Tag Archive: oriate

The Head or Guardian Orisha

Changó is one of the most common head orishas in Santería Lucumí. He is the king of our religion and his presence is found in every ceremony in Santeria.

There seems to be a growing trend of people wanting to learn who their orisha is and how they can work with that orisha. In this article we’ll address some of the misconceptions around the guardian orisha, clarify how a person’s tutelary orisha is determined, and why you should or shouldn’t know who it is.

A person’s tutelary orisha (also called a head orisha, guardian orisha or guardian angel) is the orisha that claims a person’s head. They are your patron or matron and act as a guardian and balancing force in a person’s life. A person’s head orisha is not a matter of choice or preference; the tutelary orisha is linked to a person’s destiny. The head orisha is the right divine current of spiritual energy that person needs for his or her life to be balanced so his or her ultimate destiny can be attained.

Not All Orishas Are Equal!

There are literally hundreds of orishas but only a select few of them can be guardian orishas that are actually crowned on a person’s head as part of the ordination of kariocha. The orishas that can be tutelary orishas in Santería Lucumi/Lukumi are:

Aggayu is crowned through a ceremony called “Changó oro Aggayu“. Here is our Aggayú shrine at our Church.

These are the list of tutelary orishas within Lukumí practice that are done directly to a person’s head. In addition to these there are other orishas that are crowned through a ritual adjustment called “oro”. These are also legitimate and traditional initiations with a procedural adjustment.

Orishas Crowned in Other African Religions

In other African Diasporic religions (Candomblé, Ifa, etc.) there are additional orishas crowned beyond those mentioned above. These orishas include Logun Ede, Oshumare, Orisha Oko (direct) and even Olokun. These are legitimate initiations in those religions but are not a traditional part of Santeria Lukumí. There is even a modern trend to begin initiating people to these orishas in Lukumí practice but this is highly unconventional and non-traditional.

Who Is My Head Orisha?

With the growing awareness of Santeria, people find themselves infatuated with the orishas. There is a growing phenomenon of people wanting to know who their orisha is, along with a desire to worship and work with that orisha directly. Unfortunately many people treat this information like a parlor game, trying to guess who a person’s tutelary orisha is prior to divination. There are even espiritistas (spiritualists) who will declare a person’s tutelary orisha in a spiritual mass (misa), or use tarot cards to determine who their orisha is. I recently saw an article in a well-known New Orleans Voodoo publication telling people to perform a shamanic journey to determine who their tutelary orisha is. These are not legitimate practices and are not only fraudulent but can be incredibly harmful to a person’s development.

So how does a person find out who their tutelary orisha is? Simple. You aren’t supposed to know until you are already preparing for kariocha (ordination as a priest). As far as all should be concerned you are under the tutelage and protection of Obatala. Obatala is the owner of all heads – he fashioned our bodies and minds. He is the “head” of the orishas and as such protects and guides all people with fairness and equality. If you want to know who to worship and who to work with, it’s Obatala … until it is time for you to find out who your guardian orisha really is.

The guardian orisha can change before a person is ordained in kariocha and there is no point in knowing until the arrangements are already being made for kariocha. Additionally, a person may be told they are a child of one orisha and they dedicate all of their energy and efforts to bond with that orisha only to find out at the last minute that it has changed and this imbalance in the relationship with the orishas will be reflected negatively in that person’s life reading (itá). As an Aleyo or Aborisha your job is to learn about all the orishas and learn discipline, obedience and humbleness while apprenticing at your godparent’s side. You should not be focusing on one orisha. You should be working on your own self, overcoming your weaknesses and building a relationship with your ancestors long before kariocha. Knowing a person’s guardian orisha is putting the cart before the horse.

When is the Right Time to Determine a Person’s Guardian Orisha?

Ifá-centric houses will defer to the Babalawos in their godfamily to determine a person’s orisha.

There are two times when you can find out who your guardian orisha is. For houses that are Ocha-centric and do not work with Babalawos, this would be the moment you are marked for kariocha. This would happen in a divination where it is determined that you must be crowned a priest. Once this happens, that person should begin making preparations for kariocha – primarily saving money for the ceremony. Once you are close to having all the money in place a cowrie shell divination should be performed to find out who that person’s tutelary or guardian orisha is. That way the godparents know whether they can crown that person (barring any taboos to the contrary) and they can begin to purchase the rights supplies and make the proper arrangements. For example, the initiation for Elegguá costs a lot more than that of Yemaya, so the proper arrangements have to be made according to which orisha that person will receive on their crown.

