Receiving the Warriors

Yesterday I received los Guerreros, the initiation of the Warriors, in Santeria. I don't feel like I should reveal everything about it, but here is some, including the animal sacrifice.

The Warriors are Eleggua, Ochosi, and Ogun. Eleggua rules the doors, opening and closing them, and serves as the messenger of the orisha. He is represented in several ways including a cement head with cowrie shells for features, a coconut, and a consecrated stone. In my case, he is represented by a beautiful piece of coral. Padrino (godfather, my male sponsor into the religion) determines what kind of Eleggua I should receive. I'm not sure what the significance of the coral is yet, but I think it might be related to that fact that I was advised to receive Olokun, the orisha that rules the ocean depths, and that I have some connection to Yemaya.

Ochosi and Ogun are received inside a black cauldron which holds their implements. Ogun is the divine ironworker who rules over work and human effort. He is represented by working tools: a rake, a pick, a spade, a hammer, a chisel, a machete, a shovel, and an anvil. Ochosi is the divine hunter represented by a crossbow. Padrino added to the contents. A fourth orisha is received with the Warriors, Osun, represented by the metal cup topped by a rooster and fringed with little bells. I don't know much about Osun, but in a way he represents the initiate, and if that cup falls, it predicts misfortune.

I was instructed to wear white and arrive at Padrino's house around noon. After some chit chat, coffee, and Cuban pastries, we began. I went outside with him to cleanse myself with a liquid mixture that looks disgusting, but it's actually cool, clear, and fragrant.

Back indoors, I stood in front of Padrino as cleansed me with a live chick. Then he quickly snapped its head off and let the blood spill onto the items. He repeated the process with a pigeon and a rooster. I was given the option of leaving the room for the killings, but chose to stay and watch. I can do and take a lot so long as I surrender myself to it and not think about it too much. Surprisingly, I wasn't that disturbed by the killings; it happened quickly and it was a relatively clean process. Although there is a stench, it's not like the blood splatters everywhere like in the movies. I was more bothered watching Padrino handle the animals, gripping them tightly as they noisily struggled to get free while he cleansed me.

After some cleanup, the final step was to ask them all -- Eleggua, Ogun, Ochosi, and Osun -- if everything had gone well, if they accepted everything and me, and if they were pleased. This divination is done with a coconut that has been cut to obtain four equal pieces. Yes/no questions are asked and the answer is determined depending on how they fall. I received all good signs.

I didn't ask any questions. Technically the ceremony is not over. My Warriors will remain at Padrino's house the rest of the week to settle in. He will clean them up and present them to me in a short ritual next weekend. I will have a lot of questions then.

Overall, I feel good about the experience. It wasn't the most powerful ceremony I've undergone, but it was definitely special and, by the time it was over, I felt that my coral rock wasn't just a coral rock; everything was alive, and I felt happy and welcomed.