Dreaming in Cuban

Throughout the years, Cuba is known to be a Communist country struggling to determine its own identity. Some Cubans have fought with the decision to stay in their native country or migrate to the United States. Others have decided to settle in Cuba and let their fate be determined by the gods. Santería, an African religion mixed with Catholic traditions, is practiced by many Cubans and allows followers to establish their destiny by the orishas, or African spirits. It also gives a sense of individuality to the characters in the novel, Dreaming in Cuban which incorporates several elements of the faith into the story. Overall, the Santería religion affects the Cuban people in many parts of their lives politically, artistically, musically, and in their relationships. Santeria or "La Regla Lucumm" originated in the region of West Africa and was part of the traditional faith of the Yoruba inhabitants. It was brought to the Caribbean countries of Cuba, Haiti and Brazil, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic through the Yoruba people who were part of the slave trade. When they arrived at their Caribbean destinations, they reluctantly baptized within the Roman Catholic faith and were forced to leave behind their traditional beliefs and practices. However, they managed to come up with a way to merge their beliefs with the Roman Catholic Church by “…choosing a catholic saint and associating the saint to each of the orishas, [or African gods,] of their traditional practices” (Santeria 101).
The santeros focus on building relationships with “powerful, but mortal, spirits, called orishas, [which is] a manifestation of …God” (BBC). In addition, they are taught that if they carry out the appropriate rituals, these spirits will support them in life, and enable them to “achieve the destiny that God planned for them before they were born” (BBC). The idea makes the followers feel that they have a purpose for their life and will live their life according to the

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