Santería: The Religion—Faith, Rites, Magic

by Migene González-Wippler

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. 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 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. 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.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, History, Spirituality, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Occult

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Migene González-Wippler es una autora puertorriqueña de temas como la Wicca y una líder experta en la religión afro-caribeña de la santería. González-Wippler nació en Puerto Rico y tiene grados de psicología y antropología de la Universidad de Puerto Rico y de la Universidad de Columbia.

Reviews

[Matt]

I spent 4 months in Mexico City last year and visited the Santeria market. I didn’t really know what the market was and I purchased this large cane I thought was very visually striking. I received many bad looks as well as some that were nervous or scared. I quickly put the cane in a bag. This book helped me learn about the cane and that Santeria is all around.

I’ll never forget the first time I showed a picture of the cane to my friend Yahaira without any context and she looked at me in broken English and just said “Do you believe in Caspers?” 😏

[M]

As someone who has hovered on the outskirts of the Religion for so long, I loved this book. I found it almost by accident, and I was so happy that it was available in my library system. It is smart, well-written, and informative in so many ways.

My major complaint is that some of the orishas are not given the attention that they deserve. I know why this is, the book explains why so much information isn't actually available in the first place -- it's kept hidden, away from prying eyes, discussed among other initiates. But I want to know more!

I love this book, and I'm not always a fan of Llewellyn as a publisher.

[cookielover]

No está mal como introducción al tema. Tiene mucha información sobre sus prácticas y orígenes, aunque no siempre es correcta. Lo peor del libro es lo terrible que se hace leerlo en español por los constantes errores de traducción y faltas de ortografía, se nota que no pasó por revisión. El español usado suena muy artificial y es difícil meterse completamente en el libro cuando en cada página te encuentras un puñado de incorrecciones.

[Jared Woods]

I've had quite the Yoruba year, spending time at Nigeria's holiest sites, eating Yoruba food, admiring Yoruba art, all the while reading various fiction and nonfiction books on the topic. It's such a rich culture with countless facets, but my area of interest definitely centres on its religious belief system. Their mythology deserves to be studied as much as any other ancient folklore, yet it has been criminally ignored by academic circles. Part of this is rooted in Eurocentric bias, but another part lies in the aftermath of colonisation. Today, Nigeria's religious demographics have been taken over by, fascinatingly, both Islam and Christianity in almost equal amounts. That said, one of history's worst accounts of Western colonialism ultimately led to an extension of Yoruba which still thrives to this day: the African diaspora religions.

When the horrific Atlantic slave trade shipped millions of Africans to the Americas, these people were not only forced to work tirelessly for the white man but also to convert to Catholic Christianity. What should have wiped Yoruba and other neighbouring beliefs (like Vodun) from these African spirits actually achieved the opposite, as they devised a plan to smuggle their gods (Orishas) into equivalent Saints, allowing them to worship right under their enslavers' noses. When slavery finally ended, these practices continued freely, often meeting some resistance, but many of which are now officially recognised by their respective states.

There are several of these diaspora branches, and you may recognise some of their names. Haitian Vodou from Haiti. Louisiana Voodoo from the USA. Candomblé from Brazil. However, the most famous is probably Santería, developed in Cuba.

If you are interested in this subject and want to learn more, then "Santería: The Religion" has everything you need from a voice qualified to tell it. Migene González-Wippler is a leading expert in Santería, and throughout this neatly organised publication, she covers the beliefs, gods, priestly hierarchy, and elaborate rituals with such detail that you get the sense that secrets are being revealed beyond what you should hear. This includes enchanting photos that have never been seen outside of these pages. What's more, she has the firsthand experience to match. This book is not autobiographical, but she will frequently slip into a side story about something supernatural she's witnessed, which she reports with such conviction that it does make one wonder...

As for me, I am left split in two minds.

On the one hand, I would not mess around with Santería. From the sounds of it (and if you're willing to believe in these things), it comes with extreme power at great speeds, which can heal ailments and manifest anything your heart desires. But, like everything, there is a balance, and the dark side gets exceedingly dark. If you make an error during the impossibly complex customs or utilise the magic for tasks that displease its greater forces, then the consequences appear to be swift and brutal.

On the other hand, my months spent exploring this system from both West African and American perspectives have unlocked something much larger in my spirit. These types of metaphysical realisations are always borderline impossible to articulate, but it's about a practical methodology (even mental) for building a divine connection, trading specific energies with the Higher Powers, whatever that may mean to you. I wouldn't specifically credit Yoruba/Vodun/related diasporas for this alignment, because it came from everywhere. It's closer to an accumulation of my years of esoteric study clicking into one place, with this as the final missing piece of the puzzle (as if such a puzzle could ever be completed). Whatever the case, I owe Yoruba a lot for my journey of discovery, which is measurably escalating.

As Migene González-Wippler says in this book: "Unshakable faith and strongly concentrated will could tap the vast reservoir of power which is the unconscious mind, at exactly the point desired, by using a simple key word: the name of the [god] that controls that particular area." That's precisely how I think it works. And you can apply that to any religion you prefer.