For Ifa-centric houses, the divination of a person’s crowning orisha is reserved for Babalawos. This is typically done when a person received their Hand of Orunla (Awofakán or Ikofá). At this ceremony, the initiate is given the mysteries of Orunla (Orunmila), the bracelet of Ifá (idé Ifá) and they are told who their tutelary orisha is. If the person has not received their hand of Orunla, this can be done through a divination with Ikin (palm nuts) prior to the initiation.

There have even been instances where one orisha stood up to claim a person’s head moments prior to initiation, or even in the ceremony itself. This often happens when a person’s tutelary orisha is determined way in advance – years before the ceremony – and at the last minute a different orisha possesses that person and claims their head. This is yet another reason why it is best to wait up until the last possible moment to determine the guardian orisha so that there are no dramatic changes that have to be made in the ceremony.

How The Guardian Orisha Is Determined

There are two (maybe three) ways a person’s tutelary or guardian orisha is determined. The first two are through divination. The third is through direct possession, but even this must be confirmed with divination.

Ocha-centric houses will use the diloggún of Eleggua or of the godparent’s crowning orisha to divine a person’s head orisha.

For Ocha-centric houses, the proper way to determine a person’s tutelary orisha is in a ceremony known as a bajada (bringing down) of the guardian orisha. This is usually done by an Obá Oriaté but any sufficiently skilled olorisha that has firm knowledge of odu can perform the ceremony. This is done using the cowrie shells (diloggún) of Elegguá or of the godparent’s tutelary orisha. The divination is performed on a grass mat wrapped in a white sheet that is placed on the ground. The diviner is seated on the ground and the person being consulted is seated on a small stool on the covered mat within reach of the diviner. In the divination, the client will place his head on the mat while the diviner throws the diloggun to bring his guardian orisha “down to the mat” and determine which owns his head.

For Ifá-centric houses, this must be divined using the ikin of Orunmila (palm nuts). Three babalawos must be present for this to be done properly. The babalawos will beat the palm nuts and mark out odu on the table of ifá (opón ifá) and determine which orisha rules that person’s destiny. This ceremony is also perfomed on the floor like the one done in Ocha-centric houses. It is unacceptable for this ceremony to be done with the okuelé (diviner’s chain). Typically this ceremony is done as part of a person receiving their Awofakán or Ikofá (hand of Orunla) but it can be done as just a reading if that person hasn’t received the hand of Orunla yet.

The third way a person’s tutelary orisha can be determined is directly from an orisha when they are possessing a priest or priestess. This can happen at a drum ceremony or other ceremony. Occasionally orishas will descend onto their priests to speak and interact with others. They can declare a person needs to be initiated and who they should be crowned to. While this is a powerful and moving experience, in this day of people faking possessions it is necessary to confirm what was revealed through divination just for good measure.

It is important to reiterate that using obí (four cowries, four coconut pieces or four kola nuts) to divine a person’s orisha is not acceptable and is fraudulent practice. Obí is only used for yes or no questions. Obí can be used to open the bajada reading but the sixteen cowrie shells (diloggún) are what speak and deliver the news of that person’s tutelage. There are no other accepted methods aside from those mentioned above to determine a person’s tutelary orisha within Santeria Lukumí. If you were told that you are a child of an orisha through an alternate method just consider that reading as the orisha taking you under his or her protection, but until the proper method is used, you are NOT confirmed to be a child of that orisha.

The Importance of Women in Santeria

Powerful women have always been at the center of Santeria

Historically, culturally and liturgically speaking, Santería has always been a religion that honors women and upholds their importance in society. Some of the most important and pivotal figures in the history of Santeria have been women. Women shaped the way our religion evolved in the new world. Women preserved the lore of our religion by passing on the secrets of our ceremonies, our sacred songs, and the lexicon of information found in our divination systems. Plainly put, Santería is a women’s religion.

