Santeria Sacrifices Pose Problems In Florida

Rafael Martinez, a professor of anthropology at Barry University, has created a course for law enforcement officials in Miami-Dade County, Florida, to educate them about ritualistic religions, originating in West Africa and brought to the Americas by enslaved blacks who combined them with elements of Christianity. These religions include Santeria of Cuba, Congo's Palo Mayombe and Haitian Vodou. Knight-Ritter News, in a story from Kendall, Florida, outlines the problems created particularly by animal sacrifices placed by practitioners of Santeria near CSX railroad lines. Animals, as well as cloth-wrapped coins, are left there as sacrifices to Ogun, the god of war and iron. The mystical powers attributed to the iron in the spikes and rails are an important part of Santero symbolism.