Santería Vocabulary
A word about spelling: The incorporation of Yoruba words into Lucumi vocabulary sometimes reflects the influence of Spanish spelling and pronunciation. Spelling tends to be irregular because so much of the knowledge was transmitted orally, and it was written down phonetically. Variations emerged depending on the sounds the listener heard.
abiku. A spirit that occupies the body of a child and causes them to die prematurely. It can also prevent other children from being born into the family, or can cause the death of brothers and sisters who are born into the family.
aboricha. Someone who is partially but not fully initiated into Regla de Ocha. For example, a person who has received the warriors or an eleke from a godparent in a formal ceremony is an aboricha. In a broader sense, it can simply mean any devotee of Orisha.
abure. Brother or sister in the religion.
achabá. Metal charm bracelet or anklet with tools, machetes, keys and other pieces of metal hanging from it; sometimes worn by priests of Ogún.
aché. The spiritual energy, grace, power or blessings that can be possessed, given, and received in life through devotion to the Orishas.
achó. A piece of cloth given to an Orichá as an offering, or used in a cleansing ritual. For example, achó funfún, white cloth, can be used to cover the head of a person who has had a rogación de cabeza.
adimú. Type of ebbó or offering made to the Orichas, consisting of raw or cooked foods. Each Oricha has his or her favorite foods.
adimú orisha. An orisha that is prepared and given in ceremony so that the recipient can offer ebo. It does not go to the head as in the kariocha ceremony. Aleyos as well as aborishas and olorishas can receive adimú orishas, as determined via divination. Olokun is an example of an adimú orisha.
afoché. Magically charged powders used to bring about a positive outcome. (the opposite of ofoché)
aguan. Also spelled agban, agwan. A spiritual cleansing, such as those done at the foot of Babalu Ayé, with a variety of grains and other materials.
ahijado/a. Godchild in the Lucumi religion.
ajá. A broom made out of palm fibers traditionally used by Babalú Ayé. It sweeps away sickness and bad energy.
akpuón. The soloist (singer) who accompanies the batá drums and sings the opening of the oro.
alafia. In the Obi divination system, this is the sign that comes when four pieces face upward.
aleyo. An outsider to the religion. One who has not received the elekes or warriors or anything else from a godparent. Some aleyos occasionally see olorishas or babalawos for consultas or to work through a specific problem.
amalá. One of Changó's favorite foods, a thick stew made of corn meal, okra and sometimes mutton.
Añá. The Oricha who lives inside the sacred batá drum.
angel de la guarda. The tutelar Orisha, the owner of the head. Also called alagbatori.
ará. Earth, the realm where humans live. Can also be used to designate a group of people who belong to the same tradition, such as Ará la Habana (Havana-style Ocha) and Ará Matanzas (Matanzas style Ocha)
ará onu, The heavens, the realm where ancestors live.
arayé. Tragedy, arguments, discord. One of the osorbos.
aro, arun. Disease. One of the osorbos.
ataná. (also spelled itana) A candle, used during a Lucumi ceremony. Often two candles (ataná melli) are used.
awó. Secret (limited to initiates). Also used as form of address to some babalawos.
ayé. Earth, the part inhabited by living things.
B
babá. Father.
babaloricha. May be shortened to babalocha. A santero who has initiated others into the religion.
babalawo. A practitioner of the Regla de Ifa; priest of Orula.
batá. A set of three drums, consecrated for ceremonies. Individually the drums are called Iya, Itótele, and Okónkolo.
bembé. Drumming ceremony in honor of the Orichás, also called a tambor in Cuba.
burukú. Defective or bad, as in iwá burukú (bad character).
