Santa Bárbara/ Changó Festival

Santa Bárbara/ Changó Festival

Palmira is one of the major centers of Lucumi culture and religion in Cuba. Commonly known as “Santería,” the Lucumí religion has historical roots among the Yoruba people of Africa who were brought to Cuba as slaves in the 19th century. Havana and Matanzas were ports of entry, but because most of the sugar plantations and mills were located around Cienfuegos, thousands of Africans made their way south, bringing their culture and religion with them. When slavery was abolished in the 1880s, many of the former slaves remained in the town of Palmira, where they founded religious associations as a way to preserve their cultural heritage. Today, three of them remain: the Sociedades de El Cristo, Santa Bárbara and San Roque. In addition to being religious centers, they have functioned without interruption for more than 100 years as mutual aid societies and community centers. They have gained international recognition as centers of traditional Lucumí culture.

Since 1904, they have organized a yearly festival on December 4, St. Bárbara’s Day, in which they honor the Yoruba deity Changó alongside the Christian martyr St. Bárbara. This example of “religious syncretism” is reflected in the music, dance, costumes and food that characterize the event. Dressed in red, the symbolic color of Changó, the inhabitants of the town, along with hundreds of visitors, parade the statue of St. Barbara from street to street, accompanied by drumming and singing. The day culminates with Bembés or African drumming parties at the religious associations. This is an authentic expression of Afro-Cuban culture, bringing together people of different races and religious beliefs in celebration.

Many of the activities will be in Spanish, but English translators will be on hand.

This is a people-to-people trip covered under general license as per 31 CFR §515.565(b) the United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Civitas Global Educational Services is a licensed provider of people-to-people travel. (License No. CT-2014-312375-1)