O Mío Yemaya: Intentionality and Sacred Artistry in the Cabildo de Regla Project
Publication information:
Abstract
The Cabildo de Regla project is a community initiative based in Regla, La Habana, Cuba to re-initiate their famed, Afro-Cuban religious processional tradition (2015-present). Home to the catholic shrine of the Virgin of Regla, part of the Black Marian tradition, this religious symbol is synchronized with the Orisha Yemaya, the Lucumí (santería) spiritual entity embodied within the ocean, representing universal motherhood. This presentation discusses the influence of Orisha and Ancestor Spirits upon the artistry of collaborators within this project through the photographic documentation and adornment of the consecrated Orisha images carried through the streets.
Presenter Biography
Alexandra P. Gelbard is a sociologist and interdisciplinary social scientist specializing in African Diaspora Studies, Cuba, and the Afro-Atlantic World. Her research focuses on African Diaspora community formation, religion, and cultural production with an emphasis on street processionals as spaces of relation and knowledge production.