Here is some info on a sister religon to Voodoo, Santeria. This is not my article this is from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/341073/african_religions_santeria.html?cat=34
The Santería history really originated from the West African religions that was brought to the New World by slaves. Santería was imported to the Caribbean to work in the sugar plantations. These slaves held on to their religious traditions, some which involved a possession trance tradition used for communicating with ancestors and their gods, animal sacrifice use, and the practice of sacred drumming and dance. While holding on to their own religious traditions, the African slaves were forced to convert to Catholicism. With the Catholic conversion, the slaves were able to combine several beliefs and rituals from the Dahomean, baKongo (Congo), and Lukumí with the Catholic culture.
The present time, thousands of people practice Santeria. Many practitioners are people of Hispanic/Latino and Caribbean descent. But as Santeria becoming popular, a growing number of people are of
African-American and European-American ancestry. Today, this traditional religion of Lukumí/Santería is present in many parts of the world. This includes the United States, Canada, some parts of Europe, the Caribbean, and many areas with a large population of Latin Americans. However, some people who practices Cuban Santeria, Haitian Vodun, Puerto Rican Spiritualism, or Afro-Latin religions, do not see a difference in the orisha, the godly ancestors of the Lukumí´s Ifa religion and the saints.
Santería religion was delivered orally until the last decade when a number of books have been published about this old religious tradition. Their practice often include dance, animal offerings, songs, and sprinking
Mercury around the house. The most talked-about rituals in the Santería religion is the animal sacrificing. The priests are trained to kill animals in a humane and safe method. As a result, the cooked animal is eaten by the community. For example, chicken is the main food for many people of African descent and Creole cultures. After the chicken is killed, the blood is given to the orisha, or deity, while everyone eats the meat.
Animal sacrifice is not the only ritual that is offered to the orisha. Trees are also part of the orisha offering. Music from the drum and dancing are part of a prayer and at a time will cause a state of trance in a priest that has been initiated. The priest is possesed and inform the orisha, giving information to the community as well as individuals, allowing healing to take place. In the Lukumí religion, every ritual and ceremony starts with paying tribute to his/her ancestors.
The Yoruba people believe in Oloffí, which is the Creator, or God. The Yoruba religious system is not a two-sided philosophy; good versus evil; God versus devil, but rather see the universe as expanding forces and forces of contraction. Everything that is present is either seen having a positive perspective, or Iré and/or a negative perspective, or Ibi. Many situations are viewed as completely good or completely evil, but every aspect is viewed as having different proportions of both. Actions are mainly judged upon the circumstances and context in which it has taken place.
Iwapele, or good character refers to the philosophy doing positive things because it is the right thing to instead of fearing of retribution or as a way to receive rewards, but because is right. Every human being have the potential of being blessed and good people as well as the potential to make bad and/or evil decisions.
Say what you know about Santeria. Say if anything was incorrect.
I dated a Haitian man for three years. The experiences were very out of the box...Haitian voodoo is either very good or very bad. I went to Haiti and experienced voodoo and it was so awesome to be a part of a ceremony