C
caballo. Literally, horse. This term is used to describe the person who is possessed by an Orichá during a trance. The Orichá mounts a human being and uses him or her as a medium to communicate with others in the room.
cabildo. In Colonial times in Cuba, a religious group or social organization for people of African origin. In the early 20th century, many transformed into sociedades religiosas (religious societies) for Orisha devotees.
camino. Path or avatar of the Oricha. Most Orichas have many paths, meaning they can take different forms and be represented in different ways. During initiation, when Santeros receive the Orichas, they learn which paths their Orichas take.
canastillero. Originally, a china cabinet where the soperas with the Orichás were kept; today the canastillero can be any piece of furniture used as an altar in the home where the soperas of the Orichás are kept.
cascarilla. Also called efún. Powder made of finely ground white eggshells, used in many Lucumí rituals.
collar. Also called eleke (ileke). Beaded necklace in the colors and patterns associated with an Orisha, consecrated and given in ceremony.
consulta. The divination process carried out by an Olorisha or Babalawo for a client. Through the cowrie shells or epuele chain, the Orichas speak to the client. Registro is a synonym of consulta.
D
derecho. Payment to an olorisha or babalawo for a service. May also be a gift to a godparent on the anniversary of the godparent's initiation.
día del medio. In the weeklong kariocha ceremony, this is the day when itá is normally done. The iyawo dresses up and received family and close friends. Also called día del itá.
dilogún. Cowrie shells that have been consecrated for use by an Oloricha to communicate with the Orichas.
E
ebbó. Also spelled ebó. Sacrifice or offering made to an Oricha. Ebbó takes many forms, and is normally determined through a consulta with the dilogún or epuele.
ebbó de tres meses. Special ebbó done three months after the kariocha takes place. It is obligatory for initiates.
ebbó misi. Spiritual bath, for protection or purification. May include herbs, flowers, plants, cocoa butter, cascarilla, or other ingredients determined through a consulta.
efun. See cascarilla.
egun. Spirits of deceased ancestors (of blood and religious family).
eledá. The head, where the Orisha is seated in cermony.
elegún. See caballo. The person chosen by Orisha to be mounted.
eleke. Beaded necklace in the color of specific Orichas. The elekes are blessed and given by a godparent after a ceremony. They represent the aché of the Oricha and are sacred. Also called collar.
emí. Sacred breath, what gives us life on earth.
epó. Red palm oil.
epuele. Also spelled ekuele. Used by a babalawo for divination, it is a short chain to which 8 pieces of shell (usually coconut) have been attached. The babalawo throws the epuele and notes the patterns that fall.
etawa. Also spelled itawa and etagua. In obi divination, the sign indicated by three pieces facing upward and one piece facing down.
eyá, ellá. Dried fish, used as an offering to some Orichás.
eyife. In Obi divination, the letter that falls with two pieces facing up, and two facing down.
eyinlá. Also spelled eyilá. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 12.
eyioko. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 2.
eyiunle. Also called eyiogbe. See unle.
ewe. Herb used in Lucumi ceremonies. Each Orichá is associated with numerous herbs that are used to prepare omiero. Herbs can also be used for medicinal purposes.
F
feicita. Secretary, assistant, the one who records the itá during kariocha.
foribale. The formal salute a Lucumi initiate gives to the Orichás or sometimes a godparent or distinguished elder; literally it means to put the head to the ground. Depending on which orichá owns the head of the initiate, the individual may lie face down with arms extended back to the sides, or lie first on the left side then the right side, with the arm crooked at the waist.
fun (also fun fun). White. A category of Orishas associated with water and with coolness.
fundamento. The physical receptacle where Orishas reside after initiation, including the consecrated items inside the receptacle.
G
gbogbo. Many, numerous.
güemilere. Also spelled wemilere. A party held in honor of the Orichás, not limited to initiates. The sacred batá drums aren't used. There is usually dancing, drinking and eating in abundance to show gratitude to the Orichás for good fortune.
guerreros. See Warriors.
güiro. A dried gourd prepared to create a rhythmic sound when played; can refer to a musical offering given for Orisha with guiros instead of drums.
