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The Important Role and Legacy of Women in Santeria

Women were the shapers of the Santeria traditions we practice today.

Nowadays Santeria, The Ocha Rule, is practiced all over the world, Santeria originated in Cuba, every single Santeria Priest anywhere in the world has a link of origin to a Santeria house in Cuba and most of those houses have a woman at its root, it is very important to learn to respect our religion, its roots and the women who made it possible.

Up until the mid-1930s, women wielded tremendous power as heads of almost all of the most influential Santeria houses and almost all of Santeria’s family trees have a woman as the root.

Women, in fact, held most of the power in the religion, ruling as heads of houses and as Oriatés until well into the 20th century.

It was relatively recently that men have come to take over the roles that were exclusively held by women. Since the 1800s most houses of Santo were formed and ruled by women.

Women were the real movers and shakers and they were the main force who shaped Santeria and its initiations into what it is today. Almost all the branches of the religion were founded by women.

Today I want to honor tribute and my respects to all the women who created the legacy of the Santeria religion, the famous and the not so famous, they are an important part of our history and I feel empowered and honored every time I name them in my prayers.

Today I Mojugba (I give praise) to the effort, hard work, and contributions of all the important Santeras (Santeria High Priestess) who left their legacy to the new generations and I hope the new generations of Santeros do not forget their roots and learn to respect the role of women and the roots of the Santeria tradition.

Aurora Lamar (Obá Tolá) – Founder of Branch La Pimienta
Timotea “Latuán” Albear – Founder of the Branch La Pimienta.
Ña Belén Gonzales (Apoto) – Root of the pimienta, culo verde, and trapito branches
Rosalía Gramosa (Efuché Warikondó) – Founder of La Rama de los Millonarios- The Reformer of the Religion
Susana Cantero (Omí Toké) Founder of the Rama Coral
Ña Margarita Armenteros (Aina) Founder of the house San Jose 80
Ña Caridad Argudín founded the Cabildo Africano Lucumí
Josefa Herrera ruled The Cabildo de Yemayá in Regla
Susana Cantero ruled another Cabildo de Yemayá.
Fermenita Gómez (Ocha Bí), founded the Cabildo de Ferminita Gómez, one of the great centers of Olokun worship.
Ma Monserrate Gonzales (Obá Tero) a core foundation of the religion in Matanzas

And so many more…..

The founders and leaders of most of the Santeria houses were women who ruled entirely or shared that rule with their Babalawo husbands.

Women traditionally led all the major ceremonies and performed all the rites involved in the initiation of new Santeros that are now the province of the Oriaté and the role of Oriaté was first held by women.

Notorious woman oriatés wereTeresita Ariosa Eni Ochún and Guillermina Castel.

Timotea Albear (Ayayí La Tuán) was the Oriaté used by almost all of the houses up until the time of her death. She, in fact, was the one who trained the first male Oriaté Octavio Samar Rodriguez (Obadimeyi).

It was only after the death of Timotea Albear in 1935 that Obadimeyi began to gain power as an Oriaté, but before long all the Oriatés were male.

But now we are beginning to see more women training to become Oriatés. Perhaps before long Santeria will be ruled over by women once more.

Ashe
Yaya Maria