The Patakís of the Divinatory System of Ifá in Cuban Santería
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18441/ind.v42i1.117-130Keywords:
Santeria, divinatory systems, patakí, Ifá, CubaAbstract
This article describes the sacred stories collected in the divinatory systems of Cuban Santeria, transmitted by oral tradition and explores how they determine the daily life of the believers of this religion. An analysis of some of these stories (patakís), collected by the author in the provinces of Villa Clara and Havana, Cuba, is presented. These patakís can be cosmogonic, mythological, or fabulous, but they are personalized for each believer through the act of divination and, above all, from a complex ceremony called awofaka for men and ikofá for women.
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2025-06-04
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