of the individual orisha to whom the animals were offered, and as such, carry positive energy, known as ashe. The feast that follows is attended by initiates and followers alike. The communion of sacrificial animal meat takes place during a feast where drumming is offered to the African deities; each Orisha has a distinctive drum beat. All drumming must cease before sunset. Afro-Caribbean religions were practiced in secrecy in their countries of origin because these were originally the beliefs of the poor and dominated classes, such as African slaves. These religions were viewed by the dominant class as backwards, ignorant, and superstitious beliefs that stood in opposition to the conversion efforts of Catholic priests. Consequently, these religions have been associated innocently and purposefully with dark magic for centuries. Afro-Caribbean religions are not centralized, and they do not worship in temples erected to that effect. Priests and priestesses belong to what is known as a Familia de Santo, a form of familial/religious congregation. Worship takes place in the home of the Familia de Santo's main priest. Each Familia de Santo operates independently from the others. The Pichardos, a Familia de Santo from Hialeah, Florida, and whose members were of Santeria's Priesthood class, attempted to centralize the religion in the 1980s. As a result, a confrontation ensued between Hialeah residents, city officials, and the Pichardos. In the wake of the Cuban Revolution, a significant number of Cubans migrated to the U.S. with peak migration occurring during the Mariel Boat Lift. Most Cubans settled in Florida, New Jersey, and New York.3Some brought with them the faith of the orishas. These migrants encountered laws in the U.S. that protected their freedom of religious worship. These laws enabled the migrants' religion to gain visibility with respectability. However, a segment of Cuban migrants continued to oppose the practices of Afro-Caribbean religions, perpetuating the negative connotations adjudicated to these beliefs in their country of birth.

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