Santeria

Rastafarian

Voodoo

BELIEFS

BELIEFS

BELIEFS
This religion
focuses on
building
relationships
between human
beings and
powerful, but
mortal spirits
called Orishas.
Orishas are a
manifestation of
God.
Followers believe
that these spirits
will give them
help in life, but
only if they do
certain rituals.

There is not a
formal Rastafari
creed and the
beliefs vary
between all of the
different sectors.

Voodoo is a blend
of African
animism,
spiritism, and
indigenous
religion. It can
also contain
shamanism, black
magic and
witchcraft.

People who follow

this religion use
gris-gris which
are religious
amulets that
were created to
ward off evil
spirits. There are
also voodoo
queens which are
female leaders
who oversee the
religious activities
in the community

The Roman
Catholic religion
influences this
religion. Followers
of this religion
are normally
regular Catholics.

The key ideas are

the humanity of
God and divinity
of man, God is
found within
every man, God
in history,
salvation on
Earth, the
supremacy of life,
respect for
nature, the power
of speech, evil is
corporate,
judgment is near
and the
priesthood of
Rastafarians.
The previous
belief that white
people are evil is
no longer a
central point in
their belief
system.

Santeria rituals

Like Catholicism,

The followers of
this religion
interact with
lesser spirits as a
key practice in
their religion.
These spirits are
called loa or
miste.
This religion has

let humans stay

in contact with
the Orishas. They
include dancing,
drumming,
speaking and
eating with the
spirits.

CUSTOMS

There arent a lot

of religious
buildings
dedicated to this
religion. Most
rituals take place
in halls that are
rented for the
rituals or
privately in
homes that may
have alters
specifically for
ritual purposes.
Some rituals have
Catholic
influences. In one
ritual against
evil eye
combines an
herbal bath with
3 Our Fathers, 3
Credos, and 3
Ave Marias.

When a member
dies, his
godfather, god
sisters and god
brothers start

similarities to
Catholicism. Their
chief god is
associated with
God from the
bible.

CUSTOMS

CUSTOMS

There is no
specific religious
building for
worship.
Rastafaris meet
weekly in either a
community
center or a
believers home.

Voodoo priests
and priestesses
summon spirits
and do acts of
sorcery.

The meetings
provide a time for
chants, prayers,
singing, and
solving
communal issues.
Marijuana may be
smoked to
enhance their
spiritual states.

Voodoo dolls are

from a mix of
Afrikan magic
called Hoodoo.
Theyve been
used to represent
the practitioner
who is putting a
spell or curse
during a religious
ceremony.

CUSTOMS
REGARDING
DEATH

one of the
Rastafari head
figures is Jesus.

CUSTOMS
REGARDING
DEATH

This religion
believes that
after you die, you
go to Zion which
is their form of

CUSTOMS
REGARDING
DEATH
They do not believe
that death is the end
of life.
They do believe in
an afterlife though.

planning for the

Itutu Ceremony.
How the Itutu
Ceremony is
conducted isnt
public
information. The
only details are
known by the
initiated priests
and priestesses.

The purpose of
the ceremony is
to figure out what
to do with the
persons Orichas
now that his body
left the Earth and
he isnt there to
look after them.

heaven.

Zion is a place
where God
roams. They say
that his love,
energy, power
and being
surrounds you.

There is no
funeral ceremony
to mark the end
of life. They
believe that
reincarnation
follows death and
that life is
eternal.

They believe in a
gros bon ange
(large soul) and a
ti bon ange (little
soul). When a
person dies, the
soul hovers near
the body for 9
days. The large
soul is
vulnerable and
can be captured
by a sorcerer. If
the soul isnt
captured, then
the Nine Night
ritual is
performed to
sever the soul
from the body so
the soul may life
in the dark
waters for a year
and a day.
After a year and a
day, relatives of
the deceased
perform the Rite
of Reclamation to
raise the
deceased
persons soul
essence and put it
in a clay jar known
as a govi.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/santeria/
http://www.aboutsanteria.com/santeras-blog/when-a-santeroa-dies
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/rastafari/

http://religions.findthedata.com/compare/1-39/Christianity-General-vs-Rastafarimovement
http://deathdyingafterlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/haitian-vodoun-perspectives-ondeath.html
http://www.religionfacts.com/voodoo