I
ibaé. A word used when speaking the name aloud of any ancestor who has died; it's meant to honor the dead and to wish them the best in the other world.
icolé. Vulture. Associated with Ochún.
iddé. Also spelled idé. A beaded bracelet worn by Lucumi initiates. The iddé must be consecreated in a ceremony before it can be worn.
igbo. Also spelled ibo. Tools used in divination, manipulated to determine the orientation of the Odu.
igbodú. Sacred room where initiation into Regla de Ocha takes place. Also called cuarto de santo.
ikú. Death. The worst of the osorbos. Ikú is sometimes personified and can wander on earth looking for people to take into the realm of the dead.
ilé. House of worship where Lucumí practitioners perform ceremonies. Also called ilé ocha.
iña. A type of osorbo. Tragedy.
iré. Blessings, good energy, good luck. In divination with the dilogún (shells), the santero determines if his client's reading comes with iré or osorbo (bad luck).
iré arikú. Long life, good health, vitality to live out the full span of life. (Considered a major blessing)
iroko. The ceiba tree, considered sacred.
irosun. Also spelled Iroso. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 4.
iruke. Horse tail fashioned into a short whip, which is used by Obatalá and Oyá when dancing. It's used to chase away bad energies. Obatalá's is white and Oyá's is black.
itá. A complete and lengthy divination done as part of kariocha. It provides a "guidebook" for the initiate's whole life.
ituto. A ceremony done upon the death of an olorisha or babalawo to determine the fate of that person's orishas.
iwá. A human being's character. Iwá reré is good character. Iwá pele is gentle character. It's what we should all strive for.
iworo. Another word for santero/a, or olorisha/ olosha.
iya. Mother.
iyabó (iyawó). An novice initiate in Regla de Ocha. In most cases, this period lasts one year, and the iyabó has many restrictions on his/her behavior during that time.
iyaboraje. The one year period following initiation into Regla de Ocha.
iyaloricha. May be shortened to Iyalocha. A female olorisha who has initiated others into the religion.
K
kariocha. The initiation ceremony in Santería. In Cuba, people also use the phrases hacer santo (to make saint) and asentar santo (to seat the saint) to refer to initiation.
kincamaché. Health. Often used as an expression to wish for good health.
L
letra. The letter or sign marked in divination by the way the shells fall on the mat. The letra is also called an odu or oddun. The letra carries with it a complex series of patakís (sacred stories), refranes (proverbs), pieces of advice, messages from the Orichás, and suggested offerings that can be made to the Orichás or the egun (spirits of the dead) to ensure good fortune.
limpieza. Spiritual cleansing, spiritual bath.
Lucumí. Also spelled Lukumí. Refers to the Yoruba people who were taken to Cuba as slaves and their descendants. Santería is also known as the Lucumí religion.
M
madrina. Godmother in the Lucumí religion.
mariwó. palm fibers or fronds.
medio sentado. Half seated. Sometimes people who have received elekes and warriors and perhaps some adimu orishas are considered medio sentado in the Lucumi tradition, half way to making Ocha or being fully initiated.
moyugbar. To pray to the ancestors and the Orichás before any ceremony, to ask for permission, blessings, and to show respect to godparents.
O
oba. Title of respect for an oriate. See oriate.
obara. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 6.
obi. Coconut. Used in manyLucumí ceremonies, or as an offering to an Oricha.
ocana. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 1. In Obi divination, it corresponds to 3 pieces facing down and one piece facing up.
ocha. A shortened form of Oricha.
oche, oshe. The double headed ax that Changó carries.
oché/ oshé. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 5.
ochinchín. Ochún's favorite food, it's eggs cooked with dried shrimp and chard.
odí. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 7.
odu, oddun. The letter or sign marked in divination by the way the shells fall on the mat. Also called letra or signo.
ofoché. Magical powders, used for negative results (witchcraft)
ogo. Witchcraft. One of the sources of osorbo.
ogundá. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 3.
