Santería

Abstract

The purpose of this ethnographic research was to explore the role of Santeria in the orientation of Long Island Cuban-Americans towards health and illness. Santería serves both explanatory and treatment functions. By attributing the cause of illness to supernatural forces, Santeria explains why some people stay well while others get sick. By dispelling malignant super natural forces, mobilizing beneficial supernatural forces, and decreasing uncertainty and stress, Santeria helps to maintain or reinstate balance and a sense of control over one's life. An understanding of the role of Santeria in the conceptualization of Long Island Cuban-Americans towards health and health care behaviors provides a needed link between a people's perception of health and illness and the interventions that they find meaningful and acceptable.