Yoruba religion

Yoruba religion is a traditional West African religion, mainly from Nigeria. It is the religion of the Yoruba people. It has influenced some off-shoot religious groups.Fakinlede, Kayode J. 2005. Beginners Yoruba Today, it is a minority religion. A central idea behind the Yoruba religion is that natural objects, like trees, rivers, stones, and iron have a spiritual existence.

The Yoruba religion has had great influence among black people in Cuba, many of whom are Yoruba descendants. The religion is sometimes used in other Caribbean islands and in the United States.Bolívar Aróstegui, Natalia 1990. Los orishas en Cuba. Havana. (in Spanish)<ref>Canizares, Raul 1993. Walking with the night: the afro-Cuban world of santeria. Rochester, VT: Destiny.</ref>Feraudy Espino, Heriberto 1993. Un acercamíento a nostreas raíces. Havana. (in Spanish)Gonzalez-Whippler, Migene 1982. The santeria experience. N.Y. Original Publications. ISBN 0-942272-15-3Lachataneré, Rómulo 1992. El sistema religioso de los afrocubanos. Havana. (in Spanish)Mason, Michael Atwood 2002. Living santeria: rituals and experiences in an Afro-Cuban religion. Washington: Smithsonian. ISBN 1-58834-077-5Murphy, Joseph M. 1988. Santería: an African religion in America. Boston:Beacon. ISBN 0-8070-1015-4Thompson, Robert Farris 1983. Flash of the spirit: African and Afro-American art & philosophy. N.Y. Vintage. ISBN 0-394-72369-4  

In Cuba the religion is known locally as regla d'ocha (meaning 'the way of the spirits'). Santería'' is a slightly wider term referring to the merging ("syncretism") of African spirits and Catholic saints. Adherents in countries like Cuba may be received into the Catholic Church and initiated into the Yoruban religion, sometimes on successive days.

References

Category:African traditional religions
Category:Nigerian culture
Category:Beninese culture
Category:Cuban culture