ofo. A kind of osorbo. Sudden loss of position and prestige, embarrassment, humiliation.
ofún. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 10.
ogo. A kind of osorbo. Witchcraft.
ojuani. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 11.
oloricha. An initiated priest or priestess of Santería. Also called a Santero (male) or Santera (female). Often shortened to Olocha.
omi. Water, as a libation offered to the Orichas. Omi tuto means "fresh water."
omiero. Sacred water mixed with herbs and other natural ingredients, used during the initiation ceremony to "birth" the Orichás. The omiero is prepared in a complex ceremony under the supervision of an elder, accompanied by prayers.
omilasa. Holy water, from a Catholic church. Because of Cuban's historical and cultural ties to Catholicism, it's commonly believed that holy water from a church has protective and curative powers. Other people believe omilasa is water from natural sources, such as a river, ocean, well, rainwater, etc.
omo. Child of, especially of certain Orishas, such as Omo Elegua (child of Elegua)
ona. A kind of osorbo. Obstacles, blows in life, hardships, setbacks, being beaten down by life.
oni. Also used to mean child of in reference to certain Orishas, such as Oni Yemayá (child of Yemayá)
oñí. Honey, used in various cleansing rituals, also offered to Ochún as her favorite treat.
oriate. Priest who is regarded in the community as a master of ceremonies. To become an oriate requires many years of intensive study. The oriate directs and leads initiation ceremonies, for example. An oriate is also called Oba (chief).
Orún. Heaven, the spiritual realm, in contrast to Ayé, the earthly realm.
osá. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 9.
osorbo, osobbo. Bad luck, obstacles, downfall. In divination with the dilogún (shells), the diviner determines if his client's reading comes with osorbo or iré (blessings.)
otá, otán. Stone which symbolically receives the aché of an Orichá during the initiation ceremony; typically the stones are kept in soperas (soup tureens).
oti. Cane alcohol used in many Lucumi ceremonies.
owó. Money, wealth, good luck in business. A form of iré.
oyecu(n). In obi divination, all pieces face down.
oyugbona. Also spelled yugbona and yubona. The second godmother or godfather in an initiation ceremony. The oyugbona has most of the responsibility of caring for the new initiate during the week-long initiation ceremony.
P
padrino. Godfather in the Lucumi religion.
pataki. Sacred story or myth involving God, the Orichas, the creation of the world, or other important religious topics. Patakis traditionally exist in oral form and are taught to godchildren by godparents. They can be used during a consulta to illustrate a moral point.
R
registro. See consulta.
regla de Ifá. Ifá refers to a sect of male priests who are devoted to Orula. Regla de Ifá is parallel to Regla de Ocha. Babalawos and olorishas have separate practices, but overlap in many of their general beliefs and customs.
regla de Ocha. Ocha is a shortened form of Oricha. Regla de Ocha is another name for Santería or the Lucumi religion. Regla means rule or way of doing something. Priests of Obatalá, Yemayá, Changó, Oshún, Oyá, Elegúa, Ochosi, Ogún, etc. make up the priesthood of regla de Ocha.
rogación de cabeza. Head cleansing, a ceremony carried out to strengthen, calm, or protect the head (orí). Also called ebori or iborí.
S
santo lavado. Washed orisha. The orisha has been prepared in ceremony, consecrated, and given to an individual, but NOT placed on the head as in the kariocha ceremony. The person who receives santo lavado may not work as a priest or crown godchildren. The orisha is for personal use only. The orishas essentially function as adimú orishas, to receive offerings.
sopera. Soup tureen, used to house the otá (stones) that symbolically represent the Orichás on a home altar. Originally the Orichás were kept in gourds but during the 19th century in Cuba it became fashionable to put them in porcelain soperas, and to store the soperas in a china cabinet in the home.
U
Unle/ Eyeunle. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 8.