The Yoruba were always a matrilineal people. Women held great power in the function of their culture and politics. While the Yoruba tribes were patriarchal in the sense that men held the roles of kings and chiefs, the women of the tribes ran the family and orchestrated daily life. The importance of women can even be seen in the powerful female orishas that are found in the pantheon of Santeria. Yemayá is the mother of all living things, who owns all waters and is queen of heaven and of the earth. Oshún, her younger sister is the orisha of the river, the essence of femininity, sensuality, beauty and is a powerful witch and seductress. Oyá is a fierce female warrior orisha who rides the whirlwind, wields a machete, throws lightning and fights by Shangó’s side as his equal. Obba is the queen orisha who descended into the underworld and transformed herself from a rejected outcast, to a powerful sorceress wielding the powers of life and death. While not an orisha, Ikú – the force of death – is often portrayed as female in our patakis (legends). Even Olodumare – the creator deity – is gender-neutral leaning female in Her role as creator of the universe. Women are known to be powerful and important at the heart of Santeria’s religious practice.

Influential Women in Santeria

Many women have played important roles in the history of Santeria. These are some of the more well known women – many of whom are found in the moyuba prayer that all initiates recite in our religious practice. Know that when you call upon the names of these mighty ancestors, you are calling upon the ache of women and the important contributions they made in Santeria.

Oba Tero (Ma Monserrate González), a Yoruban slave from the city of Egbado and priestess of Shangó, was brought to Havana, Cuba in the 1840’s and made her way to Matanzas after a conflict with Efunché Warikondo and Latuan (who dominated Santeria practice in Havana). She was one of the most influential founders of Santeria in Matanzas. She carried the “asiento” style initiation and her unique Egbado-centric practices to Matanzas, establishing the differences between Matanzas lineages and Havana lineages. She was a prominent oriate in our religion.

Ferminita Gómez “Ocha Bí” –  preserver of the Olokun tradition in Santeria

Her goddaughter, Ocha Bi (Ferminita Gómez) a priestess of Yemayá was instrumental in preserving the Lukumí tradition of Olokun worship and most santeros who have received Olokun have received their orisha from her lineage of descendants. This was especially important because she wrestled the control of Olokun’s mysteries away from the Babalawos, preserving an Ocha-centric lineage of his mysteries.

Efunché Warikondó (Rosalía Abreú) a powerful priestess and head of the Cabildo San Jose 80 (a mutual aid society for slaves) was one of the most influential figures in establishing the asiento style of kariocha (crowning as a priest) in Santeria. The slaves of Havana worked together to buy her freedom from slavery. She claimed to be of royal Yoruban blood. She along with Ayají Latuán (Timotea Albear – a powerful and prominent oriaté) at one point controlled the entire religion of Santeria’s practice within the city of Havana, Cuba. No one could operate in the city without their approval. These two women worked together to standardize and establish the Oyo-centric “asiento” style of kariocha in Santeria. This style of initiation, where the new priest receives multiple orishas in addition to his tutelary orisha, has become the standard practice for those being initiated into the priesthood for 95% of Olorishas. There is a minor variant that comes out of Matanzas as established by Oba Tero (previously mentioned) – but that ceremony is also an “asiento” style of initiation.

Aurora Lamar – Founder of the Ataré lineage

Aurora Lamar (goddaughter of Efunché and a priestess of Aggayú) was the founder of the Ataré Lineage (Pimienta Lineage) of Santeria named after the Atare neighborhood of Havana, Cuba in which she lived. She had hundreds or even thousands of godchildren that she initiated, and was known for initiating people and allowing them to pay in installments. This resulted in her nickname of “La China del Ten Cent” (The Chinese-looking woman of the ten-cent store) because you could pay in ten-cent installments for your initiation.

Women were oriates and are still able to be oriates in Santeria. Women were mighty godmothers initiating hundreds of people. Women divined with diloggún and gave orishas to people. Women truly consolidated Santeria’s practices from the fragments of various tribal religious traditions into one cohesive religion.

The Decline of Women’s Power in Santeria

As the Lucumi people were immersed in Spanish colonial culture, there was a marked clash of values between their women-centered native culture, and male-centered Cuban culture. This along with the interference of Ifa’s male-centered culture in the early 1900’s caused women to lose power and position in Santeria over time.

Spanish colonial influence is also evident in the roles that women are typically assigned in modern Santeria. Women are usually left to be cooks, cleaners in the igbodu (sacred room) or as seamstresses for garments and altar decorations. While all of these roles are sacred and important, historically women were the leaders and lore-keepers of Santeria. They were oriates, they officiated initiations, sacrificed animals with the knife, butchered animals, and performed all of the other tasks stereotypically relegated to men. Women were some of the most powerful diviners using the diloggun, yet this role is now typically assigned to men.

