A Day with Saints

Today I went to a tambor and a guiro, neither of which were particularly exciting, but it was great to spend time with friends.

"Tambor" is the Spanish word for drum, but in Santeria, a tambor describes a ritual celebration featuring music played on drums. These are not just any ole drums; they play the music that calls the orishas; they are consecrated ritual items and the drummers are specially trained hired for the occasion.

Today's tambor was for Obatala and held in a private home. The living room furniture was removed to make room for the drummers and the dancers (that would be us, the guests). The throne was in another room. The host, an attractive young man with unattractive gold in his teeth, was very gracious and explained a lot of the features of the throne and even showed us some other items that he was keeping in the closet. The shrine was beautiful, the Obatala urns decked in whites and greens to represent the reptilian path of Obatala that this man is an initiate of.

When we arrived, an hour and half late, we found that we hadn't missed anything. The drummers were playing, but there weren't a lot of people there and most of them were in the backyard where the tables, chairs, and food was. A little while later, three new initiates were presented to the drums and the community. This takes a while so we would go get a peek at them and return outside to sit down and munch on Cuban pastries.

Eventually the songs to the orishas began and it wasn't long before three people were mounted (possessed); one Oshun, one Yemaya, and one Obatala. But we weren't really convinced and we had another party to go to so off we went to the guiro.

A guiro is a percussion instrument made from a dried gourd with beads woven into a net covering the gourd. But like a tambor, in Santeria, it indicates a ritual celebration where they are the primary, if not the only, instrument played. These too are consecrated ritual items played only by trained people.

The guiro, for Chango, was at a nearby home and already underway in a secluded section of the backyard. There weren't a lot of people at this one either, even less dancing, and nobody got mounted, but the food was better and the people were very nice. The throne, which was inside the house, was gorgeous. The attendant was very kind and gracious and encouraged us to greet Chango and ask him for whatever we wanted. I was with only one of my friends at this moment and neither of us are initiates, but this didn't matter to the attendant, nor that we don't know the proper way of approaching the shrine. So for the first time ever, I got down and greeted Chango and the other Orishas, made a tiny wish, while playing Chango's maraca to make sure I get his attention and he hears me.

We spent most of the time eating, in conversation, getting up occasionally to take a peek where the dancing was going on. I danced for a little bit; it's a way of cleansing. We stayed for the whole thing and then went off to the godfather's house.

The person who initiates you into Santeria is referred to as your godparent. My Santeria friends have all been initiated, or will be, by this one man or someone in his lineage. He is the godfather and we went to his house for some late night cafe cubano and more conversation. More importantly, one of my friends had to pick up his warriors.

The warriors are Eleggua, Oggun, Ochosi, and Osun. A person on the path of Santeria receives these guardians and protectors at some point from the godfather. The godfather said some words over them and presented them to my kneeling friend. He was not privy to creation of these or the ceremonies involved (although I know for a fact that these implements are fed and there was still some blood on them). It wasn't particularly ceremonious, but still cool since I'd never seen this before.

Overall, I had a really good time. It was great seeing friends and learning a little more about Santeria.