W
warriors. Refers to Eleguá, Ogun, Ochosi and sometimes Osun. These Orichas together are called the warriors. It's common to receive the warriors before being fully initiated into Santería.
Y
yugbona. See oyugbona.
abiku. A spirit that occupies the body of a child and causes them to die prematurely. It can also prevent other children from being born into the family, or can cause the death of brothers and sisters who are born into the family.
aboricha. Someone who is partially but not fully initiated into Regla de Ocha. For example, a person who has received the warriors or an eleke from a godparent in a formal ceremony is an aboricha. In a broader sense, it can simply mean any devotee of Orisha.
abure. Brother or sister in the religion.
achabá. Metal charm bracelet or anklet with tools, machetes, keys and other pieces of metal hanging from it; sometimes worn by priests of Ogún.
aché. The spiritual energy, grace, power or blessings that can be possessed, given, and received in life through devotion to the Orishas.
achó. A piece of cloth given to an Orichá as an offering, or used in a cleansing ritual. For example, achó funfún, white cloth, can be used to cover the head of a person who has had a rogación de cabeza.
adimú. Type of ebbó or offering made to the Orichas, consisting of raw or cooked foods. Each Oricha has his or her favorite foods.
adimú orisha. An orisha that is prepared and given in ceremony so that the recipient can offer ebo. It does not go to the head as in the kariocha ceremony. Aleyos as well as aborishas and olorishas can receive adimú orishas, as determined via divination. Olokun is an example of an adimú orisha.
afoché. Magically charged powders used to bring about a positive outcome. (the opposite of ofoché)
aguan. Also spelled agban, agwan. A spiritual cleansing, such as those done at the foot of Babalu Ayé, with a variety of grains and other materials.
ahijado/a. Godchild in the Lucumi religion.
ajá. A broom made out of palm fibers traditionally used by Babalú Ayé. It sweeps away sickness and bad energy.
akpuón. The soloist (singer) who accompanies the batá drums and sings the opening of the oro.
alafia. In the Obi divination system, this is the sign that comes when four pieces face upward.
aleyo. An outsider to the religion. One who has not received the elekes or warriors or anything else from a godparent. Some aleyos occasionally see olorishas or babalawos for consultas or to work through a specific problem.
amalá. One of Changó's favorite foods, a thick stew made of corn meal, okra and sometimes mutton.
Añá. The Oricha who lives inside the sacred batá drum.
angel de la guarda. The tutelar Orisha, the owner of the head. Also called alagbatori.
ará. Earth, the realm where humans live. Can also be used to designate a group of people who belong to the same tradition, such as Ará la Habana (Havana-style Ocha) and Ará Matanzas (Matanzas style Ocha)
ará onu, The heavens, the realm where ancestors live.
arayé. Tragedy, arguments, discord. One of the osorbos.
aro, arun. Disease. One of the osorbos.
ataná. (also spelled itana) A candle, used during a Lucumi ceremony. Often two candles (ataná melli) are used.
awó. Secret (limited to initiates). Also used as form of address to some babalawos.
ayé. Earth, the part inhabited by living things.
B
babá. Father.
babaloricha. May be shortened to babalocha. A santero who has initiated others into the religion.
babalawo. A practitioner of the Regla de Ifa; priest of Orula.
batá. A set of three drums, consecrated for ceremonies. Individually the drums are called Iya, Itótele, and Okónkolo.
bembé. Drumming ceremony in honor of the Orichás, also called a tambor in Cuba.
burukú. Defective or bad, as in iwá burukú (bad character).
