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El cacunense José Antonio Callejo Anzures
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«Cíberorishas» is an article written by José Antonio Callejo Anzures from Cancún that revolves around apparent contradictions between traditional practices of Cuban santería —strongly linked, in its origins, to nature and secret rites— and the spreading of this religious framework in accessible spaces in internet.
In this book, José Antonio includes concepts, historical panoramas, opinions that he gathers from various works and articles, and interviews conducted by the author whose ideas the author himself endorsees, leaving an open path to go into greater detail in an issue that transcends Cuba´s borders and its links with Nigeria.
Callejo describes the beginning of santería, one of the main Cuban religious forms with an African background, as well as rituals and ceremonies, certain banning believers have had to face on different historical periods in the island, and influences of this religion on popular music.
In this new millennium, Internet appears as an amazing invention the same as others before, such as the printing press, the telephone, the radio…and other technological creations that made human life more comfortable and dynamic, although more dependent as well and, in many cases, more distressing.
Internet –testifies José Antonio– combined with the migration of many santeros, has almost universalized the practice of regla de Ocha and, at the same time, it creates a certain distrust between sympathizers and believers, because something that was done in privacy for centuries now flows in the cyberspace.
With Internet, not only have religious consultations ceased to be interpersonal but also have other experiences such as love courtship, studies, and certain bank operations. Persons do not see each other face to face anymore, but the results are closer to what is expected from orthodox praxis.
Santería and other religions of the Cuban people, for long alienated and misunderstood, experience an increase in vigor and beautiful mystery, and are an indissoluble part of an identity. Cíberorishas assumes this magnificence in its pages, which infiltrates many countries with its magic and ashé.