Clearing Up Misconceptions About Women in Santeria

There are many misconceptions about women in Santeria and many superstitions have arisen around what women can and can’t do in the religion. At the Santeria Church of the Orishas we strive to dispel any misconceptions that are not firmly rooted in our cultural, historic or liturgical traditions. We also work actively to restore women to their honored role as leaders in Santeria (Lucumi/Lukumi).

Misconception: A woman cannot be an oriate
Truth: Due to the patriarchal Cuban culture that pervades modern Santeria, women have been mistakenly taught that they cannot be oriates (masters of ceremonies). Women like those mentioned above were oriates in the past and women can still be oriates today. In fact there are currently female oriates in the United States (at least two that I know of) and there are several more in Cuba. There is nothing to prohibit or prevent a woman from being an oriate. Often people will claim that a menstruating woman cannot be an oriate. This is a misconception as well. When women are on their period they cannot be near the sacred vessels of the orishas – this is true. There is a traditional taboo that prohibits menstruating women from touching our sacred orisha vessels and implements, but women are not constantly on their period. When they are not actively bleeding, they can still participate fully in religious ceremonies: they can divine and they can be oriates, including sitting on the mat and performing itá. This misconception is probably rooted in the misogynist taboos inherited from Spanish male-centered culture or from fear around the natural processes of a woman’s body.

Women can give warriors to their godchildren

Misconception: Women cannot make an Eleggua, give Warriors or wash Eleggua
Truth: This is a misconception with roots in Ifá and in Cuban patriarchal culture. In Ifá the construction of Eshu (mistakenly equated with Eleggua) is relegated to Babalawos only. But this is not Eleggua. Eleggua of Ocha is constructed by an Olorisha not a Babalawo. It is birthed in a special ceremony by olorishas (not babalawos) and is used in the Kariocha ceremony when a person is made a priest/priestess in Santeria. The Eshu of Ifá is not used in that ceremony and should never go to a person’s head in Kariocha (ordination ceremony). Elegguá of Ocha can indeed be made by women. Women can be initiated into the sect of Eleggua as a priestess. Women can initiate another individual as a priest or priestess of Elegguá as well. If they can do these things, they can most certainly make the “small version” of Eleggua given in the reception of The Warriors (Guerreros). They can also wash Elegguá in the sacred room when he is being birthed, and can wash his diloggun too. There is no taboo against women doing this, and the excuse that “the energy of a man must be present to make Eleggua” is misogynistic superstition perpetuated by Ifá and patriarchal Cuban culture. Many will argue this point and I expect to receive much backlash on this point alone.

Misconception: Women cannot read diloggún
Truth: Women can indeed read diloggún and have been some of the most powerful readers in our religion’s past. Women also have the ability and right to perform itá (a life reading), providing they are not actively on their period. They can read on a table or on the mat. Some will dispute this claiming that a woman of menstruating age cannot read on the mat. To refute this claim I offer patakis that describe both Oshún and Yemayá reading with diloggún on the mat. There’s even a pataki (legend) describing Yemayá performing ebó até (ebó of the mat) which requires the reader to be seated on the mat. If these powerful female orishas did it, then women can certainly do it. In fact, because of her mastery of the tool, the diloggún was given to Yemayá for her to use, and her husband (at the time) Orunmila, was given the okuele by Olofi to divine. Women can read diloggun, always have, and should always be allowed to. (Keeping in mind the exception for women who are actively having their period.)

Misconception: Women cannot sacrifice animals with the knife
Truth: Women can receive the initiation of Pinaldo (Pinadu) where they receive the knife and are given the permission to sacrifice animals with the knife. As part of this initiation, the initiate must sacrifice animals with the knife. If a woman can receive pinaldo she must sacrifice an animal as part of the initiation and therefore is given license to sacrifice animals. Some will dispute and say that sacrificing animals carries to “hot” or chaotic of spiritual energy to it and it could cause the woman to have menstrual issues. This is particularly damning evidence of misogynist patriarchal misunderstandings of women’s menstruation, perhaps fear of a woman’s mysteries, and is total nonsense. In traditional African society women sacrificed animals and butchered them for food. If a woman can receive the knife or be crowned as a priestess of Ogún (the embodiment of the knife’s cutting edge) she can certainly wield the knife for eyebale (blood sacrifice).

A traditional oshe depicting a woman propitiating Chango by holding her bare breasts up in supplication.