C
caballo. Literally, horse. This term is used to describe the person who is possessed by an Orichá during a trance. The Orichá mounts a human being and uses him or her as a medium to communicate with others in the room.
cabildo. In Colonial times in Cuba, a religious group or social organization for people of African origin. In the early 20th century, many transformed into sociedades religiosas (religious societies) for Orisha devotees.
camino. Path or avatar of the Oricha. Most Orichas have many paths, meaning they can take different forms and be represented in different ways. During initiation, when Santeros receive the Orichas, they learn which paths their Orichas take.
canastillero. Originally, a china cabinet where the soperas with the Orichás were kept; today the canastillero can be any piece of furniture used as an altar in the home where the soperas of the Orichás are kept.
cascarilla. Also called efún. Powder made of finely ground white eggshells, used in many Lucumí rituals.
collar. Also called eleke (ileke). Beaded necklace in the colors and patterns associated with an Orisha, consecrated and given in ceremony.
consulta. The divination process carried out by an Olorisha or Babalawo for a client. Through the cowrie shells or epuele chain, the Orichas speak to the client. Registro is a synonym of consulta.
D
derecho. Payment to an olorisha or babalawo for a service. May also be a gift to a godparent on the anniversary of the godparent's initiation.
día del medio. In the weeklong kariocha ceremony, this is the day when itá is normally done. The iyawo dresses up and received family and close friends. Also called día del itá.
dilogún. Cowrie shells that have been consecrated for use by an Oloricha to communicate with the Orichas.
E
ebbó. Also spelled ebó. Sacrifice or offering made to an Oricha. Ebbó takes many forms, and is normally determined through a consulta with the dilogún or epuele.
ebbó de tres meses. Special ebbó done three months after the kariocha takes place. It is obligatory for initiates.
ebbó misi. Spiritual bath, for protection or purification. May include herbs, flowers, plants, cocoa butter, cascarilla, or other ingredients determined through a consulta.
efun. See cascarilla.
egun. Spirits of deceased ancestors (of blood and religious family).
eledá. The head, where the Orisha is seated in cermony.
elegún. See caballo. The person chosen by Orisha to be mounted.
eleke. Beaded necklace in the color of specific Orichas. The elekes are blessed and given by a godparent after a ceremony. They represent the aché of the Oricha and are sacred. Also called collar.
emí. Sacred breath, what gives us life on earth.
epó. Red palm oil.
epuele. Also spelled ekuele. Used by a babalawo for divination, it is a short chain to which 8 pieces of shell (usually coconut) have been attached. The babalawo throws the epuele and notes the patterns that fall.
etawa. Also spelled itawa and etagua. In obi divination, the sign indicated by three pieces facing upward and one piece facing down.
eyá, ellá. Dried fish, used as an offering to some Orichás.
eyife. In Obi divination, the letter that falls with two pieces facing up, and two facing down.
eyinlá. Also spelled eyilá. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 12.
eyioko. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 2.
eyiunle. Also called eyiogbe. See unle.
ewe. Herb used in Lucumi ceremonies. Each Orichá is associated with numerous herbs that are used to prepare omiero. Herbs can also be used for medicinal purposes.
F
feicita. Secretary, assistant, the one who records the itá during kariocha.
foribale. The formal salute a Lucumi initiate gives to the Orichás or sometimes a godparent or distinguished elder; literally it means to put the head to the ground. Depending on which orichá owns the head of the initiate, the individual may lie face down with arms extended back to the sides, or lie first on the left side then the right side, with the arm crooked at the waist.
fun (also fun fun). White. A category of Orishas associated with water and with coolness.
fundamento. The physical receptacle where Orishas reside after initiation, including the consecrated items inside the receptacle.
G
gbogbo. Many, numerous.
güemilere. Also spelled wemilere. A party held in honor of the Orichás, not limited to initiates. The sacred batá drums aren't used. There is usually dancing, drinking and eating in abundance to show gratitude to the Orichás for good fortune.
guerreros. See Warriors.
güiro. A dried gourd prepared to create a rhythmic sound when played; can refer to a musical offering given for Orisha with guiros instead of drums.
