Santería in New York City
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Santería in New York City
Steven Gregory's analysis of Santería in New York City, while rooted in a dissertation from the mid-1980s and revised for publication in 1999, offers a compelling perspective on the religion as a site of social and cultural resistance. The strength of the work lies in its detailed exploration of how practitioners found meaning and agency within its beliefs and practices. Gregory effectively illustrates the religion's vitality by examining its role in the everyday lives of New Yorkers. A limitation, however, is the publication's age; it does not engage with the significant scholarship on Santería that has emerged since its initial research period. Nevertheless, Gregory's focus on the religion as a mechanism for navigating urban challenges and maintaining cultural identity remains insightful. The work demonstrates a keen understanding of the sociohistorical forces shaping religious expression in diaspora.
📝 Description
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Steven Gregory's 1999 book examines Santería in New York City.
Originally a 1985 doctoral dissertation, Steven Gregory's study of Santería in New York City was published in 1999. The work focuses on the lived experiences of practitioners of this Afro-Cuban religion in an urban setting. Gregory's research explores the social, cultural, and political meanings Santería held for individuals navigating daily life. It is not a historical overview or a ritual guide, but an anthropological account.
The book is suited for scholars of religion, anthropology, and sociology, especially those studying diaspora and the adaptation of religious traditions. It will also interest readers curious about Afro-Caribbean religions, community formation, and how faith shapes everyday existence within immigrant communities. Gregory's research offers a perspective on Santería in New York during the late 20th century.
This study places Santería within the broader context of African-diasporic religions, a field that gained academic attention in the late 20th century. It views the religion not simply as a set of beliefs but as a 'sociohistorical site of resistance.' This perspective highlights how its cosmology, rituals, and community structures allow practitioners to assert cultural identity and social agency. The book shows how faith functions as a framework for understanding and responding to assimilationist pressures and marginalization, particularly within an urban immigrant context.
💡 Why Read This Book?
• Learn how Santería functions as a "sociohistorical site of resistance," providing practitioners with a framework for cultural identity and agency, as detailed in Gregory's analysis of its New York presence. • Understand the specific social, cultural, and political meanings Santería held for individuals in New York City during the late 20th century, moving beyond abstract religious tenets to lived experience. • Gain insight into the adaptation of Afro-Cuban religious traditions in an urban diaspora setting, as explored through Gregory's examination of its vitality and practitioners' everyday lives.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of Steven Gregory's *Santería in New York City*?
The book's primary focus is on understanding why practitioners of Santería in New York found its beliefs and practices socially, culturally, and politically meaningful in their everyday lives, viewing it as a site of resistance.
When was Steven Gregory's work on Santería first published?
Steven Gregory's work on Santería in New York City was first published in 1999, though it originated from his 1985 doctoral dissertation.
Does the book cover recent scholarship on Santería?
The 1999 revised edition does not incorporate scholarship published after its original 1985 dissertation completion, though it does add recent works to its bibliography.
What does Gregory mean by Santería being a 'sociohistorical site of resistance'?
This refers to Santería providing a space and framework for practitioners to assert their cultural identity and agency, particularly in response to social or political pressures within their lived environment.
What is the academic origin of *Santería in New York City*?
The book is a revision of Steven Gregory's doctoral dissertation, completed for the New School for Social Research in 1985.
Who is the author of *Santería in New York City*?
The author is Steven Gregory, whose academic work focuses on the anthropology and sociology of religion, particularly Afro-Caribbean traditions.
🔮 Key Themes & Symbolism
Religion as Resistance
Gregory posits Santería as a "sociohistorical site of resistance," demonstrating how Afro-Cuban religious practices provided a crucial framework for maintaining cultural identity and asserting agency in the face of assimilationist pressures and marginalization within the urban New York environment. The work details how the religion's cosmology and communal structures offered pathways for navigating societal challenges.
Urban Diaspora Experience
This study studies the specific lived experiences of Santería practitioners in New York City, examining the religion's role in their everyday lives. It highlights how faith traditions adapt and thrive in diaspora, offering social, cultural, and even political meaning to individuals building lives in a new and often challenging environment.
Meaning-Making in Daily Life
The core of Gregory's inquiry is understanding the sources of Santería's vitality for its adherents. The work explores how the religion's beliefs and practices offered tangible frameworks for making sense of the world and acting within it, contributing significantly to the social and cultural fabric of its practitioners' existence.
Afro-Cuban Cultural Heritage
The book serves as an important examination of Afro-Cuban religious heritage transplanted and flourishing in an American urban context. It traces the vitality of Santería to its roots and its dynamic adaptation, showcasing its significance as a carrier of culture and a source of community for diasporic populations.
💬 Memorable Quotes
Direct passages from the work, attributed to the author.
“He traces its vitality to its role as a sociohistorical site of resistance.”
— This key phrase underscores Gregory's analytical framework, suggesting that Santería's strength and persistence in New York are intrinsically linked to its function as a space where practitioners could affirm their identity and challenge dominant social structures.