Misconception: Women cannot be initiated as a priestess of Chango. It will give her manly characteristics or make her into a lesbian.
Truth: The fact that this misconception even exists is ridiculous. The orisha to whom one is initiated does not change one’s sexual orientation. It does not change a person’s characteristics either. In fact, a person’s tutelary orisha is the one in best alignment with that person’s natural energy and destiny. You aren’t changing someone by initiating them, you are lining them up with their destiny. If a woman is legitimately a child of Changó then she should be initiated as a priestess of Chango. Additionally, in Yoruba practice women lead the worship of Chango. They would kneel before his shrine and hold up their bare breasts to him in supplication. Any men crowned as priests of Chango would grow their hair out long and braid it like women, then wear skirts when worshipping Chango. The thought was that Changó was such a “ladies’ man” that he would only answer the prayers of a woman. The misconception that women will become manly if crowned as a priestess of Chango is something that flies in the direct face of cultural tradition and historical evidence. It is nothing more than misogyny and homophobia in action.

At the Santeria Church of the Orishas, we strive to educate others about the misconceptions that are commonly found in Santeria and to give historical and cultural evidence to disprove these misconceptions. We hope that you’ll think about what we’ve provided here in this article and determine for yourselves what makes sense and what is just superstition. Women have always been at the heart of Santeria and they, like our powerful female orishas, deserve to be treated with respect, honor and held in the highest regard.

Aleyos, Santeros and Babalawos – oh my!

An ornate set of elekes for Eleggua, Obatala, Oshun, Yemaya and Chango

What’s a santero? Is a babalawo a high priest? What do all of these names mean? It is important to understand what the different terms in our religion mean especially those used for the various levels of initiation, so you know who you’re dealing with.

Aleyo

Aleyos are people who have not received anything in Santeria. They may or may not be followers of the religion. They are not formally associated with any spiritual lineage (ilé). They can freely work with their Ancestors as can anyone.

Aborisha

Aborishas are people who have received the initiation of necklaces (elekes) or warriors (Eleggua, Ogún, Ochosi and Osun). These people are under the protection of the Orishas, or have some Orishas in their home. Aborishas have duties and responsibilities toward their godparents that gave them necklaces or the warriors. They are required to honor their godparent on the anniversary of the godparent’s initiation (ocha birthday) as a priest or priestess with an offering called a “derecho”. The derecho consists of a plate, two coconuts, two candles and a donation of money. This derecho is presented to the godparent’s tutelary Orisha every year. Every ceremony in Santeria involves a primary godparent (can be male or female) and a second godparent known as an ojugbona (can be either gender as well). An aborisha will need to pay respect to both their godparent and ojugbona on their ocha birthday. A person remains an aborisha until they are crowned as a priest of priestess in the religion. Some lineages allow aborishas who have received warriors to divine with obi while others reserve this for Olorishas. Most Aborishas are encouraged to focus on their relationship with their Ancestors and their Warriors as ways of developing spiritually.

The Warriors (left to right): Osun, Eleggua, Ogun and Ochosi (inside Ogun)

Olorisha (Santero/Santera)

When a person undergoes the ceremony of kariocha (hacer el santo) he or she becomes an Olorisha. This is a ceremony where that person’s tutelary Orisha is seated on his head – he is literally crowned with that Orisha and his body and life are consecrated to the service of that Orisha. Olorishas can be crowned to any of the following orishas: Eleggua, Ogun, Ochosi, Obatala, Aggayu, Oya, Oshun, Obba, Yemaya, or Chango. Rarer initiations can be done to Inle, Babalu Aye, Orisha Oko, Olokun or Yewa but some of these are only done in Africa. Men or women can be olorishas – the term is the same for either gender. Olorishas can perform readings with cowrie shells (diloggún) or with obi. They can work with ancestors, give necklaces, give warriors, give orishas, crown others in kariocha, or a whole multitude of spiritual services. They are effectively a priest or priestess of our religion.

The terms Santero (man) and Santera (woman) are syncretized terms that indicate “one who works with saints”. Within Santeria, you are not a Santero or a Santera until you have undergone the initiation of kariocha and finished your year as an Iyawo. Santero and Santera are alternate terms for Olorishas.