I
ibaé. A word used when speaking the name aloud of any ancestor who has died; it's meant to honor the dead and to wish them the best in the other world.
icolé. Vulture. Associated with Ochún.
iddé. Also spelled idé. A beaded bracelet worn by Lucumi initiates. The iddé must be consecreated in a ceremony before it can be worn.
igbo. Also spelled ibo. Tools used in divination, manipulated to determine the orientation of the Odu.
igbodú. Sacred room where initiation into Regla de Ocha takes place. Also called cuarto de santo.
ikú. Death. The worst of the osorbos. Ikú is sometimes personified and can wander on earth looking for people to take into the realm of the dead.
ilé. House of worship where Lucumí practitioners perform ceremonies. Also called ilé ocha.
iña. A type of osorbo. Tragedy.
iré. Blessings, good energy, good luck. In divination with the dilogún (shells), the santero determines if his client's reading comes with iré or osorbo (bad luck).
iré arikú. Long life, good health, vitality to live out the full span of life. (Considered a major blessing)
iroko. The ceiba tree, considered sacred.
irosun. Also spelled Iroso. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 4.
iruke. Horse tail fashioned into a short whip, which is used by Obatalá and Oyá when dancing. It's used to chase away bad energies. Obatalá's is white and Oyá's is black.
itá. A complete and lengthy divination done as part of kariocha. It provides a "guidebook" for the initiate's whole life.
ituto. A ceremony done upon the death of an olorisha or babalawo to determine the fate of that person's orishas.
iwá. A human being's character. Iwá reré is good character. Iwá pele is gentle character. It's what we should all strive for.
iworo. Another word for santero/a, or olorisha/ olosha.
iya. Mother.
iyabó (iyawó). An novice initiate in Regla de Ocha. In most cases, this period lasts one year, and the iyabó has many restrictions on his/her behavior during that time.
iyaboraje. The one year period following initiation into Regla de Ocha.
iyaloricha. May be shortened to Iyalocha. A female olorisha who has initiated others into the religion.
K
kariocha. The initiation ceremony in Santería. In Cuba, people also use the phrases hacer santo (to make saint) and asentar santo (to seat the saint) to refer to initiation.
kincamaché. Health. Often used as an expression to wish for good health.
L
letra. The letter or sign marked in divination by the way the shells fall on the mat. The letra is also called an odu or oddun. The letra carries with it a complex series of patakís (sacred stories), refranes (proverbs), pieces of advice, messages from the Orichás, and suggested offerings that can be made to the Orichás or the egun (spirits of the dead) to ensure good fortune.
limpieza. Spiritual cleansing, spiritual bath.
Lucumí. Also spelled Lukumí. Refers to the Yoruba people who were taken to Cuba as slaves and their descendants. Santería is also known as the Lucumí religion.
M
madrina. Godmother in the Lucumí religion.
mariwó. palm fibers or fronds.
medio sentado. Half seated. Sometimes people who have received elekes and warriors and perhaps some adimu orishas are considered medio sentado in the Lucumi tradition, half way to making Ocha or being fully initiated.
moyugbar. To pray to the ancestors and the Orichás before any ceremony, to ask for permission, blessings, and to show respect to godparents.
O
oba. Title of respect for an oriate. See oriate.
obara. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 6.
obi. Coconut. Used in manyLucumí ceremonies, or as an offering to an Oricha.
ocana. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 1. In Obi divination, it corresponds to 3 pieces facing down and one piece facing up.
ocha. A shortened form of Oricha.
oche, oshe. The double headed ax that Changó carries.
oché/ oshé. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 5.
ochinchín. Ochún's favorite food, it's eggs cooked with dried shrimp and chard.
odí. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 7.
odu, oddun. The letter or sign marked in divination by the way the shells fall on the mat. Also called letra or signo.
ofoché. Magical powders, used for negative results (witchcraft)
ogo. Witchcraft. One of the sources of osorbo.
ogundá. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 3.
ofo. A kind of osorbo. Sudden loss of position and prestige, embarrassment, humiliation.
ofún. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 10.
ogo. A kind of osorbo. Witchcraft.
ojuani. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 11.