“Gregory has not attempted to incorporate scholarship since then on the Afro-Cuban religion, but has added important recent works to his bibliography.”
— This statement about the publication's revision process indicates the work's specific temporal focus, acknowledging that while updated bibliographically, it represents an understanding of Santería prior to extensive subsequent academic discourse.
“In revising his 1985 doctoral dissertation for the New School for Social Research...”
— This factual detail anchors the book's origin, clarifying that its scholarly foundation lies in a specific academic endeavor from 1985, setting the context for its analytical approach and scope.
💡 Key Ideas
Editorial paraphrase of the work's core concepts — not direct quotes.
Practitioners of Santera in New York found its beliefs and practices socially, culturally, and at times politically meaningful in their everyday lives.
This paraphrased concept from the blurb highlights Gregory's central thesis: Santería's enduring relevance stems not just from its spiritual tenets but from its practical, everyday application in shaping social, cultural, and political realities for its adherents.
He sets out to understand why practitioners of Santera in New York found its beliefs and practices ... meaningful in their everyday lives.
This paraphrased concept emphasizes the ethnographic and experiential focus of Gregory's research, prioritizing the subjective significance and practical utility of Santería for its followers in their daily existence.
🌙 Esoteric Significance
Tradition
While Santería is primarily studied as an Afro-Cuban religion with Yoruba roots, its syncretism with Catholicism and its intricate cosmology align with broader esoteric traditions that seek to understand the divine through a complex pantheon and symbolic language. Its emphasis on intermediaries (Orishas) and divination connects it to Hermetic principles of correspondence and the hidden workings of the universe, offering a distinctly African-rooted approach to spiritual engagement and knowledge acquisition.
Symbolism
Key symbols in Santería, such as the use of specific colors associated with each Orisha (e.g., white for Obatala, blue and yellow for Oshun), represent divine attributes and cosmic forces. The offerings and rituals, often involving natural elements like water, herbs, and fruits, serve as symbolic communication with the Orishas, aiming to restore balance and facilitate spiritual connection. The practice of divination, particularly through tools like cowrie shells, represents a direct conduit to divine guidance and understanding.
Modern Relevance
Gregory's work provides a foundational understanding for contemporary scholars and practitioners interested in the resilience and adaptability of Afro-diasporic religions. Thinkers and communities exploring issues of cultural preservation, religious syncretism, and the role of spirituality in social justice movements can draw upon his insights. The book's focus on Santería as a site of resistance remains highly relevant in discussions about identity politics and the enduring power of indigenous spiritual traditions in globalized, multicultural societies.
👥 Who Should Read This Book
• Scholars of anthropology and religious studies seeking to understand the dynamics of religious practice in urban diaspora settings, particularly concerning Afro-Caribbean traditions. • Students of sociology interested in how immigrant communities maintain cultural identity and social cohesion through religious affiliation and practice. • Individuals curious about the lived experience of Santería practitioners in New York City, offering an academic yet accessible perspective on its social, cultural, and political significance.
📜 Historical Context
Steven Gregory's *Santería in New York City* emerged from the academic milieu of the mid-1980s, with its publication in 1999 reflecting a revised doctoral dissertation. This period saw a burgeoning interest in Afro-diasporic religions, yet detailed ethnographies of their urban manifestations were still developing. Gregory’s work contributes to understanding how traditions like Santería found new life and meaning in American cities, serving as a crucial element of cultural continuity and identity formation for immigrant communities. While the book does not engage with scholarship published after 1985, its original research context is vital. It predates some of the more widespread academic and public discussions of Santería and other Orisha-based religions that gained momentum in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, offering a valuable perspective from an earlier stage of scholarly engagement.
📔 Journal Prompts
The concept of Santería as a "sociohistorical site of resistance" in New York City.
Practitioners' everyday meanings derived from Santería's beliefs and practices.
The adaptation of Afro-Cuban religious traditions within an urban diaspora.
The vitality of Santería and its connection to cultural meaning-making.
Understanding the social, cultural, and political dimensions of religious life.
🗂️ Glossary
Santería
An Afro-Cuban religion that developed from the beliefs and practices of the Yoruba people of West Africa, syncretized with elements of Roman Catholicism. It involves the worship of Orishas (deities or spirits).
Afro-Cuban religion
A category of religious traditions originating from the African cultures brought to Cuba by enslaved peoples, primarily Yoruba, Kongo, and Carabalí, which often blended with European Catholic beliefs.
Diaspora
The dispersion or spread of people from their original homeland, often maintaining cultural connections to their place of origin while establishing new communities.
Orisha
Deities or spirits in the Yoruba religion and its derivatives, such as Santería. Each Orisha has specific attributes, domains, and associated myths and rituals.
Practitioners
Individuals who actively engage in and follow the beliefs and rituals of a particular religion or spiritual practice, such as Santería.
Social meaning
The significance and value attributed to beliefs and practices within the context of social interactions, community structures, and group identity.
Cultural meaning
The significance and value attributed to beliefs and practices in relation to a community's shared heritage, traditions, values, and worldview.
This book appears in 1 collection
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