THIS BOOK IS PART OF THE GREATER LAMB PROPHECY STUDIES!
Book 1: The Lamb Prophecy is out now!
Book 2: Breaking Her Promise to God is written and coming in 2026!

[Samantha Young]

"The Religion—Faith, Rites, Magic" is a profound exploration of spirituality, highlighting its rituals, beliefs, and connection to the divine. Through its pages, readers discover how faith and magic intertwine, offering a path to self-discovery and harmony with higher energies. The figure of the Seer plays a crucial role in this context, acting as a bridge between the earthly and the spiritual world, interpreting signs and guiding those seeking clarity in their lives. This book is essential for those who wish to delve into the mysteries of faith and magic.

[Lory Sakay]

This was a solid 3. It was very information heavy, reminding me of a college textbook. Although it wasn't very "entertaining", I learned a lot of details about Santeria of which I was unaware. The author demystified much of the voodoo witchcraft rumored about this religion and explained its origins and detailed connection to Catholicism. I also appreciated the chapters describing other, closely related religions and the stories (kind of like Greek myths) about several of the Orisha . Some of the examples of spells shared seemed to be a bit farfetched but, if you want to really learn more about the details of Santeria, it's all here..

[Ash reads]

I think for someone who wants to understand the basis of this complex religion this book does a good job of describing it. Santeria is far more complex than any outsider could tell, but I think anyone who has close relations to Santeria (is from a culture of where the religion is prominent) or anyone who wants to be educated on religions like Santeria, should read this book.

[Hector Cruz]

“Santería: The Religion” de González-Wippler es como un encantamiento escrito. Cada página no solo informa, sino que invoca la esencia mística de la Santería. Más que un libro, se siente como un portal a un mundo espiritual lleno de poder y tradición.

[Marie Collazo]

4.5/5 ! so informational!!! def interesting to read with lots of information on santeria i haven’t been able to find elsewhere. sometimes it felt a little unnecessarily flowery but i didn’t rlly mind!

[Alexandra Zapata]

Muy Informativo, pero la edición en español que leí tiene demasiados errores ortográficos, imperdonables.

[Tertsea Asor]

3.76

[Sasha]

Very informative, it was a basically reading a textbook. I'm more happy that I was able to learn about a religion that has been so secretive and distant.

[Martine Picard]

Clear writing with useful information.

[Ariadna SL]

Amé con todo el corazón leer este libro, sin duda que buscaré la forma de encontrarlo en físico ya que lo leí en formato kindle.
Me llena de orgullo y cariño pertenecer a fan hermosa religión.

[Patrick]

A great intro into the religion.

[Juno]

Very informative and interesting peek into the wide and diverse religion of Santeria

[Saul Bautista]

La guía completa de esta religión. Recomendado

[Julie]

I learned but what did I learn? Anthropologically, I'm not sure this is a clear view into learning about the religion, one already clouded in mystery, but also I'm judgy.

[Heka]

This was my first encounter with Santeria and I really enjoyed this book. I feel like the author does an excellent job of explaining the cultural mindset and reasoning around many of Santeria's concepts and practices. If nothing else, she does a good job of delving into and explaining some uncomfortable topics and stereotypes. In the months after finishing this book, I often found myself thinking back to and mulling it over. There is certainly a lot to learn here and I've discovered that I'm quite fascinated by Santeria!

[Delphina]

It is filled with fundamentals about the religion and includes personal anecdotes. It was a slow read for me as the material is informative but not gripping. However, I'm glad I stuck with it because it gave me a solid beginners' grasp of knowledge about this religion. Before I read this book, I only had a rough notion of animal sacrifice and possible connections with Catholicism. I'm confident that I can have an informed conversation about this subject now.

[Lisa James]

I love comparative religions, & this was a totally fascinating look into Santeria, which combines aspects of African magic & Catholic beliefs. To make it even more interesting, there are black & white photos to illustrate these teachings.

HIGHLY recommended to those who will appreciate the anthropology aspects, as well as the religious & spiritual & magickal aspects.

[Victoria]

I loved the way Migene put this book together. Santeria can be hard to follow with all it's elements but her format was easy to follow and very informative. Her references were concise and honest. Good reference book if dealing with anything in this area.

[Carolina]

It's a decent, though dense, overview if you are interested in the topic.

[Elizabeth]

i'm currently reading it son

[Sandra Bassett]

This book is my "bible" to understanding Santeria. I know who "my" god is and why havock is reeked on me sometimes!

[Danny]

If you want to learn about Santeria...

[S.]

Was alright..

[Josh]

Good introductory to the religion.

[Vanessa]

This was too hard to read.

[Suesie]

This book is a real eye-opener! It's a combination of almost a Bible, a how-to-book & everything that you ever wanted to know about Santeria. Extremely detailed. More than I needed, but that allowed me to "pick & choose" what I wanted additional information about. I had no idea that over 100 million people in the world follow Santeria!