oloricha. An initiated priest or priestess of Santería. Also called a Santero (male) or Santera (female). Often shortened to Olocha.
omi. Water, as a libation offered to the Orichas. Omi tuto means "fresh water."
omiero. Sacred water mixed with herbs and other natural ingredients, used during the initiation ceremony to "birth" the Orichás. The omiero is prepared in a complex ceremony under the supervision of an elder, accompanied by prayers.
omilasa. Holy water, from a Catholic church. Because of Cuban's historical and cultural ties to Catholicism, it's commonly believed that holy water from a church has protective and curative powers. Other people believe omilasa is water from natural sources, such as a river, ocean, well, rainwater, etc.
omo. Child of, especially of certain Orishas, such as Omo Elegua (child of Elegua)
ona. A kind of osorbo. Obstacles, blows in life, hardships, setbacks, being beaten down by life.
oni. Also used to mean child of in reference to certain Orishas, such as Oni Yemayá (child of Yemayá)
oñí. Honey, used in various cleansing rituals, also offered to Ochún as her favorite treat.
oriate. Priest who is regarded in the community as a master of ceremonies. To become an oriate requires many years of intensive study. The oriate directs and leads initiation ceremonies, for example. An oriate is also called Oba (chief).
Orún. Heaven, the spiritual realm, in contrast to Ayé, the earthly realm.
osá. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 9.
osorbo, osobbo. Bad luck, obstacles, downfall. In divination with the dilogún (shells), the diviner determines if his client's reading comes with osorbo or iré (blessings.)
otá, otán. Stone which symbolically receives the aché of an Orichá during the initiation ceremony; typically the stones are kept in soperas (soup tureens).
oti. Cane alcohol used in many Lucumi ceremonies.
owó. Money, wealth, good luck in business. A form of iré.
oyecu(n). In obi divination, all pieces face down.
oyugbona. Also spelled yugbona and yubona. The second godmother or godfather in an initiation ceremony. The oyugbona has most of the responsibility of caring for the new initiate during the week-long initiation ceremony.
P
padrino. Godfather in the Lucumi religion.
pataki. Sacred story or myth involving God, the Orichas, the creation of the world, or other important religious topics. Patakis traditionally exist in oral form and are taught to godchildren by godparents. They can be used during a consulta to illustrate a moral point.
R
registro. See consulta.
regla de Ifá. Ifá refers to a sect of male priests who are devoted to Orula. Regla de Ifá is parallel to Regla de Ocha. Babalawos and olorishas have separate practices, but overlap in many of their general beliefs and customs.
regla de Ocha. Ocha is a shortened form of Oricha. Regla de Ocha is another name for Santería or the Lucumi religion. Regla means rule or way of doing something. Priests of Obatalá, Yemayá, Changó, Oshún, Oyá, Elegúa, Ochosi, Ogún, etc. make up the priesthood of regla de Ocha.
rogación de cabeza. Head cleansing, a ceremony carried out to strengthen, calm, or protect the head (orí). Also called ebori or iborí.
S
santo lavado. Washed orisha. The orisha has been prepared in ceremony, consecrated, and given to an individual, but NOT placed on the head as in the kariocha ceremony. The person who receives santo lavado may not work as a priest or crown godchildren. The orisha is for personal use only. The orishas essentially function as adimú orishas, to receive offerings.
sopera. Soup tureen, used to house the otá (stones) that symbolically represent the Orichás on a home altar. Originally the Orichás were kept in gourds but during the 19th century in Cuba it became fashionable to put them in porcelain soperas, and to store the soperas in a china cabinet in the home.
U
Unle/ Eyeunle. One of the odu of dilogún divination; corresponds to the number 8.
W
warriors. Refers to Eleguá, Ogun, Ochosi and sometimes Osun. These Orichas together are called the warriors. It's common to receive the warriors before being fully initiated into Santería.
Y
yugbona. See oyugbona.