Iyawo (Yawó, Yabo)

In Santeria, when a person goes through kariocha, they spend a year dressed in white with a long list of behavioral restrictions in order to preserve their purity and keep them centered and focused. This allows the energy of the kariocha to properly seat within that individual and it allows them to bond with their Orishas. An iyawo is not allowed to initiate others nor is he or she allowed to participate in ceremonies aside from drumming celebrations. They are supposed to remain rather isolated and quiet for their year. Once an iyawo completes their year in white and celebrates their first ocha birthday (anniversary of their initiation), they can then return to a normal mode of dressing and a regular life. They move out of being an iyawo and into being an Olorisha. Until an iyawo performs his three month ceremony (ebó meta), he cannot work his Orishas or put anything on them in terms of offerings.

Padrino, Madrina (Babatobi, Iyatobi)

The terms padrino and madrina are spanish terms for godfather or godmother. These are terms of respect when referring to the people who initiated you in Santeria. To be a padrino or a madrina you must be an Olorisha or Babalawo because they are the only ones who have the authority to initiate others. The Lucumi term for a padrino is “babatobi” and the term for a madrina is “iyatobi”.

Oyugbona (Ojugbona, Yubona)

An oyugbona is your second godparent and in many ways is more important than your primary godparent. The word oyugbona (ojugbona) literally means “eyes on the road”. They are the “look-out” on your spiritual journey and are in charge of your spiritual well being. Unfortunately the importance of the oyugbona is being forgotten or overshadowed by the role of the godparent. In religious ceremonies, the oyugbona does most of the hard work and deserves as much respect as our babatobi or iyatobi. The oyugbona must also be an olorisha.

Babalawo

The Table of Ifá with Ikin used by Babalawos to divine

There is a great misconception in the religion of Santeria that Babalawos are high priests of the religion. Babalawos are not high priests, they are those who have been consecrated as priests of the Orisha Orunmila (Orunla). The sect of Orunmila is sometimes called Ifá. The term Ifá is also interchangeably used for the Orisha Orunmila himself. In Santeria (Lucumi/Lukumi) only heterosexual men can be initiated as priests of Orunmila/Ifá. Babalawos can only participate in the Ifá sect, they cannot perform kariocha nor can they give the ceremony of elekes. They can give warriors of Ifá, the bracelet of Orunmila (idé Orunmila), and Kofá/Awofakan (Mano de Orunmila) which is an initiation where an individual receives the mysteries of Orunmila. They can, logically, initiate others as Babalawos. If the Babalawo was an Olorisha prior to being initiated in Ifá he is technically called an Oluwo and no longer functions in the realm of the Olorisha once he passes to Ifa.

The sect of Ifá is basically a diviner’s sect. They specialize in divination using either the Okuelé (diviner’s chain with 8 seed pods on it) or with Ikin (palm nuts) and the Opón Ifá (a wooden board). Babalawos can also perform ceremonies of cleansing, readings for a person to determine their tutelary Orisha, entrance readings prior to Kariocha and they can officiate sacrificial ceremonies. It is important to state that Babalawos do not read with cowrie shells – they only use either Okuelé or Ikín in divination. Many lineages do not work with Ifá and most of those lineages refer to an Obá Oriaté to officiate their ceremonies. Once a person is initiated to Ifá or passes from Ocha to Ifá, they are no longer allowed to crown people to any Orisha other than Orunmila. In many ways the step away from the Orisha sects into a strict worship of the Ifá sect.

In African lineages they are beginning to initiate women to Ifá and call them Iyanifá. This is a relatively new evolution of the religion back in Africa and is not recognized in Santeria as a practice.

Obá, Oriaté

The Obá Oriaté is the true high priest in our religion. They are the master of ceremonies who knows all of the rituals and officiates them on behalf of a community. There is a great misconception that only men can be Obá Oriates. This is not only liturgically incorrect, but there is historical evidence to the contrary. Some of the most powerful Oriates in our religion were women. Santeria is a woman’s religion, and women dominate its practice. The Oriate is the person who officiates the kariocha ceremony and orchestrates the efforts of the Olorishas who are present to initiate the new Iyawó. The Obá Oriaté can officiate sacrificial ceremonies, work with ancestors, give cowrie shell readings (diloggun), determine a person’s tutelary Orisha, do entrance readings prior to ceremonies, give necklaces, give warriors, give Orishas, give life readings (itá), perform ebó – they can perform religious services in every aspect of Santeria. They go through a special ceremony to remove any taboos from their hands so that they can officiate the initiation of any individual. Oriates may be crowned to any Orisha (except Orunmila).