The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria

Long cloaked in protective secrecy, demonized by Western society, and distorted by Hollywood, Santer a is at last emerging from the shadows with an estimated 75 million orisha followers worldwide. In The Altar of My Soul, Marta Moreno Vega recounts the compelling true story of her journey from ignorance and skepticism to initiation as a Yoruba priestess in the Santer a religion. This unforgettable spiritual memoir reveals the long-hidden roots and traditions of a centuries-old faith that originated on the shores of West Africa.

As an Afro-Puerto Rican child in the New York barrio, Marta paid little heed to the storefront botanicas full of spiritual paraphernalia or to the Catholic saints with foreign names: Yemay , Ellegua, Shang . As an adult, in search of a religion that would reflect her racial and cultural heritage, Marta was led to the Way of the Saints. She came to know Santer a intimately through its prayers and rituals, drumming and dancing, trances and divination that spark sacred healing energy for family, spiritual growth, and service to others. Written by one who is a professor and a santera priestess, The Altar of My Soul lays before us an electrifying and inspiring faith-one passed down from generation to generation that vitalizes the sacred energy necessary to build a family, a community, and a strong, loving society.

Author: Marta Moreno Vega
Publisher: One World
Published: 08/28/2001
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.59lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.56w x 0.68d
ISBN: 9780345421555

About the Author
Marta Moreno Vega, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the City University of New York's Baruch College. Professor Vega is founder of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute and Amigos del Museo del Barrio. She has curated major visual arts exhibitions, including "Santería and Vodun in the Americas", and organized three international conferences on "Orisha Tradition and Culture."


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