The Spirituality of Santeria Fashion: Trendy Ensemble or Spiritual Movement?
BY MELODY TAVITIAN-PARRA ~ POSTED IN: ARTE Y CULTURA, SEÑORITA CHIQUE ~ MARCH 1, 2011
Imagine yourself walking along the beach, clad in flowing garments, wind in your hair, waves caressing your feet, and the smell of sea salt perfuming your skin, wholly consumed by the mysticism of the atmosphere.
Interestingly enough, what is upheld by LA as an iconic beach look also holds an equally mystical appeal for Hispanic practitioners of Santeria, not only for fashionable reasons, but spiritual ones. These garments are an essential part of their worship and vital to preserving the religious tradition.
Seen by LA beach lovers as a chic trend, to Santeros this seaside fashion is not simply a stylish dress, but an embodiment of their religion’s sacred spirituality. Also known as Lucumi or La Regla de Ocha, Santeria fashion is captivating in its detail, craftsmanship, and symbolism, expressly seeking to capture the power, beauty, and transcendence of the Orishas – divine beings that represent manifestations of Olodumare (God).
In the initiation process, the novitiate patiently sits, eyes closed and all nearby mirrors are either removed or covered, while the babalorishas and iyalorishas (priests and priestesses) clothe him. As the clothes are draped over his body, the garments endow the newly initiated Santero with increased spiritual power and ready him to receive divine energies.
The clothing bestows magic upon its wearer, but also serves a greater purpose: just as the clothing carries the wearer into his new spiritual life, it transports him out of it, for priests and priestesses are traditionally buried in their initiation clothing.
While Los Angeles natives usually stroll the beach clad in white, wearing a minimum of accessories in order to carefully craft the “carefree” look, Santeros further embellish this ensemble through a variety of color and ornate symbolism. Each member of Santeria is labeled son or daughter to one of the religion’s deities and expected to wear these flowing garments in the color sacred to his/her Orisha.
There are many Orishas within Santeria, of which the Seven African Powers are the most prevalent. These seven spirits and their corresponding colors are as follows: Elegua (red and black), Oshun (yellow), Obatala (white), Yemaya (blue and white), Chango (red and white), Ogun (green and black), and Orula (green and yellow). Daughters of Oshun (Goddess of beauty, sensuality, and revelry) wear a vibrant yellow, while sons of Elegua (Trickster and Gatekeeper of roads/world) dawn red and black.
And though these are the superiors in the hierarchy, the religion’s extensive list of spirits goes on! All deities have their own colors, for Sons of Ochosi wear blue and yellow, while Daughters of Oya are lovers of color, dawning purple, maroon, orange, brown, green, blue, and multicolor patterns.
Prevalent in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti, La Regla de Ocha provides a very different perception of a universal look; what most beach-goers view as recreational wardrobe, Santeros revere as a holy outlet of spiritual expression and divine enlightenment.
So next time you go for a walk along the beach, remember that your outfit is not only stylish, but is believed by many to have the capability of channeling your divine energies and purifying the spirit.
Interestingly enough, what is upheld by LA as an iconic beach look also holds an equally mystical appeal for Hispanic practitioners of Santeria, not only for fashionable reasons, but spiritual ones. These garments are an essential part of their worship and vital to preserving the religious tradition.
Seen by LA beach lovers as a chic trend, to Santeros this seaside fashion is not simply a stylish dress, but an embodiment of their religion’s sacred spirituality. Also known as Lucumi or La Regla de Ocha, Santeria fashion is captivating in its detail, craftsmanship, and symbolism, expressly seeking to capture the power, beauty, and transcendence of the Orishas – divine beings that represent manifestations of Olodumare (God).
In the initiation process, the novitiate patiently sits, eyes closed and all nearby mirrors are either removed or covered, while the babalorishas and iyalorishas (priests and priestesses) clothe him. As the clothes are draped over his body, the garments endow the newly initiated Santero with increased spiritual power and ready him to receive divine energies.
The clothing bestows magic upon its wearer, but also serves a greater purpose: just as the clothing carries the wearer into his new spiritual life, it transports him out of it, for priests and priestesses are traditionally buried in their initiation clothing.
While Los Angeles natives usually stroll the beach clad in white, wearing a minimum of accessories in order to carefully craft the “carefree” look, Santeros further embellish this ensemble through a variety of color and ornate symbolism. Each member of Santeria is labeled son or daughter to one of the religion’s deities and expected to wear these flowing garments in the color sacred to his/her Orisha.
There are many Orishas within Santeria, of which the Seven African Powers are the most prevalent. These seven spirits and their corresponding colors are as follows: Elegua (red and black), Oshun (yellow), Obatala (white), Yemaya (blue and white), Chango (red and white), Ogun (green and black), and Orula (green and yellow). Daughters of Oshun (Goddess of beauty, sensuality, and revelry) wear a vibrant yellow, while sons of Elegua (Trickster and Gatekeeper of roads/world) dawn red and black.
And though these are the superiors in the hierarchy, the religion’s extensive list of spirits goes on! All deities have their own colors, for Sons of Ochosi wear blue and yellow, while Daughters of Oya are lovers of color, dawning purple, maroon, orange, brown, green, blue, and multicolor patterns.
Prevalent in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti, La Regla de Ocha provides a very different perception of a universal look; what most beach-goers view as recreational wardrobe, Santeros revere as a holy outlet of spiritual expression and divine enlightenment.
So next time you go for a walk along the beach, remember that your outfit is not only stylish, but is believed by many to have the capability of channeling your divine energies and purifying the spirit.